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tashasbooks 's review for:
House of Marionne
by J. Elle
adventurous
mysterious
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
House of Marianne is a YA fantasy that takes place in the modern world, reminiscent of Harry Potter. It combines the traditional debutante rituals and balls with magic into a dark academia setting.
Our main character, Quell, has been on the run for her whole life due to a dark power she has. Assassins named draguns have been hunting her and her mother because of the dark magic she has to keep hidden. After being separated from her mother, she runs to the only other place she knows, her grandmother's estate. Upon getting there, she learns that there is a magical society called the Order and her grandmother is the Headmistress of her own House. Quell realizes she can bind away her dark power if she joins the Order and completes the three rites. She is mentored by a dragun, Jordan, who she grows close to while hiding her secret. The premise is very interesting and the magic system is quite unique!
The pacing is relatively good, not too fast or slow. Because it is an urban fantasy, there is not a whole ton of worldbuilding except for the magic system which is explained very well. The overall plot and different rites proved interesting, all leading up to one very large plot twist at the end that I definitely did not guess.
Overall, the writing style wasn't for me. The descriptions seemed a bit lacking and repetitive and the characters as a whole seemed almost too YA or younger audience to me. Because of that, I struggled with the romance and chemistry there between Quell and Jordan. Quell's internal monologue wasn't my favorite to read and I found her interactions with Abby (her roommate) to sometimes be a bit cringey.
I also believe the setting was just not for me, I'm typically not a big fan of urban fantasies and I hadn't realized it was one based on the book description.
This was an enjoyable read, but relatively average. If you like the idea of a magical boarding school, with mysterious and dark academia vibes, this might be for you!
Thank you to Penguin Young Readers Group and NetGalley for the ARC in exchange for an honest review!
Our main character, Quell, has been on the run for her whole life due to a dark power she has. Assassins named draguns have been hunting her and her mother because of the dark magic she has to keep hidden. After being separated from her mother, she runs to the only other place she knows, her grandmother's estate. Upon getting there, she learns that there is a magical society called the Order and her grandmother is the Headmistress of her own House. Quell realizes she can bind away her dark power if she joins the Order and completes the three rites. She is mentored by a dragun, Jordan, who she grows close to while hiding her secret. The premise is very interesting and the magic system is quite unique!
The pacing is relatively good, not too fast or slow. Because it is an urban fantasy, there is not a whole ton of worldbuilding except for the magic system which is explained very well. The overall plot and different rites proved interesting, all leading up to one very large plot twist at the end that I definitely did not guess.
Overall, the writing style wasn't for me. The descriptions seemed a bit lacking and repetitive and the characters as a whole seemed almost too YA or younger audience to me. Because of that, I struggled with the romance and chemistry there between Quell and Jordan. Quell's internal monologue wasn't my favorite to read and I found her interactions with Abby (her roommate) to sometimes be a bit cringey.
I also believe the setting was just not for me, I'm typically not a big fan of urban fantasies and I hadn't realized it was one based on the book description.
This was an enjoyable read, but relatively average. If you like the idea of a magical boarding school, with mysterious and dark academia vibes, this might be for you!
Thank you to Penguin Young Readers Group and NetGalley for the ARC in exchange for an honest review!