***I was granted permission to read this by the publisher in exchange for an honest review as a part of the blog tour hosted by Itching For Books. Many thanks to Disney-Hyperion!***
***As always mild spoilers may follow***
Rating:5 stars
Pub date:17 June 2014
Publisher:Disney Hyperion
Genre:Young Adult Fiction, Horror, Fantasy, Historical Fiction, Paranormal, Romance
Format: eARC/ARC provided by the publisher
Status:Book one of the Dark Metropolis duology
Summary:
Cabaret meets Cassandra Clare-a haunting magical thriller set in a riveting 1930s-esque world.
Sixteen-year-old Thea Holder’s mother is cursed with a spell that’s driving her mad, and whenever they touch, Thea is chilled by the magic, too. With no one else to contribute, Thea must make a living for both of them in a sinister city, where danger lurks and greed rules.
Thea spends her nights waitressing at the decadent Telephone Club attending to the glitzy clientele. But when her best friend, Nan, vanishes, Thea is compelled to find her. She meets Freddy, a young, magnetic patron at the club, and he agrees to help her uncover the city’s secrets-even while he hides secrets of his own.
Together, they find a whole new side of the city. Unrest is brewing behind closed doors as whispers of a gruesome magic spread. And if they’re not careful, the heartless masterminds behind the growing disappearances will be after them, too.
Perfect for fans of Cassandra Clare, this is a chilling thriller with a touch of magic where the dead don’t always seem to stay that way.
My thoughts:
I am so happy to be a part of the blog tour for Dark Metropolis today! The first time I saw the cover, I knew I had to get my hands on it. Plus it was recommended for fans of Cassie Clare. Throw in some historical fiction action and I WAS SOLD.(Seriously, book hang over from City of Heavenly Fire? Give Dark Metropolis a look!)
I greatly enjoyed Dark Metropolis from the get go. It was clear that it was post WWI, but I wasn’t certain which country it was until I stumbled across some random facts Jaclyn posted on Goodreads. I was figuring US or UK, I wasn’t expecting Germany. (Yes, I realised my goof after remembering the references to the Chancellor. I know, I KNOW. )
I really enjoyed the world building Jaclyn did. I loved getting a view inside the club world and seeing the distinct class differences. It was great to see how the characters navigated the perilous world of mixing classes. In my life, that’s not something that happens everyday and isn’t frowned upon when it does. I guess the closest I come is mixing ranks at hubby’s military parties. It’s always a little intimidating when I speak with the higher ranks’ spouses. For the characters, everyone is pushed out of their comfort zone at one point or another.
I loved the reanimation. I’m not big into zombies. My mom tries all the time to get me into The Walking Dead, but it just hasn’t happened. These aren’t your typical zombies and I think that’s what I love about it so much. They have flashes of memories from before their deaths and are completely capable of communicating and functioning as long as they continue to take a mysterious serum. If doses are missed… well… let’s just say things get bad. As a Disney title, there was a completely unexpected twist between characters. I was not expecting the beginnings of a lesbian relationship. I do, however, believe that it fits perfectly and wasn’t something that was forced. I can’t wait to see how things continue. Yes, I’m purposefully leaving out names because I don’t want to give the game away! I feel that’s a major spoiler and I want (hope) your feelings develop for this relationship the way mine did.I have mixed feelings about ANOTHER relationship though. I think I’m for it. There are just so many things up in the air! EEP!
There were a lot of unanswered questions that you have quickly. Where’s Thea’s dad, if he’s alive like her mother maintains Why is magic being suppressed, but the government is trying to harness it? Why are people disappearing? How does reanimation work? That’s only from the immediate beginning. Thankfully, Jaclyn does a FANTASTIC job of giving you answers to numerous questions without having a single info dump. She does leave enough answered questions to leave you wanting more and for me, it’s going to be an impatient wait for book 2! The ending was SO emotional. I cried. Not ugly crying, but I cried. As usual hubby gave me the I’m judging you for crying over a book look. HEART WRENCHING. *sobs*
Dark Metropolis is a great alternate history read and I recommend it highly. It may not be for everyone, but not every book is. Dark Metropolis is full of great characters, mystery, and fantastic world building. Jaclyn weaves it in such a way it’s hard not to spoil things! Which is why I didn’t delve too much into characters. That was incredibly hard not to delve into the wonderful characters she creates. They are so wonderful!
*Excerpt*
“All right,” he said. “It’s just this: ever since the war, when people die from suicide, and sometimes murders and executions, the government has been reviving them. The city has been in need of manpower since the war, and suicide is no good way to die, so it benefits everyone.”
“Reviving them? After death?”
“Yes. So they can have a second chance. And do some good work for the city. That’s where I saw Nan. At the-the rehabilitation centre. Gerik has a hand in it, but I can’t breathe a word to anyone.”
About the author
Jaclyn Dolamore was homeschooled in a hippie sort of way and spent her childhood reading as many books as her skinny nerd-body could lug from the library and playing elaborate pretend games with her sister Kate. She skipped college and spent eight years drudging through retail jobs, developing her thrifty cooking skills and pursuing a lifelong writing dream. She has a passion for history, thrift stores, vintage dresses, David Bowie, drawing, and organic food. She lives with her partner and plot-sounding-board, Dade, and two black tabbies who have ruined her carpeting.
www.jaclyndolamore.com | TWITTER | FACEBOOK
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