Thank you to Orbit Books for sending me a copy of The City of Stardust in exchange for an honest review.
Violet Everly is the last in a cursed lineage. Her mother left a decade ago, desperate to find a way to break the curse. When the Everlys’ tormentor, Penelope, returns, she offers Violet a choice. Find her missing mother, or take her place as a sacrifice to forces no one really understands.
Navigating a magical underworld of power-hungry scholars, capricious gods and vengeful monsters, Violet is determined to break the curse herself. Alongside the enigmatic Aleksander, she races against time, uncovering the secrets of a city of stardust to unravel the mystery and free her family from centuries of torment.
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The City of Stardust is Georgia Summers’ debut novel, but she writes like someone with years of experience. With elements of The Night Circus and Philip Pullman’s work combined with entirely new worlds, this is a great book to start the new year with.
I loved how Summers frames The City of Stardust; it’s a story within a story. Each section begins with a different version of the same fairytale. They hint at the mysteries of the larger narrative but leave readers questioning what the true past really is. This fleshes out the fairly simple world-building in a way that feels natural.
As the central character, Violet is fascinating. She’s the restless, cooped-up heroine with whom fantasy readers are fairly familiar. When the curse finally comes for her, she’s largely left to her own devices. But despite the dangerous situation, Violet’s first time out in the world is still an adventure. She seizes the opportunity to travel and experience new things. I appreciated that Violet is both tenacious and wide-eyed, even as she’s running for her life.
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I’ve seen a few reviewers describe The City of Stardust as romantasy, but I don’t agree. While there is a romance plot, it isn’t the central focus. It may have actually been the weakest part of the novel. There’s never a satisfying resolution to a major betrayal mid-way through the book, and so the romance fell flat for me.
If you loved The Ten Thousand Doors of January or anything by Erin Morgenstern, The City of Stardust is the perfect read. This book is for anyone who loves an atmospheric fantasy set in a unique yet familiar world.
The City of Stardust comes out on January 30 and is available for preorder from your local independent bookstore or Bookshop.org.
TW: abandonment, blood, body horror, child abuse/death, death, emotional abuse, fire/fire injury, gaslighting, injury/injury detail, kidnapping, murder, suicide, torture, trafficking, violence
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