In a Victorian-era London where magicians bond permanently to a single material — paper, glass, metal, rubber — Ceony Twill arrives at the cottage of Magician Emery Thane brokenhearted and resentful. Bonded to paper magic against her wishes, she expects tedium, but instead discovers wonders she never imagined. When an Excisioner tears out Thane's heart, Ceony must journey through the literal chambers of his living heart to save him.

Ceony Twill is driven, quick-witted, and relentlessly resourceful, channeling her initial disappointment into mastery of an art she grows to love. She is warm-hearted and fiercely loyal, qualities that make her journey into Thane's heart both literal and metaphorical. Alvie, the companion novel's lead, brings an inventor's infectious enthusiasm and social awkwardness as a delightful counterpoint.

Across four books — three following Ceony and a final companion novel starring a new apprentice — the series explores the richness of material-based magic, the blossoming romance between Ceony and Thane, and the discovery that every magical discipline holds its own beauty. The fourth book introduces Alvie Brechenmacher, a genius Polymaker whose storyline expands the world's magical frontier.