I received an advance reader’s copy (ARC) of The City of Stardust by Georgia Summers. Since this version is just a proof and not the final version, I won’t quote directly and will keep my comments general.

In The City of Stardust by Georgia Summers, Violet Everly has been living in her family home with her uncle for over a decade, ever since her mother left and never came home. Supposedly, her mother left to either break, or simply escape, the family curse that’s been plaguing the Everlys for generations. Now an adult, Violet wants answers, but she is beginning to suspect that her uncle is keeping things from her. All she knows is that the mysterious woman called Penelope is involved, and that possibly, magic is involved. So Violet sets off, determined to learn what’s really going on, and how to save herself and her family. But myriad obstacles lay in her path, not least Aleksander, Penelope’s assistant who Violet finds herself drawn to, even if she’s not sure she can trust him. Meanwhile, a magical world lies on the other side of a barrier, and the more Violet investigates, the more she thinks it’s within reach.

I will say that this is an impressive debut. The concept is really cool and some of the scenes are really atmospheric and captivating. Summers is definitely a writer to watch!

I also generally liked Violet and Aleksander, the main characters. They have a complex, shifting relationship throughout the story. I wasn’t necessarily fully invested in their romance, being more intrigued by the mystery of the curse, but the scenes where they interacted were still very engaging. (That said, sometimes Aleksander’s lack of trustworthiness wore on me.) Most of the side characters didn’t make much of an impression on me, except for Violet’s uncle Ambrose and of course Penelope. She’s quite a striking villain, sinister and yet—despite being an ethereal being—rather human in terms of how she expresses emotions. I didn’t like her, exactly, but she’s a good character.

However, beyond the characters, I kind of wanted more from this sometimes. I think some of the lore, the magic, and the culture of the scholars felt a little too vague for me. I didn’t quite have a solid understanding of the world, or of the magical materials that are so coveted. I’m not sure if this was a deliberate choice, to help demonstrate Violet’s own patchy knowledge, or just a symptom of this being Summers’ first published novel. Either way, it wasn’t my favorite aspect of this book.

I also found the pacing to be a little flawed sometimes. Violet is up against a rapidly approaching deadline, and yet I didn’t get a sense of urgency from the story. So while we’re learning some things about the magical world, or seeing scenes with Aleksander, I felt like there should have been more tension from Violet’s side of things.

In the end, though, The City of Stardust is a decent story. I can see a lot of potential in Summers’ writing, from her ideas to her descriptions. I think this book could have been better, but it wasn’t necessarily bad. I could see it appealing to fans of books like Starling House or The Starless Sea.

The City of Stardust is available now!