sophialtomes_'s review
adventurous
dark
emotional
funny
hopeful
mysterious
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
Wow. After my first book of 2023 being a dnf, The Lights of Prague was the light at the end of the tunnel for me. Set in a 1868 Prague, this historical fantasy is like a breath of fresh air from all of the epic fantasies i’ve been reading over the last year.
These two main characters are so REAL and have so many undeniable flaws (which they acknowledge), leading up to such brilliantly written character development by the end of the story.
The plot itself is more of a medium pace, but a perfect choice nonetheless. It takes a lot for me to physically put down what i’m doing and keep reading a book, yet Nicole Jarvis has done this for me.
Domek and Ora have such a wonderful dynamic, and i love that Domek is the more timid one of the two. It’s not often you see such an exemplary dynamic.
I can’t name one thing i didn’t like about this story, so it’s going down as 5 stars in my books :D
Would recommend to anyone looking for that breath of fresh air yet still having that tang of fantasy in there.
These two main characters are so REAL and have so many undeniable flaws (which they acknowledge), leading up to such brilliantly written character development by the end of the story.
The plot itself is more of a medium pace, but a perfect choice nonetheless. It takes a lot for me to physically put down what i’m doing and keep reading a book, yet Nicole Jarvis has done this for me.
Domek and Ora have such a wonderful dynamic, and i love that Domek is the more timid one of the two. It’s not often you see such an exemplary dynamic.
I can’t name one thing i didn’t like about this story, so it’s going down as 5 stars in my books :D
Would recommend to anyone looking for that breath of fresh air yet still having that tang of fantasy in there.
kiiouex's review
3.0
I'm not totally sure why this didn't work for me, but I just found it dull. The ingredients were good. There is a lot of love given to Prague and some of the characters, and I liked that the MCs had already met before their romance, helps a lot with the common Romance Timescale problems. But it was just a bit... idk maybe overexplained? It felt a bit slow and obvious the whole way through and the characters, who were both very established in their lives already, just... both stated everything all the time, idk. Skimmed through most of it. Not really LGBT rep at all so don't read it if you're only here for that it's teeny tiny background bits.
laurensharpe's review
adventurous
funny
lighthearted
mysterious
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
narjarules's review
4.0
3.5 stars
Vampire and monster hunter romance, mistaken identity, adventure mystery and the backdrop of Prague. Subtle yet intriguing discussions of ethics, enslavement, prejudice, and language & culture.
Trigger: suicide
Vampire and monster hunter romance, mistaken identity, adventure mystery and the backdrop of Prague. Subtle yet intriguing discussions of ethics, enslavement, prejudice, and language & culture.
Trigger: suicide
openmypages's review
4.0
{4.5 stars}
“Prague did not know Domek, did not need him, but his life was overlaid on the ancient streets in watercolor, the patterns sheer and impermanent.”
————————————-
I've found another fabulous addition to my vampire book collection. The Lights of Prague is dark and compelling and full of unusual magic and monsters. Domek is a lamplighter, his job, on paper, is to be out at night lighting the gas lamps around the city. Lamplighters, however, are secretly charged with protecting the city from demon attacks. The most fearsome threat are pijavice: immortal soulless former humans who subsist on human blood (essentially vampires). When there are reports that some of these demons have been spotted in the sunlight, the lamplighters group is frantic to figure out how this is possible and stop it before the pijavice become unstoppable.
Not all pijavice are hell-bent on killing humans and grabbing power, in fact there are some hiding in plain sight. When Domek learns that not all demons are as evil as he thought and the cost of the magic giving them this new capability, he must decide whether eradicating all demons is the right path.
I love that Prague itself served as a character, the atmospheric descriptions of every dark corner and gilt theater was so immersive. Domek's evolution from unwavering vampire hunter to a more nuanced hero was quite satisfying to watch. This is an excellent addition to any vampire, witch or magic lover's shelves!
Other quotes I loved:
"Monsters come from humanity."
"There was something melancholic yet comforting about a silent library. So much knowledge sat unlearned. Books without readers were just paper."
“Prague did not know Domek, did not need him, but his life was overlaid on the ancient streets in watercolor, the patterns sheer and impermanent.”
————————————-
I've found another fabulous addition to my vampire book collection. The Lights of Prague is dark and compelling and full of unusual magic and monsters. Domek is a lamplighter, his job, on paper, is to be out at night lighting the gas lamps around the city. Lamplighters, however, are secretly charged with protecting the city from demon attacks. The most fearsome threat are pijavice: immortal soulless former humans who subsist on human blood (essentially vampires). When there are reports that some of these demons have been spotted in the sunlight, the lamplighters group is frantic to figure out how this is possible and stop it before the pijavice become unstoppable.
Not all pijavice are hell-bent on killing humans and grabbing power, in fact there are some hiding in plain sight. When Domek learns that not all demons are as evil as he thought and the cost of the magic giving them this new capability, he must decide whether eradicating all demons is the right path.
I love that Prague itself served as a character, the atmospheric descriptions of every dark corner and gilt theater was so immersive. Domek's evolution from unwavering vampire hunter to a more nuanced hero was quite satisfying to watch. This is an excellent addition to any vampire, witch or magic lover's shelves!
Other quotes I loved:
"Monsters come from humanity."
"There was something melancholic yet comforting about a silent library. So much knowledge sat unlearned. Books without readers were just paper."
olivia_meret's review
5.0
A big thanks to #netgalley and #titanbooks for this eARC!
#TheLightsofPrague is a stellar debut. It’s a sophisticated vampire story that’s slow burn, built word by word, with a vast cast of characters you wish you got more of, and an interesting story that engages until the end.
It’s set in 1800s Prague. It follows Lady Ora, an independent, bold monster, and Domek, a blushing monster hunter, who are friends but don’t know about the other's alter ego. Fighting a pijavica, Domek finds a highly coveted Will-o-the-Wisp that is enslaved to whoever bears its jar
#TheLightsofPrague is a stellar debut. It’s a sophisticated vampire story that’s slow burn, built word by word, with a vast cast of characters you wish you got more of, and an interesting story that engages until the end.
It’s set in 1800s Prague. It follows Lady Ora, an independent, bold monster, and Domek, a blushing monster hunter, who are friends but don’t know about the other's alter ego. Fighting a pijavica, Domek finds a highly coveted Will-o-the-Wisp that is enslaved to whoever bears its jar