Daughter of the Burning City
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4.2 • 11 Ratings
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- $11.99
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- $11.99
Publisher Description
From the New York Times bestselling coauthor of All of Us Villains.
Sixteen-year-old Sorina has spent most of her life within the smoldering borders of the Gomorrah Festival. Yet even among the many unusual members of the traveling circus-city, Sorina stands apart as the only illusion-worker born in hundreds of years. This rare talent allows her to create illusions that others can see, feel and touch, with personalities all their own. Her creations are her family, and together they make up the cast of the Festival’s Freak Show.
But no matter how lifelike they may seem, her illusions are still just that—illusions, and not truly real. Or so she always believed…until one of them is murdered.
Desperate to protect her family, Sorina must track down the culprit and determine how they killed a person who doesn’t actually exist. Her search for answers leads her to the self-proclaimed gossip-worker Luca. Their investigation sends them through a haze of political turmoil and forbidden romance, and into the most sinister corners of the Festival. But as the killer continues murdering Sorina’s illusions one by one, she must unravel the horrifying truth before all her loved ones disappear.
PUBLISHERS WEEKLY
The Gomorrah Festival is a sprawling, traveling city of performers who cater to needs both innocent and not so innocent. Sixteen-year-old narrator Sorina, the festival owner's adopted daughter, is an illusion worker who uses her ability to create Gomorrah's freak show performers. She's also a "freak" herself: she has no eyes, only smooth skin where they would be, yet she can see thanks to her talent. Sorina's creations serve as the family she never had, among them acrobat party-girl Venera and the two-headed Unu and Du. When Gill, the "Trout Man," is killed, Sorina is shocked: her illusions aren't real, right? To figure out what has happened and who is responsible, Sorina enlists the help of gossip-worker Luca, her guide to Gomorrah's sinister Downhill neighborhood. Debut author Foody's colorful setting is vast filled with magic, political intrigue, and the potential to grow yet Sorina's romantic interest in Luca is a head-scratcher, given his lack of warmth and frequent put-downs aimed at her. A few big twists clear up most of the early inconsistencies that arise, but the too-neat finale may not satisfy all readers. Ages 14 up.
Customer Reviews
A great first book for a debut author!
I finished this book last night and I am still not done with it. Bear with me, because there is SO MUCH GOING ON (in a good way) and there are LOADS of little things I want to talk about.
Sorina is an immediately likable character. She is talented, kind, loving, a little funny, and innocent but not stupid. Even when she is grieving, she is confused but never completely lost. She never claims to be a heroine, AND she never says she is not. She is, simply, Sorina. I love her. I love her awkwardness and jeweled masks (this is SCREAMING bookish Halloween costume, guys) and her great big heart. I WAS ROOTING FOR HER.
I never like the protagonist, but I liked Sorina.
As for the surrounding characters, they are all wonderful. Foody includes illustrations of Sorina's family members, and they are PERFECT. Nicoleta was my personal favorite. They also serve to MESS WITH THE READER'S MIND by inferring patterns and misleading you. Sorina is NOT an unreliable narrator, not on purpose, but her entire world will mess with you. The misdirection was fabulous, the ideas original... I just... I loved it from cover to cover.
THINGS WHICH WERE WONDERFUL:
- Sorina's family. They are sweet and perfect.
- Luca. I should've called the thing with him, and I didn't, and I am ashamed, but I LOVED IT.
- The villains. I wanted SO BAD for a certain character to be the villain and was frustrated when it appeared to be someone else THEN... BOOM! ZAP! POW! It was that character and it was aweeeesome.
- The world ITSELF was great. It reminded me of something foreign and exotic, but brimming with character and untapped beauty.
- The homage to the story of Sodom & Gomorrah with the salt tower was fab.
THINGS WHICH I DID NOT ENJOY:
- It started REALLY quickly and I had to reread a smidge and get my bearings.
- It ended REALLY quickly and I want more.
All in all, I read Daughter of the Burning City as a slice of life, not a full story in that there were more adventures before and more to come. Things do not necessarily get wrapped nicely in a bow and there's definitely a LOT of room here to wonder what comes next, and what is missing.
BUT.
I don't mind that.
I do wonder though....
1. What happens to Kahina?
2. Is there war?
3. Does Sorina continue creating family members?
All in all, I give Daughter of the Burning City ALL THE STARS and would like to beseech Amanda Foody to consider writing another story within this world, because I would like to give her more money. THANKS.