Bodies of Magic, by Freya Marske

A dark academia with a murder mystery at its core and set in a magical medical academy? With that premise, it was impossible to resist the impulse to read Bodies of Magic, a standalone novel written by Freya Marske, that shines especially in its character work and in how it reflects some flaws still present in medical education, all while weaving a well-written story.

Five medical students at the Academy of Sieuxerr discover the corpse of a classmate in the same salon they should be having their Grand Exam. However, as their Exam continues despite the finding, they soon discover that their examination is weird and they all have a connection with the classmate, the most brilliant student of their cohort; apart from passing their test, they will involve in an against the clock investigation to discover who murdered Ysabel and why they are involved in this test. 

A story that is told through the POVs of the five students, something that can be challenging to follow at times, but I also felt it was a good way to show us the different origins of the people studying at the Academy; there's certainly a bit of social commentary on how this mimics real medical schools and the different pressures one might suffer (I think this hits harder if you have been in this world). It is true that sometimes it might feel chaotic, especially as we hop from one to another, but eventually the picture makes sense, so just trust a bit of the author.

The healing magic system was quite interesting, especially as it felt a bit like holistic, but also putting the focus on the collaboration among peers, in contrast with how academia foments individuality and competition. It is also nice to have a queer normative setting being central to the novel, including a non-binary character; all feel natural in this worldbuilding.
The pacing might be the aspect I was a bit more wary, as I felt the own healing process might end up feeling repetitive; it is true that, again, Marske uses this formula as a way to emphasize the contrast with the final one, but still. Said that, I think even with that in mind, it's an enjoyable read.

Bodies of Magic is a great dark academia novel, putting the focus through a murder mystery on the formation of those that would end up healing people, an interesting and well-executed premise. It was my first Freya Marske, but won't be the last!