Review by Booklist Review
In Glass' debut, magic is prohibited and punishable by a merciless death. Romy, a pampered courtesan, trades her life as the cherished companion of the most powerful man in the city to save her impetuous younger brother, who has used his skill for walking through walls to commit an impossible theft and brought unwanted attention to his sister's hidden background. Romy is a reluctant sorcerer, who despises her ability to alter a person's mind without their consent. She does not understand her brother's eagerness to explore his sorcerous talent, because whenever she uses her gift, it leaves her trembling and sick. When she discovers a threat to her former master and the city, Romy must find a way to foil the plot, even it if means using magic. She will have to work with her wastrel brother, employ a drunken swordsman, and make use of a talented craftsman to pull off an improbable heist. A combination of political intrigue, deceit, and forbidden talents imbues this adventurous series-starter that ends with hints of another caper to come with a Mission Impossible vibe.--Lucy Lockley Copyright 2019 Booklist
From Booklist, Copyright (c) American Library Association. Used with permission.
Review by Publisher's Weekly Review
This awkward debut novel builds a complex world of political intrigue and magic, but slow pacing and a lack of focus on the central plot make for a slow start to a larger series. In the mythical land of Costa Drago, Romy of Lizard's Alley must give up her life as the courtesan of the city's leader, il Padroné, to save her family from being put to death as punishment for her brother's use of forbidden magic. In addition, Romy must learn to control her own powers in order to stop a plot against her former lover. While the details of the setting are intriguing, so much time is spent building it that the "epic plot" to overthrow il Padroné feels like an afterthought with no real risk of succeeding. Romy has hardly used her magic, but command of it comes easily when she needs it to. The magical team Romy assembles is strong, but their magical abilities are not clear; meanwhile, no effort is spared to describe the colors of the various nobles' livery. Readers who enjoy European-style secondary worlds and don't mind slow pacing will appreciate this tale of illegal magic and hope the sequels do more to develop the characters. (May) © Copyright PWxyz, LLC. All rights reserved.
(c) Copyright PWxyz, LLC. All rights reserved
Review by Kirkus Book Review
Scrappy sorcerers must band together to survive in a world where magic is a curse.Romy isn't Romy anymore. She's Cataline, a courtesan and the favored mistress of the Shadow Lord, ruler of the city of Cantagna. She can read, discuss high art, even use a sword. But there's another skill she keeps secretmagic, a curse that means certain death. And when her brother, Neri, foolishly uses his magic in a theft, risking discovery, Cataline must give up her comfortable life, and the man she loves, to save his life. Back in the hardscrabble slum of Lizard's Alley, Romy and Neri have to find a way to survive. And survival means hiding their magic at all costs. Until a desperate woman comes to Romy with an impossible task where failure means disaster, not just for Romy and Neri, but for all Cantagna. Now, magic may be the only thing that can save the city. Debut novelist Glass creates a compellingly gritty world in the city-state of Cantagna, and Romy makes for an engagingly fierce and flawed heroine. The central plot takes some time to get moving, but the stakes are high from the start, and once a team is assembled for a heist, the pace is brisk. The conclusion is satisfying but leaves plenty of room for Romy and her band of thieves to continue their adventures.Fantasy fans will enjoy this lively, twisty tale of intrigue, theft, and double-crosses. Copyright Kirkus Reviews, used with permission.
Copyright (c) Kirkus Reviews, used with permission.
