This year is proving to be one where I explore more than my usual number of young adult fantasy books - there will be a few more appearing on this blog in the coming months. Today, Hotel Magnifique by Emily J. Taylor will take the spotlight, a book that promised to remind readers of Emily Morgenstern's The Night Circus.
The Situation: Jani's life has one mission: to take care of her younger sister, Zosa. This mission is how she and Zosa ended up in the small port town of Durc in the first place. But with their days being spent working in a tannery, not quite making enough to keep their stomachs full, Jani is looking for another escape, and she hopes to find it in the Hotel Magnifique. While it is known that magic exists and that some have it in their blood, it is also acknowledged to be dangerous. Within the walls of Hotel Magnifique, magic is on full display, but only a select few are allowed to enter as guests. Jani's plan? Get her and her sister through the door as staff. The plan works, and the sisters embark on an adventure that may change everything.
The Problem: Simply getting into the hotel was an ordeal, but surviving it may be a whole other matter. As Zosa takes the stage as a singer, Jani is relegated to being a lowly maid. But from her first few days, Jani begins to see that the place is not as lovely as it has always seemed. There is certainly something dark and sinister hiding beneath the hotel's enchanting surface, and its something that explains the hotel's ability to travel, as well as the staff's loyalty. Then there is Alastair, the powerful leader of the hotel, who is certainly hiding something. With only the handsome and enigmatic doorman as her ally, Jani has to put everything she has in uncovering the hotel's secrets, and getting herself and her sister out of danger before it is too late.
Genre, Themes, History: This is a young adult fantasy novel set in an undetermined time and in a fictional world full of magic, and incredible danger. Sisters Jani and Zosa decide to try their luck working in the mysterious Hotel Magnifique, and get way more than they could have ever bargained for. The hotel is a place where magic can more or less run free, dazzling the wealthy guests, as the hotel itself travels to a different location every night. Throughout the adventure, Jani will meet people of every shape and color, some who can use magic, and some who cannot. And while not every person who helps run the hotel is dangerous, there are a select few who wield their terrible power as a means to control and punish.
My Verdict: With the comparison's to Stephanie Garber's Caraval and Morgenstern's The Night Circus, the bar was set fairly high, and I am so pleased that Taylor delivered. Jani may be foolish, and more than a little naive, but her stubbornness serves her well as she tackles every obstacle that comes her way. Everything she does is for her sister, and she is willing to take every risk and face off against even the most powerful of enemies if it means keeping Zosa safe. The world Taylor has built is full of magic and wonder and incredibly scenery. But the danger is also seen and felt in every chapter, no matter how the situation may look on the surface. With a fast pace and incredible detail, this book delivers on the adventure it promises.
Favorite Moment: It is incredibly difficult to pick a favorite moment without revealing a crucial spoiler. It is almost as if ever scene serves a purpose, and nothing is wasted.
Favorite Character: Issig is a tragic character who has been consigned to live in the hotel's freezer. He does not get to say much, but he has an incredible presence that commands the few scenes he is in.
Recommended Reading: I hesitate to recommend The Night Circus, if only because the ending was such a let down. But I will recommend Garber's Caraval series, as well as Traci Chee's Sea of Ink and Gold series.
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