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Cursebreakers Paperback – September 12, 2023

by Madeleine Nakamura (Author)
4.8 4.8 out of 5 stars 14 ratings
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Adrien Desfourneaux, professor of magic, must survive his own failing mental health and a tenuous partnership with a dangerous ally in order to save the city of Astrum from a spreading curse.
Adrien Desfourneaux, professor of magic and disgraced ex-physician, has discovered a conspiracy. Someone is inflicting magical comas on the inhabitants of the massive city of Astrum, and no one knows how or why. Caught between a faction of scheming magical academics and an explosive schism in the ranks of Astrum's power-hungry military, Adrien is swallowed by the growing chaos. Alongside Gennady, an unruly, damaged young soldier, and Malise, a brilliant healer and Adrien's best friend, Adrien searches for a way to stop the spreading curse before the city implodes. He must survive his own bipolar disorder, his self-destructive tendencies, and his entanglement with the man who doesn't love him back.
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Previous page
  1. Print length
    284 pages
  2. Language
    English
  3. Publisher
    Canis Major Books
  4. Publication date
    September 12, 2023
  5. Dimensions
    5.25 x 1.25 x 8.25 inches
  6. ISBN-10
    193909612X
  7. ISBN-13
    978-1939096128
  8. See all details
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From the Publisher

Editorial Reviews

Review

"..the intimate representation of bipolar disease and addiction, the normalization of queer characters, and the nuanced depiction of aromantic male-female friendship make this an exciting read."—Melinda Liu, Booklist 

"A tightly plotted conspiracy novel that blends seamlessly with its superbly developed setting."—Kirkus Reviews, Starred

“Adrien's narration was vivid, prickly, and compelling, and I loved the world she built around him, especially the beautiful names and terms, but also the institutional history of Pharmakeia and Curia (and Chirurgeonate), with the occasional, tantalizing glimpses of the wider world. And I admired the way she hung the plot together on the dual armatures of that institutional history and Adrien's deeply flawed character.”—Katherine Addison, author of The Goblin Emperor 

“An absorbing meditation on curses and blessings, martyrs and saints—and a rare fantasy that recognizes that the mind is more mysterious and more vital than any spell. It is writers like Madeleine Nakamura who are going to bring us all into the next age of the world.”—Brian Conn, author of The Fixed Stars: Thirty-Seven Emblems for the Perilous Season

"Cursebreakers is outrageously good—phenomenal, even. This is a novel as electric as the lightning-bolt magic its protagonist wields, filled with curses, destruction, and piercing heartache. It's an ode to true, enduring friendship and a call to believe in our capacity for good."—Andrea Marks-Joseph, Independent Book Review

"Nakamura has created an impressive cast of characters in this action-packed thriller..."—Authorlink

"I can say with my whole heart that this book is categorically excellent. Had to bold it to really get my point across. . . Cursebreakers dared me to keep turning the page, and yet, demanded my patience all the same. . . all I can say is... I’m ravenous."—Noah, Goodreads

"Cursebreakers is a stellar debut written in tight prose that paints an image in one's mind with select, striking details. Its honest portrayal of mental illness through the creative lens of magic and a strong running theme of platonic friendship gives the story a deep sense of heart. At less than 300 pages long, it is a quick read that I am sure will charm you, whether you are a die-hard fantasy fan or not."—Sinclair Adams, Soapberry Review

About the Author

Madeleine Nakamura is a writer, editor, and lifelong fantasy devotee. She began writing her first novel the day she realized a computer science degree wasn’t happening. She graduated from Mills College in Oakland with a degree in creative writing. She is based in Los Angeles, California.

Product details

  • Publisher ‏ : ‎ Canis Major Books (September 12, 2023)
  • Language ‏ : ‎ English
  • Paperback ‏ : ‎ 284 pages
  • ISBN-10 ‏ : ‎ 193909612X
  • ISBN-13 ‏ : ‎ 978-1939096128
  • Item Weight ‏ : ‎ 11.4 ounces
  • Dimensions ‏ : ‎ 5.25 x 1.25 x 8.25 inches
  • Customer Reviews:
    4.8 4.8 out of 5 stars 14 ratings

About the author

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Madeleine Nakamura

Madeleine Nakamura

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Madeleine Nakamura is a writer and editor based in Los Angeles and the author of the fantasy novel Cursebreakers. A lifelong fantasy devotee, she began writing her first novel the day she realized a computer science degree wasn’t happening.

Customer reviews

4.8 out of 5 stars
4.8 out of 5
14 global ratings

Top reviews from the United States

Penny
5.0 out of 5 stars Interesting read!
Reviewed in the United States on September 18, 2023
Verified Purchase
This made me think of witch hunter robin.

I'd definitely read more from this author.
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Ashley Nestler
4.0 out of 5 stars A Beautiful Fantasy with LGBTQIA+ and Bipolar Representation
Reviewed in the United States on September 12, 2023
QUICK TAKE
Cursebreakers by Madeleine Nakamura is an inclusive fantasy adventure that features a main character dealing with bipolar disorder in a high stakes dark academia world. Filled with action and unrequited romance, I easily became entranced by this debut. It is ideal for fans of queer fantasy with a mental health edge.

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As a mental health specialist, I always love when I find books that address mental health, and Cursebreakers by Madeleine Nakamura did so in such a brilliant and inventive way. While it is an adult fantasy with dark academia vibes, the main character, Adrien, is a professor of magic struggling with bipolar disorder. His struggles with his mental health are relatable and make him deeply human. But the way that Madeleine Nakamura incorporated these very human concerns in such a magical and fantastic story was ingenious. I couldn’t put it down.

At times, I did find it hard to keep up with the worldbuilding due to extensive language that was hard to follow; however, I do blame that on the fact that I am not a frequent fantasy reader. Readers who do enjoy fantasy and read it consistently should be able to keep up with the complexities of the story.

Nakamura also incorporated such excellent LGBTQIA+ representation, which was beautiful and I found intensely relatable. That paired with the mental health representation and the intense world building made Cursebreakers a profound and impressionable story.

If you enjoy intense fantasy with LGBTQIA+ and mental health representation, you are going to love Cursebreakers by Madeleine Nakamura.
2 people found this helpful
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Sinclair Adams
5.0 out of 5 stars The most unique and important fantasy book I've read in a while.
Reviewed in the United States on February 27, 2024
This book was very well written with amazing characters and an interesting fantasy world that wasn't too top-heavy with clunky worldbuilding.
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MK French
5.0 out of 5 stars A steampunk-like alternate universe with magic
Reviewed in the United States on September 13, 2023
Review first posted at Girl Who Reads. All opinions are my own.

Adrien Desfourneaux is a disgraced physician and current professor of magic who discovered a conspiracy. Within Astrum, people are falling into magical comas. One side of the problem involves academics and another is the schism within the military. Adrien works with the damaged soldier Gennady and his best friend Malise to find a way to stop the comas. Standing in his way is himself: his bipolar disorder, his self-destructive tendencies, and his entanglement with the man who doesn’t love him back.

Adrien suffers from dithymic akrasia, which is their world's term for bipolar disorder, and a daimon is how he references the fluctuations in his mood and the erratic decisions he makes as a result. He has self-harmed, with past hallucinations, paranoia, and addiction. That didn't stop him from being a good chirurgeon, though the experimental treatment failed. It adds to his guilt, and he can't practice medicine so he teaches to maintain his livelihood and his magic license. His world is one where magic and gaslamp technology coexist, as well as a military armed with witchfinders and officers with animal companions. As much as he tries to handle himself and his volatile moods in a world where medicine doesn't exist, his mood still flares. This can go in any which way, complicating his life and attachments to others. It broke my heart to realize that his past is held against him and even his closest friends think he's paranoid and hallucinating when he first tries to approach them with the conspiracy.

Adrien's closest friends are essentially his doctor and keeper until Gennady insists on working with him to help identify what happened to the fallen soldiers as well as students. Gennady calls himself odd or crazy or broken, but the difficulty in relating well to others, needing routine, and problems understanding social situations make me think he's on the autism spectrum. He charges forward full bore, unable to read the room and temper his reactions. Adrien is exhausted by social situations, but it's mostly because he knows (and is correct) that some of his fellow professors think less of him because of his past as a chirurgeon who failed his patients and some because they know he is an akratic. He's drawn into the problem and is pulled farther than safety would allow. As he discovers the truth, it puts him and his loved ones in harm's way; those involved in the conspiracy wouldn't mind killing him, and those wanting him to provide evidence about the conspiracy won't offer protection.

I was admittedly a little confused at first; the usual advice to start in media res means that terms are used without clear explanation within the opening scene or two. It's worth getting past the first chapter to figure out what's going on. The differences in terms, whether the university names, different terms for what we're used to, and the steampunk atmosphere solidly place this novel in an entirely different world than ours. There are enough similarities that we can connect to the characters, and feel for how alone Adrien is, how much he yearns for connection and to do the right thing, yet is hamstrung a bit by his own weaknesses. His mental health is used against him lovingly by his friends and like a weapon by enemies but is part and parcel of who he is and also allows him to see truths that others don't. He's still very much the hero of this story, and does the right thing no matter how stressful it is.
One person found this helpful
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Cinnbun5
5.0 out of 5 stars Found Family
Reviewed in the United States on November 26, 2023
Beautiful portrayal of found family, deep friendships, courage in dark times and how we all make a difference even though we may have mental or physical hinderances.

The description of depression/anxiety/mental health disorders is exquisite and felt very familiar to me.

Absolutely loved this story and will read whatever else this author puts out.

“Fear does the strangest things to you. It hunts and haunts every person differently…”
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Amazon Customer
5.0 out of 5 stars Original plot and characters keeps you involved in the book.
Reviewed in the United States on October 31, 2023
The book keeps you interested because the author creates a world that exists in a different reality, but she manages to incorporate issues and feelings that touch modern day life. The hero of the story is flawed and vulnerable, but his vulnerability keeps you enthralled in the plot. Ultimately a good read needs a good plot, and the original story line is the best part of the book. The conclusion makes you want more and hopefully there will be more.
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Marissa Eckel
5.0 out of 5 stars Aniter amazing first time author
Reviewed in the United States on October 5, 2023
I feel that Adrien is misunderstood by people. I think he is pushed intp the situation and not in a safe way. It puts him and others in harms way because of the conspiracy that those involved are thinking its ok for a sacrifice and that would be Adrien and they dont care. I feel sorry for Adrien he is alone he just wants someone to understand him and all he wants to fo is what is right. I think the way he is written is so sweet and such a good person. I recommend to read this. My first time reading this author and i would love to read more involving Adrien and this world of dark academia magic and the main character has bipolar disorder. Just gives you all the feels.
Thank you Net Galley for this opportunity.
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