bookish_redpanda15's review against another edition
adventurous
emotional
funny
lighthearted
mysterious
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
poisonenvy's review against another edition
adventurous
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.0
This is the second book in Mary Hoffman's Stravaganza series, and this time we follow Georgia, a horse-loving girl who had gone to the same school as Lucien, the main character from the last book, who finds herself in Remora, the parallel universe's version of Seina, Italy.
I had... a lot more problems with this book than I did the last one. The writing's still choppy. The main character has major Not Like Other Girls energy (which is a phrase used at least three or four times throughout the narrative). And there's a liberal sprinkling of slurs (which are depicted negatively in the narrative, but it still seemed like a lot of ableist/homophobic slurs, even if this was written in the early aughts).
But hey, it was still fun. It clued me into a cool new horse race in Seinna. The main character is a horse girl. There's a horse with wings in it, which I'm pretty keen on. And, weirdly, out of four new books that I started recently, three of them (all from different authors, all with different styles, vibes, and genres) that had a character named Cesare, so that's fun.
I had... a lot more problems with this book than I did the last one. The writing's still choppy. The main character has major Not Like Other Girls energy (which is a phrase used at least three or four times throughout the narrative). And there's a liberal sprinkling of slurs (which are depicted negatively in the narrative, but it still seemed like a lot of ableist/homophobic slurs, even if this was written in the early aughts).
But hey, it was still fun. It clued me into a cool new horse race in Seinna. The main character is a horse girl. There's a horse with wings in it, which I'm pretty keen on. And, weirdly, out of four new books that I started recently, three of them (all from different authors, all with different styles, vibes, and genres) that had a character named Cesare, so that's fun.
anitaforthewin's review against another edition
started during a little slump but I need to get back to my tbr! No shade to this book I love this series!
vmillswood's review against another edition
adventurous
emotional
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
3.0
raechsreads's review against another edition
4.0
The City of Stars keeps on the path of intrigue where City of Masks left off. Now though it comes in the form of choices, many hard choices for the travellers and new friends.
faehistory's review against another edition
adventurous
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
4.0
ashra's review against another edition
5.0
"Then you must destroy the talisman," said Falco firmly.
..."You are amazing, you know," said Georgia. "Are you serious? I thought you might want me to hang on to it in case you changed your mind."
"I don't want to be able to change my mind," said Falco. "And if you get rid of it, I won't be able to" (325).
literally this kid is the most powerful person in this whole book. oh my GOSH
4.75 stars that I am rounding up to 5 !!
I genuinely only have a couple critiques that I wish we got a bit more of, even though this book is already pretty thick.
*a bit more of the side characters? I like Cesare and Paolo but it's just so hard to compare to Rodolfo, Silvia, Luciano and Arianna. It almost feels unfair on both ends! I mean HOW do you hold up to the first book? (Although, then again, the di Chimici characters really make a solid stab at it)
*What do the Reman rivalries come from?? You CAN'T just tell me they built their city into 12 quadrants, carefully laid out with one rivalry and two allies per Twelfth, and then not give me ANY of the LORE. Like in Bellezza we learn about why the women have to wear masks, the start of Stravagation, even some more minute details such as the merlino daggers and Rodolfo's family... so where is my Reman lore??
Even without these qualities, however, this book is fantastic.
Georgia. We have to talk about Georgia. I love this girl. I feel so hard for her. I went through a tomboy phase not unlike hers and I totally see where she's coming from. Her awful step-brother!!! That man made me cringe and viscerally seethe. He's a very effective villain and uncomfortably realistic, something I've seen in my own life.
I really admire the way that Mary Hoffman builds up off of each book. For example, in the first book, we have a boy who is bedridden, so it's not unexpected that he's sleeping all the time to recover from stravagating. But now we have Georgia, who has school! And watching her try to figure out when she can stravagate, what risks are worth it, how tired can she make herself, is so captivating. It's this whole other layer on top of the usual time-traveling. Hoffman is great at complicating character dynamics: Now we have Georgia, who knew Luciano at school. We have Gaetano and Falco. We have a real desire to translate to London and for good cause. Before, we had the strict but loving Rodolfo, but now Georgia kind of has free reign in her commoner's attire, and it makes her a little distant from the stern teaching that Luciano went through. These kids!! I could talk about them all day.
I think my favorite character in the series might be Silvia. I love her and Rodolfo. Every little interaction between them makes me unstoppably giddy. They are just a couple of old people who love each other SO much and cannot for the lives of them get out of mischief! This is the best trope ever and I need more of it, I need more powerful magical old people who are also insufferably in love. I feel like the only relationship I've seen that comes close is Eda and Raine from the Owl House, bless them. Anyways the fact that Silvia shows up, drops a single hard line, and casually changes the trajectory of an entire Ducal marriage is astounding. That's a woman. I love her.
Thinking about the Manoush again... I love them... I don't have anything wise to say about them I just think they are so cool...
I mean what else is there to say?? Immense characterization, intricately crafted with complexity and dynamism at the forefront. The foils between Georgia's home family and Reman family, Georgia herself and Luciano, Luciano and Falco, Gaetano and Arianna, Niccolo and Rodolfo. And I just adore our newcomer friends - Georgia, Falco and Gaetano. Cesare is very sweet too. and horses!! Horse city where the horses go to church with you before the big race. Catch me steamrolling this entire series with the most ridiculous grin on my face.
I love you Stravaganza <3 <3 <3
..."You are amazing, you know," said Georgia. "Are you serious? I thought you might want me to hang on to it in case you changed your mind."
"I don't want to be able to change my mind," said Falco. "And if you get rid of it, I won't be able to" (325).
literally this kid is the most powerful person in this whole book. oh my GOSH
4.75 stars that I am rounding up to 5 !!
I genuinely only have a couple critiques that I wish we got a bit more of, even though this book is already pretty thick.
*a bit more of the side characters? I like Cesare and Paolo but it's just so hard to compare to Rodolfo, Silvia, Luciano and Arianna. It almost feels unfair on both ends! I mean HOW do you hold up to the first book? (Although, then again, the di Chimici characters really make a solid stab at it)
*What do the Reman rivalries come from?? You CAN'T just tell me they built their city into 12 quadrants, carefully laid out with one rivalry and two allies per Twelfth, and then not give me ANY of the LORE. Like in Bellezza we learn about why the women have to wear masks, the start of Stravagation, even some more minute details such as the merlino daggers and Rodolfo's family... so where is my Reman lore??
Even without these qualities, however, this book is fantastic.
Georgia. We have to talk about Georgia. I love this girl. I feel so hard for her. I went through a tomboy phase not unlike hers and I totally see where she's coming from. Her awful step-brother!!! That man made me cringe and viscerally seethe. He's a very effective villain and uncomfortably realistic, something I've seen in my own life.
I really admire the way that Mary Hoffman builds up off of each book. For example, in the first book, we have a boy who is bedridden, so it's not unexpected that he's sleeping all the time to recover from stravagating. But now we have Georgia, who has school! And watching her try to figure out when she can stravagate, what risks are worth it, how tired can she make herself, is so captivating.
Spoiler
The part at the end WHERE SHE HIDES IN FALCO'S ROOM. OH MY GOSH.I think my favorite character in the series might be Silvia. I love her and Rodolfo. Every little interaction between them makes me unstoppably giddy. They are just a couple of old people who love each other SO much and cannot for the lives of them get out of mischief! This is the best trope ever and I need more of it, I need more powerful magical old people who are also insufferably in love. I feel like the only relationship I've seen that comes close is Eda and Raine from the Owl House, bless them. Anyways the fact that Silvia shows up, drops a single hard line, and casually changes the trajectory of an entire Ducal marriage is astounding. That's a woman. I love her.
Thinking about the Manoush again... I love them... I don't have anything wise to say about them I just think they are so cool...
I mean what else is there to say?? Immense characterization, intricately crafted with complexity and dynamism at the forefront. The foils between Georgia's home family and Reman family, Georgia herself and Luciano, Luciano and Falco, Gaetano and Arianna, Niccolo and Rodolfo. And I just adore our newcomer friends - Georgia, Falco and Gaetano. Cesare is very sweet too. and horses!! Horse city where the horses go to church with you before the big race. Catch me steamrolling this entire series with the most ridiculous grin on my face.
I love you Stravaganza <3 <3 <3
adeperi's review against another edition
4.0
I have learned not to expect much from sequels, but this one was nearly as good as the first and didn't drag out the stories of previous characters to an exhausting extent. Huzzah for Mary Hoffman!