The Grimoire Grammar School Parent Teacher Association

I am not one to get involved with politics at school. I am one of those parents who chooses to be ambivalent to it all, probably to the annoyance of others. The problem is I can see the temptation to get involved in the drama, a small way to add a little spark to your life. I have enough spark in my life from reading fantasy and watching science fiction, I do not need any of the real stuff. I may have less choice if one of the kids was bitten by a werewolf and I had to move them to a new school created for supernatural beings. Like Vivian in Caitlin Rozakis’ The Grimoire Grammar School Parent Teacher Association, it would be in my interest to know as much as possible about what is going on in the strange school. 

Vivian has been wracked with guilt ever since taking her daughter, Aria, on a camping trip, only for it to turn into a werewolf hunt. Aria survived the attack but is no longer quite human. She is a kindergarten pupil prone to wolfing out and this takes a special type of education to handle such a pup. Vivian and her family move to a new town that caters for magical beings, but as a mundane with a newly enhanced child, will she ever be able to fit into a society that has had generations of the uncanny in their family trees? 

I enjoy Urban Fantasy, but it often leans into the Fantasy and not the Urban as much. Tales of magical creatures that live under the streets, or Wizard PIs trying to stop the apocalypse again. Grimoire is almost Sombre Fantasy, a book that takes the fantastical and makes it deal with real life, as it would happen. This is a world in which magic is real, but compartmentalised. For good or bad, the magical folks are ghettoised in pockets around the world. It is this closed society that Vivian must worm herself into. 

What better way to get involved than by joining the Parent Teacher Association? A fantastic way to get to know other parents, but also a terrific way to step into a big smelly pile of drama. The book has all the snobbish characters and aloof looks that you expect from a mix of parents, but the stakes are also prophesy high. The locals are always looking out for a family that may fulfil the ancient curse that the town sits under, and Vivian’s family may just fit the bill. 

Although the book has Mages and Kelpies, it does feel grounded as the parental politics can be found in a similar form at many schools. We take the journey with Vivian, and she is a guilt riven character. She feels to blame for her daughter’s change and the upheaval in the family. This guilt is always with her and influences her decisions. As a reader, it can be intense. Vivian is an emotional character. I felt more in keeping with the husband who had no time for school politics, but I think many people will be more sympathetic with Vivian. It is hard to give yourself a break sometimes. 

Between the back biting and family angst, there is some lovely world design. The new town and characters hold a lot of potential for further books. There is also an interesting crime element to the book that shows that although a place can be magical, the people are still as greedy and corrupt as anywhere else. A reader who has helped a child through school will relate to many of the bureaucratic aspects of the book, but there are also enough fun Urban Fantasy elements for fans of that genre to enjoy the book also.