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a_chickletz's review against another edition
1.0
*~I received this book free from NetGalley in exchange for my views and feelings prior to release. ~*
EDIT:
There is so much I can say about this book, but to wrap it up - bluntly and aptly: this book makes no sense.
None.
What did make sense is how loosely elements from Phantom and Moulin Rouge were borrowed an thrown into this book. Even still, that did not help the plot.
1.) There is a night-club in the woods owned by someone who is ... a man? a teen? He is called 'The Master' and the endless fawning and obsessing over the way that he enters the room, harasses the 'lead', broods and sulks is all noise and means nothing to the book. Apparently The Master (called Jack) can erase memories but the purpose of this is not ever fully explained or makes sense why he keeps wiping the main character's memory (or has, many times before).
2.) There is a town that apparently was broken into four ruling factions, but the factions fell into disarray and now the people are governed by a mayor who... I guess hires a circus to come and entertain the poor people? Meanwhile, there is some kind of competition that is drawing the people to the town? The lead who currently works at this night-club wants to perform but she is told she can't countless times by Jack. She runs away one day and gets into the competition. Apparently women can't be magicians but hey, she's the first (or the first in a while). The winner of the said competition gets... bragging rights? fame? riches? glory? isn't really explained.
Apparently there are two kinds of magicians - born and trained. I never could understand the difference between the two or why one is so disliked than the other, but apparently there are also grunt work magicians too? They get stuck doing repair/work instead of entertaining people.
Oh yes, another thing about this city? Apparently people can enter the city but they cannot LEAVE the city? But postal mail somehow gets to city... so that's never explained.
3.) The editing on this book was sloppy and there was a lot of times a character was doing something and either they would switch to a different area in the room, a different movement, or even a different train of thought without really allowing us to bridge into the next thought/action/scene.
4.) There is a lot of repeated things that the characters do (i.e - drumming of nails on the table, cocking of the hip, lounging in the door, etc. etc.). It got annoying after a while to the point where instead of picturing a character doing it when they're irritated, it was thrown in there as if it was ness. for a scene.
The actual plot itself, when you piece all these bits together, doesn't make sense. Apparently Jack is being directed by some dark lord in another dimension. Who at one point the main character sees in a mirror. This dark lord is never explained. I found myself more concerned about the people of this city who apparently can never leave the cityp? Apparently they rather care about a circus and this competition then have the town be put back to right. Jack also - surprise, surprise - is one of the heirs of one of those four factions I talked about. He should have died in a fire but when the mayor sees some kind of mark under his brass-knuckles (yes, he wears brass knuckles!) it sends everyone into a panic. (OH, by the way, apparently there is a scene from Love Never Dies in this? Remember that bit where The Phantom pretends to play a barman and or can ~pretend to be various people?~ yep, that happens here. God, that musical is so awful.)
The fact there will be a sequel to this book is a little concerning. I don't know what the author was trying to convey and I wish that someone would kindly point it out to me, because it felt like some low-key Phantom of the Opera fanfic with names changed (I think I counted a girl named Meg, a character named Joseph Buquet, the Phantom - Jack - and the Raoul character - Demarco.
I am disappointed and I had high hopes for this.
EDIT:
There is so much I can say about this book, but to wrap it up - bluntly and aptly: this book makes no sense.
None.
What did make sense is how loosely elements from Phantom and Moulin Rouge were borrowed an thrown into this book. Even still, that did not help the plot.
Spoiler
1.) There is a night-club in the woods owned by someone who is ... a man? a teen? He is called 'The Master' and the endless fawning and obsessing over the way that he enters the room, harasses the 'lead', broods and sulks is all noise and means nothing to the book. Apparently The Master (called Jack) can erase memories but the purpose of this is not ever fully explained or makes sense why he keeps wiping the main character's memory (or has, many times before).
2.) There is a town that apparently was broken into four ruling factions, but the factions fell into disarray and now the people are governed by a mayor who... I guess hires a circus to come and entertain the poor people? Meanwhile, there is some kind of competition that is drawing the people to the town? The lead who currently works at this night-club wants to perform but she is told she can't countless times by Jack. She runs away one day and gets into the competition. Apparently women can't be magicians but hey, she's the first (or the first in a while). The winner of the said competition gets... bragging rights? fame? riches? glory? isn't really explained.
Apparently there are two kinds of magicians - born and trained. I never could understand the difference between the two or why one is so disliked than the other, but apparently there are also grunt work magicians too? They get stuck doing repair/work instead of entertaining people.
Oh yes, another thing about this city? Apparently people can enter the city but they cannot LEAVE the city? But postal mail somehow gets to city... so that's never explained.
3.) The editing on this book was sloppy and there was a lot of times a character was doing something and either they would switch to a different area in the room, a different movement, or even a different train of thought without really allowing us to bridge into the next thought/action/scene.
4.) There is a lot of repeated things that the characters do (i.e - drumming of nails on the table, cocking of the hip, lounging in the door, etc. etc.). It got annoying after a while to the point where instead of picturing a character doing it when they're irritated, it was thrown in there as if it was ness. for a scene.
The actual plot itself, when you piece all these bits together, doesn't make sense. Apparently Jack is being directed by some dark lord in another dimension. Who at one point the main character sees in a mirror. This dark lord is never explained. I found myself more concerned about the people of this city who apparently can never leave the cityp? Apparently they rather care about a circus and this competition then have the town be put back to right. Jack also - surprise, surprise - is one of the heirs of one of those four factions I talked about. He should have died in a fire but when the mayor sees some kind of mark under his brass-knuckles (yes, he wears brass knuckles!) it sends everyone into a panic. (OH, by the way, apparently there is a scene from Love Never Dies in this? Remember that bit where The Phantom pretends to play a barman and or can ~pretend to be various people?~ yep, that happens here. God, that musical is so awful.)
The fact there will be a sequel to this book is a little concerning. I don't know what the author was trying to convey and I wish that someone would kindly point it out to me, because it felt like some low-key Phantom of the Opera fanfic with names changed (I think I counted a girl named Meg, a character named Joseph Buquet, the Phantom - Jack - and the Raoul character - Demarco.
I am disappointed and I had high hopes for this.
stardust_priestess's review against another edition
I am at odds with this book, there were moments where I wanted to lump this in my DNF category. However I did finish it. I hate to say that there was so much mystery that it was hard to follow or know what was going on. Things became easier to follow towards the end of the book. The ending left a great cliffhanger and just enough intrigue that I will probably pick up the sequel to see how the story concludes. The most interesting character for me was the sister/partner behind the glass. I am looking forward to something more with her in the second book. Kallia and Jacks whole relationship annoyed me. Jack has a peeping tom type vibe that rubbed me the wrong way. Very big brother ish.
Maybe that’s just me. I’ll have to see how the second book ties up questions and ends.
Maybe that’s just me. I’ll have to see how the second book ties up questions and ends.
jenpaul13's review against another edition
4.0
A competition for magicians becomes a rather dangerous spectacle as sleeping magic escapes its cage in Janella Angeles's Where Dreams Descend (Kingdom of Cards #1).
To read this, and other book reviews, visit my website: http://makinggoodstories.wordpress.com/.
A skilled magician, Kallia has been training her talents with Jack, the feared and enigmatic master of a club where Kallia spends her evenings dancing and performing as a showgirl, the socially acceptable display of her abilities, while customers gamble and lose their memories to Jack. Since arriving as an orphaned child she's not left the premises, but her desire to visit the nearby town of Glorian grows stronger as days pass after she learns of a magic competition to become the headliner for the Conquering Circus, which would allow her to prove herself. Finally escaping the cage of home she'd been kept in, Kallia joins the competition as the only female after demonstrating a showstopping spectacle, with assistance from rather neutral comments from Demarco, the young, famous judge with a dark past, but little does she know that with each passing act, something in Glorian is waking up, causing untold harm, and dredging up long-kept secrets.
The world is intriguing with an atmosphere infused with magic and a lingering, lurking darkness that is captivating, if a bit murky. The main characters, while not abundantly novel in the personalities they present, are developed relatively well and exhibit distinctive traits and behaviors. There's tension built between various characters, which is palpable as the main three charismatic characters interact, but it does feel a tad immature when contrasted with the otherwise strong-willed nature they're presented to possess. The story is entertaining and demonstrates good potential on a larger scale as this narrative gradually develops out the mysterious events occurring, with the pacing accelerating noticeably in the latter portion; the first in a duology, this ends in a way that continues to hint toward the fascinating elements that were concealed for a majority of this installment while striving to hook and keep readers eagerly anticipating what will unfold next.
Overall, I'd give it a 3.5 out of 5 stars.
*I received a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review as part of this blog tour.
To read this, and other book reviews, visit my website: http://makinggoodstories.wordpress.com/.
A skilled magician, Kallia has been training her talents with Jack, the feared and enigmatic master of a club where Kallia spends her evenings dancing and performing as a showgirl, the socially acceptable display of her abilities, while customers gamble and lose their memories to Jack. Since arriving as an orphaned child she's not left the premises, but her desire to visit the nearby town of Glorian grows stronger as days pass after she learns of a magic competition to become the headliner for the Conquering Circus, which would allow her to prove herself. Finally escaping the cage of home she'd been kept in, Kallia joins the competition as the only female after demonstrating a showstopping spectacle, with assistance from rather neutral comments from Demarco, the young, famous judge with a dark past, but little does she know that with each passing act, something in Glorian is waking up, causing untold harm, and dredging up long-kept secrets.
The world is intriguing with an atmosphere infused with magic and a lingering, lurking darkness that is captivating, if a bit murky. The main characters, while not abundantly novel in the personalities they present, are developed relatively well and exhibit distinctive traits and behaviors. There's tension built between various characters, which is palpable as the main three charismatic characters interact, but it does feel a tad immature when contrasted with the otherwise strong-willed nature they're presented to possess. The story is entertaining and demonstrates good potential on a larger scale as this narrative gradually develops out the mysterious events occurring, with the pacing accelerating noticeably in the latter portion; the first in a duology, this ends in a way that continues to hint toward the fascinating elements that were concealed for a majority of this installment while striving to hook and keep readers eagerly anticipating what will unfold next.
Overall, I'd give it a 3.5 out of 5 stars.
*I received a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review as part of this blog tour.
mysteriesofmar's review against another edition
4.0
i thought this book was going to be predictable but it surprised me at every corner and had me entranced the whole time. my hat's off to janella angeles, because this did NOT feel like a debut novel. absolutely spectacular, i encourage everyone to pick this up immediately!!!!!
jillselwyn's review against another edition
adventurous
challenging
dark
mysterious
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.5
"Perfect for fans of Moulin Rouge and The Phantom of the Opera, Angeles's debut is spectacular, spectacular!" - Buzzfeed
Yes I know not to trust Buzzfeed... but if I see something compared to Moulin Rouge, I'm buying it without hesitation. For brief context, my youngest sibling asked me a few weeks ago what my favorite movie was. I could only narrow it down to my top five and in no particular order. Ever After, Coraline, Stardust, Moulin Rouge, and Divergent. Now what I haven't seen is The Phantom of the Opera. Which now I really really want to, because when I was a kid my mom said if I was *that* scared of Coraline (yes I used to be scared of it and now its one of my favorite books and movies of all time) then I couldn't handle the Phantom of the Opera... oooh now I really want to watch it. But onto this piece of gorgeousness.
This book was so much goddamn fun that I just ordered the second in hardcover and am willing to spend however much is necessary for those owlcrate special editions on ebay because they are stunning. This was sitting on my tbr for over a year! Then I organized my tbr physically and finally started going through it and I'm so glad I did. I was worried at one point when I peeked at the non-spoiler reviews for this book because it seemed so 50/50... I had nothing to be worried about, there's a reason I didn't even hesitate when I saw Moulin Rouge mentioned. I absolutely LOVED it. Like to the point its on my list of top 10 of all time. (which if you're curious, currently those are Fairest by Gail Carson Levine, Two Princesses of Bamarre by Gail Carson Levine, Cinder by Marissa Meyer, Ninth House by Leigh Bardugo, Six of Crows by Leigh Bardugo, Neverwhere by Neil Gaiman, Coraline (Graphic Novel) by Neil Gaiman, and Vespertine by Margaret Rogerson)
Honestly, if for some reason, anyone is hesitant but Moulin Rouge is one of their favorite movies, I HIGHLY recommend they try it. Even just the writing itself is GORGEOUS. And that ENDING. I need more books like this, and it may have pushed me out of my writer's block in small ways! If I say much more this will be yet another giant spoiler review but I won't because I want people to read my review and decide to read the book. I cannot wait for the second to be safely in my hands!
Yes I know not to trust Buzzfeed... but if I see something compared to Moulin Rouge, I'm buying it without hesitation. For brief context, my youngest sibling asked me a few weeks ago what my favorite movie was. I could only narrow it down to my top five and in no particular order. Ever After, Coraline, Stardust, Moulin Rouge, and Divergent. Now what I haven't seen is The Phantom of the Opera. Which now I really really want to, because when I was a kid my mom said if I was *that* scared of Coraline (yes I used to be scared of it and now its one of my favorite books and movies of all time) then I couldn't handle the Phantom of the Opera... oooh now I really want to watch it. But onto this piece of gorgeousness.
This book was so much goddamn fun that I just ordered the second in hardcover and am willing to spend however much is necessary for those owlcrate special editions on ebay because they are stunning. This was sitting on my tbr for over a year! Then I organized my tbr physically and finally started going through it and I'm so glad I did. I was worried at one point when I peeked at the non-spoiler reviews for this book because it seemed so 50/50... I had nothing to be worried about, there's a reason I didn't even hesitate when I saw Moulin Rouge mentioned. I absolutely LOVED it. Like to the point its on my list of top 10 of all time. (which if you're curious, currently those are Fairest by Gail Carson Levine, Two Princesses of Bamarre by Gail Carson Levine, Cinder by Marissa Meyer, Ninth House by Leigh Bardugo, Six of Crows by Leigh Bardugo, Neverwhere by Neil Gaiman, Coraline (Graphic Novel) by Neil Gaiman, and Vespertine by Margaret Rogerson)
Honestly, if for some reason, anyone is hesitant but Moulin Rouge is one of their favorite movies, I HIGHLY recommend they try it. Even just the writing itself is GORGEOUS. And that ENDING. I need more books like this, and it may have pushed me out of my writer's block in small ways! If I say much more this will be yet another giant spoiler review but I won't because I want people to read my review and decide to read the book. I cannot wait for the second to be safely in my hands!
bardo's review against another edition
4.0
How far will you go to have your talents displayed or for you to taste freedom. Kallia has a difficult choice to make, stay in the arms of safety with Jack or truely express herself and her magical talents with Demarco. Where Dreams Descend is a dark journey through the hierarchy of sexism in professional achievement and merit. Angeles uses the strong willed and talented Kallis as a vehicle to demonstrate how the talents of female magicians are overlooked and often suppressed so male counter parts can shine. Kallis is the perfect character to display natural gifts, while also combined with sharp wit and is a delight to read her snappy comebacks. It is also refreshing to have a partnership between a man and woman that is not romantic but supportive. Yet, I was disappointed that most of the plot is designated for the romance triangle between Kallis, Demarco, and Jack. For a storyline that was boasted as a Night Circus or Carnaval, this does not touch the world building in the slightest. MOre competitions to display Kallis abilities and show stopper charisma would have added depth and visual awe. It could have also played in to the village folklore to really pull the reader in to a majestic
I received an ARC of this title from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.
I received an ARC of this title from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.
raygersh's review against another edition
3.0
I need to stop reading circus-y books, as they all inevitably fail to capture the pure magic of The Night Circus. I feel so apathetic about the magic of this book. Kallia is a badass of a protagonist and Demarco is charming, but I was so indifferent to their story and conflict which was so full of promise but failed to deliver. There was a lack of strong worldbuilding and the POV from Demarco seemed unwarranted.
Overall: a little fun, a lot of meh.
Overall: a little fun, a lot of meh.
gfoe107's review against another edition
adventurous
emotional
mysterious
reflective
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
4.5
aritrigupta's review against another edition
2.0
Firstly, I cannot digest the comparison of this book to the Night Circus, the latter was a dreamy, richly detailed narrative, while this was a potential gone to waste because of its word jumble as narration.
Secondly, I think it serves me right to have picked this up despite swearing off YA titles with catchy names. I deserved this disappointment.
And what a disappointment it was. The two stars are because I didn't DNF, and like I mentioned, it held potential, I felt that maybe on some page in this massive book, I will find some salvation.
I see this in some of the unfavorable reviews as well, and I do concur, that I don't understand the author's trap of setting the stage for book 2 in the first book, whilst giving no proper explanation to any of the questions, and no natural ending to that story. Each book has to have it's own story, and the author needs to have faith in her story and the readers for them to pick up the sequel. This book is a clear example of readers being arm wrestled into picking up the next book. I hate that.
The characters were one dimensional, and not one was likeable. I will leave it at that. It will take me too many words to describe what was wrong with Kallia (the name?!), Daron and Jack.
The depiction of feminism was exactly the type that causes misrepresentation and misinterpretation of feminism in the world. There was no world building, if we leave out the questions that were not answered. After having read 450 pages, I still don't know anything about the plot or the story, or the crisis. But I do know that I am OK with that.
I am not sure if the book needed better editing, or the author needed to recalibrate the narration, but this was simply a let down.
Secondly, I think it serves me right to have picked this up despite swearing off YA titles with catchy names. I deserved this disappointment.
And what a disappointment it was. The two stars are because I didn't DNF, and like I mentioned, it held potential, I felt that maybe on some page in this massive book, I will find some salvation.
I see this in some of the unfavorable reviews as well, and I do concur, that I don't understand the author's trap of setting the stage for book 2 in the first book, whilst giving no proper explanation to any of the questions, and no natural ending to that story. Each book has to have it's own story, and the author needs to have faith in her story and the readers for them to pick up the sequel. This book is a clear example of readers being arm wrestled into picking up the next book. I hate that.
The characters were one dimensional, and not one was likeable. I will leave it at that. It will take me too many words to describe what was wrong with Kallia (the name?!), Daron and Jack.
The depiction of feminism was exactly the type that causes misrepresentation and misinterpretation of feminism in the world. There was no world building, if we leave out the questions that were not answered. After having read 450 pages, I still don't know anything about the plot or the story, or the crisis. But I do know that I am OK with that.
I am not sure if the book needed better editing, or the author needed to recalibrate the narration, but this was simply a let down.