# An Arcane Study of Stars by Sydney Shields

An Arcane Study of Stars by Sydney Shields is a dark academia fantasy romance about Claudia, whose rare celestial magic draws her into a bargain with a demon and the secrets of an occult university. Expect a rivals-to-lovers thread, an ancient curse and a gothic, dangerous atmosphere.

- [Original product page](https://bargainpostbox.co.uk/product/an-arcane-study-of-stars-sydney-shields)
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- Market: UK
- Language: en-GB
- Currency: GBP
- Category: Books, Music & Hobbies > Books, Music & Movies > Books & Comics
- Price: 15.80 GBP
- Previous price: 22.00 GBP
- Discount: 28%
- Price checked: 2026-11-12T14:57:07.172Z
- Rating: 3.7 / 5
- Reviews: 819

Prices and deal status are the latest recorded data, not a guarantee of availability. Confirm the price and availability with the store.

## At a glance

- Historical dark academia fantasy with occult university themes and celestial magic.
- Centres on a bargain between Claudia and a demon, a mystery involving a prison of stars and a dangerous rivalry with academic Cassius MacLeod.
- The listing describes the romance as rivals-to-lovers and the story as gothic, dark and sensual.

## Pros

- Combines an occult-university setting, a supernatural mystery and a central romantic rivalry.
- A 512-page print length gives room for an extended fantasy story.

## Specifications

### Publication
- Publisher: Orbit
- Publication date: 28 April 2026
- Language: English
- Print length: 512 pages
- ISBN-10: 0356522563
- ISBN-13: 978-0356522562
### Dimensions and installation
- Weight listed: 450 g
- Dimensions: 15.4 x 4.6 x 23.8 cm

## A good fit for

- Readers seeking dark academia fantasy romance with a gothic atmosphere.
- Fans of rivals-to-lovers plots, occult secrets, celestial magic and morally dangerous bargains.

## Less suited to

- Readers looking for a light or low-stakes romance, based on the listing's dark themes and dangerous plot.

## Customer feedback

Customer feedback highlights an engaging story, unexpected plot turns and an appealing rivals-to-lovers romance, with characters also receiving praise. Writing-style feedback is mixed. This may suit readers drawn to the book's supernatural mystery and romantic tension, but the overall rating distribution is varied rather than uniformly positive.
- Positive themes: Customers praise the engaging story and its unexpected twists.
- Positive themes: The rivals-to-lovers romance, characters and plot receive positive feedback.
- Mixed feedback: Writing style feedback is mixed.

## Frequently asked questions

### What is An Arcane Study of Stars about?
Claudia, rejected by the occult university Cygnus, accepts a demon's offer of admission in exchange for his freedom. She investigates his starry prison while navigating a rivalry with academic Cassius and an ancient curse.
### What kind of romance does the book feature?
The listing presents a rivals-to-lovers romance between Claudia and the academic star of Cygnus, Cassius MacLeod.
### How long is the book?
The listing gives a print length of 512 pages.
### What language is the book in?
The listed language is English.

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## Images

![An Arcane Study of Stars by Sydney Shields — 1](https://bargainpostbox.co.uk/i/DqASVFiGmaSNHKuLPEXPVVFr4RHevMPIlKCJFvtmA6VtIubKvJXZPIS06neNnzt8ss-cbHmNi4nUcS7-VxLGA2-Zma8Y-gfvv5K8kAyESrMW3JwCYtVb.jpg)