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luvs4w4lls's review against another edition
adventurous
mysterious
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.75
Listen, I had a blast during this, until I didn’t. It was mostly the weak attempt in romance that threw me off, but by 80% I felt like the plot was dragging a bit. I believe it could’ve been a hundred pages shorter, and I wish the author hadn’t tried to write romance when she clearly doesn’t know how to do it. I’m also not entirely sure I’ll read the second book because the ending felt very final to me.
wipqozn's review against another edition
4.0
I really enjoyed this. Really great read for fans of political intrigue.
shawniebooks's review against another edition
4.0
It took a little time for me to get into the flow of this world, but I'm happy I stuck with it. I like the different perspective of the proofer as opposed to the assassin. I love the brother sister relationship of the mains and their friendship with the other main. I listened to this on audio and enjoyed the two voices.
sydney_arcuri's review against another edition
dnf 20%
wow i don’t know what it is but im just struggling rn to actually enjoy books. might come back but idk
wow i don’t know what it is but im just struggling rn to actually enjoy books. might come back but idk
nekoshka's review against another edition
adventurous
mysterious
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.75
Content Warnings
Graphic: Mental illness, Death, War, Violence, and Xenophobia
Moderate: Chronic illness, Religious bigotry, and Classism
Minor: Sexual content and Hate crime
lostinagoodbook's review against another edition
4.0
Disclaimer: I received this book free from Netgalley
"I was seven years old the first time my uncle poisoned me…"
Hook, line and sinker. How is it possible to refuse a book that opens that way? I’ll do you one even better, it has a 4-star Goodreads review from Robin Hobb. Yes, please. I’ll take it!
City of Lies lives up to its opening. Jovan, is a proofer. He has extensive knowledge and training in poisons and chemistry. His job is not as assassin but instead is to keep the Chancellor’s family safe from threat. He fails to prevent an attack which kills the Chancellor and lays the city open to siege from without.
This kingdom of Silasta has a complicated past. The author does a good job of world building, and there is a complicated history that has led to rebellion. The nobility like to think of themselves as progressive and sophisticated, but as Faulkner said “The past is never dead. It’s not even past.” That past is coming back to haunt them.
A conquering kingdom can be centuries away from its moment of conquest but how do you ever made peace with the people you’ve harmed? If you are a nation who can deny the humanity of another to extent of invading and subjugating them, can you break the pattern and live in peace with the people you’ve suppressed? These are questions that have been drifting around in my mind lately. I recently read The Broken Earth trilogy by N.K. Jemisin and it dovetailed with City of Lies in my thoughts. Don’t get me wrong, these are two very different books, but I feel like they share a kinship in the way they look (in differing degrees) at the harm done to the psyche of the conquered and the conquering people. Certainly the country I belong to has not healed from the violence brought upon it hundreds of years ago. I don’t know that you ever get over it.
City of Lies inspired deep thoughts, but didn’t weigh me down. I enjoyed the writing, and really liked the characters. In particular Jovan’s sister Kalina. I became very fond of her. She was lovely, brilliant and compassionate. This society has respect for women, they are allowed positions of honor and prominence, and is also LGBTQ inclusive. But it killed me every time she felt the need to hide her intelligence or feign weakness in order to get people to listen to her. I have to admit, what a clever way to show the reader, that this society may not be as advanced as they seem to believe themselves. I appreciated the subtlety.
I am happy to see this is the first book in the series. I’m not sure how many more books will follow, but I will be following this new author. Ms. Hawke is a promising new artist.
Song for this book: I Am Chemistry by Yeasayer
"I was seven years old the first time my uncle poisoned me…"
Hook, line and sinker. How is it possible to refuse a book that opens that way? I’ll do you one even better, it has a 4-star Goodreads review from Robin Hobb. Yes, please. I’ll take it!
City of Lies lives up to its opening. Jovan, is a proofer. He has extensive knowledge and training in poisons and chemistry. His job is not as assassin but instead is to keep the Chancellor’s family safe from threat. He fails to prevent an attack which kills the Chancellor and lays the city open to siege from without.
This kingdom of Silasta has a complicated past. The author does a good job of world building, and there is a complicated history that has led to rebellion. The nobility like to think of themselves as progressive and sophisticated, but as Faulkner said “The past is never dead. It’s not even past.” That past is coming back to haunt them.
A conquering kingdom can be centuries away from its moment of conquest but how do you ever made peace with the people you’ve harmed? If you are a nation who can deny the humanity of another to extent of invading and subjugating them, can you break the pattern and live in peace with the people you’ve suppressed? These are questions that have been drifting around in my mind lately. I recently read The Broken Earth trilogy by N.K. Jemisin and it dovetailed with City of Lies in my thoughts. Don’t get me wrong, these are two very different books, but I feel like they share a kinship in the way they look (in differing degrees) at the harm done to the psyche of the conquered and the conquering people. Certainly the country I belong to has not healed from the violence brought upon it hundreds of years ago. I don’t know that you ever get over it.
City of Lies inspired deep thoughts, but didn’t weigh me down. I enjoyed the writing, and really liked the characters. In particular Jovan’s sister Kalina. I became very fond of her. She was lovely, brilliant and compassionate. This society has respect for women, they are allowed positions of honor and prominence, and is also LGBTQ inclusive. But it killed me every time she felt the need to hide her intelligence or feign weakness in order to get people to listen to her. I have to admit, what a clever way to show the reader, that this society may not be as advanced as they seem to believe themselves. I appreciated the subtlety.
I am happy to see this is the first book in the series. I’m not sure how many more books will follow, but I will be following this new author. Ms. Hawke is a promising new artist.
Song for this book: I Am Chemistry by Yeasayer
mary_soon_lee's review against another edition
4.0
This is a strong debut fantasy novel, featuring generous helpings of intrigue and battle, together with a mystery component woven into the story. While in some ways treading familiar ground, featuring young protagonists struggling against the odds for the greater good, it also contains satisfyingly distinctive elements, such as an emphasis on poison. Jovan, one of the two point-of-view characters, is trained to protect his friend and future leader from being poisoned. Equally unusually, Jovan is obsessive-compulsive -- not to the extreme extent of Orson Scott Card's Hang Qing-Jao in "Xenocide," but enough to both shame and burden him. The second point-of-view character is Jovan's sister, Kalina, and indeed the book has strong and varied female characters. I found both Jovan and Kalina sympathetic, and the book largely compelling, though there were points in the first third where my interest dropped. I note that the fantasy content in the book is relatively understated. I'm already looking forward to the next volume.
quossie's review against another edition
4.0
What a great way to start the year. I somehow missed reading this when it first came out even though it caught my attention enough to buy (great premise! fantastic opening! eye-candy cover!), and it ended up sitting in my TBR pile for two years, beautiful and unappreciated.
While the idea of spies, secret poisoners and the 'power beside the throne' is well-worn in fantasy novels, City of Lies managed to keep it fresh and interesting by throwing in racial tension, ancient mythology/religion, conspiracy, war, siege, murder, and mystery. I loved the fact that the characters had so much more depth than a lot you find in fantasy books (as if the presence of magic makes the cardboard people glossy enough not to matter). Jovan's anxiety especially felt claustrophobically familiar at times. Well written, well plotted, and just an all around good read for anyone who enjoys quality fantasy.
I'm now in the process of hunting down Hollow Empire to devour immediately.
While the idea of spies, secret poisoners and the 'power beside the throne' is well-worn in fantasy novels, City of Lies managed to keep it fresh and interesting by throwing in racial tension, ancient mythology/religion, conspiracy, war, siege, murder, and mystery. I loved the fact that the characters had so much more depth than a lot you find in fantasy books (as if the presence of magic makes the cardboard people glossy enough not to matter). Jovan's anxiety especially felt claustrophobically familiar at times. Well written, well plotted, and just an all around good read for anyone who enjoys quality fantasy.
I'm now in the process of hunting down Hollow Empire to devour immediately.
may_iv's review against another edition
adventurous
emotional
hopeful
inspiring
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? N/A
4.75