Allison E's Reviews > Red City

4.5 stars this was so fun.

Sam and Ari live in a seemingly normal world. Below the surface however, large companies are being run by powerful crime syndicates versed in secret alchemical magic. These syndicates make most of their money by distributing an amplification drug called “Sand”. Power and control is everything to these secret societies, and poaching gifted children like Sam and Ari is standard practice. In school they grow quite close, but neither of them knows the other has joined their rival syndicate… nor that they are becoming each syndicate’s #1 prodigy. Years later as tensions rise, the pair find themselves at the center of retaliatory gang violence. Loyalties will be discovered and put to the test, for in the crowded Angel City, there’s only room for one at the top.

There was something very Green Bone Saga about the set up, but Lou’s execution was quite different. Thematically I think these books take different approaches to discussing family, love, power and drugs. Red City feels less complex, but more digestible than Green Bone. The Kaul family would also probably be the (albeit complex) villains in this particular story.

I really enjoyed the alchemy based magic system. It made for incredibly interesting fight sequences… as well as disturbingly creative torture methods. The stakes were HIGH. I love to see a magic system fully utilized too. No one could have prepared me for the more scandalous uses of this magic. HA !

The characters were pretty good too. You can really feel how desperate and hungry our main POVs are. Occasionally you would also get a side character POV that would really add some depth to them. I found Sam’s mom’s chapters to be especially heartbreaking. Their complex mother daughter relationship tore me to shreds. Will was cold, dark, and undeniably magnetic. While we didn't get any chapters explicitly in his perspective, every time he was on the page I held my breath.

When held me back from the full 5 star? Mainly 2 things:

I’m not entirely sure I bought fully into Ari’s character. His beauty felt a bit like a caricature to me, which is maybe the point but it just felt unrealistic at times. He is driven by the threat to his family’s safety and his love for Sam (fair). He is beautiful and incredibly anxious. Okay, what else? I think maybe I thought Sam was more compelling as a character and was waiting for that same complexity from Ari? I may be talking myself out of this take in real time though because his story of being taken from his family in India and then his feelings of displacement in the US / lack of belonging? Very compelling actually… HMMMM idk

Anyway I also didn’t completely buy the romance, which might be a bit of a hot take. We are told these two “yearn” for each other. Literally I think the word yearn is used over 7 times in the context of their relationship. Eventually I was convinced of the love through Ari and Sam’s actions, but I would have liked to feel their alleged emotions instead of being told they have them. Maybe a few more moments of dialogue between them to sell this instant connection / deep understanding / kindred spirit / unshakable bond thang they got going on. We can’t have performative yearning in this house now can we?

That’s that! Super addictive read I think a lot of people will like this one.