The start of this YA novel is interesting and sets up an engaging premise. The main character is easy to root for and the pressures of competing for entry to elite institutions alongside the realities of casual racism and abusive uses of power. While the magical school setting is intriguing, I didn’t get a sense of the larger world and whether everyone has magic or what role magic will play in the story. This may become more apparent as the story goes on but because everyone seemed to have magic in the story it felt less engaging. Read like a story that will appeal to YA readers.