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A review by stormywolf
City of Villains by Estelle Laure
dark
emotional
mysterious
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? It's complicated
3.0
This was the one that reignited my interested to return to Disney books. I remember seeing adds for City of Villains on Facebook early last year and being intrigued by the dark vibe. I mean, after reading a summary like that, and seeing some of the best villains on the cover, how could I pass this up? So I recommended it to my library, and lo and behold, it finally became available this December! Of course, the best laid plans went awry when I got a nasty cold (thankfully tested negative for the -19) smack dab in the middle of the month, forcing me to push back my reading and reviews a bit. Still, I hoped the magic and mystery of this city would end my year on a high note.
Read my full review at The Wolf's Den
Overall, I applaud the story's unique vision and ambition, but I was ultimately left wanting. The lack of time and space that was (seemingly) allowed to develop the world and its conflicts left me drowning in unanswered questions and out of breath from the breakneck speed of that ending. I understand that the characters and plot will be continuing in sequels (one due out later this year), but I'm still struggling to figure out how this world works, let alone how the characters are hoping to change things. I can definitely recommend this for its noir-like urban fantasy aesthetic and interesting twist on familiar characters, but if you're like me and are hoping for a complex look at this world's history and society, or these characters' psyches, you may be disappointed. Then again, maybe hoping for a Disney publishing-house to allow a truly unique, complex, gritty version of its intellectual property (even the villains) is too much. I guess we'll have to wait and see...
Read my full review at The Wolf's Den
Overall, I applaud the story's unique vision and ambition, but I was ultimately left wanting. The lack of time and space that was (seemingly) allowed to develop the world and its conflicts left me drowning in unanswered questions and out of breath from the breakneck speed of that ending. I understand that the characters and plot will be continuing in sequels (one due out later this year), but I'm still struggling to figure out how this world works, let alone how the characters are hoping to change things. I can definitely recommend this for its noir-like urban fantasy aesthetic and interesting twist on familiar characters, but if you're like me and are hoping for a complex look at this world's history and society, or these characters' psyches, you may be disappointed. Then again, maybe hoping for a Disney publishing-house to allow a truly unique, complex, gritty version of its intellectual property (even the villains) is too much. I guess we'll have to wait and see...
Content Warnings
Moderate: Child abuse, Confinement, Drug use, Kidnapping, Racism, and Torture
Minor: Bullying, Chronic illness, Death of parent, Gaslighting, Grief, Gun violence, and Hate crime