Marie Lu really said I’m going to write an adult fantasy and wrote a damn adult fantasy. I REALLY enjoyed this. The only thing keeping me from 5 stars is I was not completely bought into the romance. I think there needed to be a bit more yearning/connection in the beginning for me to truly feel for their pain being on either side of a gang war. 

Regardless, I feel like I was hooked from page 1 (ok maybe page 20, but whatever). I think the urban fantasy nature of the story really added to the imagery. I really enjoyed the fantasy elements as well. Lu really eased you into the world with the two main characters as children learning about the magic of alchemy and sand. 

If I had to compare this book to others I’ve read, I’d say it’s a combination of Jade City and The Poppy Wars. With the rival gangs and assassinations, it ended up being pretty gruesome. I relate this to The Poppy Wars, because I do think Red City leaned heavily into the exploration of a young girl who was dealt a hard lot in life and how she navigated the tough decisions she had to make in life to survive. I’m really interested in seeing where Sam goes next and the impact the events of Red City will have on her actions. 

Really looking forward to book 2! 

<i>Thank you to NetGalley and Tori for the ARC in exchange for an honest review!</i>