Boarding the Hotel Magnifique is the opportunity of a lifetime. The hotel flies through the sky, landing in a different location each day. For those privileged enough to secure a ticket, the experience is pure magic. The soirées are filled with enchanting illusions and indulgent food – magic may be frowned upon in the real world, but it’s celebrated inside the walls of the hotel. Jani has been desperate to escape her small town of Durc and the hotel is her lifeline. She and her little sister Zosa manage to step inside the hotel as employees and soon discover it will cost them the very freedom they were hoping to find. Hotel Magnifique is full of secrets that Jani must unravel (with the help of brooding doorman, Bel) if she wants to save her sister and escape the grip of its dark and vindictive maître d’hôtel, Alistair.
This has been billed as “for fans of Caraval and The Night Circus.” As big fans of both, I greedily picked it up to satisfy my craving for whimsy carnival dazzle. While probably the most YA of the group, it worked to sweep me into a new, glittery world. And if you’re [a teen, in particular] in the mood for a standalone fantasy, keep this one in mind.
4 out of 5 stars.
Pair with: A gin basil smash
Peaches to Apples 