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abby_ace_of_books 's review for:
House of Marionne
by J. Elle
Of all the things I could have taken away from this book...I learned that the author really, really likes the word lasso.
House of Marionne is one of those books that is considered "enjoyable" because it's filled with dozens of popular tropes. Dark academia, enemies to lovers, mentor and prodigy, a protagonist entering a world of magic she doesn't quite understand - it's all here. I've seen a lot of reviews comparing this to Shadowhunters, and I definitely got those vibes from it. Also, I feel it fit to mention that books like these typically aren't my favorite (and I knew that going into it), so my review may be harsher simply because urban fantasy isn't really my thing.
Quell and her mother have been living on the run for as long as Quell can remember, hiding her dark magic from the world because it's "poison" and "a curse." Then, suddenly, Quell ends up enrolled in her grandmother's boarding school, where she must learn magic and basically enter Victorian-era society (hence the Bridgerton references I've seen in other reviews). The basic gist is that Quell has to hide her dark magic while simultaneously learning new magic and etiquette to blend in. While it was definitely very trope-y, a part of me enjoyed making fun of that? There were a few plot twists at the end that made it more enjoyable, although they were relatively predictable.
The issue was mostly that I didn't like any of the characters. Quell is very much one of those "not like the other girls" quirky protagonists, and she reminded me a lot of Clary from the Shadowhunters series. On the other hand, Jordan reminded me of Four from the Divergent series, and I didn't find him particularly interesting beyond his backstory. I refuse to share a name with Abby; I do not relate to her at all. My favorite character (for some odd reason) was Yagrin, so I'm hoping maybe he'll be more relevant in the next book given the end of this one.
Fans of urban fantasy and romantasy genres will love House of Marionne thanks to its many popular tropes and intriguing dark academia side-plots.
Thanks to Netgalley and the publisher for the free copy!
3.5/5
House of Marionne is one of those books that is considered "enjoyable" because it's filled with dozens of popular tropes. Dark academia, enemies to lovers, mentor and prodigy, a protagonist entering a world of magic she doesn't quite understand - it's all here. I've seen a lot of reviews comparing this to Shadowhunters, and I definitely got those vibes from it. Also, I feel it fit to mention that books like these typically aren't my favorite (and I knew that going into it), so my review may be harsher simply because urban fantasy isn't really my thing.
Quell and her mother have been living on the run for as long as Quell can remember, hiding her dark magic from the world because it's "poison" and "a curse." Then, suddenly, Quell ends up enrolled in her grandmother's boarding school, where she must learn magic and basically enter Victorian-era society (hence the Bridgerton references I've seen in other reviews). The basic gist is that Quell has to hide her dark magic while simultaneously learning new magic and etiquette to blend in. While it was definitely very trope-y, a part of me enjoyed making fun of that? There were a few plot twists at the end that made it more enjoyable, although they were relatively predictable.
The issue was mostly that I didn't like any of the characters. Quell is very much one of those "not like the other girls" quirky protagonists, and she reminded me a lot of Clary from the Shadowhunters series. On the other hand, Jordan reminded me of Four from the Divergent series, and I didn't find him particularly interesting beyond his backstory. I refuse to share a name with Abby; I do not relate to her at all. My favorite character (for some odd reason) was Yagrin, so I'm hoping maybe he'll be more relevant in the next book given the end of this one.
Fans of urban fantasy and romantasy genres will love House of Marionne thanks to its many popular tropes and intriguing dark academia side-plots.
Thanks to Netgalley and the publisher for the free copy!
3.5/5