Synopsis: The Godfather meets The Magicians in the sweeping adult debut from #1 New York Times bestselling author Marie Lu. Perfect for fans of V.E. Schwab, Red City is a dark and deadly contemporary fantasy of magical warfare, star-crossed ambition, and the pursuit of perfection at any cost, set in a glittering alternate Los Angeles.
Alchemy is the hidden art of transformation. An exclusive power wielded by crime syndicates that market it to the world’s elites in the form of sand, a drug that enhances those who take it into a more perfect version of themselves: more beautiful, more charismatic, simply more.
Among the gleaming skyscrapers and rolling foothills of Angel City, alchemy is controlled by two rival syndicates. For years, Grand Central and Lumines have been balanced on a razor’s edge between polite negotiation and outright violence. But when two childhood friends step into that delicate equation, the city―and the paths of their lives―will be irrevocably transformed.
The daughter of a poor single mother, Sam would do anything to claw her way into the ranks of Grand Central in search of a better life. Plucked away from his family as a boy to become a Lumines apprentice, Ari is one of the syndicates' brightest rising stars. Once, they might have loved each other. But as the two alchemists face off across opposite sides of an ever-escalating conflict, ambition becomes power, loyalty becomes lies, and no transformation may be perfect enough for them both to survive the coming war.
⭐
My Review:
I really wanted to love this one because the premise sounded incredible, but it just did not work for me. The story felt confusing at times, and I struggled to connect with the characters enough to care about what happened to them. The world had a lot of interesting ideas, but everything felt too complicated and hard to stay invested in. By the end, I was left feeling disappointed because the execution just didn’t match the potential for me.
I really wanted to love this one because the premise sounded incredible, but it just did not work for me. The story felt confusing at times, and I struggled to connect with the characters enough to care about what happened to them. The world had a lot of interesting ideas, but everything felt too complicated and hard to stay invested in. By the end, I was left feeling disappointed because the execution just didn’t match the potential for me.
Read What You Love & Love What You Read!
It's Your Turn! Leave a comment or join the conversation online!
Disclaimer: "All opinions are 100% honest and my own." Thanks to Goodreads and Amazon for book info. Buying via these links helps support this site at no cost to you.
FTC Guidelines: Many books are provided for free in exchange for an honest review. Sponsored posts will be clearly labeled.
0 comments:
Post a Comment
Hateful and Unrelated Comments Will Be Deleted. Anonymous comments are invalid to enter into giveaways.