City of Stars

City of Stars: Book 1 of The Infinite Chronicles, by Nye Teza, is an engaging fantasy story of love and revenge.

The book begins with a fairy tale backstory, establishing how the jealous would-be king accepted almost demonic aid to cruelly steal his bother’s birthright. The story explains how magical powers are passed through generations, and why the kingdoms are divided. It’s written as epic fantasy, almost as if readers are getting a magical history overview, but after the poetic introduction of the world, the rest of the book is more character-driven.

Childhood friends Ava and William were betrothed by their parents. At first, this was more of a dynastic match for their families’ safety than a romance, but their affection grows. Without revealing too much of the plot, a horrible misunderstanding separates Ava and William. For years, he believes she’s dead, killed when her parents were executed. But Ava has survived, a brave young girl living by her wits, and determined to find revenge for her family. These two attributes — her desire to avenge her family and her affection for William — power much of this dramatic fantasy story.

I would have liked a little more worldbuilding within the story itself. At times, we’re just told that something has happened, for example, that certain lords have witnessed a gamble, without really understanding what that represents or how it connects to her overall plans. Towards the beginning of the book, I wanted to understand how Ava’s powers worked, but as the story went on, I realized that she was also discovering the limits of what she could do.

The epic themes of reclaiming a birthright, family loyalty, and protecting the downtrodden blend well with our plucky, brave heroine. Gently repeating motifs, like the scent of sweet peas, remind readers that this author is also a poet. The story builds well, to a solid conclusion, but still leaves a lot of room for a series set in this fantasy world.