I received this book for free from Netgalley in exchange for an honest review. This does not affect my opinion of the book or the content of my review.
The Court of Miracles by Kester Grant Series: Court of Miracles #1
Published by Harper Voyager on June 4, 2020
Genres: Fantasy, Fiction, Historical, Retelling, Young Adult
Pages: 464
Format: E-Arc
Source: Netgalley
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A diverse fantasy reimagining of Les Misérables and The Jungle Book.
In the dark days following a failed French Revolution, in the violent jungle of an alternate 1828 Paris, young cat-burglar Eponine (Nina) Thenardier goes head to head with merciless royalty, and the lords of the city's criminal underworld to save the life of her adopted sister Cosette (Ettie).
Her vow will take her from the city’s dark underbelly, through a dawning revolution, to the very heart of the glittering court of Louis XVII, where she must make an impossible choice between guild, blood, betrayal and war.
I love and adore Les Mis, so a Court of Miracles being a retelling of that beloved story was a no brainer. Although how exactly it is a retelling of The Jungle Book I was not entirely sure… But also add into the mix that a gorgeous cover and I knew that I was in for a treat.
I love that Eponine is the main character or Nina as she is called here. She is my favourite in Les Mis and she had a raw deal there so I cannot wait to see her shine. Also there is no Marius (as of yet!) which is a good thing as he was quite pathetic. But as this is a retelling he will probably be back at some point… And because it is a retelling there are some differences which are amazing!
One thing that really bugged me was the moving forward in time. While it was obvious from the way that we had part one and part two. It also felt obvious that we had missed something vital in the story. Or at least in how Nina had developed. And it then could take a couple of pages to reorientate back to the story. Honestly, it should have made sense but for me it did not quite work. Basically I needed to know every little detail of Nina’s life.
But in the parts I did get to read about, it was very detailed and I adored the rich world. There were times when I wanted to give Nina hug as she was ignored by people for the colour of her skin. Although she did use it to her advantage in the most spectacular way.
By the end of Court of Miracles I was part of Nina world. I was invested. I needed to know how she would get the upper hand and succeed. And how this ended was clever! And I am so excited to read the next book and see what will happen in the next adventure.
Fact mixed in with fiction, with a dash of mystic, some royals who need taking down a peg or two and lashing of adventures, the Court of Miracles is one place you want to be. For a price.
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