I started reading Zodiac Academy from reading recommendations on Goodreads and instagram. I was pleasantly surprised and incredibly disappointed in just the first two books. The writing style is mediocre at best and I can tell that the authors sometimes make up the plot on the spot, but I enjoy the relationship dynamics and character development. I’m only on the fifth book and the authors are really stretching this series for money (already ten books out and another on the way) but I already know I likely won’t recommend this to anyone unless they have a lot of time and want to experience reading whiplash. 

Zodiac Academy follows twin sisters, Tory and Darcy, as they’re thrust in to the world of Fae and discover that they have the strongest magical capabilities in Solaria. They are forced to claim the throne as Princesses to the old King Vega who died twenty years ago. But first, they have to wrestle it from the hands of the four Celestial Councilors and their heirs, who are also students at Zodiac Academy. The Heirs (literally dubbed that) make the twins’ adjustment to Solaria and the academy torturous at every turn as the Vega twins learn to navigate their newfound powers in this world of magic.

Every character in this over ten-book series is white or some variation of white except for two: Max Rigel and Diego Polaris. Max is a dark-skinned Heir for the water element and a powerful Siren. Heis both a main character and antagonist-turned-protagonist. 

Diego is a Hispanic and weak air elemental and a tentative friend to Tory and Darcy. His weakness and lack of known species order is pointed out by other characters at every opportunity for the first five books (at least). His only real value is of having connections to the real antagonists and able to spoil their plans to Tory and Darcy. 

I understand that as an Heir, Max was obligated to do terrible things for the character arc of the group. However, the fact that one of the few people of color in the entire 4,500 pages of this series is seen as an antagonist promotes the idea that people of color are dangerous and malicious, even if it wasn’t intentional. At the same time, Diego is viewed as weak and constantly belittled (though I have a feeling he will have a massive character arc in the future).  

Susanne Valenti and Caroline Peckham tried so hard to do the bare minimum that when they did, it had effects opposite of what they intended. In attempting to be inclusive by having a main character be POC, they furthered anti-Black rhetoric with Max and the idea that Hispanics are weak with Diego.

While I don’t think their writing choices are to the point of being intentionally racist, it begs to question what their other considerations were for POC representation in the series. Every character besides Max and Diego and their respective families are white or tan but still white. Not to mention that racial discrimination simply doesn’t exist in this universe (unfortunately like every other fantasy book out there). 

I had low expectations for racial representation when I started this series, and this book somehow still did below par.

Zodiac Academy: 3 stars (as of book 5)

POC representation: -2 stars