A Lot of Yikes

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This book.

Gosh, what to say. I wanted to love it. I was totally here for the heist crew, the Jewish representation, the setting, the time period, the magic... I was here for the multi-racial reps, the damages. I was here for it all. I myself am working on a fantasy set during the World's Fair 1889 (L'Exposition Universelle).

There were some really cool things about this story. The cover being the first and foremost. I mean, can it get any more gorgeous than this? It cannot. The hardcover underneath is just as flawless.

The magic: Awesome. A little without rules, but very cool in its own right.
The setting: Paris! I'm all in for this.
The plot: A heist of magical artifacts so a long-lost heir might reclaim his rightful place? Yes!

Where this story honestly fell down for me was the male characters. I just... I could not get into their heads. Zofia and Laila are glorious and fantastic and adorable. But the boys...

They act like really prissy, horny 14-year-olds that also drink on occasion. Their motivations, while clear and understandable, left a bad taste in my mouth. They don't really consider or experience a lot of consequences. They bicker so much between themselves but it comes off as shallow and annoying rather than constructive in any way. I kept shaking my head and wondering how they thought any of this was going to work. And in the end... they didn't act at all in character, and the actions and reactions fell flat for me.

I'm giving this book three stars because I just can't tell if I'm turning into an old curmudgeon or if this YA has characters who need a lot of work. I hope you like this story, because it really is gorgeous and had such great potential, it just wasn't for me.