Title: Hotel Magnifique
Author: Emily J. Taylor
Genre: YA Fantasy
Publisher: Pushkin Children’s Books
Pages: 400
Release Date: 5 May 2022
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Hello booklovers,
Today I’m sharing my review for the beautifully lush and spellbindingly enchanting YA Fantasy, Hotel Magnifique.
Emily J. Taylor‘s stunning debut is filled with gorgeous prose, immersive world building and an expansive cast of interesting (and eccentric) characters that fans of Caraval and The Night Circus are going to absolutely love.
I also wanted to say a huge thank you to Pushkin Press and NetGalley for the digital arc.
Synopsis
The legendary Hotel Magnifique is like no other: a magical world of golden ceilings, enchanting soirées and fountains flowing with champagne. It changes location every night, stopping in each place only once a decade. When the Magnifique comes to her hometown, seventeen-year-old Jani hatches a plan to secure jobs there for herself and her younger sister, longing to escape their dreary life.
Luck is on their side, and with a stroke of luminous ink on paper the sisters are swept into a life of adventure and opulence. But Jani soon begins to notice sinister spots in the hotel's decadent façade. Who is the shadowy maître who runs the hotel? And can the girls discover the true price paid by those who reside there - before it's too late?
Review
As a fan of both Caraval and The Night Circus I was incredibly excited to delve into Hotel Magnifique and I’m glad to say it didn’t disappoint—every page is brimming with lush descriptions that I was easily found myself fully immersed in a world of midnight soirées, constantly shifting hallways and rooms that defy all sense of logic (in the best way imaginable.)
I absolutely loved the lore surrounding the Hotel which was really well developed and the suminaires (the magicians who live and work at the hotel) were super interesting too, of all the suminaires that we meet Bel, Béatrice and Frigga were probably my favourites.
Jani was a really interesting protagonist and relatable protagonist, she’s stubborn and occasionally rash which leads her to regret many of her actions, but her devotion to saving the ones she loves is really admirable. I also loved her scenes with Bel that simmer with romantic tension. I did enjoy their budding friendship/relationship but I do wish it was explored a little more as it did feel a tiny bit too fast pacing wise.
I did however, absolutely love the backstories of almost all of the characters (that we encounter, including the antagonists ), they were phenomenally written and really well developed—the little clues dotted throughout were absolutely amazing, I know I’ll definitely have to reread this at some point to catch the all the details I missed.
There’s not much else I can say without possibly spoiling the plot but I do highly recommend reading this, especially if you loved the whimsy and magic of Caraval or The Night Circus.
Rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️💫/5
About The Author
