Arcana Academy by Elise Kova — A Review

⭐️⭐️½ (2.5 Stars)

Arcana Academy by Elise Kova is one of those books that feels like it should work. The premise is intriguing, the world-building is ambitious, and the magic system is undeniably creative. And yet… despite all that, I walked away feeling mostly indifferent—which might be the most disappointing outcome of all.

Characters That Never Quite Click

The characters were my first major hurdle. Clara, our heroine, is repeatedly described as clever, determined, and capable, but those traits are mostly told to us rather than demonstrated through meaningful choices or growth. Instead of watching her earn those qualities, I felt like I was being instructed to believe them. Unfortunately, that made her more frustrating than compelling for me, and I often found her personality downright annoying.

Kaelis, the supposed dark and dangerous love interest, was another letdown. He’s built up as mysterious and intimidating, but he does very little to actually earn that reputation. Most of his presence boils down to brooding. The romance itself is nearly nonexistent for the majority of the book, and then suddenly it escalates out of nowhere. The shift felt abrupt and jarring, making the relationship feel underdeveloped and emotionally hollow. I’ve seen many other readers share this same frustration, and I completely understand why.

I didn’t actively dislike the characters—I just didn’t care about them. I wasn’t rooting for them, but I wasn’t rooting against them either. That emotional neutrality is what ultimately held the book back for me.

A Brilliant but Overwhelming Magic System

The magic system in Arcana Academy is both its biggest strength and its biggest challenge. Based heavily on tarot, it’s intricate, complex, and clearly well-researched. At times, it felt so dense and confusing that it pulled me out of the story, especially if you’re not already familiar with tarot symbolism.

That said, once I leaned into it, I genuinely adored learning how the system worked. The different cards, their meanings, and how they influenced the world were fascinating and incredibly well thought out. I didn’t always enjoy reading the magic system in action, but I deeply appreciated the creativity and care behind it.

A Strong Finish… After a Long Climb

The final 10% of the book was where things finally clicked for me. The pacing picked up, the stakes felt higher, and I was actually engaged at last. Unfortunately, it took a long time to get there, and I was very close to DNF’ing before that point. While the ending did improve my overall experience, it wasn’t enough to fully make up for the earlier issues.

Final Thoughts

Arcana Academy is a book with strong ideas and clear ambition, but uneven execution. I appreciated what it was trying to do more than I actually enjoyed reading it. For me, that lands it at 2.5 stars—not a bad book, but not one I’d eagerly recommend across the board either.

Plot Twist Dairies