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A review by moonlightcupofcocoa
City of Ghosts by V.E. Schwab
adventurous
emotional
mysterious
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
4.0
When I first got this book, I admit I was mainly attracted to the cover. I had no idea what it was about, had never read anything for V. E. Schwab before and certainly didn't know it was a middle grade book.
As I began to read, I found myself somewhat losing interest. Not necessarily due to the plot or that it's a middle-grade book, but because I found Cassidy to be very dull and obnoxious. The book, and Cassidy's own narration since this is in first person POV, seemed intent on telling us that she is 'not like the other girls' almost repeatedly.
"You can tell because they look like copies—same shiny hair, same perfect teeth, same painted nails—where I’m all elbows and knees, round cheeks, and curly brown hair. I don’t even own nail polish."
I think it falls into the same trap of making Cassidy judgmental in an effort to make her relatable which could still alienate young girls reading the book that *may* also like makeup. Arguably this behavior could also be fitting for a girl of Cassidy's age, but it wasn't a great introduction in my opinion.
I can safely say that I like her the least out of all the characters in the book, including Cassidy's parents.
And, yet, I kept on reading because V. E. Schwab paints a wonderful atmosphere with her words. I found myself letting go of any expectations and simply enjoying the ride. And it was all worth it in the end.
I enjoyed the worldbuilding and its symbolism. The writing style is pretty atmospheric, especially for a middle-grade book. And I found myself getting emotional especially towards the end. The descriptions of death, slipping through the veil and emotional turmoil associated with it all were so well-done I found myself holding my breath a couple times.
While I wasn't sure if I was going to continue reading the series after the first chapter or two, I can safely say I am looking forward to them. Even if just for Jacob.
Nitpick: WE NEED MORE GRIM! There's a cat on the cover but we barely saw it in the book!
As I began to read, I found myself somewhat losing interest. Not necessarily due to the plot or that it's a middle-grade book, but because I found Cassidy to be very dull and obnoxious. The book, and Cassidy's own narration since this is in first person POV, seemed intent on telling us that she is 'not like the other girls' almost repeatedly.
"You can tell because they look like copies—same shiny hair, same perfect teeth, same painted nails—where I’m all elbows and knees, round cheeks, and curly brown hair. I don’t even own nail polish."
I think it falls into the same trap of making Cassidy judgmental in an effort to make her relatable which could still alienate young girls reading the book that *may* also like makeup. Arguably this behavior could also be fitting for a girl of Cassidy's age, but it wasn't a great introduction in my opinion.
I can safely say that I like her the least out of all the characters in the book, including Cassidy's parents.
And, yet, I kept on reading because V. E. Schwab paints a wonderful atmosphere with her words. I found myself letting go of any expectations and simply enjoying the ride. And it was all worth it in the end.
I enjoyed the worldbuilding and its symbolism. The writing style is pretty atmospheric, especially for a middle-grade book. And I found myself getting emotional especially towards the end. The descriptions of death, slipping through the veil and emotional turmoil associated with it all were so well-done I found myself holding my breath a couple times.
While I wasn't sure if I was going to continue reading the series after the first chapter or two, I can safely say I am looking forward to them. Even if just for Jacob.
Nitpick: WE NEED MORE GRIM! There's a cat on the cover but we barely saw it in the book!
Content Warnings
Moderate: Child death, Death, and Death of parent