This was delightfully insightful, bittersweet (emphasis on the sweet) piece of Speculative fiction that touches both genres or sci-fi and magical realism.

I don’t want to give too much away but wow.

I thought the characters were well rounded and despite their circumstances leaned on the hopeful/realistic side. (Yes, even Esther, who started out a little more cynical in the beginning.) One thing is very clear here: hope is a dangerous thing but it’s worth fighting for.

In that way there is something about the book that really reminded me of Le Guin. I think it’s because it’s a book about people how they’re not perfect, their lives are hard, but again there’s still hope and the dream for a better tomorrow. I don’t know—I just know I really enjoyed this. (And I got a bit weepy at the end.)

4.5 stars rounding up to 5.

City of All Seasons is a bit of an oddity. This may well be the most eccentric book I’ve read all year. A quarter of the way through the book, if asked, I still would have been hard-pressed to tell you what the book was really about.

The story follows two protagonists, cousins Jamie and Esther. They each exist in the dystopian landscape of a city fallen to ruin and destruction, but they are in opposing dimensions of that city. In one, the city is locked in an endless deep, arctic winter. In the other a relentless scorching summer. As the story goes on the two find tiny pockets through which they are able to leave one another trinkets and artifacts, and they slowly begin to unearth clues and realize that actions in one affect the other.

What is unknown is what caused the disaster that led to their current circumstances in the first place, though it appears to have its origins in a rivalry between the cousins’ uncles. It’s a quirky book, and it has a way of drawing you in with its hints of steampunk ingenuity. But it’s also somewhat nonsensical and reminds me more of speculative fiction than science fantasy. By the time you’re two-thirds through the book you’ve gleaned an idea as to what caused the two instances of the city to diverge, thanks to the clues the authors ingeniously sprinkle throughout, but honestly, you’re just along for the ride at that point.

This book was not at all what I expected it to be, and I can’t say that it’s anything I’d normally choose given what I now know about it. But it’s a quick read that keeps you engaged and entertained. And while you certainly unravel some of the “mystery” as you go along, it’s far from predictable. That in itself is a rarity and makes the time reading City of All Seasons well spent.

Disclosure: I received an ARC of this book from the publisher via NetGalley and am leaving a voluntary review.

Overall a thoroughly enjoyable read. The idea of the reonworlds went beyond the temperature - the differences were reflected throughout which was really effective.

I echo what others said about the pace occasionally being a bit quick, and I hoped for slightly more with the ending.

That being said - the dual perspective was well handled and it was an imaginative storyline.

As a whole, I adored this book! The prose was gorgeous, especially Jamie's chapters: something about the writing tied all your senses into the scene. Even when the author(s) didn't give you a full description of the setting, you knew what was drawing the main character's eye or you could feel/smell the elements that reminded them of their past. It was very evocative in a way that I often don't find in other novels. I didn't find Esther's chapters to be quite as visceral, but that felt almost as if it was a characteristic of how she interacted with the world: Jamie lived with his hands, building and creating, whereas Esther was more connected to the people and a storyteller. I also really loved the supporting cast: Bea, Henry, the Mayor, Myra, Crouch - everyone got to shine for a moment, in a way that was unique and sincere.

The reason this isn't a 5-star novel for me was the ending - I think the pacing needed a little more work, the climactic moments were a little too fast and I honestly didn't realize that the ending had come and gone until I was reading the epilogue.

slow, contemplative, almost timeless book aboutpeople stuck in different worlds, one in a swelteringly hot perpetual summer and one in a frozen winter. 5 stars. tysm for the arc.

This was a five star read for me. The diffences between the two cities are just not cold and warm but everything goes to a much deeper level. The two main characters are charming and well written. Their development makes sense and is nicely done within the plot. All of my questions did not get answered but it's ok, the read was wonderful!

Thanks to NetGalley, the author and the publisher for the free eARC in exchange for my honest opinion.

I think this book will receive a lot of comparisons to This is How you Lose the Time War because it focuses on how two different individuals are reaching out to one another. But I’m not sure that’s an entirely fair comparison.

This story isn’t told in letters, its structure doesn’t feel as experimental, we spend more time seeing what the characters are doing instead of what they want to tell one another. And that gives it a very different feel. City of All Seasons, while still a good story in its own right, felt like a very different book to me.

It’s still a slower, contemplative book. One that wants you to think instead of thrilling you with action. The focus is on family, and connections. How they can be strained, broken, held on to, and repaired. It’s about what happens when people who are important in your life leave it, the holes left behind and the lengths one might go through to repair them.

It doesn’t answer every question it raises, there are a few mysteries that will remain even at the end of the book. But if you don’t mind being left with a few questions I’d say that this book is a worthwhile read.

In this book we follow, Esther and Jamie Pike, who are cousins, grew up in Fairharbour and were very close before a cataclysm separated them. Now Esther Pike lives in a version of Fairharbour that is stuck in an endless summer and Jamie Pike lives in a different winter version of Fairharbour. Esther and Jamie manages to get glimpse of each other and find ways to communicate across the divide. They need to do so in order to solve the mystery of why there is two different Fairharbours and how to bring the cities, and themselves, back together.

I loved being able to follow the POV of Esther and Jamie and learning about their family pre-cataclysm was very interesting. I found the character of Carmen Pike, their grandmother, fascinating. The concept of the story is very original and I enjoy the way we discover little by little about the different characters, their pasts and the entities who are trying to impose their views on the different cities. There's really a magical feel to the story.

I did find that some parts were a bit repetitive because we read some of the same anecdotes and stories in Jamie's and Esther's POV's and felt some of the revelations and twists could have been explained better. I also wasn't blown away by the ending and was waiting (wanting?) for something more.

Thank you NetGalley, Titan Books and the authors for this eARC in exchange for an honest review.

Thanks to Netgalley and the publisher for providing me with this eArc in exchange for my honest opinion.

City of All Seasons is a richly imaginative science-fantasy story that transports readers to two mirrored worlds: the scorching summer city and the frozen, desolate winter city. At the heart of the story are cousins Jamie and Esther Pike, who uncover family secrets and buried memories as they work to solve the mystery of what tore their once-united city apart. The novel deftly weaves together flashbacks, history, and present-day struggles, creating a world that is as intriguing as it is fractured.

There is so much to love about this book. The concept is fresh and original, with the history of the Pike family standing out as a particularly strong aspect of the narrative. The story moves at a fast pace, keeping the reader constantly engaged as new revelations and twists unfold. It’s an emotionally driven tale, and the vivid descriptions of both the summer and winter cities make the setting feel alive.

That said, the fast pace occasionally worked against the story. Some moments felt rushed, making it difficult to follow or fully appreciate what was happening. I also found the ending a little anticlimactic; while the resolution tied up some threads, I was hoping for a more impactful conclusion. Additionally, a few plot points and elements of the world-building could have been explained or developed more fully, as they left me with lingering questions.

Despite these critiques, I found the story compelling and would recommend it to readers who enjoy fast-paced fantasy with a focus on family, mystery, and emotional depth. While it doesn’t quite achieve its full potential, City of All Seasons is a unique and memorable read that deserves attention.

Thank you NetGalley and Titan Books for this eARC in exchange for an honest review!

I enjoyed a City of All Seasons. That's kind of all I got for this one. I thought the setting was a lot of fun and I enjoyed the two main characters, even if their internal dialogues weren't all that different from each other. I really enjoyed everything about the Pike family and thought that all the glimpses into their past was sometimes more interesting then the dual-cities plotline.

The problem is there a just a lot of small things keeping this read from being a full 5 stars for me. A lot of little plot contrivances that just always had me at arm's reach from the story. None of them stopped me from enjoying the novel, just wished they weren't there to distract me from the things I did really like.

City of All Seasons is such a masterpiece. I rated it 5 stars because it's really THAT good!! Such a good book omg. I recommend everyone to read this book.