Christelle Dabos

The world was very enchanting and very well-paced. Ophelia is a worthy main character. Her vitality, grit, stubbornness, and mostly heart kept me reading. This world is akin to magical realism and steampunk than anything else. I don't say too much about prose and such, but this one was rather unique. Just a few things, however, the mechanics of the world is rather confusing. The magic used is not explained well. There is a blurb at the beginning of the book and characters explain the limitations of their magic, but how and why it functions the way it does is left open-ended. The passage of time is not explained either. It is day and now it is night. It was spring and now it's fall. A great detail was particularly focused on "pale nobles" with breathtaking features and unblemished skin. It was interesting, to say the least, and I thought nothing of it until the only person of color appeared and her description was as follows "As soon as Ophelia spotted an old woman sitting in the back row of benches, she knew without any hesitation, that this was Mother Hildegarde. She was a perfectly hideous relic. With her thick, salt and pepper hair, swarthy complexion, tacky spotted dress, and cigar planted in a smirk, she stuck out among the pale nobles surrounding her." If that wasn't questionable enough there is almost a whole page of her just being loud and awful. Now at this point, I have to say to myself did Ophelia have this same energy for Madam Berenilde who was giving her debilitating headaches no "Bernilde considered her thoughtfully. The little blond curls, which danced like flames with every movement of her head were stilled." It did leave a sour impression in my mind, but at last, it was just an impression, and for me to form a thorough understanding of Miss Hildegarde I must continue reading.… (more)