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A review by river24
The City of Dusk by Tara Sim
adventurous
dark
emotional
mysterious
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? Yes
5.0
5/5
I don’t know how I’m meant to read any other book ever again !! This book is an all-consuming expanse of dark gods and corrupted magic, rival houses and gripping characters, intense plots with mysterious twists. I cannot find a single thing to fault this book on.
Where do I even begin with my praises? Every single aspect of this book was incredible; the characters, the plot, the writing, the world-building, the magic system, the pacing, the twists. Every single aspect !!
This book is everything high fantasy should be and more, it is the epic fantasy I have always been waiting for!
World-building has always been my absolute favourite part of fantasy and this book did not disappoint! The world is so unique and interesting, full of opposing gods and intertwining realms. I loved working it all out and diving further and further into the mysteries of the world and unwinding each one, only to unravel the intrigue of more. The magic system is incredible and so complex and absorbing.
The writing is some of the most beautiful writing that I’ve ever read, every moment is packed full of emotion and meaning. I felt exactly what the characters were feeling, I felt their power and their rage and their pain, and it was glorious ! The descriptions were heart-wrenchingly beautiful; they made me just want to put my head in my hands and sob at their divineness. Stunning prose is sometimes so hard to achieve, but Tara Sim does so effortlessly and gracefully, sweeping you up in the moment so wholly. Every scene was so vivid, I watched everything play out so clearly in my mind, as if watching a film.
Normally I find myself checking what page I'm on (just out of habit) to see if I'm past certain markers, however I was too engrossed in this story to check. My mind was wrapped up in the scenes so intensely and I never wanted to put it down.
I knew from the beginning that I would fall in love with this book, (although I underestimated just quite how much) but I convinced myself I couldn't decide this was a 5 star book only 20 pages in, but every page I read further proved just how right I was. This book was a head-over-heels instant love for me and every sentence, every word, only dragged me in deeper into its depths. And, oh boy, do I wish I could stay there forever!
The characters are all incredibly complex and riddled with both compelling strengths and flaws. My favourite character was Taesia, but I adored and was fascinated with all the rest too!
There are seven intriguing points of view in this story. The author slips between them easily, conveying such skill as she writes all these characters so uniquely, showing their individual motivations and beliefs. Taesia is the second child of the Lastrider family, born of Nyx's blood, wielder of shadows. Dante is her older brother, the heir of house Lastrider, with secret practices of his own to keep. Angelica is heir of house Mardova, born of Deia's blood, an elementalist with a vocation for fire. Risha is heir of house Vakara, born of Thana's blood, a necromancer trying to break into another realm. Nikolas is heir of house Cyr, born of Phos's blood, wielder of light. Julian is a hunter with a mysterious gift. The boy is guided by the voice, tired and hungry.
There is so much action in this book, it’s full of mysteries and plot twists. The pacing was perfect, allowing for both important heartfelt scenes, yet making sure there was never a dull moment. Whenever it grew too quiet, I could feel the book whispering, this eager anticipation growing inside of me, waiting for the next strike. It was so much fun to read and I wanted desperately for it never to end!
I can’t believe how long I’ll have to wait for the next one!
Everyone go preorder this book RIGHT NOW, you won’t regret it, it’s the best epic fantasy you will ever read !! Thank you netgalley for sending me an e-arc, I will obviously also be getting my hands on a physical copy as soon as possible! :))))
I don’t know how I’m meant to read any other book ever again !! This book is an all-consuming expanse of dark gods and corrupted magic, rival houses and gripping characters, intense plots with mysterious twists. I cannot find a single thing to fault this book on.
Where do I even begin with my praises? Every single aspect of this book was incredible; the characters, the plot, the writing, the world-building, the magic system, the pacing, the twists. Every single aspect !!
This book is everything high fantasy should be and more, it is the epic fantasy I have always been waiting for!
World-building has always been my absolute favourite part of fantasy and this book did not disappoint! The world is so unique and interesting, full of opposing gods and intertwining realms. I loved working it all out and diving further and further into the mysteries of the world and unwinding each one, only to unravel the intrigue of more. The magic system is incredible and so complex and absorbing.
The writing is some of the most beautiful writing that I’ve ever read, every moment is packed full of emotion and meaning. I felt exactly what the characters were feeling, I felt their power and their rage and their pain, and it was glorious ! The descriptions were heart-wrenchingly beautiful; they made me just want to put my head in my hands and sob at their divineness. Stunning prose is sometimes so hard to achieve, but Tara Sim does so effortlessly and gracefully, sweeping you up in the moment so wholly. Every scene was so vivid, I watched everything play out so clearly in my mind, as if watching a film.
Normally I find myself checking what page I'm on (just out of habit) to see if I'm past certain markers, however I was too engrossed in this story to check. My mind was wrapped up in the scenes so intensely and I never wanted to put it down.
I knew from the beginning that I would fall in love with this book, (although I underestimated just quite how much) but I convinced myself I couldn't decide this was a 5 star book only 20 pages in, but every page I read further proved just how right I was. This book was a head-over-heels instant love for me and every sentence, every word, only dragged me in deeper into its depths. And, oh boy, do I wish I could stay there forever!
The characters are all incredibly complex and riddled with both compelling strengths and flaws. My favourite character was Taesia, but I adored and was fascinated with all the rest too!
There are seven intriguing points of view in this story. The author slips between them easily, conveying such skill as she writes all these characters so uniquely, showing their individual motivations and beliefs. Taesia is the second child of the Lastrider family, born of Nyx's blood, wielder of shadows. Dante is her older brother, the heir of house Lastrider, with secret practices of his own to keep. Angelica is heir of house Mardova, born of Deia's blood, an elementalist with a vocation for fire. Risha is heir of house Vakara, born of Thana's blood, a necromancer trying to break into another realm. Nikolas is heir of house Cyr, born of Phos's blood, wielder of light. Julian is a hunter with a mysterious gift. The boy is guided by the voice, tired and hungry.
There is so much action in this book, it’s full of mysteries and plot twists. The pacing was perfect, allowing for both important heartfelt scenes, yet making sure there was never a dull moment. Whenever it grew too quiet, I could feel the book whispering, this eager anticipation growing inside of me, waiting for the next strike. It was so much fun to read and I wanted desperately for it never to end!
I can’t believe how long I’ll have to wait for the next one!
Everyone go preorder this book RIGHT NOW, you won’t regret it, it’s the best epic fantasy you will ever read !! Thank you netgalley for sending me an e-arc, I will obviously also be getting my hands on a physical copy as soon as possible! :))))