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amybraunauthor's review against another edition
4.0
A very romantic, sweeping adventure mystery set in Europe with uncommon sea-folk? Count me in! This was a really unique story with great characters, compelling magic, and a well-thought out plot. Oriana is a fantastic character who's shy for the most part, but can be very strong when she needs to be. Duilio is the kind of romantic, kind character who's a perfect match for Oriana. He's got a fun, curious streak, and is a caring gentlemen. The selling point for me was the chemistry and slow-burning romance between these two. I also appreciated the world-building and the open plot threads that will lead to other books. And thank the gods they do, because if this had been a standalone I would have rage-quit the ending. As it was, this was a sweeping romantic story that wasn't super heavy on the action and a nice change of pace. Definitely hope to see where things go from here!
amym84's review against another edition
4.0
Originally posted at Vampire Book Club
Oriana Paredea is a seria (think a siren or mermaid). She’s been in The Golden City for two years spying on the aristocracy for her people, trying to root out non-human sympathizers. Years ago the sea folk (seria, selkies, and otterfolk) were cast out of Portugal due to the Prince’s conviction that his death would be brought about by one of their people. Oriana finally landed in the perfect position as a lady’s companion.
Besides having access to a wealth of information to pass along, Oriana forms a friendship with her charge, Isabel Amaral. When Isabel decides to elope, Oriana chooses to accompany her to Paris. The girls barely make it out of the house before they are attacked and Oriana has to watch her only friend die. Was the attack as random as ‘wrong place, wrong time’? Or were Oriana and Isabel targeted specifically?
Oriana is only concerned with one thing, finding justice for her friend. Unbeknownst to Oriana, she’ll find an ally in Duilio Ferreira, a police consultant who has been investigating a series of unsolved disappearances. Oriana’s attack and attempted murder is not the first The Golden City has seen in the last few months, nor is it believed to be the last. However, there have been roadblocks in the investigation leading him to suspect someone in the higher echelons of power is pulling the strings. Duilio believes Oriana may be the key to finally solving this mystery. Duilio is not without his own hidden agenda in this case, but with their loyalties lying in different directions, will Oriana and Duilio be able to work together?
The Golden City is a mystery first and foremost. The inclusion of magic and sea folk was just icing on the cake for me. As I’ve found with many mysteries, the pacing can be slow going at times, with moments of intrigue added in to more than likely make sure you’re paying attention to the story. The twists and turns are numerous and frequent. Cheney introduces a lot of secondary characters that I desperately want to know more about.
But it’s Oriana and Duilio that make the story. The pair work great together, their chemistry is apparent from the beginning, and I found myself wishing they had more page time together. For all that The Golden City takes place in 1902 I found myself yelling “F— Propriety!”to my Kindle multiple times because that seemed to be a hindrance on furthering their relationship. They are both unassuming and not your typical alpha male or fierce heroine, although they are both very determined and capable. I like the direction Cheney takes with Oriana and Duilio (however frustrating) and I can’t wait to see if/when they’ll get a Happily Ever After.
The mythology concerning the sea folk was probably my second favorite thing about this book. They are definitely an intrinsic part of this world created but since the action of the story takes place in Portugal and away from the seria island, focus is taken away slightly. With the turn of events in The Golden City I’m hoping we’ll get a better look in the next book. If you enjoy a good traditional mystery with the inclusion of the supernatural, The Golden City is for you.
Oriana Paredea is a seria (think a siren or mermaid). She’s been in The Golden City for two years spying on the aristocracy for her people, trying to root out non-human sympathizers. Years ago the sea folk (seria, selkies, and otterfolk) were cast out of Portugal due to the Prince’s conviction that his death would be brought about by one of their people. Oriana finally landed in the perfect position as a lady’s companion.
Besides having access to a wealth of information to pass along, Oriana forms a friendship with her charge, Isabel Amaral. When Isabel decides to elope, Oriana chooses to accompany her to Paris. The girls barely make it out of the house before they are attacked and Oriana has to watch her only friend die. Was the attack as random as ‘wrong place, wrong time’? Or were Oriana and Isabel targeted specifically?
Oriana is only concerned with one thing, finding justice for her friend. Unbeknownst to Oriana, she’ll find an ally in Duilio Ferreira, a police consultant who has been investigating a series of unsolved disappearances. Oriana’s attack and attempted murder is not the first The Golden City has seen in the last few months, nor is it believed to be the last. However, there have been roadblocks in the investigation leading him to suspect someone in the higher echelons of power is pulling the strings. Duilio believes Oriana may be the key to finally solving this mystery. Duilio is not without his own hidden agenda in this case, but with their loyalties lying in different directions, will Oriana and Duilio be able to work together?
The Golden City is a mystery first and foremost. The inclusion of magic and sea folk was just icing on the cake for me. As I’ve found with many mysteries, the pacing can be slow going at times, with moments of intrigue added in to more than likely make sure you’re paying attention to the story. The twists and turns are numerous and frequent. Cheney introduces a lot of secondary characters that I desperately want to know more about.
But it’s Oriana and Duilio that make the story. The pair work great together, their chemistry is apparent from the beginning, and I found myself wishing they had more page time together. For all that The Golden City takes place in 1902 I found myself yelling “F— Propriety!”to my Kindle multiple times because that seemed to be a hindrance on furthering their relationship. They are both unassuming and not your typical alpha male or fierce heroine, although they are both very determined and capable. I like the direction Cheney takes with Oriana and Duilio (however frustrating) and I can’t wait to see if/when they’ll get a Happily Ever After.
The mythology concerning the sea folk was probably my second favorite thing about this book. They are definitely an intrinsic part of this world created but since the action of the story takes place in Portugal and away from the seria island, focus is taken away slightly. With the turn of events in The Golden City I’m hoping we’ll get a better look in the next book. If you enjoy a good traditional mystery with the inclusion of the supernatural, The Golden City is for you.
tinynavajo's review against another edition
5.0
Magic, a different history of Portugal, and legends coming to life is centered in this book and I'm loving it.
Portugal has been split into two different princedoms, to keep from Portugal being torn apart by civil war, and nonhumans have been banned from the city shores. Oriana, a sereia (a type of sea nymph/mermaid) is a spy in the city, and friend to her employer Isabel. But things start to go downhill when both Oriana and Isabel are snatched and used in a spell for necromancy. Isabel dies by drowning while Oriana, being sereia, survives. This leads to Oriana being found by Duilio, a Seer, who is looking into the disappearances of maid from other households. Together, they learn that there is much more to this mystery than missing housemaids.
This is one of my more favorite books that I have read this year. Hopefully the second book will rate as well.
Portugal has been split into two different princedoms, to keep from Portugal being torn apart by civil war, and nonhumans have been banned from the city shores. Oriana, a sereia (a type of sea nymph/mermaid) is a spy in the city, and friend to her employer Isabel. But things start to go downhill when both Oriana and Isabel are snatched and used in a spell for necromancy. Isabel dies by drowning while Oriana, being sereia, survives. This leads to Oriana being found by Duilio, a Seer, who is looking into the disappearances of maid from other households. Together, they learn that there is much more to this mystery than missing housemaids.
This is one of my more favorite books that I have read this year. Hopefully the second book will rate as well.
onespaceymother's review against another edition
5.0
I really enjoyed this book and will pick up the second one at the library today. I was so impressed by author's skill at integrating a fantasy world in a historical setting. Frankly I knew very little about the history of Portugal in the early 1900s, including the revolution. While the author is clearly playing the facts to her plot line (and adding three species of sea people) I was inspired enough to spend some time casually reading about Portugal from around 1889 to the republican revolution in 1910. Enjoyed dipping into that history in a fantasy world setting. Only complaint might be that it is a bit over complicated - so many small characters. Keeping everyone straight got a bit fuzzy here and there.
tessisreading2's review against another edition
3.0
This was fine but unremarkable. The worldbuilding is, in part, extremely complex, leading to a lot of infodumping over - really, the course of the entire book; there are multiple water-based species, an entire complex history of human interactions with each species, the culture and high society of the city, the central mystery of the book, the way magic functions in this world, and the personal histories and interactions of the two major characters and numerous, numerous minor characters. It felt overwhelming and, bluntly, a little clumsy, which leads me to the second issue - the worldbuilding didn't go far ENOUGH. Contradictory? Sure. But there are so many elements that diverge from our own world that it was jarring to read references to the Catholic Church, the Benedictine Order, the Freemasons, etc.; at one point the author references an epic poem by Camoes which exists in the real world which I, for one, have never read, making her casual mention of its contents more than a little confusing. It also felt like the worldbuilding played second fiddle to plot points sometimes, so for example we're told the sereia culture is matriarchal but .
Anyway, generally speaking it just felt like there was too much going on to the point where I didn't feel attached to the characters or the world. The pacing of the mystery didn't really work: we really only learned each new thing as our viewpoint characters learned it, and they just kind of stumbled from revelation to revelation, with a lot of the actual investigative work and connections being provided by other characters. When the entire revelation of the end game is a total surprise because the world-building didn't make it clear that this is even a possible thing, that doesn't really work - there needs to be enough in the atmosphere/background that you're like "oh, so THIS is Chekhov's gun going off" - instead, there never was a gun, sorry Chekhov! I enjoyed this fine, but I'm probably not going to aggressively seek out the sequels.
Spoiler
the sereia of authority in the city is a man - which plot-wise seems to be basically so that he can sexually harass Oriana, thereby making the reader more confident that she shouldn't trust her own people. But it doesn't make sense that a culture which treats men as poorly as we're told the sereia do would put a man in charge of a lot of women, in a politically sensitive and dangerous position moreover, without any elaboration or explanation.Anyway, generally speaking it just felt like there was too much going on to the point where I didn't feel attached to the characters or the world. The pacing of the mystery didn't really work: we really only learned each new thing as our viewpoint characters learned it, and they just kind of stumbled from revelation to revelation, with a lot of the actual investigative work and connections being provided by other characters. When the entire revelation of the end game is a total surprise because the world-building didn't make it clear that this is even a possible thing, that doesn't really work - there needs to be enough in the atmosphere/background that you're like "oh, so THIS is Chekhov's gun going off" - instead, there never was a gun, sorry Chekhov! I enjoyed this fine, but I'm probably not going to aggressively seek out the sequels.
manzabar's review against another edition
4.0
A little slow to start off, but moves along nicely once it gets going.
gloriaoliver's review against another edition
4.0
This was such a fun book! I loved Miss Paredes. It's a great combination of history and fantasy. I neat look at turn of the century Portugal and the fantasy creatures who live near its waters. Full of magic, intrigue, murder, and discovery. Plus a little romance. :)
kblincoln's review against another edition
4.0
If you've read Cheney's other work (Iron Shoes, notably) then you might be surprised by the super-ultra-fantasy book cover since her other work tends to be historically precise, realistic fiction surrounding common human issues that just happen to feature people who aren't quite all the way human.
Or if you're looking for super-ultra-fantasy, you might be disappointed.
This is more of a murder mystery and political intrigue story set in an alternate turn-of-the-century Portugal....with sea creatures. And policemen gifted with "hunches" and an evil necromancer.
So there's magic, but really the story is about a spy from the sereia (aforementioned sea creatures) who someone is trying to kill. She wants to find out who and why, and a nobleman who also moonlights as an investigator, also wants to know why. In a way, they reminded me of CS Harris' Sebastian St. Cyr novels-- only with Portuguese names and magic.
The hero and heroine are suitably attracted to each other, but its more fun reading the bits about the nobleman breaking into rooms, getting shot at, and jumping from windows. The romance itself is tantalizing, but unsatisfying(for romance junkies like me) at the end of the novel-- I'm hoping Cheney has at least one more planned to resolve some issues. Loved the details of the city, the clothing down to worn, black velvet slippers with gold embroidery for the nobleman, and the sense of political rivalry between the two Portuguese princes and Spain.
One interesting feature of the book is the font is very unique-- distracting at first, but then I felt it added to the Portuguesey feel (can I use portuguese as an adjective?) of the story. The prose itself has that formal, almost dry tone I associate with more classical English literature.
So if alternate historical mysteries are your thing (with a soupçon of magical creature) pick up this somewhat genre-spanning novel, and find yourself struggling to put the pieces together along with Oriana and Duilio before her time runs out.
Or if you're looking for super-ultra-fantasy, you might be disappointed.
This is more of a murder mystery and political intrigue story set in an alternate turn-of-the-century Portugal....with sea creatures. And policemen gifted with "hunches" and an evil necromancer.
So there's magic, but really the story is about a spy from the sereia (aforementioned sea creatures) who someone is trying to kill. She wants to find out who and why, and a nobleman who also moonlights as an investigator, also wants to know why. In a way, they reminded me of CS Harris' Sebastian St. Cyr novels-- only with Portuguese names and magic.
The hero and heroine are suitably attracted to each other, but its more fun reading the bits about the nobleman breaking into rooms, getting shot at, and jumping from windows. The romance itself is tantalizing, but unsatisfying(for romance junkies like me) at the end of the novel-- I'm hoping Cheney has at least one more planned to resolve some issues. Loved the details of the city, the clothing down to worn, black velvet slippers with gold embroidery for the nobleman, and the sense of political rivalry between the two Portuguese princes and Spain.
One interesting feature of the book is the font is very unique-- distracting at first, but then I felt it added to the Portuguesey feel (can I use portuguese as an adjective?) of the story. The prose itself has that formal, almost dry tone I associate with more classical English literature.
So if alternate historical mysteries are your thing (with a soupçon of magical creature) pick up this somewhat genre-spanning novel, and find yourself struggling to put the pieces together along with Oriana and Duilio before her time runs out.
hrjones's review against another edition
3.0
Imagine, if you will, a vaguely 19th century alternate Portugal inhabited not only by humans, but by sireia (sirens), selkies, and other non-human races, and swirling with magic. What starts as an ordinary social drama quickly turns tragic and laced through with crime and politics, both internal and external. The book is part romance, part police procedural, part political thriller. Both protagonists are complex, relatable characters with realistic motivations and reactions. The listings in amazon.com suggest that this is not Cheney’s debut novel, but possibly the first book of hers not self-published? It reads somewhat like a debut work. The world-building and fantastic elements are solid, well worked out, and very appealing, though introduced in somewhat larger informative chunks than is my preference. I have a strong preference for learning about a world simply by encountering it. I felt that the first few chapters would have moved more quickly and smoothly by simply describing the events and having confidence that the reader could work out the rest. (But maybe that’s just me.) I liked the way the romantic tension between the two protagonists developed slowly (given that they were distracted by, you know, people trying to kill them) though again I sometimes felt a lighter touch would have worked more effectively in telling the reader about their emotions and reactions. But the romantic thread is only one small part of the story. I came into this series knowing there are two more books after this, which helped in accepting the particular place the story ended. Definitely a “first book of a trilogy” feel. I have a few personal ticky-boxes that I keep track of for fantasy worlds, and one got checked off by reference to named characters who were not strictly heterosexual. Not quite a requirement for me, but an index that's always part of my evaluation.