Book
Blurb:
“Philomena
Blackwell survived a city plagued with monsters, the gilded cage of high
society, and the rule of a heartless man... and she aims to leave it all
behind.
It's 1905, and London has finally been freed from Henry Jekyll's terrible legacy - its people cured, its thirteen-year quarantine lifted. The world is waiting, and for a girl who dreams of being its most dazzling star, what could be more enticing than the bright lights of New York City?
She is drawn across the ocean like a moth to a flame, her heart set on proving that while she may be small on the outside, her soaring talent eclipses even Manhattan’s towering skyline. When she lands a big break, it seems as if the city is ready to fall under her spell - just as she seems to be falling for a handsome young stage manager. But is it her stage presence mesmerizing the audience, or something more sinister behind the scenes?
Philomena has always relied on her fierce will and fiery heart, but a new and more terrible danger lurks in the shadows of Broadway's bright lights, and even a mind as determined as hers may not be immune to its seductive, insidious pull...
Both fans of The Heartless City and new readers alike will enjoy this stand-alone / spin-off tale of Philomena’s adventures on stage - and in love - in NYC.”
It's 1905, and London has finally been freed from Henry Jekyll's terrible legacy - its people cured, its thirteen-year quarantine lifted. The world is waiting, and for a girl who dreams of being its most dazzling star, what could be more enticing than the bright lights of New York City?
She is drawn across the ocean like a moth to a flame, her heart set on proving that while she may be small on the outside, her soaring talent eclipses even Manhattan’s towering skyline. When she lands a big break, it seems as if the city is ready to fall under her spell - just as she seems to be falling for a handsome young stage manager. But is it her stage presence mesmerizing the audience, or something more sinister behind the scenes?
Philomena has always relied on her fierce will and fiery heart, but a new and more terrible danger lurks in the shadows of Broadway's bright lights, and even a mind as determined as hers may not be immune to its seductive, insidious pull...
Both fans of The Heartless City and new readers alike will enjoy this stand-alone / spin-off tale of Philomena’s adventures on stage - and in love - in NYC.”
Review:
A
well-written follow-up of sorts to ‘The Heartless City,’ which follows one of
the minor characters established in the first book. As these are stand-alone
books set in the same universe, with some of the same characters, the Jekyll
and Hyde mystery was wrapped up nicely in book 1.
‘The
Hypnotic City’ follows young Philomena Blackwell in the hypnotic city of New
York on the other side of the pond. While this is an enjoyable work of
historical fiction, the supernatural elements found in the first book are not
present here. Similarly, the atmosphere is different, due to both a change in
setting and a change in narrating characters. The adorable English boys with
impeccable manners and morals are seen on scant few pages of this second entry
in Gold and Gaslight Chronicles.
Catch
up on both ‘The Heartless City’ and ‘The Hypnotic City’ in preparation for the
series conclusion, ‘The Hysterical City’ releasing on July 31st!
This
series is LGBTQ+ friendly historical fiction, with themes of equality vs abuse
of power, and a hint of steampunk.
I voluntarily read a Review Copy of this book. All opinions stated are solely my own and no
one else’s.
No comments:
Post a Comment