Review: A Mage’s Path by I.L. Cruz

The dramatic final installment of The Enchanted Isles series, A Mage’s Path by I.L. Cruz concludes this sweeping saga of magical revelation and selfless heroism.

Having left Canto behind, along with a heartbroken friend and the love of her life, Inez seeks out the mysterious Avo in the realm of Faery for guidance on remedying the many magical crises surrounding her. Inez’s mother remains trapped in a powerful cowrie shell and her increasingly accessible magic still feels too out of control to wield against the very real enemies that threaten her, let alone aid her quest to return magic to all in the Enchanted Isles.

However, as secrets are revealed about her mother, her birth, her grandmother’s death, and the future heir to the throne, Inez begins to feel the full weight of her destiny. Not only that, but the trail of violence and destruction continues to follow her, even into Faery, where her burgeoning powers and presence alone puts her new friends in danger.

She must travel to Moon Isle in the hopes of completing the Spell of Return before sinister forces can seize magic for their own ends, so Inez puts her skills as a noble, smuggler, radical, and rebel to the ultimate test. Desperate to keep her powers hidden, even as her strength continues to swell, Inez navigates court intrigue, Mythosian manipulators, and the secret growing within her, despite falling into the clutches of those who would use her abilities for their own ends. When she learns that a foreign power is planning an overthrow of her family in Canto, Inez will have to choose between saving those she loves and preserving the future of magic itself.

As with the other books in this series, the lavish creativity and rich descriptions make the reading experience an immersive pleasure, while the deeply developed characters elicit sincere empathy and investment. Inez has been a remarkable heroine throughout these books, moving smoothly through her many roles and identities, armed with skillful communication and subtle deflections, while also maintaining her humility and desire to learn. Sylvan is an intriguing companion character in this fourth book, enlightening but slightly untrustworthy, and acting in honor of his own secretive goals, as is true of so many secondary figures in this series.

Cruz is a master of thematic weaving, delivering wisdom on universal struggles, from fears over family legacies and self-doubt in the face of overwhelming odds to the dynamic forces of grief and the transient joys of youth. She is also a devoted world-builder, injecting traditions like the Yule ceremony and other cultural nuances, as well as dream-driven bits of expositional backstory that bring this realm and Inez’s struggles into sharp focus.

Though there has been immense care and precision in establishing each character and setting, there are a few structural issues in the prose, such as filler narration and awkward moments of language that feel out of place in this faraway world. Idiomatic phrases like “What’s his deal” are jarring reminders of contemporary speech, and may pull readers from the author’s normally consistent illusion. However, these issues are minor in the scope of the novel.

Overall, this is an impressive culmination of storylines carefully established in this enchanting series, and an inspiring adventure for all types of fantasy readers.