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rhrie38's review against another edition
lisamarie89's review against another edition
4.0
ashcash981's review against another edition
4.0
I tried reading this book back in 2019, and inevitably DNF'd it. However, I decided to try again, and this time the audiobook. So I'm not sure if this was in contribution as to why I enjoyed it a lot more this time around. The narration and narrator were amazing!
With that being said...I LOVED that this book was character-driven and the growth of the characters throughout the story. Enne Salta heads to New Reyens, City of Sin to find her mother Lourdes. She's sheltered, naive, and innocent. However, weeks in the City of Sin she begins to realize that she can't be this naive little girl anymore. She needs to adapt, and adapt she did...albeit hesitantly.
What I didn't like was the made-up curse words mucking and shatz, for the love of holy please just use real ones! I wish there had been a deeper explanation of the Volts system, the magic system, why everyone seems to hate Mizers, and why they were all killed at one point. Did they hate Mizers because they could make volts? It was unclear. Not that I need to be spoonfed details, but sometimes at least a little knowledge is better than being left confused.
I will say if I didn't know Levi Glaysier was a teenage black boy, you'd never know. I wish the character descriptions throughout the book were thought out a little bit more as well.
Overall, I enjoyed the story. I can't wait to pick up the following book, King of Fools, to see if it's more plot-driven this time around or a mix of both character and plot!
snoopydoo77's review against another edition
4.0
This book was amazing! I’m so glad I stumbled over this series and I already started book two.
I don't think there is anything I didn’t like in this book. I loved the characters, I loved the world, I loved the writing and the pace. Just simple stunning.
The world gave me an old Hollywood/ Vegas vibe which I enjoyed so much more than I thought I would.
The characters are so real, so flawed and so enjoyable. It was easy to get lost in the world along with them. Plus, they had some amazing, character development along the way.
Enne... OMG. I loved her... I loved seeing her transformed from this good school girl to kick ass heroine in one book and I suspect it will just get better from here on.
Levi, complete opposite ... in character but still amazing growth in his own way. Seeing the soft side in the street lord he is and how much he cared for those around him.
But not only the main characters were awesome but the supporting cast was great as well.
I loved the slow romance … okay the book takes place only over a span of a two weeks or so. BUT it felt much slower than that, not slow as in boring but slow in pace if that makes sense. It felt like we know these people forever and a day.
The romance felt slower as well and very sweet and natural.
The only thing I had a little problem with was the magic system in this world, it took me a little to understand and get into. I hope be more of an idea of it in next book.
Overall, loved …. I can only recommend this book if you are looking for a book with amazing cast and world.
I rate it 4.5★
lyakimov's review against another edition
2.0
The whole plot was a huge mishmash of magic and politics that confused me so much. It was a little bit of everything and it just did not work for the story. Also the instalove and the made-up swear words was so annoying. I really can’t take it seriously when they say “Muck you” like girl WHAT. Am I not supposed to laugh?? Also, the main character is 5 foot, and the love interest TOWERS over her of course like every other goddamn book.
hauntingcare's review against another edition
5.0
kittybeemartin's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
2.75
lizzycatslibrary's review against another edition
3.0
alexan13's review against another edition
4.0
But wow. These characters have my whole entire heart and I can just tell I’m going to be thinking about them for a long time to come.
There were definitely some flaws with the world building of this novel that made it difficult to get into and at times made the world difficult to believe — it’s detailed world building, but done in a surface level way, mostly through information dumps throughout the novel. But, the political stakes this ending left gives me hope the sequel will come through with the more substantial world information. And by the end of this novel, the atmosphere of the City of Sin had really sunk in, and I did believe in the city that reveals itself to almost be a character in the novel.
I’d also say the narrative style took a while to get used to — the writing style is pretty simple prose overall, but with artsy (and very beautiful and well-constructed! Truly some great lines, I will credit), deeply metaphorical, figurative sentences thrown in every couple pages. It’s not that this was necessarily bad, but it just felt forced and overly “”literary”” when the rest of the writing is not, which felt disjointed and took me out of the story every time it happened.
For these reasons, I have to fairly give it four stars. But in my heart and for my emotional experience for the final 60% of the novel, it is a new favorite for sure.
I seriously cannot gush enough about the characters, and their growth, and the s l o w burn of the romantic relationships and developing friendships through out. The plot too escalates from stakes that are hard to get invested to, into a truly intriguing mystery about a quarter way into the book. And the tension that is successfully established at this point does not let up the rest of the novel — I found myself literally tearing through the last tenth of it.