Novel Notions

The Enchanted Lies of Céleste Artois by Ryan Graudin
My rating: 3.5 of 5 stars
I received an advance copy of this novel from the publisher, Orbit/Redhook, in exchange for an honest review.

When I first saw the title of this book, I couldn’t help but be excited. For obvious reasons. My name is an uncommon one, and I’ve never read a book featuring a protagonist who shares it. And then, earlier in the year, I read a delightful middle-grade novel, The Girl Who Kept the Castle, by the same author. Knowing how much I loved her writing for young readers, I couldn’t wait to get my hands on her adult debut. I might have set my expectations just a bit too high. While this book was expertly crafted, with gorgeous prose and lush settings and characters I grew to love, the pace and the scope didn’t quite work for me. But overall, this is a charming story that ushers readers into a magical world they won’t want to leave.

“People so often think their futures are set in stone, that their stories are written in the stars before they’re even born, but stone can be worn away, and stars will turn to dust if you wait long enough.”

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