A review by catsluvcoffee
City of Broken Magic by Mirah Bolender

4.0

Set in 1233 in the city of Amicae, the city is broken up into Quarters," like a massive tiered cake". Job and status determine which quarter a person lives in, with First being the richest, and Fifth being the poorest. There's a Sixth Quarter which is where the army lives. Each city is isolated from the others and travel is dangerous between them. Technology is equal to the modern day. Magic is real and used for various purposed in amulets. Amulets are made by artisans in many shapes and sizes and occasionally need to have their magic refreshed.

Our heroine, Laura, is apprenticed as a Sweeper. We aren't talking literal broom sweeping. Laura is learning to clean up monsters created by broken magic. Created as an anti-magic defense system against the other kingdoms, the creators lost control of the system, were killed by the monsters, and the malicious magic has spread. The only problem is the city has hidden the existence of the infestations creating these monsters and blames the destruction on the mob. Now you have a career that precious few know about and even fewer that choose to do it. It's a dangerous trade and none of the past apprentices have made it. Suddenly, the monsters are becoming sentient and more. They are learning as part of a hive mind. Enter Laura.

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