tl;dr SUCH an underrated fantasy novel perfect for fans of Six of Crows, Red Queen, and Caraval
Premise
Enne Salta was raised as a proper young lady, and no lady would willingly visit New Reynes, the so-called City of Sin. But when her mother goes missing, Enne must leave her finishing school—and her reputation—behind to follow her mother’s trail to the city where no one survives uncorrupted.
Frightened and alone, Enne has only one lead: the name Levi Glaisyer. Unfortunately, Levi is not the gentleman she expected—he’s a street lord and a con man. Levi is also only one payment away from cleaning up a rapidly unraveling investment scam, so he doesn't have time to investigate a woman leading a dangerous double life. Enne's offer of compensation, however, could be the solution to all his problems.
Their search for clues leads them through glamorous casinos, illicit cabarets and into the clutches of a ruthless Mafia donna. As Enne unearths an impossible secret about her past, Levi's enemies catch up to them, ensnaring him in a vicious execution game where the players always lose. To save him, Enne will need to surrender herself to the city…
And she’ll need to play.
Rating
4.5/5 stars
Review
If I had to describe this book to someone else, I would say that this is the setting of Six of Crows with the premise of Caraval and the magic system of Red Queen. However, I do think that the characters and the plot elements (especially toward the end) allow this book to stand on its own.
First: the setting/premise. I loved getting to know the City of Sin and this fantasy world, from trading in volts to split talents to the political sphere.
Second: the characters. I just have to say, Levi Glaisyer has my entire heart. I love him, and I love that he clearly has flaws, but he wants to be good. I also really enjoyed seeing Enne's character development and how she transformed from this sheltered, prissy princess-like character into someone who's willing to play the game and play a little dirty to win. Lola and Jac, of course, are wonderful sidekicks, and Vianca, as much as I dislike her, is a fascinating character. I think that although there are clear villains, there's not a clear divide between good and evil, and there's no one target that everyone's trying to knock down. There's a bunch of targets.
Third: the plot. It started off a bit slow, but it ramped up and really got interesting. I loved the suspense and all of the twists and turns and close calls that all the characters get. There were some parts of the plot that I could predict, but I will say, this book kept me guessing. Also, can we talk about the cliffhanger? My jaw was on the floor. Speechless.
Finally: the writing style. I thought Amanda Foody's writing in this book was beautiful and really lent itself well to describing the setting.
Other Info
First in a trilogy
13+
CW: violence, death
Buy link: https://www.amazon.com/Shades-Shadow-Game-Amanda-Foody/dp/1335499059
Would I Recommend?
YES YES YES.
Similar Books
Caraval by Stephanie Garber
Red Queen by Victoria Aveyard
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