Title: The City of StardustAuthor: Georgia Summers
Pages: 352
Publication Date: January 30, 2024
Publisher: Redhook
Genres: Fiction / Romance / Fantasy
Synopsis:
A young woman descends into a seductive magical underworld of power-hungry scholars, fickle gods and monsters bent on revenge to break her family’s curse in this spellbinding contemporary fantasy debut.
For centuries, generations of Everlys have seen their brightest and best disappear, taken as punishment for a crime no one remembers, for a purpose no one understands. Their tormentor, a woman named Penelope, never ages, never grows sick – and never forgives a debt.
Violet Everly was a child when her mother left on a stormy night, determined to break the curse. When Marianne never returns, Penelope issues an ultimatum: Violet has ten years to find her mother, or she will take her place. Violet is the last of the Everly line, the last to suffer. Unless she can break it first.
To do so, she must descend into a seductive magical underworld of power-hungry scholars, fickle gods and monsters bent on revenge. She must also contend with Penelope’s quiet assistant, Aleksander, who she knows cannot be trusted – and yet whose knowledge of a world beyond her own is too valuable to avoid.
Tied to a very literal deadline, Violet will travel the edges of the world to find Marianne and the key to the city of stardust, where the Everly story began.
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Once a generation, an Everly walks into the dark, compelled by the shadow beside them.
The City of Stardust follows Violet Everly as she leaves her home in search of a way to break the curse that plagues her family and find her mother, who disappeared years ago. Raised in isolation by her uncles, Violet goes on a dangerous journey, knowing that if she can’t break the curse, she will be the family member sacrificed.
I took a bit of time to think about this story because I had some mixed feelings about it. I loved the author’s writing style and felt it was one of the strengths of the novel. Rich and atmospheric, the narrative is enchanting and easy to immerse yourself in. The pacing was a bit off at times, but overall it’s beautiful and engrossing storytelling with a whimsical style that is slightly reminiscent of a fairy tale.
The premise is also really intriguing, as is the magical world in which the story takes place. This is a dark world of scholars, monsters, gods, magic, curses, and more, and because Violet’s journey takes her far and wide, you get a variety of diverse settings. It’s vivid and fascinating and dynamically developed.
The characters are compelling, too, especially Violet and Aleksander, but I wanted more development with both of them and their romance. They both showed so much growth over the course of the story and amidst all of the obstacles they faced, but I never felt completely attached to either of them. The story also changes perspectives which, combined with the uneven pacing, sometimes left me confused.
Though I wished some aspects were fleshed out a bit more, overall, I enjoyed the story. The writing is fantastic, and the mystery, quest-like journey, and themes of family make for an entertaining read. Thanks to Orbit Books for sending me a copy. All thoughts are my own.
- portal fantasy
- quest
- family secrets
- curses
A curse can be many things. A wish left out to spoil in the sun, putrid and soft, leaving behind only calcified desire and oxidized envy. Or a poisoned chalice, a mistake tattooed across an entire family tree, with every generation promising, vowing to never sip until they do.
Georgia Summers is half-British, half-Trinidadian, and spent most of her life living across the world, including Russia, Colombia, and the US. When she’s not doing bookish things, she’s planning her next great adventure. She currently lives in London, but she dreams of one day living in a haunted château with a ghost that cleans.
You summed it up pretty perfectly for me. I enjoyed it and loved the writing style but I never really connected with the characters. I will be interested to see what she writes next though
Agreed! lol
Great review, Julie. This does sound very fairytale like.
Thanks so much, Carla!