Newt’s Emerald is simply a lot of fun. It manages to be light-hearted, easy to read and adventurous in a delightful alternate Regency England setting. The protagonist, Lady Truthful, is loveable and spunky, a dramatic heroine ready to face adventure, even if it means dressing up as a weak and unimpressive young Frenchman. Garth Nix does an excellent job of immersing the reader in a magical Regency setting, complete with an extensive vocabulary and a strong emphasis on etiquette, with a few handsome young men thrown in for good measure.

However, the story does nothing ground-breaking. It’s a pleasure to read, but predictable and without a great deal of character development or world-building with regards to the fantastical elements of the story. This is a good fit for readers looking for a fun spin on a regency romance or a book to ease into YA fantasy, but not for someone looking for a hardcore fantasy novel or a complex original story.

Content Analysis

Profanity/Language: 12 mild obscenities, 1 derogatory name.

Violence/Gore: Storm causes property damage; man tells war stories; injuries and deaths are reported; carriage accident with no injuries; character wishes another to be seriously ill; woman is accused of poisoning two men; a character is shot in the arm; a character attempts to curse another; two instances where characters fight; character orders other characters drowned; character stabs another several times; character is shot at; character is knocked unconscious; character is lashed to the front of a ship with the intention of drowning them; conversation discussing a character being hanged; a character is kidnapped; a character shoots another; a character kills another character; discussion about people killed in battle; a character shoots another with an arrow, killing them.

Sex/Nudity: A dress in called shockingly low cut; mention of somewhat immodest fashions; several conversations discussing marriage; young men ask a young woman to dance; characters dance; character holds another around the waist; character sits on another’s lap romantically; a character kisses another; characters profess love for each other; characters kiss.

Mature Subject Matter:

Death of parents, serious illness, theft, gender roles, impersonation, societal norms.

Drug/Alcohol Use:

Mentions of drinking; adults drink alcohol at dinner; men drink rum punch and get slightly drunk in an extended scene meant to be comical; suggestion of being bribed with gin; mention of smoking and gambling at a men’s club; men drink use cigars, use snuff; characters get drunk on alcohol fumes; drinking alcohol is considered a societal norm and adults drink several times in various circumstances.