Daughter of the Burning City by Amanda Foody Review
Title: Daughter of the Burning City
Author: Amanda Foody
Age Group: Teen/Young Adult
Genre: Thriller/Fantasy
Series: Standalone
Star Rating: 4 out of 5 Stars
I borrowed this book through my local library and reviewed it.
This book was a recommendation, as a lot of my books are. But it was honestly the cover that drew me in. A gorgeous, mysterious shade of purple, with columns of smoke billowing from what looked like a circle of circus tents? Sold. But what lay inside the book was what was really amazing. A unique, darkly fantastic coming of age story with a mystery at its heart, Daughter of the Burning City was an enthralling, spellbinding fantasy that won my heart and wormed its way into my mind, even when I closed it. Amanda Foody has penned a solid, achingly lovely debut that explores the true meaning of family, sense of self, and what it really means to be human.
Sorina is the daughter of the proprietor of the traveling, burning city of Gomorrah, where the most secret and forbidden of desires are doled out like currency. She enjoys a status that no one else in the city has; she is also a performer in her very own freak show. But though she likes performing, and deeply loves her family, she knows that she even among freaks, she is unusual. She can create illusions, and her family is just that. Her position and her safety are put at risk when one of her beloved family members is brutally murdered. Sorina is forced to team up with a boy named Luca, who is hiding his own secrets before the killer gets to her next. And when she begins to dig, she discovers that the murderer may be closer than she could have ever imagined...
This book was amazing! First of all, the prose was gorgeous, and I was sucked into Sorina's world almost at once. I loved the world-building of this book as well; it was so dark and lovely and frightening. Gomorrah was such a dark, forbidding, beautiful place that held me spellbound. But my favorite things about Daughter of the Burning City were the characters, especially Sorina and her family. And Luca! Ugh, all the romantic tension. I love it when an author can skillfully master political intrigue, and Foody has that mastered in spades! The pacing was breakneck, and I could only hold on tight as the tension ratcheted higher and higher. The format, unusual and surprising, also made this debut original. I loved the setting--it was so circus-like, and I loved the feel of it! And that ending--talk about a surprising twist! Oh my God, it's been two days, and I'm still reeling over it. What a gorgeous, magically written standalone about a loving, magical group of misfits!
Sometimes, though, it got confusing, trying to keep up with the names of cities, characters, and political figures; I almost wish that there had been a glossary or reference at the back that I could've refreshed with. Nonetheless, what a lovely, enchanting debut! The bottom line: A gorgeous, beautifully written debut about a magical family with a dark mystery at its heart, I loved Daughter of the Burning City! Next on deck: Follow Me Back by A.V. Geiger!
Author: Amanda Foody
Age Group: Teen/Young Adult
Genre: Thriller/Fantasy
Series: Standalone
Star Rating: 4 out of 5 Stars
I borrowed this book through my local library and reviewed it.
This book was a recommendation, as a lot of my books are. But it was honestly the cover that drew me in. A gorgeous, mysterious shade of purple, with columns of smoke billowing from what looked like a circle of circus tents? Sold. But what lay inside the book was what was really amazing. A unique, darkly fantastic coming of age story with a mystery at its heart, Daughter of the Burning City was an enthralling, spellbinding fantasy that won my heart and wormed its way into my mind, even when I closed it. Amanda Foody has penned a solid, achingly lovely debut that explores the true meaning of family, sense of self, and what it really means to be human.
Sorina is the daughter of the proprietor of the traveling, burning city of Gomorrah, where the most secret and forbidden of desires are doled out like currency. She enjoys a status that no one else in the city has; she is also a performer in her very own freak show. But though she likes performing, and deeply loves her family, she knows that she even among freaks, she is unusual. She can create illusions, and her family is just that. Her position and her safety are put at risk when one of her beloved family members is brutally murdered. Sorina is forced to team up with a boy named Luca, who is hiding his own secrets before the killer gets to her next. And when she begins to dig, she discovers that the murderer may be closer than she could have ever imagined...
This book was amazing! First of all, the prose was gorgeous, and I was sucked into Sorina's world almost at once. I loved the world-building of this book as well; it was so dark and lovely and frightening. Gomorrah was such a dark, forbidding, beautiful place that held me spellbound. But my favorite things about Daughter of the Burning City were the characters, especially Sorina and her family. And Luca! Ugh, all the romantic tension. I love it when an author can skillfully master political intrigue, and Foody has that mastered in spades! The pacing was breakneck, and I could only hold on tight as the tension ratcheted higher and higher. The format, unusual and surprising, also made this debut original. I loved the setting--it was so circus-like, and I loved the feel of it! And that ending--talk about a surprising twist! Oh my God, it's been two days, and I'm still reeling over it. What a gorgeous, magically written standalone about a loving, magical group of misfits!
Sometimes, though, it got confusing, trying to keep up with the names of cities, characters, and political figures; I almost wish that there had been a glossary or reference at the back that I could've refreshed with. Nonetheless, what a lovely, enchanting debut! The bottom line: A gorgeous, beautifully written debut about a magical family with a dark mystery at its heart, I loved Daughter of the Burning City! Next on deck: Follow Me Back by A.V. Geiger!
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