Final Rating:
Date of Completion: 15/12/2023
Published by: Hodderscape
ISBN: 9781399714242
Cover:
I may not find this design utterly captivating, but I am impressed by how it captures the essence and genre of the story. In particular, the illustrations beautifully depict significant aspects of the world-building and the mythical atmosphere of the tale.
Writing:
A smooth, picturesque writing style weaves together multiple points of view to create an atmospheric story and unique world. However, I struggled to completely immerse myself in the third-person narrative, as this put the events of the story and characters at a distance.
heavy dreams make for heavy burdens
Storyline:
An intriguing prologue quickly pulled me in and set the scene for the fascinating world and mystery-filled storyline that emerged. Sadly, this storyline seemed somewhat disjointed and suffered from pacing issues (especially towards the end!), so I found it difficult to remain fully invested in it.
Main character:
With her inquisitive personality, Violet Everly is an ode to all book lovers who dream of a great adventure beyond the normalcy of life. Her internal and external struggles are also well-detailed, so it was easy to root for her, but her character lacks a compelling personality to make her more memorable.
adventure, it turns out, is a dangerously seductive word.
Secondary characters:
Despite having a relatively small cast of secondary characters, most lacked characterisation and were unmemorable. That said, Penelope and Aleksander really stood out to me as they are brilliantly used to create tension and drive the storyline.
Romance:
This aspect of the story initially seemed interesting as the characters formed a cute friendship that shattered under the weight of their responsibilities and betrayal. While this did not stop their growing attraction, their relationship seemed underdeveloped following this, and I struggled to root for them.
Narration & Audio:
Kitty Parker gives a formal narration that suits the story and its mystical atmosphere. However, the lack of emotions and vocal variety made it hard for me to find the audiobook engaging.
In essence, ‘The City of Stardust’ is a beautifully written debut that constantly impressed me but failed to keep me invested throughout. I am reminded of The Starless Sea by Erin Morgenstern, and I would recommend that as a similar read, though I enjoyed this book a lot more.
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