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obviouslyenia's review against another edition
dark
emotional
sad
tense
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.25
Content Warnings
Graphic: Death, Violence, Injury/Injury detail, Torture, and Murder
msradiosilence's review
adventurous
dark
emotional
funny
mysterious
sad
tense
medium-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? It's complicated
4.5
Tldr; Taesia is the best, and I’m really looking forward to book 2.
Read my full review at: https://www.rainyreader.com/single-post/the-city-of-dusk.
Read my full review at: https://www.rainyreader.com/single-post/the-city-of-dusk.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Death, Domestic abuse, Body horror, Cursing, Racism, Police brutality, Sexual content, Torture, Violence, Emotional abuse, Injury/Injury detail, Alcohol, Blood, Cannibalism, Child death, Fire/Fire injury, Gore, Grief, Hate crime, Murder, Physical abuse, and Toxic friendship
adancewithbooks's review
dark
mysterious
tense
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
4.0
Thank you to Hodder & Stoughton and Netgalley for the review copy in exchange for an honest review. This does not change my opinion in anyway.
The City of Dusk is Tara Sim's first foray into Adult Fantasy and I quite enjoyed this darker take on houses.
In The City of Dusk there are 4 houses. Each house received the power of one of the gods of the 4 realms. There is necromancy, shadow magic, elemental magic and light. While other citizens might have some magic the 4 houses are meant to have been specifically chosen by their Gods. As such each generation there is an heir that comes forward. While they might have the most power, the city and realm is ruled by the king who takes advantage of the willingness of the houses to become his follow-up.
What I appreciated about this book is that the characters from the houses we follow aren't necessarily the most amazing from their houses. One struggles to bring forth all the elemental magic without a musical instrument to help her and the other was shunned by their God during a ritual. All this heir and legacy thing isn't quite as easy or as straight forward as it is foretold.
I also enjoyed seeing how the characters still had, reasonable, good contact with each other. Being of the same age and being in the same boat does create a bond with one another. It was also interesting getting an insight in the houses and lives of each. Taesia as the not heir, her brother being that, has approached a lot of things very differently. Yet she has more of a shadow in her heart than her brother. And yet she was always taking care of the poor of her own choice. It was also interesting to see how the necromancy was being used throughout the city with Risha. What place Nik and his light took up in the city and what happened with his mother. And what was expected from Angelica.
I have seen a lot of others claim that this is a young adult because the characters are young. They are youngish with 18-20 from what I can guess. But that doesn't make it a young adult. The tone is still different from the authors other work that is YA. And even if just the ages had something to do with that it would make this a new adult rather than young adult.
Having said that I do think that it took a while for the book to get going and that some elements certainly took too long to be placed. The pace could have been a bit quicker.
The City of Dusk is Tara Sim's first foray into Adult Fantasy and I quite enjoyed this darker take on houses.
In The City of Dusk there are 4 houses. Each house received the power of one of the gods of the 4 realms. There is necromancy, shadow magic, elemental magic and light. While other citizens might have some magic the 4 houses are meant to have been specifically chosen by their Gods. As such each generation there is an heir that comes forward. While they might have the most power, the city and realm is ruled by the king who takes advantage of the willingness of the houses to become his follow-up.
What I appreciated about this book is that the characters from the houses we follow aren't necessarily the most amazing from their houses. One struggles to bring forth all the elemental magic without a musical instrument to help her and the other was shunned by their God during a ritual. All this heir and legacy thing isn't quite as easy or as straight forward as it is foretold.
I also enjoyed seeing how the characters still had, reasonable, good contact with each other. Being of the same age and being in the same boat does create a bond with one another. It was also interesting getting an insight in the houses and lives of each. Taesia as the not heir, her brother being that, has approached a lot of things very differently. Yet she has more of a shadow in her heart than her brother. And yet she was always taking care of the poor of her own choice. It was also interesting to see how the necromancy was being used throughout the city with Risha. What place Nik and his light took up in the city and what happened with his mother. And what was expected from Angelica.
I have seen a lot of others claim that this is a young adult because the characters are young. They are youngish with 18-20 from what I can guess. But that doesn't make it a young adult. The tone is still different from the authors other work that is YA. And even if just the ages had something to do with that it would make this a new adult rather than young adult.
Having said that I do think that it took a while for the book to get going and that some elements certainly took too long to be placed. The pace could have been a bit quicker.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Murder
Moderate: Blood
Minor: Torture and Suicide attempt
Beheadings
More...