Title: City of Fae
Series: N/A
Author: Pippa DaCosta
Year: 2015
Rating: 3/5
I received a free eARC of this book from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.
“City of Fae” has one of the most stunning book covers I have seen this year. Even if it doesn’t have the most creative plot, it is an engaging and gripping read that will leave fans of the urban fantasy genre satisfied.
The Trinity Law has been created to protect humans from the fae – a race of painfully attractive creatures who feed on human energy. Alina breaks the law when she touches Reign – the hottest fae superstar in London – and the consequences are more severe than anyone could have ever expect.
Now, Alina is dragged into the schemes of the High Queen of the fae who plans to overtake London and feed on the thousands of innocents living in the city. But the queen is trapped underground and the only way to escape is to kill the four keepers who have imprisoned her.
The deeper Alina goes into the fae world, the more she uncovers until she finds out that she is involved in the queen’s plots in more ways than one.
The Plot
While the premise of the novel is not particularly innovative, I still found the plot entertaining and engaging. There were plenty of plot twists I did not see coming and I was pleasantly surprised by.
A major plus is that the novel never wastes time waiting around for anything to happen – it quickly kicks straight into action and goes at a steady pace from start to finish. It never feels like it’s lagging which contributes for the immersion of the reader. It is easy to complete in one sitting – you just cannot put it down.
Some of the inconsistencies that are established in the beginning (such as Alina being only 19 and already having a job as a reporter) are plausibly cleared up by the end of the novel. However, plenty of questions still remain and the ending alludes to the possibility of a sequel or of another book set in the same universe – which I welcome as I feel I could use a better understanding of the world of the novel.
The Setting
I never quite got a full grasp of the world Alina lives in. For me, London is a very atmospheric city with very peculiar qualities – none of which came through the pages. Alina could have easily been in New York or Berlin and I would have not known the difference. Overall, I feel that the book lacks the atmosphere that would have made it enchanting instead of just engaging.
In addition, the mythology of the novel needs better explanation. I was very interested in the history of the world of “City of Fae”, as well as how it has changed the modern world (which is supposed to be a literary alternative universe of ours). I understand this could not have been possible without adding more pages to the book but at the same time I wish the author had managed to add those details and clarify the setting better.
The Characters
I loved loved Alina. She is so independent and determined to achieve the goals she has set for herself; she is inquisitive and curious and does not give up easily; she can stand her own against any of the fae. She is an awesome lead that I wish I could see more from.
I cannot believe that it has gotten to this, but I am honestly pleased that Reign is not the total jerk that most novels set their main male leads to be. On the other hand, he does not seem to be anything particularly impressive as a character either.
The romance between the two of them is central for the book even if I found it very unbelievable (I mean, they have known each other for less than a week when they seem to fall in love with each other). However, the tension between Alina and Reign is simply electrifying and I often found myself cheering them on in their moments of closeness.
The Verdict
“City of Fae” may not be the best book ever or even the best book published this year, but it is a thrilling read. A page-turner you cannot put down until you find the answers to every single question you have had, until you uncover every last secret and solve every mystery surrounding Alina and the fae.
The Book Palace 