"The City of Stardust" - A Mesmerizing Blend of Greek Tragedy and Magical Realism

The plot of the book stands out for its originality, offering readers a refreshing take on the blending of magic, romance, and the resonance of ancient Greek narrative that carries a distinct Greek tragedy vibe, evoking a sense of inevitability and emotional resonance. The author's ability to create a world that feels both fantastical and rooted in a certain classical charm is commendable.

One of the strengths of "The City of Stardust" lies in the author's skilful storytelling. The narrative is structured in a way that keeps readers consistently engaged, unveiling layers of the plot that are both surprising and thought-provoking. The careful balance of mystery, fantasy, and emotional exploration contributes to a story that lingers in the reader's mind long after the final page is turned.

In addition to the compelling plot, the characters play a pivotal role in making this book a standout. The side characters, in particular, are finely crafted with attention to detail, each contributing a unique thread to the tapestry of the story. Their individual stories and connections add depth and dimension, creating a world that feels alive and interconnected.

"The City of Stardust" is a testament to the author's ability to create a narrative that is both fantastical and deeply rooted in human experience. It successfully combines elements of magic, romance, and Greek tragedy, making it a must-read for those who appreciate a well-crafted and immersive story. Overall, the author's adept storytelling and the novel's unique blend of genres make it a memorable and enchanting literary journey.

Thank you to NetGalley for this Audio ARC.I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.

Wow did I love this book! The City of Stardust has some of the best writing I have read in a while. The storytelling by the narrator is done in such a way that the listener has no choice but to pay attention. This was multiple POV and as much as I enjoyed them I feel like Violets was a lot less fleshed out. Even though her POV was a lot more lengthy than Aleksander's. The plot was such an interesting concept, I was completely engrossed once I got into it. The pacing is the only thing that fell a bit flat for me. I found it started a bit on the slow side, but once I was in it I was a goner.

The hype is real. I've heard a lot about this so I was delighted to be able to get both audio and ebook arcs on @netgalley. It's difficult to believe that this is a debut novel, it's so good. Reminiscent of Erin Morgenstern and Laini Taylor, this lush ethereal fairytale for grown ups consumed me.
I listened to most of it driving to and from work, reluctant to leave the car at either end and leave the characters behind before swallowing the ending in one frenzied reading chunk on Saturday.
This story is fraught with tension as the Violet races to end the curse that has taken one member of her family every generation for centuries, racing against a deadline to save her own life whilst battling her feelings for Alexander the boy beholden to the very person that cursed her family. All of the characters are rich and complex and the world is so lush. Even the villain evokes sympathy even as you want to throttle the life out of her for the trail of destruction she wreaks across the story.
I long to spend more time with these characters to see Fidelis and the other worlds.
@ge_summers style is literary but yet not pretentious, and Kitty Parker narrates it so beautifully like a softly gripping bedtime story so even in Penelope's bloodiest most vicious moments it feels like some kind of lucid dream one, the terror and the horror are real but yet it feels like it did as a child reading fairytales at bed time, the witch might be wicked but you're safe in your bed, wrapped in a warm duvet. (Even if in reality I was attempting to drive down the M62 whilst cursing it's endless traffic jams and supposedly 'smart' motorway)
This is an instant modern classic and I intend to throw it at all my friends with ferocity.

Once a generation an Everly must gave up one family member. Why?

The City of Stardust was beautiful story about young girl who tried to break her family curses and investigate the missing mother. The story bring together magic based on stars, family mystery with atmospheric setting. The premise really intriguing and make me engaging until the last page.

The writing is really good, lush with beautiful romantic prose and bring unique world alive. I personally enjoy the lore from begining each part about love story between a star Goddess and mortal craftsman. It is beautiful, romantic and mysterious.

The 3rd person POV gave us poetic descriptive narration. Sadly for me the characters was lack  personality. I knew Violet struggles but she lack something that will make her standout from another book's heroine. The relationship between Violet and Aleksander is unique when contains friendship and betrayals but the romance is unconvincing.

The plot is slow burning and the pace slower than my normally reads. And the audio version narration is okay. The pronounce is clear and easy to follow. She help me dive easily into the atmosphere but lack emotions to flesh out the characters.
It is make me enjoy the narrative but less invested into the story.

It is a pleasure to read debut book and saw the potential, I would love to try another from this author.

Thank you to Netgalley and Hodderscape from Hodder & Stoughton for providing copy of this ebook and audiobook. I have voluntarily read and reviewed it. All thoughts and opinions are my own. Expecting Publication : 25 Jan 2024

I'd first like to thank Netgalley, the publishers, and of course the author Georgia Summers for early access to the audiobook. 

This book drew me in almost instantly, the way Summers writes is lyrical and dark - half the time I felt like I was listening to an epic poem rather than narrative prose and I think that suits the story perfectly. 

With deeply complex characters who make engaging choices that are undeniably exactly what that person would do and a storyline that requires real attention I wholeheartedly recommend this to anyone looking for an engaging and deep story. 

The narrator did a phenomenal job, Kitty Parker's voice is mesmerising and ill definitely be listening to more by her. Bonus points for being speedup-able for my fellow ADHD girlies, she's measured and well paced with enough emotion to feel connected but not so much that it overwhelms.

Sadly, nothing about this book really gripped me. The overly flowery writing grated on me and characters felt flat.
Thanks to the publisher and Netgalley for an ARC in exchange for an honest review.

The City of Stardust is a beautifully written, atmospheric read about Violet as she tries to find her mother in order to avoid taking her place in a curse.

I always enjoy listening to audiobooks for these dark, atmospheric books and this was no exception. The style of writing felt slow but the audiobook made it feel much quicker.

However, I found that the plot just wasn't gripping me as much as I wanted and I didn't feel invested in the characters.I don't think it lives up to the comparisons of The Night Circus, The Starless Sea and The Invisible Life of Addie La Rue.

Despite this, I would still recommend it to fans of these books as it definitely has these same vibes to it. It would also be good for newer readers to the fantasy genre as it has a very gentle magic system that isn't overwhelming.

Thank you to Hodder & Stoughton and Netgalley for this audio copy to review.

The prose of this book is so beautiful, it has been a while since I've read a book with a writing style that good.
The City of Stardust tells the story of a young woman entering a seductive magical underworld of power-hungry scholars, fickle gods, and monsters bent on revenge in order to break her family's curse.
I loved the characters and the world-building but I didn't find the story to be as immersive as I expected. There are a lot of POVs and all 3rd person. I would have loved to be in their heads as the story unfolds.
Overall, this story is perfect for fans of His Dark Materials!

Thank you to NetGalley and Hodder & Stoughton for a free audio-arc in exchange for an honest review.

Let me get started on how beautifully narrated this book is. Kitty Parker does an incredible job of bringing this magical story to life. The narration made for incredibly easy listening and easily kept my attention throughout the whole novel.

This book was truly stunning. The prose alone is a work of art and an absolute joy to listen to. It perfectly suits the pacing of the story, allowing you to savour the brilliance of this story and its settings.

It is a beautifully crafted standalone novel, perfect for anyone who enjoyed The Starless Sea. It is full of magic and whimsy. An absolute joy to read!

Thanks to NetGalley for the ARC in exchange for an honest review!

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(s): 🌟🌟🌟
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.

Secret societies, magical cities, angels and demons and a search for meaning and home in the darkest and most desperate of times.

This book is a beautiful love letter to storytelling, to myths and dark academia and magical worlds and the people we cling to to survive. Following our main character from her lonely childhood to her fierce questing adulthood, and the way her life intertwines with the kindest and most tortured scholar you'll ever meet, I felt just so many things reading this book.

I've seen this book compared a lot to The Starless Sea, and while the aesthetics and structure are certainly similar, I think this somewhat misleads the reader as to the overall plot. I would compare it additionally to things such as Leigh Bardugo's Ninth House, Alix E Harrow's Starling House, and VE Schwab's A Darker Shade of Magic. The portal fantasy of it all is fairly undersold in all the reviews I've seen so far!

Also weirdly specific things I loved: Violet's cafe job felt so real! The author must be a barista or have barista friends (not to mention any other cafe based books that clearly looked at baristas through a customer-tinted perspective, but...). Also, the book being written in 3rd person present! I grew up reading this tense all the time in fan fiction, but it rarely gets any spotlight in traditional publishing. It really makes the story feel so much more intimate in each perspective and I really loved returning to that!

The narrator is super engaging and has a great sense of pace and grandeur, their voice is dynamic and gives depth and differentiation to both the characters and the narrative voice. Would definitely listen to them again!

Violet Everleigh has grown up reading in a wardrobe dreaming of magical places. Abandoned by her mother and left in the care of her uncles, Violet seeks to find out the mystery of her mother’s disappearance and understand why her uncles have hidden her. This is an adventure into magical worlds where people hold knowledge and power test the heroine is Violet who learns for herself and is willing to sacrifice herself to save others. This is a lovely stand alone fantasy.

4.5 stars

Published 25th January 2024.

I think we might be looking at the next huge fantasy book that is going to be talked about for years to come!

With comparisons to The Starless Sea by Erin Morgenstern, I knew this would be a truly special and magical read, but I did not expect to be blown away by it as much as I was.

Firstly, the fact that this is a debut is astonishing. The craft that Georgia Summers shows here isn't present in many established writers who I regularly read from - it is a phenomenal standard that other authors should be aspiring to. Alongside her world building and character development, Summers' writing had such a cinematic quality that I could totally see this story being adapted (and equally adored) for the big screen.

In Violet, we have the best kind of main character that everyone can relate to. I mean, who can say they never dreamt of adventure and magical worlds when they were younger? To see her growth throughout the novel was an absolute joy and her strength and commitment to her quest is something to be admired. In her adversary - Penelope - we have a VERY Mrs Coulter (His Dark Materials)-esque villain who stoops to the lowest of lows to get what she wants (Actually there's low, and then there's Penelope's definition of low!!)

Just the most astonishingly enchanting and magical book that I hope gets all the praise it deserves.

This story is so beautiful and lyrical. Not like anything I’ve read before.
The magic system is really interesting, and the world building is vivid.
The audiobook was great.

Many thanks to Hodder&Stoughton for letting me listen to an advanced version of this audiobook!

The City of Stardust was such a highly anticipated release for me and I'm happy to say that it proved to be a really enjoyable experience overall! I think the audio book narrator did a grand job at bringing this magical setting and its characters to life, and I had a genuinely good time listening to it.

The prologue?? Absolutely stunning, so good, so atmospheric - and sadly the reason for why I'm a little disappointed in this book, as it just couldn't keep up that magical feeling. The setting is very intriguing, to be sure, but somehow, the story just didn't manage to live up to the concepts the reader is presented with here. That's obviously a little disheartening, but given that this is Summers' debut, the creativity of the setting and the precision and quality of her voice alone are testaments to her talent. So while this maybe hasn't managed to become one of my favourite books, I am definitely intrigued to see what will come next from Summers.

I believe that this will be appealing to fans of The Starless Sea and Alix E. Harrow, so absolutely check it out if those vibes are up your alley!

Thanks to NetGalley and publishers for the audio arc of The city of stardust by Georgia Summers.
Such a beautiful dark fantasy story. Highly recommend! Narrator was amazing, and gelled with the story perfectly.

3.75 stars
I think you will adore this book if you enjoy Erin Morgenstern, Stephanie Garber, Laini Taylor and M.A. Kuzniar.
Georgia Summers has created a beautifully whimsical world filled with secret societies, other worlds, magic keys, gods and curses.

The Everly’s are cursed- every generation, one of them is taken as punishment for a crime no one remembers, for a purpose no one understands. Up until Violet’s mother, Marianne. Instead, Marianne runs away, leaving her young daughter to be raised by her brothers as she searches for a way to break the curse, never to be seen by her family again.
‘City of Stardust’ is Violet’s story, a girl who was raised on stories and mysteries in an isolated rundown manor until her uncles were unable to shield her from the world of scholars and magic. She sets off on a quest, determined to retrace her mother’s steps and finally break the Everly curse before it is too late.

<I>‘She grew up on a feast of fairy tales and myths; there is always blood.
and she is so very tired of curses.’</I>

Summers has created a really rich and beautiful world, filled with whimsical prose and engaging characters. Unfortunately, I felt she has tried a bit too hard to write the story from too many sides, meaning many characters storylines are started before being abruptly dropped and left unfinished. The romance in this felt a bit forced and by the end it all felt a bit wishy washy- even though this was probably the detached fairy tale vibes the author was going for it felt a bit frustrating so have all this side stories started. I did however enjoy how the same tale was told from different perspectives throughout this book, showing how a story can change depending on who is telling it. I also loved the Everly brothers and would love to see a book following them, as I think their stories would be great.
I really didn’t enjoy the child kidnapping and sacrificing- I understood the impact the author was possibly trying to make, but I personally felt this was enforced heavily, considering the rest of the story had such a distanced and hazy quality to it, with it still being unclear on whether the ‘villain’ of the story was justified in their actions- it just really didn't sit right with me.

I found that Kitty Parker was the ideal narrator for this whimsical story.. Pacing is good, though the characters can be a bit hard to differentiate at times, as well as the POV changes mid chapter.

***Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for gifting me an ALC of this book in exchange for an honest review***

A Deliciously Dark Fantasy

I loved this debut novel by Georgia Summers. She has created a wonderful dark and magical tale with characters dripped in mystical intrigue in a dark and magical atmosphere.

This is a beautiful story of a young girl and her quest for knowledge about her family and her journey to find the truth. It has a flavour of dark academia and a sprinkling of romance.

The audiobook was exceptionally narrated by Kitty Parker. Her diction was delightful and her rich toned voice drew me straight into the story wanting more.

Overall a beautifully written magical fantasy and I can't wait for more books from Georgia Summers. ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

Thank you @netgalley @hodderbooks @ge_summers for the this Audiobook ARC

The cover of this book is what grabbed me straight away and then the premise had me intrigued. Georgia Summers writing is lyrical and beautifully descriptive. She has created a world that one can envisage easily. The added fairy tales between the main story were a nice touch too. Unfortunately for me I didn't connect with the main characters as much as I had hoped and I wanted to have more action. The story was moving at a very slow pace and I often found my attention wondering.

This will probably be a knock out book for some people, particularly if you are a fan of Paris by Starlight by Robert Dinsdale. On this occasion is just wasn't meant to be for me.

This was a quick read full of lots of dark and wonderful fantastical elements. The concept was intriguing and the characters were also really interesting. The pace was good and it didn’t feel like there was lots of filler and unnecessary characters added in to complicated things and bulk it out, which is something I’ve found in a lot of fantasy books I’ve read recently. I did however find that there was lots of parallels and similar tropes and concepts to other things I’ve read, which I fear might make this book blur into the background a little bit. But I would definitely read something else by the author.