I loved this book so much, it went back onto my shelf to be read again. Thank you to NetGalley and PenguinTeen for the ARC.
Perfect for people who:
💫 Want stories of fantastical settings
💫 Liked the setting and action of Caraval
💫 Young adult fantasy fanatics
💫 Wanted to live at Hogwarts
💫 Love exploring magical systems
💫 Are looking for a good standalone
💫 Need a palate cleanser to get over a book hangover
Hotel Magnifique was one of my most anticipated 2022 young adult releases after I read the first few chapters in an early sneak peak at BookishFirst. I don’t get the comparisons with Night Circus - I actually couldn’t get though Night Circus. Its prose was beautiful but the story was going nowhere. Hotel Magnifique immediately gives us a glimpse into a magical traveling hotel, with Willy Wonka-esque tickets in the page, and a dark background to the magic inside. Jani is desperate to make enough money to take herself and her younger sister back to their small town and away from the drudgery that has taken over their life in a big city. They both jump at the chance to work at the Hotel Magnifique - a traveling magical hotel that promises guests a dazzling experience they won’t remember. Unfortunately as with life, employers often promise the world and instead chain you to a dark and miserable grindstone until they’re ready to throw you out the trash shute.
Like others, I found it hard to connect with Jani because she seemed rash and stubborn, always doing the exact opposite of what any sane person would do in any situation! I’ll blame that on the genre and the author’s need to create situations for adventure. The overall vibe is closer to Caraval but the writing is excellent, the magic system interesting, the actual hotel imaginative and enthralling, and the subject of magical subjugation to work seems relatable. Throw in a gorgeous mysterious magician “suminaire” Bel) and we’ve got a winner. Doesn’t hurt that the book cover is to die for with gold foil details and jewel tones. I found the last 20% to be a shift in tone (in a great way!) with the action suddenly moving quickly towards the climax, an extremely dark story unfolding, and the main character Jani finally embraces her role as a protagonist and stops fighting the forces pushing her to her fate.
Perfect for people who:
💫 Want stories of fantastical settings
💫 Liked the setting and action of Caraval
💫 Young adult fantasy fanatics
💫 Wanted to live at Hogwarts
💫 Love exploring magical systems
💫 Are looking for a good standalone
💫 Need a palate cleanser to get over a book hangover
Hotel Magnifique was one of my most anticipated 2022 young adult releases after I read the first few chapters in an early sneak peak at BookishFirst. I don’t get the comparisons with Night Circus - I actually couldn’t get though Night Circus. Its prose was beautiful but the story was going nowhere. Hotel Magnifique immediately gives us a glimpse into a magical traveling hotel, with Willy Wonka-esque tickets in the page, and a dark background to the magic inside. Jani is desperate to make enough money to take herself and her younger sister back to their small town and away from the drudgery that has taken over their life in a big city. They both jump at the chance to work at the Hotel Magnifique - a traveling magical hotel that promises guests a dazzling experience they won’t remember. Unfortunately as with life, employers often promise the world and instead chain you to a dark and miserable grindstone until they’re ready to throw you out the trash shute.
Like others, I found it hard to connect with Jani because she seemed rash and stubborn, always doing the exact opposite of what any sane person would do in any situation! I’ll blame that on the genre and the author’s need to create situations for adventure. The overall vibe is closer to Caraval but the writing is excellent, the magic system interesting, the actual hotel imaginative and enthralling, and the subject of magical subjugation to work seems relatable. Throw in a gorgeous mysterious magician “suminaire” Bel) and we’ve got a winner. Doesn’t hurt that the book cover is to die for with gold foil details and jewel tones. I found the last 20% to be a shift in tone (in a great way!) with the action suddenly moving quickly towards the climax, an extremely dark story unfolding, and the main character Jani finally embraces her role as a protagonist and stops fighting the forces pushing her to her fate.