Fantasy has always been one of my favourite genres. I grew up with stories of magic and adventures, those that took you to different worlds full of extraordinary characters and enticing mysteries…

It’s safe to say that ‘The City of Dusk’ is a new favourite, one of those stories that seem to check all the boxes of things I love in a high fantasy story.

In this book, we follow Taesia, Nikolas, Angelica and Risha, heirs to the four important houses in Vaega, those families who have a connections with the four gods who rule each of the four realms (life, death, light and darkness). When a series of strange events lead them to discover a terrible truth (that their realm is dying), they will have to put aside their parents quarrels for the crown of Vaega, and work together to save the four realms before it’s too late.

‘The City Of Dusk’ is a solid foundation for this high fantasy trilogy. The worldbuilding shines in this first instalment, where we meet not just these characters, but these four realms and its legends and mysteries. The different magic systems prove real dedication, how carefully Tara Sim had threaded every single detail of this story to bring up a whole tapestry full of lights and shadows.

The mysteries introduced in this book are compelling, big puzzles full of intrigue that are put together carefully, showing a new shade in this world full of grey characters that are trying their best to find answers and protect those around them.

And it’s in the main characters where we can find the heart of the story. Each of them has a special ability, a power that ties them to one of the unruly gods that populate these worlds. Each of them has a weight over their shoulders, something that haunts them and moves them forward.

Many things will change in this journey full of action packed moments and more quieter scenes full of reflection and big thoughts.

Everything leads to an epic conclusion that raises the stakes. A legendary show down that will change everything, not just for our main characters, but to the four realms too!

This conclusion will leave the pieces ready for a sequel that promises surprises, exciting adventures, and more journeys for each of these characters. I’m definitely eager to read that second book once it comes out next year!

(So yeah… I totally recommend it! )

Good fantasy story with a great mixture of characters with special abilities, with the four houses viaing for the future kindom, its anyones guess who will be announced as the future heir.

But the king is keeping all information close to his chest.

With Nik, Taesia, Risha and Angelica all having the power of their gods to use who will come out on top??

This has lots ans lots of twists and turns, but i didn't like the length of the book being so long with "spoiler alert" you really need to read book 2 to find out what happens.

thanks to the publishers Hodder & Stoughton and netgalley for providing me with an e-book arc for an honest review!

3-3.5 star

City of Dusk is a promising start to a trilogy, it sets up a lush fantasy world with easy-to-root-for main characters. there’s fun magic systems (elemental magic? you got it! necromancy? you got it! light & shadow magic? you got it!), hints of found family and main characters discovering their place in the world as heirs to the four houses. they ask themselves difficult questions and make difficult decisions, you love to see it.

with that said, i do think this is more of a YA fantasy than an adult fantasy. it’s the kind of older YA fantasy that i really enjoy so it isn’t a problem but i think it's worth mentioning

i tried to organise my review below and it’s mostly spoiler-free (the spoilers are hidden) but the tldr version: i love all that this book has established & it left me wanting more but the slow pacing really impacted my enjoyment of the book.

the world-building:

- the different realms and magic systems!: there’re four realms, four gods, four houses and each of the houses inherit a different type of magic from their gods. there’s lots of information but it doesn’t feel that way!! the world-building is done really well. by the end, i’ve no trouble remembering the houses, which god each house represents.
- i love the familiars that are almost like animal companions
- City of Dusk set up an expansive world with different realms that has lots of promises and potential. im excited to find out what the author will do after all the reveals and development at the intense last 20% of the book.
- however, sometimes it's a bit confusing because the world/how the society is organised has a historic feeling to it (for example, people refer to nobles as 'my lord' and 'my lady') but all of a sudden characters will do sth that is very modern. it's not something that personally bothers me, it made me giggle quite a few times but it's there.

the characters:

- the characters are distinct with clear character arcs. in City of Dusk we get the four POVs from the four heirs but also POVs from side characters. very rarely do i think the information is repeated between POV but the point being i love how all of the main characters (and main side characters?) have distinct personalities and you can see a change in them throughout the book.
- the author is unafraid to challenge the characters which i love to see!!
- some of the characters really really grow on me towards the end and without spoiling anything, two particular character arcs got me flailing my arms.
- i wish these characters will interact with each other more because when they do interact, it’s so good

the plot:

- okay so here’s my main complaint of City of Dusk: the pacing of the plot. other than the last 20% it’s really slow and i’m constantly checking how much progress im making which does not make a really fun reading experience. there isn’t a point where i’m like ‘this book is bad’, i just wasn’t having as much fun as i would like.
- that is particularly the case for the middle chunk of the book. i appreciate the story for trying to really establish the stakes different characters have in the affairs but it can really use more action.
- again, i absolutely love the last 20%. i love how it brings everything together and it got me at the edge of my seat.

This fantasy story feels like it could sit in any genre. It's got great characters and although it's a slow burner it has to be to keep both the reader and cast up with the twists and turns.

Not only is this going to be on everyone's to read list, it ll be on the re read pile for each release in the series.

The City of Dusk is a fascinating first book in a dark epic fantasy trilogy, The Dark Gods !

Four realms. Four gods. Four noble houses. The realms were once connected, but not anymore. The portals are closed and the gods have abandoned their people.

The story is set in the realm of Vitae - more specifically in Nexus, known as the city of dusk, capital of the kingdom of Vaega, and follows the heirs of the four noble houses, each gifted with a divine power descending from their god.

Dante and Taesia of House Lastrider, masters of the Shades, a visionary charmer and a rogue free spirit.
Nikolas of House Cyr, soldier of the Light, searching for his own light.
Angelica of House Mardova, power-hungry Elementalist eyeing the throne.
Risha of House Vakara, Necromancer, fighting to keep the dead away from the living.
And Julian Luca, Hunter, with a strange power nobody has heard of.

The Houses have a rocky history and antagnize each other, but if they want to save their city, the heirs have to work together, overcoming their complex personal relationships. The characters are not black and white, but various shades of grey - and willing to go to extremes to accomplish their goals.

This book is big, and has multiple plotlines, which makes the pacing a bit slow in parts of it. But it's all part of the bigger picture, and it pays out for a dramatic, breathtaking final part.
The worldbuilding is very detailed, from the garments and the weapons to the societal groups and the different way each of our characters sees the world.
The romantic subplots are not as prominent as I expected, but it's the first book of a trilogy, so you can expect more of it in the next books!
The magic system is interesting, the gods are terrifying and some scenes are really dark.

If I had to pick a favourite character, that would be Dante, and then Nikolas - especially when he was letting his guard now with a certain minor (or is he?) character.

The City of Dusk is another Tara Sim masterpiece after the Timekeeper series !

Thank you NetGalley and Orbit for the ARC!

One. Normally, you might think that alternative realities and multiple realms are the remit of science fiction, but Tara Sim drags them straight out of that and into fantasy here. The whole premise—that the gods are real, you can speak with them, and they’ve closed off access to other realms—is the most creative part of this worldbuilding. It gives similar vibes to A Darker Shade of Magic (which, honestly, if you liked that you’ll probably also enjoy this).

Two. I can’t not have one of these points be my favourite character, now, can I? Nik is absolutely a reason you should be reading this book. I’m not going to say anything more on that front (spoilers!). Just. Do it for him.

Three. If you like your fantasy to be slowburning, with a gradual unfolding of plot and answers to the mystery presented to you, then this is a book you’ll enjoy. You, the reader, have as many questions as the protagonists and the twists and turns will keep you guessing all of the way through. Really, the best kind of book.

Four. Straight people? What are those? This is a book where basically no one is straight. And also, it’s a world where not being straight is never batted an eyelid at. None of this fantasy worlds where somehow modern homophobia has been dragged into it: this book says, gays exist, they can get married, and you can sit on it and swivel.

Five. This is a book I would say is “adult but with YA crossover appeal”. It’s not as dense a fantasy world as some other adult books, and the characters are on the younger side of things (I might actually call this one new adult, as opposed to straight up adult), so it’s a great gateway book. The kind that will get you wanting to dip your toes further into adult fantasy, if you haven’t before, but also the kind that feels fresh and new, if you’re a regular reader.

The City of Dusk is a book that felt like a YA novel marketed as adult. For some people, this might not be a bad thing. For me, it was a killer.

Let me explain what I mean by this first up. YA fantasy, I find, tends to be characterised by less depth in the worldbuilding, generally less complex plots and, from time to time, less complex characters too. So when I say The City of Dusk felt like YA marketed as adult, I mean, I felt it was all of these things (perhaps plot part aside, which I’ll come to), but with surface decorations to make it seem like there was depth to the worldbuilding.

You may think this a harsh assessment, and I’ll cop to that. I spent three weeks dragging myself through this book, because I refuse to DNF ARCs just so I can fully and thoroughly review them, so I do not have positive feelings directed towards this one. When I say “dragged”, I really mean it. I’ve said before I like my adult fantasies to be slow, but with plenty of depth to the worldbuilding. This one seemed perfectly happy to take the former, without any of the latter, as I said.

The plot here inched along. I think this was, in part, because there were so many POVs. And everyone’s POVs overlapped to some extent. So when character A was doing x, character B was simultaneously doing y, so that, by the end of the two chapters, you’d progressed perhaps 5 minutes in terms of plot. It didn’t help, then, that events of interest were few and far between up until the 70% mark. I find this is a complaint I have a lot about YA fantasy pacing too (and we’re back to the point about YA marketed as adult). And this is a nearly 600 page book we’re talking here. It was exhausting.

Perhaps the saving grace might have been the characters but, in all honesty, I cared about Nik and that was all. That I’m even debating giving the sequel a chance is down to Nik (I likely will stop wanting to, once I’ve completely forgotten about this book in a couple of weeks). But the issue was: Taesia’s POV dominated this book, and Taesia was the one I couldn’t stand. No, I can’t really say why I didn’t like her. I just didn’t.

I think another issue I had with the characters, and by extension their relationships, was that none of them felt like they had much personality. Or, they had personality as told to me and not as shown. (Not to mention a lot of it felt as though they were created to fulfil a bunch of tropes popular on Twitter, but that’s another issue.) And their relationships? They meet their (I assume) putative love interests only once or twice and suddenly they’re telling them things they’ve never told anyone else? It just felt like an abrupt jump into something that might become a romance, rather than a thoughtful development of it.

So, yeah. This is why I struggled through this book. I grant I wasn’t enormously anticipating it in the first place, but I had hoped for something more enjoyable than I found this. However, let me just end this review with the usual comment: it’s not the book, necessarily, it’s me. You are, as ever, perfectly capable of just ignoring my reviews and picking it up anyway.

2-3*** (maybe 2.5?)

I didn’t mind this but maybe as I was reading this on kindle it felt very long (especially for a first novel in the series).

The characters were hard to connect to and so I didn’t really care what happened to them. The magic was interesting but found it was very detailed. There was a lot to take in for a first book and not too sure I 100% got everything so might have to reread in future !

This bold gothic fantasy doesn't always meet its potential, but THE CITY OF DUSK brims with indulgent character dynamics in a dazzling world.

THE CITY OF DUSK quickly introduces its four heirs: Taesia, Risha, Angelica and Nikolas. Each heir is easily distinctive and must juggle their own demons, and DUSK brilliantly explores the relationships they have, with others but especially with each other. Sim isn't afraid to indulge the reader in banter, flirting, arguments and testy clapbacks. The characters have unique dynamics together that anyone with a fun-loving group of friends can immediately understand. There are plenty of side characters that also share in these scenes. They might not necessarily feel original and memorable, but they fit well into the world. Even background character-wise, Nexus teems with a wide array, from human to god, good to bad, populating the world with vivid interactions that serve to make the setting feel more real.

Was I madly attached to all the characters? No. But were the characters surface-level fun? Absolutely. I had a great time following their stories, and there was never one character from which I dreaded to read the POV. You can tell Sim had fun writing them.

For a fantasy of this scale and word count, the story is very streamlined; all the characters are focused on this one aspect and there aren't many prominent side stories happening parallel to the main one. The POV characters juggle their relationships with each other and their families and friends, but their focus externally is always on the main plot problem. Often times it feels repetitive, since we focus on the same peril over and over again, dressed differently according to the POV.

I called two of the major twists early on in the book because of this. Linearity can be good, but DUSK's world-building and story is incredibly ambitious, and it isn't quite executed as well as it could've been. Often there were metaphors that sounded out-of-place, like it was trying too hard to be lyrical and deep. That said, even if the writing isn't as strong as it could be, it does strike a good balance between pace and detail, and gives the story an easy-read feel. This was a chonker of a book and even though it took me over a month to read, I felt like I raced through it because it never feels heavy or dense or overwhelming. It's not hard to pick up this book as it is other giant fantasies. Frankly I'd say this is YA with swearing and sex, so anyone looking to make the jump from teen to adult fantasy will find a good stepping stone here.

There's a lot of unmet potential overall, but there is also a lot to love for fans of classic dark fantasy. With a dynamic inclusive cast trying to make their way in a dark, gothic world, this is a whole lot of fun from beginning to end. I really enjoyed reading THE CITY OF DUSK, and I can't wait to see what happens in THE DARK GODS #2.

WILL I READ ON? Yes! Bring on Title Redacted...

‘Death was lovely and sad, and never quite an ending’

Thank you Hodder & Stoughton, NetGalley and Tara Sim for providing a review copy.

I was all in as soon as I read the synopsis.

Politics. Gods and goddesses who withdraw their favour. Rebel children working for the good of the Kingdom. Yes, yes and yes.

At first glance the book draws you in. With its diverse cast of characters and it’s unique world it completely caught my undivided attention. The story was quite slowly paced and a little information dumpy but I have to admit I enjoyed it very much. Even if I don’t really think it’s an ‘adult’ book. The style stroked me as very YA with a few sex scenes thrown in.

However, I strongly believe the book could use another round of developmental edits and here’s why; The world created is extremely diverse but, there’s a point where it becomes too much. When it starts to feel extremely contrived.

- We have House Vakara and their apparent south Asian background. With their Clothes which aren’t explained or described and their names.

- We have the Holy King Ferdinand and his court filled with Dons and Dona’s. Clearly Latin inspired. Yet the ‘gentry’ and the Dons appear to be completely separate. This isn’t really properly explained.

- We have a pagan culture filled with equinoxes, and occult practices with demonic circles and the full nine yards.

- We’ve got folding fans and other references to East Asian/Japanese culture.

- The heads of houses are all petty squabbling children sucking up to the King in hopes of having their houses inherit the Throne.

The world building has far too many plot holes. The gods sealed the realms off 500 years ago and their world is dying more rapidly everyday but we don’t see the impact of it in the story beyond knowing that the world is dying. And the mish-mashed use of so many different cultures without giving any of them an adequate explanation is unappealing. I understand the author has used her own ethnic background to create Indian inspired kingdoms in her previous work. And whilst I haven’t read them. I would imagine they’re more fleshed out than a simple nod to a sharwar.

While the negative aspects of this review seem extensive it is, in essence one problem I had with the book that I believe is more of an editing issue.

That being said I loved the story as a whole and will most certainly read the sequel.

Thank you to netgalley and the publisher for early access to this title! Wow! I immediately went to order a hardback copy of this book from another country I loved it that much! Such a thrilling story and I am so excited for the release as I know it will be hugely popular! I absolutely loved it!

A big big thank you to Netgalley for providing me with an advanced copy of City of Dusk by Tara Sim.

I don't even know how to properly begin. This story is so big and so well blended together. It starts off in a realm where a blessed king rules over a city with the help of four gods-blessed families. These families each have the blood of a specific god in their veins, allowing them dominion over a specific area of the realm. There is House Mordova who control the elements, and the hier of this house is Angelica. House Cyr controls light. The Cyr heir is Nikolas. House Vakara have dominion over the dead and the heir to the house is Risha. Last, but not least, House Lastrider - controlling shadows. The heir to this house being Taesia.

This was a multiple point of view novel without having any stagnant areas. The plot of the book evolves quite rapidly and keeps the reader guessing with enough reveals of the overall picture to make you want to keep reading way past your bedtime. The characters themselves go through character developments really well, and it's nice to see how some respond well to some of the challenges and others fall apart. Some of the side characters were definitely favourites and I will fight anyone who tries to hurt my favourite one!

I'm super excited to see this book released. It's a really dark and action packed bridge between YA and adult fantasy without a strong romance element to it. And I'm deeply curious to see where this arc goes in the next one!

City of Dusk is the first in a lush new YA fantasy from the author of Scavenge The Stars and The Time Keeper Trilogy. An immersive world of shadow magic, vengeful gods and a world on the precipice of destruction, and the heirs of four noble houses—each gifted with divine power—who must form an alliance to keep their kingdom from descending into a realm shattering war.

I really enjoyed the lush, intricately detailed world-building and magic system with each of the four heirs (and their family’s house) descended from and connected to the powers of a specific god. I liked the concept of each god being linked to a different world as opposed to being apart of the same pantheon and their rivalries/issues with each other transferring to their descendants, it really added dimension to the plot.

There are several POV characters which I felt were really well written. They all have differing opinions and motivations which was really interesting to see how their though processes/ motivations and ethical opinions changed and developed as the plot progressed. I also like the vulnerability we get to experience through each of them—they may descend from gods but they’re all still fallible in some some way.

I have to say of all the heirs, Taesia was probably my favourite, she’s impulsive most of the time but her dedication and loyalty to her brother was incredibly endearing. She’s also the most morally grey of the bunch (though all of the POVs we encounter are fairly grey on the morality front) and I was fascinated by how she navigates her conflicting opinions and actions. But, mostly I absolutely loved her powers (as a descendant of Nyx the God of darkness, she has the ability to control shadows.)

The pace was okay but given how many POV characters we get, I did feel that the pace was a little slower than I would’ve liked but the almost non stop action and court intrigue (which really starts to pick up about a 25% in) did more than make up for it. Not to mention the exquisitely crafted, multi-layered plot and expert level scheming that occurs, as each heir vies for the throne.

I definitely found this a bit of a rollercoaster but the action and plot twists were exceptionally good—I honestly hadn’t expected almost any of the shocking , plot-twisty and deviously entertaining revelations. This was actually the first book by Tara Sim I’ve ever read and I’m certain it won’t be the last!

So if you love dark, epically magical fantasy that’s beautifully written and queer normative (in the best way) then I absolutely urge you to give this a read!

Also thanks to Hodder & Stoughton and Netgalley for the e-arc.

3.5 stars
The City of Dusk is one of my most anticipated reads and for the most part, I really enjoyed reading it. The world-building was impeccable and the writing was incredible. That sucked me into the story. The magic system was pretty cool and I loved how Tara Sim incorporated elements into this story. Unfortunately, the first couple of pages felt like an info-dump. There was so much information being provided in them that I had a hard time keeping track of it. The first half almost made me want to DNF the book but eventually in the latter half, things changed and I absolutely adored it.

I liked all the characters, though there were some perspectives that I didn’t enjoy reading from. Overall, I think this is a pretty well-written adult fantasy and it has made me want to pick up other books by Tara Sim.

A rich, layered fantasy perfect for the fans of the "Shades of magic" series. Delightfully queer, with multiple cultures, realms and magic systems, this book was a fascinating and emotional first installment in a series i already can't wait to be developed further! I loved most of the characters, especially the girls: Teasia and Angelica, with their sass and rage and monstrousity, and Brailee and Risha, who just need to be protected at all costs. I loved how, even though we only see the characters drom a few different families all living in the same city, the world never felt boring and i loved all the cultural details about the otherworldly refugees and their culture, as well as the culture of Vitae. The relationships are complex and i'm excited to see how they'll change in the next books. I'm especially excited about the potential romantic subplots, which were mostly hinted at throughthout the book; they were subtle enough not to irritate or distract from the actual plot, but engaging enough for me to be emotional over them! The element of gods was delicious and exactly what i wanted from a book so heavily based in fictional religions, i can't wait to learn more about the gods, their past, their plans and to see all the ways they will ruin the character's lives! I'm honestly mad i read this book early and have to wait such a long time for the sequel!!!

3.5 out of 5

This is well written fantasy story with some fantastic world building, though I sometimes found it difficult to keep up with the different characters povs. There is a lot of information to remember, especially in the first half, but that is often the case with the first book in a series, so I certainly wouldn't mark it down for that. The characters themselves are interesting and varied, but I did find the romantic elements a little undeveloped and unnecessary. I loved the character diversity in this story, the causal mentions of colour, sexuality, and focus on mental health was refreshing to see.

I am certainly curious enough in the story to read the next book in the series but I think I may have to re-read this one first to refamiliarise myself with all of the politics, House standings and how the characters are all connected

5/5
I don’t know how I’m meant to read any other book ever again !! This book is an all-consuming expanse of dark gods and corrupted magic, rival houses and gripping characters, intense plots with mysterious twists. I cannot find a single thing to fault this book on.
Where do I even begin with my praises? Every single aspect of this book was incredible; the characters, the plot, the writing, the world-building, the magic system, the pacing, the twists. Every single aspect !!
This book is everything high fantasy should be and more, it is the epic fantasy I have always been waiting for!
World-building has always been my absolute favourite part of fantasy and this book did not disappoint! The world is so unique and interesting, full of opposing gods and intertwining realms. I loved working it all out and diving further and further into the mysteries of the world and unwinding each one, only to unravel the intrigue of more. The magic system is incredible and so complex and absorbing.
The writing is some of the most beautiful writing that I’ve ever read, every moment is packed full of emotion and meaning. I felt exactly what the characters were feeling, I felt their power and their rage and their pain, and it was glorious ! The descriptions were heart-wrenchingly beautiful; they made me just want to put my head in my hands and sob at their divineness. Stunning prose is sometimes so hard to achieve, but Tara Sim does so effortlessly and gracefully, sweeping you up in the moment so wholly. Every scene was so vivid, I watched everything play out so clearly in my mind, as if watching a film.
Normally I find myself checking what page I'm on (just out of habit) to see if I'm past certain markers, however I was too engrossed in this story to check. My mind was wrapped up in the scenes so intensely and I never wanted to put it down.
I knew from the beginning that I would fall in love with this book, (although I underestimated just quite how much) but I convinced myself I couldn't decide this was a 5 star book only 20 pages in, but every page I read further proved just how right I was. This book was a head-over-heels instant love for me and every sentence, every word, only dragged me in deeper into its depths. And, oh boy, do I wish I could stay there forever!
The characters are all incredibly complex and riddled with both compelling strengths and flaws. My favourite character was Taesia, but I adored and was fascinated with all the rest too!
There are seven intriguing points of view in this story. The author slips between them easily, conveying such skill as she writes all these characters so uniquely, showing their individual motivations and beliefs. Taesia is the second child of the Lastrider family, born of Nyx's blood, wielder of shadows. Dante is her older brother, the heir of house Lastrider, with secret practices of his own to keep. Angelica is heir of house Mardova, born of Deia's blood, an elementalist with a vocation for fire. Risha is heir of house Vakara, born of Thana's blood, a necromancer trying to break into another realm. Nikolas is heir of house Cyr, born of Phos's blood, wielder of light. Julian is a hunter with a mysterious gift. The boy is guided by the voice, tired and hungry.
There is so much action in this book, it’s full of mysteries and plot twists. The pacing was perfect, allowing for both important heartfelt scenes, yet making sure there was never a dull moment. Whenever it grew too quiet, I could feel the book whispering, this eager anticipation growing inside of me, waiting for the next strike. It was so much fun to read and I wanted desperately for it never to end!
I can’t believe how long I’ll have to wait for the next one!
Everyone go preorder this book RIGHT NOW, you won’t regret it, it’s the best epic fantasy you will ever read !! Thank you netgalley for sending me an e-arc, I will obviously also be getting my hands on a physical copy as soon as possible! :))))

Oh crikey! "The City of Dusk" is an incredible read!! I just adored it. The plot, the characters, the setting, the writing - all absolutely superb. Twists I truly did not see coming had me gasping in disbelief. This book should be on everyone's to be read list. The good news? It's only the first in a trilogy. The bad news? We have to wait for book 2!! Send distractions. I need them until book 2 is published.

My thanks to the author, publisher, and NetGalley. This review was written voluntarily and is entirely my own, unbiased, opinion.

3.5/5

really well-written novel with detailed worldbuilding, a cast of interesting characters, and an intriguing plot - for a debut adult fantasy that's kinda impressive.

i'll be honest, this is a fairly generic fantasy story - the characters are all typical fantasy archetypes that don't go much beyond that (although i appreciate most of the main cast being queer and a world with no homophobia), the worldbuilding is intricate and cool but nothing stand-out, the plot is well-executed but also quite predictable - of course there's nothing wrong with any of that as long as the writing is engaging, which it is! i can see a lot of people absolutely loving this book - for me personally, it was missing a strong emotional core to really hook me. all the elements of a great fantasy story are here, but i simply didn't care enough and kept having to force myself to pick the book back up again.

i think if the main characters had stronger relationships with each other, instead of being in their own heads so much, it might have made a difference for me. what had me the most engaged in this book was nikolas and his grief over his brother - i also loved the inclusion of mental health in his arc, how his grief/depression affected his magic.

the finale was pretty well done and i like the possible romantic relationships the author has set up so i'll definitely be checking out the sequel.

The City of Dusk follow four noble Houses in the city of Nexus that can trace back their ancestry to four different gods. All four gods rule a different realm with its own unique magic system, but centuries before the events of the book take place, the realms were closed off from one another. When catastrophes caused by a banned form of magic start happening around Nexus, the heirs of the four Houses get tangled up in a complicated web of events surrounding this forbidden Conjuration magic, as well as their own family duty.

We follow a large cast of POV characters, all of whom have their own connection to the central plot around Conjuration. The main characters from House Lastrider, Taesia and Dante, were easily my favorite. Dante wants to abolish the monarchic rule their country, Vaega, is under and enlists the help of his sister to do so, even though their methods might not be entirely moral… They wield shadow magic and, honestly, I want their powers.

The heirs of the other noble Houses—Angelica, Nikolas and Risha—all wield magic related to life (the elements), light, and death, respectively, and have their own storylines related to family, duty, and power. Seeing all of them deal differently with these themes was one of my favorite parts of The City of Dusk. Angelica just wants to please her mother, who has always aimed for her to eventually take the Vaegan throne. Nikolas wants to live up to the legacy left behind by his deceased brother but isn’t able to meet his father’s expectations of him. Risha is generally an obedient eldest daughter but also realizes that her parents’ values and opinions don’t always align with her own and starts rebelling in her own way. Reading about all of their relationships with parents and siblings was the main thing that initially drew me into this book and also something that hit me emotionally throughout the story.

What I liked a little less in this book were the romantic subplots that were, frankly, underdeveloped. There was already so much of a focus on magical and political drama, as well as familial bonds, that I don’t feel there was enough room for four different romantic subplots to be developed, even though most of them are still in their beginning stages. There were scenes, especially towards the end of the book, of which the emotional impact was dependent on my emotional investment in the romantic subplots. It’s safe to say I wasn’t invested enough in most of the relationships for the scenes to truly hit home, which is one of the reasons I didn’t entirely love this book in the end.

Apart from the central characters and their relationships, I was fascinated with the world-building of this book. The idea of a Cosmic Scale with different realms that used to be connected with portals but aren’t anymore is fascinating and reminded me a bit of the four different Londons in V.E. Schwab’s A Darker Shade of Magic. Throughout the story, we get glimpses at the cultures of the various realms because there are diaspora communities within Nexus of species native to some of the realms that are now inaccessible. Having these distinctive cultures and different types of magic is fascinating and I can’t wait to see more of it in the next book in this series.

What I’d like to mention, finally, is the casual diversity in this book, which is something that shouldn’t be as rare as it is within the fantasy genre. Most of the central characters are people of color, and Risha specifically is coded as South Asian, which aligns with the author’s own heritage. Characters are also casually queer all over the place, which is something that always delights me. I’ve struggled with finding fantasy books that feel safe to me because many worlds either erase the existence of queer people or are unfriendly to people like me, but this book’s main cast largely consists of queer (bisexual, lesbian, and asexual) characters. Trans and neurodivergent characters just exist in the background of the story, which is something that is so meaningful to me as a trans neurodivergent reader. I almost cried when there was a casual mention of a side character making a fidget toy with their elemental magic. Why is that not something I’ve ever seen before in fantasy books?

In the end, I really liked this book and am so excited to see what else Tara Sim has in store for this series. If you like city-set epic fantasy with dark aesthetics, multiple POVs, diverse casts, and characters grappling with duty and power, this is definitely a book I’d recommend checking out. It’s also a book that features main characters in their early twenties, which I know people are often looking for when they’re trying to get into the adult fantasy genre.