A Love Story in a Beautiful, Imaginary World

This a beautifully written book which takes place in the imaginary place...Loisal, which is so vivid you long to visit there. It is "historical fiction" in that although the location is imaginary, the customs and technology seem to be from Europe (France?) in the early 20th century.
The characters are all interesting and well developed, as is the plot. I couldn't put it down! ( )

It's not unreadable, but the characters are not likable and the magic seems like an element tacked on after the fact. The plot feels generic and, overall, it feels like a YA romance, which is not a genre I usually enjoy. I picked it up after reading and loving Gods of Jade and Shadow. I didn't recall at the time that I had DNF'd it three years ago. Now I know why. ( )

It's not unreadable, but the characters are not likable and the magic seems like an element tacked on after the fact. The plot feels generic and, overall, it feels like a YA romance, which is not a genre I usually enjoy. I picked it up after reading and loving Gods of Jade and Shadow. I didn't recall at the time that I had DNF'd it three years ago. Now I know why. ( )

Magical and Beautifully Written


Insomnia was a real thing for me yesterday. I managed to finish four books and this is one of. I think the fact that I sat here in the dark with nothing but my kindle and it was such a joy. What I love with this author is that I never know what to expect when I read a Silvia Moreno-Garcia book. Honestly, that is so refreshing. Sometimes I want predictability, but sometimes I want to have no idea what I'm getting myself into. I just want to sit back and enjoy taking my emotions on a bumpy ride. Book rollercoasters are the only ones that don’t make me sick.

I will start out by saying that this book does have a love triangle of sorts in it. I usually don't go for that trope, but this one was handled well. Nina was a delight. She's such an oddball and a perfectly whimsical heroine, which are my favorite kind. Hector, the hero, took a bit more time to warm up to, but I think that's part of his story. He really had to work to get the reader's approval and Nina’s I loved when I felt this big shift in him--breaking apart the old and new Hector. I don't want perfect characters. I want characters that mess up, learn from their mistakes, and grow into better humans. I think Nina and Hector were able to do that. Because it's Silvia writing this, I honestly had no idea how the story would end. I didn't know if I'd get a happily ever after ending or if I'd close the book with tears in my eyes. I will let you pick it up and try it for yourself that is the best way to experience this book.
The prose is lovely and the writing style is so easy that you can get lost in it beautifully. Not one word was wasted and sometimes there were so many profound quotes that I had to keep from underlining text on every other page. It's really good writing that sweeps you up and into this world. If you like family drama, unrequited love, second chances and a playful dose of magic in your stories, this might be for you. If it isn’t I would recommend that you try Mexican Gothic first that is the book that got me started on this magical ride into finding a new author I truly enjoy. Overall this is a four-star read for me I think it could have been a five for sure I just have become a very picky girl when it comes to my books. I already have Velvet was the Night. It’s high on my list for 2022. I am truly just enjoying this author.
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Romance isn't my normal genre, but I love SMG and want to read all her works. I really enjoyed the draw-out development of the relationship here, though I wish the magic had been more prevalent. It was barely a flavor here. The antagonist is so hateable and gets a delicious comeuppance at the end. ( )