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The Fading Dusk has all the common trappings of YA--most importantly a seventeen-year-old main character, but also a love triangle (with a twist)--but it also benefits from having Irina in this fantasy setting, where she's forced to have more grit than the average contemporary teen might.
In fact, the city itself is one of the key elements of The Fading Dusk. I love fantasy in general, but I've discovered I particularly love fantasies that are set in these urban spaces. Because these worlds tend to be so massive, limiting a series (or at least a book) to a single city provides opportunity to really get to know that space intimately. And I'm almost invariably thrilled by what I learn. Such is the case with Dusk.
I also enjoy Irina and the way her character is so vividly portrayed right away, so that she can develop (often because she has no choice but to grow) across the book. It's an important part of YA, I think, to watch the characters mature across the story. Irina's got more pressure on her than the average teen, certainly, and I think watching her cope with that makes for a pretty darn good story.
Bottom Line
If you like the genre, The Fading Dusk is definitely a great book to pick up. I liked the cozy feel of it, Dusk itself, and Irina's arc as she comes into her own.
4 stars
For fans of YA fantasy, magic-not-magic, mysteries
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The Book
In the gritty city of Dusk, seventeen-year-old Irina makes her living as the street magician Bantheir’s assistant. The job isn’t glamorous, but she loves the crowds, the shows, and most of all, the illusion of magic. But Irina’s world is shattered the night she is arrested and charged as Bantheir’s accomplice to murder—murder by magic.
Real magic, the kind that’s been forbidden since the old wars.
Irina finds the idea of flashy showman Bantheir using actual magic to kill someone laughable, but she’s the only one who sees how ridiculous the claim is. But how can she convince everyone Bantheir is innocent when they’ve already made up their minds? Desperate, Irina must decide who she can trust to help her win her freedom. Is the surly, handsome Captain Leonid telling the truth when he says he believes Irina is innocent, or is he just using her to get to Bantheir? What about Aden, the sweet soldier and longtime fan of Irina’s who claims he’s on her side?
Irina said she wanted to know the truth, but when she stumbles across a dark secret that changes everything, will she be strong enough to survive?
The Fading Dusk is available now!
In fact, the city itself is one of the key elements of The Fading Dusk. I love fantasy in general, but I've discovered I particularly love fantasies that are set in these urban spaces. Because these worlds tend to be so massive, limiting a series (or at least a book) to a single city provides opportunity to really get to know that space intimately. And I'm almost invariably thrilled by what I learn. Such is the case with Dusk.
I also enjoy Irina and the way her character is so vividly portrayed right away, so that she can develop (often because she has no choice but to grow) across the book. It's an important part of YA, I think, to watch the characters mature across the story. Irina's got more pressure on her than the average teen, certainly, and I think watching her cope with that makes for a pretty darn good story.
Bottom Line
If you like the genre, The Fading Dusk is definitely a great book to pick up. I liked the cozy feel of it, Dusk itself, and Irina's arc as she comes into her own.
4 stars
For fans of YA fantasy, magic-not-magic, mysteries
About the Author
Melissa Giorgio is a native New Yorker who graduated from Queens College with a degree in English. She’s always dreamed of being a writer and has been creating stories (mostly in her head) since she was a little girl. Also an avid reader, Melissa loves to devour thick YA novels. When not reading or writing, she enjoys watching animated films, listening to music by her favorite Japanese boy band, or exploring Manhattan. She is also the author of the Silver Moon Saga.
Great review, Chelsea! This sounds like a great read with good world building, too! Glad you liked it! :)
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