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The Enchanted Lies of Céleste Artois
In this lush and lyrical fantasy, Ryan Graudin transports readers to the hidden magical pockets of early 1900s Paris, a place of enchanted salons, fortune tellers who can change your stars, and doorways that can take you to the most unexpected places—and introduces readers to the delightful Céleste Artois, a con artist who will make a deal with the devil in exchange for her life...and change the fate of the world.
Once, Céleste Artois had dreams of being an artist. But when the creative elite of Paris dashed those plans, she turned her talents to forgery and cons. She and the Enchantresses—her two fellow thieves and best friends—see Paris as a rich hunting ground for marks. Yet even though their hideout in Peré Lachaise cemetery is bursting with francs, Céleste cannot rest. There is always more to take. And the blood she has begun to cough into her handkerchief means her time is running out.
But everything changes when she encounters Rafe, a mysterious and beautiful stranger who leads her to an enchanted salon—a place where artists can bring wondrous imaginations to life. Céleste is captivated by this establishment, and learns of the existence of magical Paris, hidden in the pockets and alleys of the ordinary world, if one only knows where to look.
Rafe offers Céleste an irresistible deal: the gift of time in exchange for lending him and his benefactor her forging talents. But one must be careful making deals with devils, and there's more to this hidden world than meets the eye. Shadows have begun to circle Paris. And soon, the Enchantresses will find that true magic is far more powerful, and deadly, than they ever imagined.
Once, Céleste Artois had dreams of being an artist. But when the creative elite of Paris dashed those plans, she turned her talents to forgery and cons. She and the Enchantresses—her two fellow thieves and best friends—see Paris as a rich hunting ground for marks. Yet even though their hideout in Peré Lachaise cemetery is bursting with francs, Céleste cannot rest. There is always more to take. And the blood she has begun to cough into her handkerchief means her time is running out.
But everything changes when she encounters Rafe, a mysterious and beautiful stranger who leads her to an enchanted salon—a place where artists can bring wondrous imaginations to life. Céleste is captivated by this establishment, and learns of the existence of magical Paris, hidden in the pockets and alleys of the ordinary world, if one only knows where to look.
Rafe offers Céleste an irresistible deal: the gift of time in exchange for lending him and his benefactor her forging talents. But one must be careful making deals with devils, and there's more to this hidden world than meets the eye. Shadows have begun to circle Paris. And soon, the Enchantresses will find that true magic is far more powerful, and deadly, than they ever imagined.
544 pages, Hardcover
First published August 27, 2024
70 people are currently reading
12533 people want to read
About the author
Ryan Graudin
19 books1,911 followersRyan Graudin was born in Charleston, South Carolina, with a severe case of wanderlust. When she’s not traveling, she’s busy writing and spending time with her husband and wolf dog. She is the author of Invictus, the Wolf By Wolf duology, The Walled City, and the All That Glows Series.
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August 19, 2024While The Enchanted Lies of Céleste Artois is my adult debut, it’s technically my tenth published novel. When I set out to write this book in 2017, I had no idea it would take seven years, five full rewrites and over 500,000 words to get right. Magic, as it turns out, is really hard to capture.
This novel is my love letter to so many things. To magic, yes, but also to Paris: with its cathedrals and catacombs, its pâtisseries and flea markets, its rich tradition of art and joie de vivre. To daydreamers: the people who walk through such a city and feel it singing to their souls, who explore vine-draped alleys and dust-velveted bookstores with a sense of wonder. To the power of imagination. To history itself.
Most of my books involve history in some fashion—the initial impetus of this project was that I wanted to learn more about World War One. Throughout my research, I uncovered striking examples of resilience of the human spirit. Did you know that art flourished in the trenches? Despite the surrounding horrors, soldiers made jewelry from bullet casings and carved sculptures from rifle butts. I knew I wanted to explore this dichotomy in Enchanted Lies. I also wanted to wander through Belle Epoque Paris, where the Duchess d’Uzès really did throw a party where she handed out fantasy-colored wigs to her guests, sparking a pink-haired fashion trend that took the world by storm in early 1914. I wanted to sneak into Russia’s Alexander Palace and befriend Anastasia Nikolaevna. (And, while I haven't watched the animated movie since I was a kid, I did read quite a few biographical books about the Romanovs!) I wanted to breathe magic into this era of history and give it a vibrant new life. I wanted to explore humanity’s capacity for creation and destruction.
Writing all of these ambitions out, it’s little wonder that crafting this story felt so impossible. There were many moments when I doubted it would ever reach readers—and yet here you are. Over these past seven years I’ve given all of my creative fire to Enchanted Lies. It’s now my hope that this story gives something back to you: A spark of wonder. Glimpses of magic in the everyday.
This novel is my love letter to so many things. To magic, yes, but also to Paris: with its cathedrals and catacombs, its pâtisseries and flea markets, its rich tradition of art and joie de vivre. To daydreamers: the people who walk through such a city and feel it singing to their souls, who explore vine-draped alleys and dust-velveted bookstores with a sense of wonder. To the power of imagination. To history itself.
Most of my books involve history in some fashion—the initial impetus of this project was that I wanted to learn more about World War One. Throughout my research, I uncovered striking examples of resilience of the human spirit. Did you know that art flourished in the trenches? Despite the surrounding horrors, soldiers made jewelry from bullet casings and carved sculptures from rifle butts. I knew I wanted to explore this dichotomy in Enchanted Lies. I also wanted to wander through Belle Epoque Paris, where the Duchess d’Uzès really did throw a party where she handed out fantasy-colored wigs to her guests, sparking a pink-haired fashion trend that took the world by storm in early 1914. I wanted to sneak into Russia’s Alexander Palace and befriend Anastasia Nikolaevna. (And, while I haven't watched the animated movie since I was a kid, I did read quite a few biographical books about the Romanovs!) I wanted to breathe magic into this era of history and give it a vibrant new life. I wanted to explore humanity’s capacity for creation and destruction.
Writing all of these ambitions out, it’s little wonder that crafting this story felt so impossible. There were many moments when I doubted it would ever reach readers—and yet here you are. Over these past seven years I’ve given all of my creative fire to Enchanted Lies. It’s now my hope that this story gives something back to you: A spark of wonder. Glimpses of magic in the everyday.
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August 3, 2024DNF at 200 pages. The writing is not bad! I’m just having a hard time connecting to it. And I realized I actually had no idea what was going on cause my mind wandered too much during important parts.
July 31, 2025
⋆.˚✮ 4 stars ✮˚.⋆
i am really surprised that i have not seen this on any of the book platforms i'm on, and that i've heard absolutely no one talking about it. i know that Ryan Graudin is a lesser-known author, i've read one of their other works though, but this was a really beautiful book! this was a little bit intimidating, as it was such a thick book, but i was really intrigued by the prospect of an underground magic system in early 1900s Paris. and really, i think even though it was very thick, the story did pay off.
the prose in this story was beautiful, and there was a lot of care and attention put into the magic system, so combined it made a gorgeous feeling story. the magic is so unique, and unlike something else i've read in the past, especially because of the setting. it's really cool that the author was inspired by stories of artists in past wars, even if she was also inspired by her worry about AI in the creative industries. knowing that puts a lot of the magic and story into perspective, especially as love, connection and the magical-ness of imagination and artistry is so heavily emphasized. i think that there were many very cool plot twists and points, but at some points it felt the story moved a little too slowly for me. i wish that in the middle there had just been a bit more happening, but i was definitely on the edge of my seat in the last 200 pages.
while the title obviously hints about the main character, Celeste Artois, there were so many memorable characters in this book. i loved each and every one of them, and how slowly they were each ingrained even more into the story with their own points of view. it really made this Paris feel alive, and like magic was really happening, especially because each character had such an important part to play with the underground magic world.
overall this was a very unique story that i hope to actually own on my shelves someday, but until then i will definitely recommend it to those who love a healthy dose of unique urban magic, camaraderie, and the importance of dreaming.
↬ trigger warnings: war themes, death of family members, chronic illnesses, blood and gore
i am really surprised that i have not seen this on any of the book platforms i'm on, and that i've heard absolutely no one talking about it. i know that Ryan Graudin is a lesser-known author, i've read one of their other works though, but this was a really beautiful book! this was a little bit intimidating, as it was such a thick book, but i was really intrigued by the prospect of an underground magic system in early 1900s Paris. and really, i think even though it was very thick, the story did pay off.
the prose in this story was beautiful, and there was a lot of care and attention put into the magic system, so combined it made a gorgeous feeling story. the magic is so unique, and unlike something else i've read in the past, especially because of the setting. it's really cool that the author was inspired by stories of artists in past wars, even if she was also inspired by her worry about AI in the creative industries. knowing that puts a lot of the magic and story into perspective, especially as love, connection and the magical-ness of imagination and artistry is so heavily emphasized. i think that there were many very cool plot twists and points, but at some points it felt the story moved a little too slowly for me. i wish that in the middle there had just been a bit more happening, but i was definitely on the edge of my seat in the last 200 pages.
while the title obviously hints about the main character, Celeste Artois, there were so many memorable characters in this book. i loved each and every one of them, and how slowly they were each ingrained even more into the story with their own points of view. it really made this Paris feel alive, and like magic was really happening, especially because each character had such an important part to play with the underground magic world.
overall this was a very unique story that i hope to actually own on my shelves someday, but until then i will definitely recommend it to those who love a healthy dose of unique urban magic, camaraderie, and the importance of dreaming.
↬ trigger warnings: war themes, death of family members, chronic illnesses, blood and gore
August 21, 2024
Actual rating: 3.5 stars.
I received an advance copy of this novel from the publisher, Orbit/Redhook, in exchange for an honest review.
When I first saw the title of this book, I couldn’t help but be excited. For obvious reasons. My name is an uncommon one, and I’ve never read a book featuring a protagonist who shares it. And then, earlier in the year, I read a delightful middle-grade novel, The Girl Who Kept the Castle, by the same author. Knowing how much I loved her writing for young readers, I couldn’t wait to get my hands on her adult debut. I might have set my expectations just a bit too high. While this book was expertly crafted, with gorgeous prose and lush settings and characters I grew to love, the pace and the scope didn’t quite work for me. But overall, this is a charming story that ushers readers into a magical world they won’t want to leave.
Let’s start with the things I absolutely loved. First of all, I was immediately enchanted by the writing. Graudin’s way with words is stunning. The epigraph that kicked off the book captivated me instantly, and did a brilliant job setting the tone for the story to follow. It’s absolutely magical, and paints such a vibrant picture of the world into which we’re being invited. All of Graudin’s descriptions are so easy to visualize; you can almost walk into the paintings described, can almost feel the feathers, taste the cocoa, smell the enchanted bakery around the corner. Her writing reminded me of Alix E. Harrow, which is one of the highest compliments I can pay.
This story is whimsy with teeth. There was a wonderful balance between the powers of light and darkness. The victory of darkness might have seemed certain in some passages, but the spark of hope was never quite snuffed out, no matter how the darkness tried to overcome it. The messages of the book rang true to me. Love and joy and hope are more powerful than hate and rage and fear, no matter how things might appear. Dreams dreamt in the hardest of times are the heartiest, and the hardest to shake. There is so much magic to be found in creating, and art will always matter.
I fell in love with our cast of characters pretty quickly. Céleste Artois, our titular protagonist, in one of three Enchantresses, a tiny found family of con-artists and thieves who live in a Parisian cemetery. She is the eldest of the Enchantresses, an exceptional forger of famous paintings and an even more exceptional liar. Honoré Côte, the middle Enchantress, is their warrior. She is a beast with a blade and is far more comfortable masquerading as a man than she ever was in the dresses of her former life. Sylvie of a Single Name is the youngest of the Enchantresses. She is an eleven year-old orphan and a brilliant thief, one with a sweet tooth that can never be satisfied. I loved all three of these characters so much. A found family of thieves is always a lovely thing; it’s a trope that I never tire of. The family drifted apart over the course of the novel, but in ways that felt believable. And they came back together in the end, which is what families are supposed to do.
The world Graudin built was just so lovely. I have a weakness for magical city stories when told well, and this one was. The sense of place was incredibly palpable. Paris herself was a character in the story, and she was beautifully represented. The magical underground of the city delighted me to no end. The descriptions of this magic were where Graudin’s prose really shone. There were periodic subchapters about the different Sancts, those who had harnessed magic in some way, and I found those chapters so imaginative and immersive. Also, I highly recommend this book for cat lovers, as cats play an important role in this magical side of Paris.
So, what were the things that kept this book from becoming a new favorite book of mine? One was the pacing. While there was always tension to the story, the pace was slow and meandering, which kept me from getting as invested as I would have liked. The book is also insanely ambitious. While it was mostly successful, I think this would have been a 5 star book for me had it stayed focussed on the central story being told. But then Rasputin and the Romanovs were thrown into the mix. Past the 80% mark, this suddenly became a WWI story, which was wholly unexpected and threw me out of the story for a bit. I did enjoy the references to The Phantom of the Opera and the legend of Joan of Arc, though.
The Enchanted Lies of Céleste Artois is the most magical book I’ve read in ages. It paints a Paris that I would love to visit, one that some part of my heart wants to believe is real. It introduced me to a beautiful world and some wonderful characters. It reinforced my belief in the power of goodness and love and art. While the story’s pace was a bit too slow and its scope a bit too broad, it’s a tale that captivated my imagination. Céleste and Honoré and Sylvie, along with the rest of this magical cast, will live on in my mind and heart though my time with them is done.
I received an advance copy of this novel from the publisher, Orbit/Redhook, in exchange for an honest review.
When I first saw the title of this book, I couldn’t help but be excited. For obvious reasons. My name is an uncommon one, and I’ve never read a book featuring a protagonist who shares it. And then, earlier in the year, I read a delightful middle-grade novel, The Girl Who Kept the Castle, by the same author. Knowing how much I loved her writing for young readers, I couldn’t wait to get my hands on her adult debut. I might have set my expectations just a bit too high. While this book was expertly crafted, with gorgeous prose and lush settings and characters I grew to love, the pace and the scope didn’t quite work for me. But overall, this is a charming story that ushers readers into a magical world they won’t want to leave.
“People so often think their futures are set in stone, that their stories are written in the stars before they’re even born, but stone can be worn away, and stars will turn to dust if you wait long enough.”
Let’s start with the things I absolutely loved. First of all, I was immediately enchanted by the writing. Graudin’s way with words is stunning. The epigraph that kicked off the book captivated me instantly, and did a brilliant job setting the tone for the story to follow. It’s absolutely magical, and paints such a vibrant picture of the world into which we’re being invited. All of Graudin’s descriptions are so easy to visualize; you can almost walk into the paintings described, can almost feel the feathers, taste the cocoa, smell the enchanted bakery around the corner. Her writing reminded me of Alix E. Harrow, which is one of the highest compliments I can pay.
“Magic is not all wonder. Sometimes the shadows in an alley have settled for a reason—there are certain corners that should stay hidden. There are some secrets that should remain entombed…”
This story is whimsy with teeth. There was a wonderful balance between the powers of light and darkness. The victory of darkness might have seemed certain in some passages, but the spark of hope was never quite snuffed out, no matter how the darkness tried to overcome it. The messages of the book rang true to me. Love and joy and hope are more powerful than hate and rage and fear, no matter how things might appear. Dreams dreamt in the hardest of times are the heartiest, and the hardest to shake. There is so much magic to be found in creating, and art will always matter.
“All the best artists do that, you know…lose slivers of their soul to whatever they’re working on.”
I fell in love with our cast of characters pretty quickly. Céleste Artois, our titular protagonist, in one of three Enchantresses, a tiny found family of con-artists and thieves who live in a Parisian cemetery. She is the eldest of the Enchantresses, an exceptional forger of famous paintings and an even more exceptional liar. Honoré Côte, the middle Enchantress, is their warrior. She is a beast with a blade and is far more comfortable masquerading as a man than she ever was in the dresses of her former life. Sylvie of a Single Name is the youngest of the Enchantresses. She is an eleven year-old orphan and a brilliant thief, one with a sweet tooth that can never be satisfied. I loved all three of these characters so much. A found family of thieves is always a lovely thing; it’s a trope that I never tire of. The family drifted apart over the course of the novel, but in ways that felt believable. And they came back together in the end, which is what families are supposed to do.
“Once upon a time, there was a girl who wanted, more than anything, to be a part of a story. Not just any story, but a proper Tale, filled with magic and adventure and endings that made everything sad untrue.”
The world Graudin built was just so lovely. I have a weakness for magical city stories when told well, and this one was. The sense of place was incredibly palpable. Paris herself was a character in the story, and she was beautifully represented. The magical underground of the city delighted me to no end. The descriptions of this magic were where Graudin’s prose really shone. There were periodic subchapters about the different Sancts, those who had harnessed magic in some way, and I found those chapters so imaginative and immersive. Also, I highly recommend this book for cat lovers, as cats play an important role in this magical side of Paris.
“There’s a pattern to people, you see, to the flow of our fears and hopes. We are, all of us, terrible. We are, all of us, beautiful.”
So, what were the things that kept this book from becoming a new favorite book of mine? One was the pacing. While there was always tension to the story, the pace was slow and meandering, which kept me from getting as invested as I would have liked. The book is also insanely ambitious. While it was mostly successful, I think this would have been a 5 star book for me had it stayed focussed on the central story being told. But then Rasputin and the Romanovs were thrown into the mix. Past the 80% mark, this suddenly became a WWI story, which was wholly unexpected and threw me out of the story for a bit. I did enjoy the references to The Phantom of the Opera and the legend of Joan of Arc, though.
“That’s the trick, you see: Focus on the light. The joie de vivre. The things that make life worth living.”
The Enchanted Lies of Céleste Artois is the most magical book I’ve read in ages. It paints a Paris that I would love to visit, one that some part of my heart wants to believe is real. It introduced me to a beautiful world and some wonderful characters. It reinforced my belief in the power of goodness and love and art. While the story’s pace was a bit too slow and its scope a bit too broad, it’s a tale that captivated my imagination. Céleste and Honoré and Sylvie, along with the rest of this magical cast, will live on in my mind and heart though my time with them is done.
Want to read
May 20, 2024chokshi recommends? i read.
May 13, 2024
4.25 ⭐️ A magical and emotional journey through early 1900s Paris. If you love lyrical and immersive worlds/writing, you are sure to like this! At times, the pacing felt a little slow but I didn’t have an issue with it because of how immersed I was in the story and the characters. Speaking of characters, each one is so distinct and well developed. I loved the journey we went on with them as they experienced love and heartbreak. I especially loved little Sylvie! I adored the historical connections in this book too! The Phantom of the opera references were wonderful. I loved getting to explore Russia and the grand duchess Anastasia. This book is full of magic both whimsical and dark. I loved seeing both aspects of it. I highly recommend this book and am so glad I got the chance to read it! I enjoyed it so very much. I mean how could you not enjoy a book with talking cats in it? I will be thinking about this book for a long time. The magic system was so interesting. I have never read anything like it. An incredibly memorable and unique story!
*Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for an ARC of this book in exchange for my honest review!*
*Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for an ARC of this book in exchange for my honest review!*
May 13, 2024
I’m so sad this didn’t work for me!!! I loved the Wolf by Wolf duology by this author and her adult debut sounded amazing!
Unfortunately this book was a struggle for me, and I can’t really pinpoint why. I think it was a mix of the overly descriptive writing style and the flat characters. I found the story convoluted and hard to follow and I also had a hard time differentiating between what was real and what was an illusion.
I’m sure this will be a hit for many, but it was a miss for me. I made it to 70% and skimmed to the end.
The best characters were Sylvie and Marmalade the cat.
This was just barely okay. 1.5 stars.
Unfortunately this book was a struggle for me, and I can’t really pinpoint why. I think it was a mix of the overly descriptive writing style and the flat characters. I found the story convoluted and hard to follow and I also had a hard time differentiating between what was real and what was an illusion.
I’m sure this will be a hit for many, but it was a miss for me. I made it to 70% and skimmed to the end.
The best characters were Sylvie and Marmalade the cat.
This was just barely okay. 1.5 stars.
August 19, 2024
"If you stare carefully enough, you might see phoenixes flying through the china teapot's pattern, stirring the weeping blue willows and warming the spout's porcelain with gold flames. 'They keep the tea piping hot,' claims the Fisherman of the Moon."
This was delightfully magical and deliciously mysterious. I was instantly sucked in and fell in love with these characters, and I loved how we learned more about their pasts along the way. Ryan's writing is so rich, I wanted to savor every word. Even though I desperately need more standalones in my life, I would love a sequel to this! Please excuse me while I go check out all of her other books 👀
✨ Found family
✨ Imagination galore
✨ Magic at its brightest and darkest
✨ Cat Companion
✨ Dual POV
✨ Standalone
More quotes I loved:
"There are some secrets that should remain entombed, locked inside the jaws of the catacomb walls, in skull after skull after skull after skull.
Every city is built upon its dead, after all.
Even the glittering ones."
"Cynicism is the needless interruption of fairy tales."
"That's what makes it so wonderful," Sylvie said sagely. "If everything fit as we expected, the world would be dull, wouldn't it?"
"'Sylvie snorted. "Honore would rather swallow a sword than work for a man.'"
"What were fingers become claws. Claws turn to vines-dark and choking. The Scanct struggles. Bruise-colored feathers drop from her wings, blowing like autumn leaves. She withers, until there is nothing left but bone."
"It doesn't matter if you're six feet under or on top of the world. Corpses can be stripped and kings can be beheaded. There is always more to be taken, so it's best to be the taker."
"Her father was in hell, the devil was in Paris, and no amount of hope was going to change the fact that someone she cared for would die soon."
"There's a pattern to people, you see, to the flow of our fears and hopes. We are, all of us, terrible. We are, all of us, beautiful."
"A person's life is made of many things: Blood, yes, but memories too. Power is threaded through the tiniest moments, such as when your name first leaves your mother's lips."
"Everything speaks if you know how to listen. Even the dead."
"When the world feels ruined...well, that just means the story isn't over yet. You have to brace yourself and be more than the rot. You have to keep going!"
Thank you, Hatchette, for sending me a copy.
This was delightfully magical and deliciously mysterious. I was instantly sucked in and fell in love with these characters, and I loved how we learned more about their pasts along the way. Ryan's writing is so rich, I wanted to savor every word. Even though I desperately need more standalones in my life, I would love a sequel to this! Please excuse me while I go check out all of her other books 👀
✨ Found family
✨ Imagination galore
✨ Magic at its brightest and darkest
✨ Cat Companion
✨ Dual POV
✨ Standalone
More quotes I loved:
"There are some secrets that should remain entombed, locked inside the jaws of the catacomb walls, in skull after skull after skull after skull.
Every city is built upon its dead, after all.
Even the glittering ones."
"Cynicism is the needless interruption of fairy tales."
"That's what makes it so wonderful," Sylvie said sagely. "If everything fit as we expected, the world would be dull, wouldn't it?"
"'Sylvie snorted. "Honore would rather swallow a sword than work for a man.'"
"What were fingers become claws. Claws turn to vines-dark and choking. The Scanct struggles. Bruise-colored feathers drop from her wings, blowing like autumn leaves. She withers, until there is nothing left but bone."
"It doesn't matter if you're six feet under or on top of the world. Corpses can be stripped and kings can be beheaded. There is always more to be taken, so it's best to be the taker."
"Her father was in hell, the devil was in Paris, and no amount of hope was going to change the fact that someone she cared for would die soon."
"There's a pattern to people, you see, to the flow of our fears and hopes. We are, all of us, terrible. We are, all of us, beautiful."
"A person's life is made of many things: Blood, yes, but memories too. Power is threaded through the tiniest moments, such as when your name first leaves your mother's lips."
"Everything speaks if you know how to listen. Even the dead."
"When the world feels ruined...well, that just means the story isn't over yet. You have to brace yourself and be more than the rot. You have to keep going!"
Thank you, Hatchette, for sending me a copy.
August 24, 2024
Paris is full of mysteries and magic in this book like no other. I loved the magical locations and the magic system overall is easy ro understand and follow. Narration is captivating, and it really adds up to the ambiance. The characters are interesting, they have development and do not fall flat. I liked the author’s style overall.
My problem with this book is glorifying the freaking russian empire of all things in 2024. This book could do without it, and it would greatly benefit from it. Unfortunately, I cannot recommend this book since I find it problematic and I know that my fellow readers will too.
My problem with this book is glorifying the freaking russian empire of all things in 2024. This book could do without it, and it would greatly benefit from it. Unfortunately, I cannot recommend this book since I find it problematic and I know that my fellow readers will too.
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September 17, 2024DNF at 30 %
In the Fantasy novel “The Enchanted Lies of Céleste Artois” by Ryan Graudin we follow the con artist Céleste who is introduced to a hidden magical world in 1900s Paris by a mysterious stranger named Rafe.
With a heavy heart I had to DNF this book. On paper the setting and characters should have worked perfectly but the pacing was too slow for me and the characters and their stories didn't catch my interest.I was really interested in the magical setting of this book but since it is more character focused I had a hard time getting into the story.
I listened to this as an audiobook and the narration by Marisa Calin is great. Their voice was very fitting for the characters.
A big thanks to NetGalley and the publisher Hachette Audio for giving me the opportunity to read an advance copy in exchange for an honest review.
In the Fantasy novel “The Enchanted Lies of Céleste Artois” by Ryan Graudin we follow the con artist Céleste who is introduced to a hidden magical world in 1900s Paris by a mysterious stranger named Rafe.
With a heavy heart I had to DNF this book. On paper the setting and characters should have worked perfectly but the pacing was too slow for me and the characters and their stories didn't catch my interest.I was really interested in the magical setting of this book but since it is more character focused I had a hard time getting into the story.
I listened to this as an audiobook and the narration by Marisa Calin is great. Their voice was very fitting for the characters.
A big thanks to NetGalley and the publisher Hachette Audio for giving me the opportunity to read an advance copy in exchange for an honest review.
November 12, 2024
Thank you to NetGalley, Redhook, Orbit, and Angela Man for sending me a copy of this ARC in exchange for an honest review.
This was a book that I was really looking forward to. It sounded so intriguing, and I’ve always had a special love for historical fantasy. Taking a place from the past and creating a completely unique version is a special kind of magic, to me, and this book sounded chock full of it. As it turns out, I was right.
To start with, Graudin’s writing is incredible. This is what really caught my attention and kept me reading until the story really got going. The version of early 1900s Paris in this story shares some commonality with the action historical version, but this adds a new level of wonder to it. She demonstrates her boundless capacity for imagination, with one character able to make the most fantastical ideas she has into reality, and the rest of the book full of enchantment.
It’s hard not to fall in love with the Enchantresses. They each have their own very unique personality and backstory, and they’re all so different from each other. I never found myself getting confused between each of the three, and while Céleste herself is the subject of the story, Honoré and Sylvie play such a huge role that they have their own stories. These morally gray characters were so clearly rendered through her words and this story that I found myself rooting for them, and they’re all in the same place through a combination of factors that led them to live outside the boundaries of societal expectations, despite living in a place where societal expectations tend to be more lax than most. But ultimately, as three women running cons and making forgeries, they aren’t quite socially acceptable.
The story weaves each of the characters arcs into one cohesive story with its own trajectory. I found myself equally interested in each of the characters, especially Sylvie, who grew on me so much over the course of the story. There’s more than one romance over the course of the book, and I loved them both. The connection between each couple in the story is palpable, and I was surprised it took them as long to realize they were becoming more than rival. One of the romances is a queer one, and I loved watching it unfold, even against a backdrop of an upcoming war and looming threats to them and the city they love. There’s even some scenes that are a little spicy, which I wasn’t expecting but certainly didn’t mind.
Our characters dream and enchant their way from Paris all the way to the court of Tsar Nicholas and his children, facing all kinds of danger lurking where they least expect it. The thing that stood out most about this book is how it made me remember my own childhood, when a different reality was only a little bit of imagination away, and anything could happen. Sylvie, as the youngest of the Enchantresses, is free and wild and loves nothing more than to dream up the most outrageous things, yet still finds a way to be big-hearted and do what she can to help others.
Overall, this is a fantastic read, and I can’t find a single negative thing to say about it. The pace was steady throughout the book, never making it feel like the story was dragging or moving too fast to follow. There’s a good amount of action in the story, and these conflicts keep things interesting as the rest of the story unfolds. I found myself completely enchanted by this book, and wishing that I could go back and read this for the first time again. This is perfect for readers who enjoy historical fantasy, historical fiction, slow-burn romance, and people who never forget their childhood sense of magic and amazement.
This was a book that I was really looking forward to. It sounded so intriguing, and I’ve always had a special love for historical fantasy. Taking a place from the past and creating a completely unique version is a special kind of magic, to me, and this book sounded chock full of it. As it turns out, I was right.
To start with, Graudin’s writing is incredible. This is what really caught my attention and kept me reading until the story really got going. The version of early 1900s Paris in this story shares some commonality with the action historical version, but this adds a new level of wonder to it. She demonstrates her boundless capacity for imagination, with one character able to make the most fantastical ideas she has into reality, and the rest of the book full of enchantment.
It’s hard not to fall in love with the Enchantresses. They each have their own very unique personality and backstory, and they’re all so different from each other. I never found myself getting confused between each of the three, and while Céleste herself is the subject of the story, Honoré and Sylvie play such a huge role that they have their own stories. These morally gray characters were so clearly rendered through her words and this story that I found myself rooting for them, and they’re all in the same place through a combination of factors that led them to live outside the boundaries of societal expectations, despite living in a place where societal expectations tend to be more lax than most. But ultimately, as three women running cons and making forgeries, they aren’t quite socially acceptable.
The story weaves each of the characters arcs into one cohesive story with its own trajectory. I found myself equally interested in each of the characters, especially Sylvie, who grew on me so much over the course of the story. There’s more than one romance over the course of the book, and I loved them both. The connection between each couple in the story is palpable, and I was surprised it took them as long to realize they were becoming more than rival. One of the romances is a queer one, and I loved watching it unfold, even against a backdrop of an upcoming war and looming threats to them and the city they love. There’s even some scenes that are a little spicy, which I wasn’t expecting but certainly didn’t mind.
Our characters dream and enchant their way from Paris all the way to the court of Tsar Nicholas and his children, facing all kinds of danger lurking where they least expect it. The thing that stood out most about this book is how it made me remember my own childhood, when a different reality was only a little bit of imagination away, and anything could happen. Sylvie, as the youngest of the Enchantresses, is free and wild and loves nothing more than to dream up the most outrageous things, yet still finds a way to be big-hearted and do what she can to help others.
Overall, this is a fantastic read, and I can’t find a single negative thing to say about it. The pace was steady throughout the book, never making it feel like the story was dragging or moving too fast to follow. There’s a good amount of action in the story, and these conflicts keep things interesting as the rest of the story unfolds. I found myself completely enchanted by this book, and wishing that I could go back and read this for the first time again. This is perfect for readers who enjoy historical fantasy, historical fiction, slow-burn romance, and people who never forget their childhood sense of magic and amazement.
August 31, 2024
3.5 stars
🎧Audiobook🎧 is very wonderfully read.
The world-building that makes up this beautiful, artistic world in Paris, just before and at the beginning of WW1, is incredible - the author having taken inspiration from the artistic resilience of those soldiers fighting in this horrific war. There is soul and shining spirit running through all of the text, and so many of the characters are delightful. Three strong, amazing young(er) women fight their way through a gritty Parisian life, on the dusky side of the law, in order to survive. And despite the trauma that they have each seen, their hearts are good. Once they each find their own way into the magical underworld of Paris, they will find even more to fight for.
So, why am I giving this magical story only 3.5 stars?
The writing is good, the premise magically inspired, and there are three lovely yet strong female leads who make up a wonderful "found family". There is no overt misogyny, classism or other marginalization that seeps from our own world into this one (one reason that I strongly dislike many fantasy and sci.fi. books - especially those mainly written by cishet, white male authors). This book is full of hope and imagination, as that which has the best chance of beating out fear, violence and war.
Honestly, I am not sure - I can't put my finger on it. I simply wasn't overly enamoured by the story, as a whole. I often wanted to give up (and only didn't so that I could properly review it), and had a really hard time finishing this audiobook despite all of its merits.
Really, it frequently felt just too long. Ordinarily, I love both magical fantasy and stories woven out into beautifully long adventures - this however did not hold my attention like books that I give full accolades in my reviews. I wanted more substance, somehow. Had it been edited down to 3/4 of its length, without any other change, I may have given this book 4.5-5 stars. That said, I don't want to give the impression that I dislike long books (I often adore them).
I am certain that others (of perhaps different dispositions or age groups) will adore this book. It will definitely delight many. This is very likely just a "me problem". I do urge anyone intrigued by the book's premise to cozy up in a comfy corner and give it all of your attention.
Huge gratitude to Netgalley and the publisher, Hachette Audio, for an Audio-ARC, in exchange for my honest review.
🎧Audiobook🎧 is very wonderfully read.
The world-building that makes up this beautiful, artistic world in Paris, just before and at the beginning of WW1, is incredible - the author having taken inspiration from the artistic resilience of those soldiers fighting in this horrific war. There is soul and shining spirit running through all of the text, and so many of the characters are delightful. Three strong, amazing young(er) women fight their way through a gritty Parisian life, on the dusky side of the law, in order to survive. And despite the trauma that they have each seen, their hearts are good. Once they each find their own way into the magical underworld of Paris, they will find even more to fight for.
So, why am I giving this magical story only 3.5 stars?
The writing is good, the premise magically inspired, and there are three lovely yet strong female leads who make up a wonderful "found family". There is no overt misogyny, classism or other marginalization that seeps from our own world into this one (one reason that I strongly dislike many fantasy and sci.fi. books - especially those mainly written by cishet, white male authors). This book is full of hope and imagination, as that which has the best chance of beating out fear, violence and war.
Honestly, I am not sure - I can't put my finger on it. I simply wasn't overly enamoured by the story, as a whole. I often wanted to give up (and only didn't so that I could properly review it), and had a really hard time finishing this audiobook despite all of its merits.
Really, it frequently felt just too long. Ordinarily, I love both magical fantasy and stories woven out into beautifully long adventures - this however did not hold my attention like books that I give full accolades in my reviews. I wanted more substance, somehow. Had it been edited down to 3/4 of its length, without any other change, I may have given this book 4.5-5 stars. That said, I don't want to give the impression that I dislike long books (I often adore them).
I am certain that others (of perhaps different dispositions or age groups) will adore this book. It will definitely delight many. This is very likely just a "me problem". I do urge anyone intrigued by the book's premise to cozy up in a comfy corner and give it all of your attention.
Huge gratitude to Netgalley and the publisher, Hachette Audio, for an Audio-ARC, in exchange for my honest review.
August 28, 2024
Shocking myself by finishing this on publication day after 2 days of no reading. Review to come! 🔮
(FINAL REVIEW:)
This was a wonderful historical fantasy set in my least favorite city on the European continent (long [and maybe traumatic?] story). I enjoyed the wonderful writing, the endearing cast of characters, and the whimsical magic system, along with its wonderful cast of feline friends. 🐈⬛
The story follows three women known as the Enchantresses: Céleste, Honoré, and Sylvie. These ladies pull off cons to make a living while hiding out in a cemetery during the day. I found Céleste to be the most slippery to the bunch to pinpoint because you can’t really tell what she’s plotting at times. Her Faustian-like bargain was an interesting plot line, but I thought her romance with Rafe to be a bit weirdly a hot cold kind of relationship. Honoré was probably my favorite of the trio simply because she desperately wants to keep her little family safe. Her backstory is tragic like the other women, but I found hers to have more substance to it. I really enjoyed her sapphic love plot and honestly wished we got more of it. Sylvie is a mixed bag for me. At times she’s mature for her age, and at others immature. I understand that the other two enchantresses want to give this young girl the best childhood they can, but other times I also felt like she refused to see reality here and there. It’s all literally sugarcoated to her. 🍭
As much as I did enjoy the heist like quest and the magical side of a city I don’t like, I did find the plot to drag around the 2nd and 3rd act while the 5th felt rushed. That and the idea that the book solely focuses on Céleste felt rather odd for a title choice. Oh and the appearances of the Romanovs and their role in the plot felt rather . . . Strange to me. 😕
All in all, despite these lingering thoughts at the end, I still had a rather good time reading this book. Would definitely recommend to those looking for a historical fantasy set in 1910’s Paris.🗼
Big thank you goes to Orbit Books and NetGalley for accepting my request to read this in exchange for an honest review, and to the author, Graudin, for making Paris a bit more likable to me. 🙂
Publication date: August 27!
Overall: 3.75/5 ⭐️
(FINAL REVIEW:)
This was a wonderful historical fantasy set in my least favorite city on the European continent (long [and maybe traumatic?] story). I enjoyed the wonderful writing, the endearing cast of characters, and the whimsical magic system, along with its wonderful cast of feline friends. 🐈⬛
The story follows three women known as the Enchantresses: Céleste, Honoré, and Sylvie. These ladies pull off cons to make a living while hiding out in a cemetery during the day. I found Céleste to be the most slippery to the bunch to pinpoint because you can’t really tell what she’s plotting at times. Her Faustian-like bargain was an interesting plot line, but I thought her romance with Rafe to be a bit weirdly a hot cold kind of relationship. Honoré was probably my favorite of the trio simply because she desperately wants to keep her little family safe. Her backstory is tragic like the other women, but I found hers to have more substance to it. I really enjoyed her sapphic love plot and honestly wished we got more of it. Sylvie is a mixed bag for me. At times she’s mature for her age, and at others immature. I understand that the other two enchantresses want to give this young girl the best childhood they can, but other times I also felt like she refused to see reality here and there. It’s all literally sugarcoated to her. 🍭
As much as I did enjoy the heist like quest and the magical side of a city I don’t like, I did find the plot to drag around the 2nd and 3rd act while the 5th felt rushed. That and the idea that the book solely focuses on Céleste felt rather odd for a title choice. Oh and the appearances of the Romanovs and their role in the plot felt rather . . . Strange to me. 😕
All in all, despite these lingering thoughts at the end, I still had a rather good time reading this book. Would definitely recommend to those looking for a historical fantasy set in 1910’s Paris.🗼
Big thank you goes to Orbit Books and NetGalley for accepting my request to read this in exchange for an honest review, and to the author, Graudin, for making Paris a bit more likable to me. 🙂
Publication date: August 27!
Overall: 3.75/5 ⭐️
did-not-finish
April 10, 2025DNF @ 8%
Maybe its too soon to be throwing in the towel on this one, but it just isn't flowing well for me. The contemporary-feeling humor thrown into a period piece just took me out. I'd rather move onto something that grabs me a bit faster than this one isn't.
Maybe its too soon to be throwing in the towel on this one, but it just isn't flowing well for me. The contemporary-feeling humor thrown into a period piece just took me out. I'd rather move onto something that grabs me a bit faster than this one isn't.
June 1, 2024
Thank you NetGalley and Orbit/Redhook for the free ARC in exchange for an honest review. All opinions within are my own.
---
I was ripe to love this book. Historical fantasy? A tricksy heist heroine? Gimme! The smooth prose and evocative descriptions would only seal the deal, and there were some really neat magical concepts woven into the plot.
So why didn't I love this?
The first culprit was the glacial pace. This book badly needed another developmental editing pass to tighten it. No way in heaven and earth did it need to be that many hundreds of pages (498 in my NetGalley e-reader; 622 in Kindle according to Goodreads.) Things looked like they would pick up around the 70% mark, but didn't actually pick up until 85-90%. And then the denouement dragged on for several chapters which more or less restated one another.
But the bigger problem was the characters. Sylvie was straight-up not believable as an eleven year old, reading far, far younger. The titular Celeste proved overly passive and just not that interesting, and it didn't help that
Of the three leads, I came the closest to liking Honore. She felt like the truest protagonist of the book, in that she actually, well, protagged. However, her backstory felt like a cliched trauma checklist, never gelling organically and distancing me from her. I also liked Rafe. ...Actually, I don't really have anything bad to say about Rafe. I liked him and thought he was wasted on the lackluster Celeste.
The villains had all the dimension of cardboard. Graudin liberally borrowed real life historical figures for her secondary cast, but none of them had internality or a character arc, serving as set dressing instead.
Liberal borrowing with no depth proved the undoing of the narrative as well. Graudin heavily references The Phantom of the Opera in her story, trying to interrogate the original narrative by focusing on the Phantom's behavior in a predatory light. But that discourse has already existed for centuries, since Leroux wrote his novel. We meet the historical Romanovs, and their portrayal (along with the use of Rasputin as a villain) falls more in line with Anastasia: The Animated Film than anything either historical or new—not even going as far as the more nuanced and historically plausible, Anastasia: The Musical, based on said film. In short, for a historical fantasy, Enchanted Lies lacks historicity.
But hey, the prose was nice, and there were sections where I cared and wanted to know what happened next. So this book gets three stars rather than two.
---
I was ripe to love this book. Historical fantasy? A tricksy heist heroine? Gimme! The smooth prose and evocative descriptions would only seal the deal, and there were some really neat magical concepts woven into the plot.
So why didn't I love this?
The first culprit was the glacial pace. This book badly needed another developmental editing pass to tighten it. No way in heaven and earth did it need to be that many hundreds of pages (498 in my NetGalley e-reader; 622 in Kindle according to Goodreads.) Things looked like they would pick up around the 70% mark, but didn't actually pick up until 85-90%. And then the denouement dragged on for several chapters which more or less restated one another.
But the bigger problem was the characters. Sylvie was straight-up not believable as an eleven year old, reading far, far younger. The titular Celeste proved overly passive and just not that interesting, and it didn't help that
Of the three leads, I came the closest to liking Honore. She felt like the truest protagonist of the book, in that she actually, well, protagged. However, her backstory felt like a cliched trauma checklist, never gelling organically and distancing me from her. I also liked Rafe. ...Actually, I don't really have anything bad to say about Rafe. I liked him and thought he was wasted on the lackluster Celeste.
The villains had all the dimension of cardboard. Graudin liberally borrowed real life historical figures for her secondary cast, but none of them had internality or a character arc, serving as set dressing instead.
Liberal borrowing with no depth proved the undoing of the narrative as well. Graudin heavily references The Phantom of the Opera in her story, trying to interrogate the original narrative by focusing on the Phantom's behavior in a predatory light. But that discourse has already existed for centuries, since Leroux wrote his novel. We meet the historical Romanovs, and their portrayal (along with the use of Rasputin as a villain) falls more in line with Anastasia: The Animated Film than anything either historical or new—not even going as far as the more nuanced and historically plausible, Anastasia: The Musical, based on said film. In short, for a historical fantasy, Enchanted Lies lacks historicity.
But hey, the prose was nice, and there were sections where I cared and wanted to know what happened next. So this book gets three stars rather than two.
December 21, 2024
I want to classify this as a case of its-me-not-the-book because I was hesitant from the jump due to the nature of the book and the peers mentioned in the synopsis. I am not a fan of excessive whimsical, flowery writing. Give me a concrete plot and palpable feelings. I knew this wouldn't be that but I also know I'm in love with anything Ryan Graudin writes and she has the power to convert me so I had to read The Enchanted Lies of Céleste Artois, her first new release in a while. For a good minute, I was enchanted. I was in the gulf of magical Paris, surrounded by smoke and glitter. It was working well... until it didn't. It lost the allure so fast. Suddenly Celeste was making stupid decisions, Helene became more interesting than her, the guy Rafe's mysterious aura turned out to be fake. I was over it and it wasn't ending. All to say, I'm disappointed, and not all of it is directed towards Ryan and the book.
Read
October 13, 2024I appreciate the arc but I cannot get into this book. I am calling it around 10%. It is so descriptive, if you enjoy that give this a shot. The magic is there, I’m just not feeling it.
September 26, 2024
Lush prose and vibrant characters characterize author Ryan Graudin's take on early 1900s Paris. Focusing on Céleste Artois, one of a small found family who spend their days conning and stealing to keep themselves feed. Céleste calls them the Enchantresses, as she believes that their lies, which are often successful, are the next thing to magic, considering the many small bags of gold they have stashed around the cemetery in which is located the crypt they live in. The crypt is divided into three:
-one side for Celeste and her canvases and paints (she's a very successful forger),
-one side for Honoré Côte (daughter of a dead gangster and this tiny family's defender) and her knives, wigs and suits, and
-the last for young Sylvie (an eleven-year-old0 orphan) and her fairy tale books and various sweet confections she's managed to either steal, or get from the nearby baker.
Despite their riches, Céleste can't rest, and it's this fear that send her and Honoré to a ballet to work their cons, where Celeste meets Rafe, a charismatic con man, also a painter, whom Honoré knew when they were kids. Rafe abandoned Honoré years ago to travel. He is immediately taken with Celeste, and after leaving the performance, shows her magic is real, and offers to introduce her to his boss, a Sanct. Sancts are not mere human magicians performing sleight-of-hand tricks. Rather, they are very powerful beings, fed by the dreams and imaginings of others, which they use to create wings, awaken statues, open portals, prolong their lives, etc.
Céleste is suffering from consumption and it's blood on her handkerchief that impels her to make a deadly bargain with Rafe's boss, a very old, frightening Sanct. He grants Celeste her wish for health, in exchange for her finding a dream he had lost, and which he thinks is located in the amazing salon of another Sanct, La Fée Verte.
Céleste's decision will have wide and dangerous repercussions for her and Rafe, the Enchantresses, and all of Paris, eventually.
While Céleste honors the terms of her bargain with the Sanct, she receives regular infusions of health to keep her searching. Honoré and Sylvie are also drawn into this other Paris, where they discover magic is real, and their lives become entangled with La Fée Verte and the competing magical views she and Rafe's boss represent.
Honoré and Celeste both find romance, while Sylvie takes to magic with gusto and is soon flitting about the city, making friends with other benign Sancts, magicking up all manner of things, conversing with cats, opening portals, and just generally living her best life. Until everything goes bad, and not only are people harmed, but war arrives, and the evil Sanct takes advantage of this, amassing huge amounts of power with the thousands killed, and the Enchantresses realize he must be stopped.
I loved so much about this book:
-Celeste herself, and her dilemma and fear that propel her and the other Enchantresses into a new, dangerous but also fantastic life
-Honoré and her dangerous skills that allow her to protect those she loves, including the enigmatic La Fée Verte
-Sylvie! Need I say more? Sylvie is such an utter delight, with her optimism, kindness, sense of adventure, love for dessert, humour, and gang of street cats who follow and protect her
-The prose which conjured up both the poetry of earthly Paris of the early 1900s, and the iridescent, luminous, magical Paris that the Enchantresses come to inhabit
-The talking cats!
-The small chapters describing other Sancts (the bookseller, the baker, the Seer, the Fisherman, all of whom used other means to sustain their abilities) in Paris added extra colour to an already rich story.
I had a small complaint: the story took a long time to really get going, as Graudin fed us delectable moments of magic as Honoré and Sylvie grew in their powers, and Honoré slowly revealed that she was not just a warrior but a romantic hero. Sometimes I felt that the plot meandered a little too far from the idea that the evil Sanct needed to be dispatched, with this point finally really coming into focus about 3/4s of the way into the narrative.
Otherwise, I really enjoyed this lovely book.
Thank you to Netgalley and to Redhook Books for this ARC in exchange for my review.
-one side for Celeste and her canvases and paints (she's a very successful forger),
-one side for Honoré Côte (daughter of a dead gangster and this tiny family's defender) and her knives, wigs and suits, and
-the last for young Sylvie (an eleven-year-old0 orphan) and her fairy tale books and various sweet confections she's managed to either steal, or get from the nearby baker.
Despite their riches, Céleste can't rest, and it's this fear that send her and Honoré to a ballet to work their cons, where Celeste meets Rafe, a charismatic con man, also a painter, whom Honoré knew when they were kids. Rafe abandoned Honoré years ago to travel. He is immediately taken with Celeste, and after leaving the performance, shows her magic is real, and offers to introduce her to his boss, a Sanct. Sancts are not mere human magicians performing sleight-of-hand tricks. Rather, they are very powerful beings, fed by the dreams and imaginings of others, which they use to create wings, awaken statues, open portals, prolong their lives, etc.
Céleste is suffering from consumption and it's blood on her handkerchief that impels her to make a deadly bargain with Rafe's boss, a very old, frightening Sanct. He grants Celeste her wish for health, in exchange for her finding a dream he had lost, and which he thinks is located in the amazing salon of another Sanct, La Fée Verte.
Céleste's decision will have wide and dangerous repercussions for her and Rafe, the Enchantresses, and all of Paris, eventually.
While Céleste honors the terms of her bargain with the Sanct, she receives regular infusions of health to keep her searching. Honoré and Sylvie are also drawn into this other Paris, where they discover magic is real, and their lives become entangled with La Fée Verte and the competing magical views she and Rafe's boss represent.
Honoré and Celeste both find romance, while Sylvie takes to magic with gusto and is soon flitting about the city, making friends with other benign Sancts, magicking up all manner of things, conversing with cats, opening portals, and just generally living her best life. Until everything goes bad, and not only are people harmed, but war arrives, and the evil Sanct takes advantage of this, amassing huge amounts of power with the thousands killed, and the Enchantresses realize he must be stopped.
I loved so much about this book:
-Celeste herself, and her dilemma and fear that propel her and the other Enchantresses into a new, dangerous but also fantastic life
-Honoré and her dangerous skills that allow her to protect those she loves, including the enigmatic La Fée Verte
-Sylvie! Need I say more? Sylvie is such an utter delight, with her optimism, kindness, sense of adventure, love for dessert, humour, and gang of street cats who follow and protect her
-The prose which conjured up both the poetry of earthly Paris of the early 1900s, and the iridescent, luminous, magical Paris that the Enchantresses come to inhabit
-The talking cats!
-The small chapters describing other Sancts (the bookseller, the baker, the Seer, the Fisherman, all of whom used other means to sustain their abilities) in Paris added extra colour to an already rich story.
I had a small complaint: the story took a long time to really get going, as Graudin fed us delectable moments of magic as Honoré and Sylvie grew in their powers, and Honoré slowly revealed that she was not just a warrior but a romantic hero. Sometimes I felt that the plot meandered a little too far from the idea that the evil Sanct needed to be dispatched, with this point finally really coming into focus about 3/4s of the way into the narrative.
Otherwise, I really enjoyed this lovely book.
Thank you to Netgalley and to Redhook Books for this ARC in exchange for my review.
August 22, 2024
3.5 ⭐️ The Enchanted Lies of Céleste Artois is a lush and lyrical historical fantasy, set in 1900s Paris. We follow three 'Enchantresses', Céleste, Honore and Sylvie, a found family or artists and thieves, trying to make their way in the world in tough Paris and survive. But Céleste is ill, and when she encounters Rafe, a mysterious and beautiful stranger who leads her to an enchanted salon a place where imaginations come to life, he offers her a chance to live longer using magic, in exchange for using her talents as a forger. Paris becomes brighter, full of enchanting magic, wishes and dreams made true, but also darker, there's more to this hidden world than meets the eye. Shadows have begun to circle Paris. And soon, the Enchantresses will find that true magic is far more powerful, and deadly, than they ever imagined.
Ryan has an enchanting writing style. The lyrical descriptions of Paris felt so real, so beautiful and vivid in the 1900s. Our Enchantresses, Céleste, Honore and Sylvie were all well rounded and complimented each other, though Honore was the strongest character of the three. I enjoyed that the book was told in multiple points of view, giving each Enchantress their own story and adventure for us to follow, which added wonder, magic, mystery, danger, adventure, love and hope at every turn. I thought the use of magic in the story, which included the unlimited power of imagination, dreams, portals, magical salons, talking cats and talismans, worked together in a very unique way in this book. Also, talking cats - bonus!
What stopped this from being a 5 ⭐️ read for me, was that the book felt too long and I wish it stuck to the main storyline. There were a lot of side stories, which left me confused. I loved the descriptions of Paris, the artwork, the talking cats, the salons, and all of the magic, but the pacing was slow, and particularly, when we ventured off into Russia, I got lost. Near the end it felt like too much was happening and it was hard to follow. Also, I don't believe I received a finished copy of the audiobook, because certain parts were removed from the narration, replaced by a beep, which often took me out of the setting of the story.
Thank you to Ryan and the publisher for my copy of this book. All thoughts are my honest opinion!
Ryan has an enchanting writing style. The lyrical descriptions of Paris felt so real, so beautiful and vivid in the 1900s. Our Enchantresses, Céleste, Honore and Sylvie were all well rounded and complimented each other, though Honore was the strongest character of the three. I enjoyed that the book was told in multiple points of view, giving each Enchantress their own story and adventure for us to follow, which added wonder, magic, mystery, danger, adventure, love and hope at every turn. I thought the use of magic in the story, which included the unlimited power of imagination, dreams, portals, magical salons, talking cats and talismans, worked together in a very unique way in this book. Also, talking cats - bonus!
What stopped this from being a 5 ⭐️ read for me, was that the book felt too long and I wish it stuck to the main storyline. There were a lot of side stories, which left me confused. I loved the descriptions of Paris, the artwork, the talking cats, the salons, and all of the magic, but the pacing was slow, and particularly, when we ventured off into Russia, I got lost. Near the end it felt like too much was happening and it was hard to follow. Also, I don't believe I received a finished copy of the audiobook, because certain parts were removed from the narration, replaced by a beep, which often took me out of the setting of the story.
Thank you to Ryan and the publisher for my copy of this book. All thoughts are my honest opinion!
August 16, 2024
Thank you so much to Orbit for the chance to read The Enchanted Lies of Celeste Artois as an ARC! This is my first time reading anything by Ryan Graudin and based on the synopsis, I thought it might be something I’d really enjoy!
I’ve said this before and I’ll say it again- in my opinion (key word opinion !!!) books marketed as “for lovers of The Night Circus/The Invisible Life of Addie Larue” need to market themselves very, very carefully. As a certified lover of both of those titles, I find it extremely difficult to find a book that meets that particular standard (for me). Unfortunately, this was no exception. TELOCA is (unsurprisingly) incredibly magical in setting and in storyline, which I think really works for some people- but something about this one didn’t quite work for me. I felt as though there was almost *too* much going on for me to truly appreciate the world building and magical setting.
That being said- I really enjoyed the “in between” chapters between our main characters’ POVs. These chapters gave a lot of insight into the magical background and read in a way that I personally really enjoy. I find myself wishing more of this story was written in that way, but to be fair- I think this entirely a “me” thing (and could certainly not be true for you). With the way this book was written and structured I really believe lovers of The City of Stardust by Georgia Summers and The Absinthe Underground by Jamie Pacton would really enjoy The Enchanted Lies of Celeste Artois.
Although this wasn’t 100% up my alley, I would certainly try Graudin’s work again in the future. If you hear about TELOCA and think it might be something you’d enjoy, I encourage you to check it out on release day, August 27th!
I’ve said this before and I’ll say it again- in my opinion (key word opinion !!!) books marketed as “for lovers of The Night Circus/The Invisible Life of Addie Larue” need to market themselves very, very carefully. As a certified lover of both of those titles, I find it extremely difficult to find a book that meets that particular standard (for me). Unfortunately, this was no exception. TELOCA is (unsurprisingly) incredibly magical in setting and in storyline, which I think really works for some people- but something about this one didn’t quite work for me. I felt as though there was almost *too* much going on for me to truly appreciate the world building and magical setting.
That being said- I really enjoyed the “in between” chapters between our main characters’ POVs. These chapters gave a lot of insight into the magical background and read in a way that I personally really enjoy. I find myself wishing more of this story was written in that way, but to be fair- I think this entirely a “me” thing (and could certainly not be true for you). With the way this book was written and structured I really believe lovers of The City of Stardust by Georgia Summers and The Absinthe Underground by Jamie Pacton would really enjoy The Enchanted Lies of Celeste Artois.
Although this wasn’t 100% up my alley, I would certainly try Graudin’s work again in the future. If you hear about TELOCA and think it might be something you’d enjoy, I encourage you to check it out on release day, August 27th!
November 30, 2024
3.5 stars. I was excited to see this since I have loved the four young adult books I have read by Ryan Graudin. She has a wonderful way of tying history with adventure to make a very pleasurable read. I was a bit disappointed with this one, though but found it enjoyable. I would have liked to have felt a bit more of the history about Paris and WWI. This book also read like a young adult book to me, nothing wrong with that, I’m just not sure why this was labeled as an adult book, especially with a large part focused on Sylvie. Beautiful writing and imagery; I want to be Enlightened!
October 16, 2024
This book was a crazy one. What if Rasputin was a sorcerer stealing the lifeblood of the tsarevich for a demon in Paris, and three young women got swept up in their magical war? It’s the Night Circus and Invisible Life of Addie LaRue wrapped up in one, and is a whimsical, romantic, violent historical urban fantasy set during WWI, inspired by the idea of creating art from the trenches. It was slow to get through at times— it read like an English classic with loads of descriptions and backstories— but I’m glad I finished it. I loved the mystery and plot twists and this Paris where dragon angel warriors fall in love with bird sorceresses and imagination is the fuel of magical power.
January 28, 2025
The imagination in this book is wild and you will love it but i did not like the style of the author when they created this book. It feels at times as if it’s been written by different personalities. I struggled for weeks to finish this book due to this technicality. I’m sure it will even make a good Tim Burton movie but I’m sure the director will make lots of changes to make the story unfold easier so that the audience can relish in the imaginative ideas unfurling.
August 11, 2024
The Enchanted Lies of Céleste Artois is an imaginative look into Paris in the 1900s showing that magic can be found in truly unexpected places. I believe Graudin truly shines in this book in terms of setting richly detailed scenes and creating engaging characters with varied backgrounds. I adored Sylvie’s character and would challenge anyone to not be enamored by her. I also really loved how unique the magic system was in this book. I particularly loved how ideas can create their own unique magic. The other element I really loved was the role cats played throughout the story. The main struggle I had while reading was the plot pacing. It was a struggle at times to see where the story was going and why certain plot points were included. Because of this, I think there could be issues with readers sticking with the story. I both eyeball and audiobook read this, and I believe the audiobook really helped during the slower plot points. I enjoyed Marisa Calin’s narration and felt it added to the overall immersive nature of the story. I also appreciated the carnival sound effects that were added to certain scenes to really set the stage. If given the option, I’d recommend combo reading or reading via audiobook.
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eARC courtesy of Netgalley and Orbit
ALC courtesy of Netgalley and Hachette Audio
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eARC courtesy of Netgalley and Orbit
ALC courtesy of Netgalley and Hachette Audio
October 9, 2024
Dnf around 60%. It felt boring and unoriginal. Like they read Addie Larue and Jonathan Strange and combined all their worst parts
August 23, 2024
This has been advertised as for readers of The Night Circus and The Invisible Life of Addie LaRue, a book I really liked and a book I didn't finish. I was intrigued by the story as it was set in the early 1900s in Paris with magic. Unfortunately, I didn't end up loving this one as much as I wanted to love it. But I do agree that this book does have elements from each of those books that would be desirable to readers who enjoyed them, including lush descriptions, magic, and romance.
Overall, I would give this a 2.5 star, rounded to 3 stars for GR.
*Thank you so much Orbit/Redhook for the early copy for review. All thoughts are my own. Thank you to Ariel for the really slow buddy read :) *
More thoughts in the spoiler cut:
Overall, I would give this a 2.5 star, rounded to 3 stars for GR.
*Thank you so much Orbit/Redhook for the early copy for review. All thoughts are my own. Thank you to Ariel for the really slow buddy read :) *
More thoughts in the spoiler cut:
Read
August 23, 2024I adore pretty writing. The more vivid the image painted by the author, the more I soak it up. So, I was extremely excited to read this book. My final opinion on The Enchanted Lies of Celeste Artois was…unexpected.
The book starts in 1900s Paris, with three “enchantresses”- three friends who live together (in a graveyard) and pull cons on unsuspecting suckers to get by. There’s Honoré, with a tragic past and an angry present, Sylvie, young and full of dreams, and then Celeste, an artist who finds herself coughing blood. These three are a secret untouchable band of allies, until they discover an alternate Paris, which teems with real enchantment. Until Celeste meets Rafe. He tenders an intriguing offer: help him steal dreams, ideas formed from magic and creatives. In return, his employer will keep her alive longer.
The historical danced in and out of the fantastical in surprising ways. The Mad Monk even makes an appearance, which I honestly did not see coming. I think these mentions were meant to cement this magical world as being part of the real world, existing right alongside the day to day. The literary name dropping felt off to me on a few occasions, but it was a creative choice.
The premise is intriguing, the world even more so. The descriptions that poured from the pages brought to life a place of wonder, where the impossible is the everyday. The author truly had a way with words. Unfortunately, these lovely descriptions sometimes wandered away from the rest of the book, and they were the more interesting part for me. I happily followed the author on these beautiful asides, but I struggled to be invested in the storyline itself. The characters really didn’t always hold my attention, and I sometimes lost track of where they were and why.
Celeste was tragic and Honoré was hardened by her past. They were fine, as far as they went, but Sylvie was far and away my favorite of the three characters. She was much younger, being a child, and completely unfettered by reality and its- in her mind- confines. Of course she could create an enormous pink elephant as her dreams became reality. Of course she could talk to cats. Her go-to wasn’t how or why. It was “Why not?” Her innocence and enthusiasm were infectious and, more than the other characters, really sold the magic that the author described as being everywhere.
Rafe was mysterious. Rafe was brooding. Rafe was a problem, but of the variety that helps move the story along. I really loved his pocket watch that was much more than what it first seemed. His fox shadow was a really cool addition as well. And if he strayed a bit into stereotypical YA hunk status (although this book is an adult novel), well…it could be forgiven since he didn’t stay there too long. In fact, he was one of the more developed characters, with layers upon layers hidden behind his attempted charm.
My favorite parts of the book were actually the interludes, in which the reader is treated to character-free looks at the magical world itself. I loved these brief moments so much that, should the author ever write a collection of stories separate from the main storyline yet focused on these asides, I would be clamoring to read it.
When I closed the book, I felt a little bit of a letdown. I think my expectations were far too high. The prose was gorgeous, but the story itself just didn’t keep me interested. The Enchanted Lies of Celeste Artois might be just the book for you, though. Definitely pick it up if you like a story peopled with desperate characters, one that weaves in and out of enchanting descriptions.
Thank you to Orbit Books and Angela Man for this review copy. It did not affect my opinion in any way.
The book starts in 1900s Paris, with three “enchantresses”- three friends who live together (in a graveyard) and pull cons on unsuspecting suckers to get by. There’s Honoré, with a tragic past and an angry present, Sylvie, young and full of dreams, and then Celeste, an artist who finds herself coughing blood. These three are a secret untouchable band of allies, until they discover an alternate Paris, which teems with real enchantment. Until Celeste meets Rafe. He tenders an intriguing offer: help him steal dreams, ideas formed from magic and creatives. In return, his employer will keep her alive longer.
The historical danced in and out of the fantastical in surprising ways. The Mad Monk even makes an appearance, which I honestly did not see coming. I think these mentions were meant to cement this magical world as being part of the real world, existing right alongside the day to day. The literary name dropping felt off to me on a few occasions, but it was a creative choice.
The premise is intriguing, the world even more so. The descriptions that poured from the pages brought to life a place of wonder, where the impossible is the everyday. The author truly had a way with words. Unfortunately, these lovely descriptions sometimes wandered away from the rest of the book, and they were the more interesting part for me. I happily followed the author on these beautiful asides, but I struggled to be invested in the storyline itself. The characters really didn’t always hold my attention, and I sometimes lost track of where they were and why.
Celeste was tragic and Honoré was hardened by her past. They were fine, as far as they went, but Sylvie was far and away my favorite of the three characters. She was much younger, being a child, and completely unfettered by reality and its- in her mind- confines. Of course she could create an enormous pink elephant as her dreams became reality. Of course she could talk to cats. Her go-to wasn’t how or why. It was “Why not?” Her innocence and enthusiasm were infectious and, more than the other characters, really sold the magic that the author described as being everywhere.
Rafe was mysterious. Rafe was brooding. Rafe was a problem, but of the variety that helps move the story along. I really loved his pocket watch that was much more than what it first seemed. His fox shadow was a really cool addition as well. And if he strayed a bit into stereotypical YA hunk status (although this book is an adult novel), well…it could be forgiven since he didn’t stay there too long. In fact, he was one of the more developed characters, with layers upon layers hidden behind his attempted charm.
My favorite parts of the book were actually the interludes, in which the reader is treated to character-free looks at the magical world itself. I loved these brief moments so much that, should the author ever write a collection of stories separate from the main storyline yet focused on these asides, I would be clamoring to read it.
When I closed the book, I felt a little bit of a letdown. I think my expectations were far too high. The prose was gorgeous, but the story itself just didn’t keep me interested. The Enchanted Lies of Celeste Artois might be just the book for you, though. Definitely pick it up if you like a story peopled with desperate characters, one that weaves in and out of enchanting descriptions.
Thank you to Orbit Books and Angela Man for this review copy. It did not affect my opinion in any way.
September 4, 2024
***Thank you to Redhook/Orbit Books for providing a copy of the book. My review contains my honest thoughts about my reading experience.***
The Enchanted Lies of Céleste Artois was such a magical story. The writing and world-building were exquisite, and I enjoyed my time seeing the wonders of Paris through the eyes of these characters. The lush descriptions transported me into this world of hidden magic. I also loved the uniqueness of the magic system, which was based on the power of ideas and dreams.
The plot of The Enchanted Lies of Céleste Artois was a bit slow. It took me a while to get through this book because it felt like something to be savored. The overarching story was interesting. It just took quite some time to develop and got somewhat lost in all the descriptive prose. That being said, I didn't mind the pace so much because I adored the characters and the setting. Therefore, I loved exploring the ins and outs of this version of Paris in all the quiet moments. I do think, however, that the book would have been even better if some things had been more condensed to make the story 75 to 100 pages shorter.
The characters in The Enchanted Lies of Céleste Artois piqued my interest from the first chapter. I enjoyed getting to know them and seeing how they'd carved out a life for themselves as con artists in Paris. Each of the three Enchantresses had a compelling and unique background. Céleste was struggling to save her life from the doom of consumption. Honore had to come to terms with the trauma of her past begin to believe in the possibility of happy endings again. Sophie, my favorite of the three, was a little spitfire with an unwavering will and a vivid imagination. They all had fascinating arcs and grew considerably over the course of the novel.
Furthermore, I don't think I could review The Enchanted Lies of Céleste Artois without talking about the cats. I adored the role they played in the story. I just wanted to scoop Marmalade up and give him all the snuggles. He and his whisper network had such a fun, yet important, role to play, and I couldn't wait to see what they'd get up to next.
The romances in The Enchanted Lies of Céleste Artois were fine but nothing to write home about. I liked Céleste's love interest, Rafe. However, their relationship felt a bit like an afterthought to everything else going on and the descriptiveness of the prose. I did like that some of the other romantic entanglements managed to add some queer representation to the book. Although, none of the romance subplots really stuck out to me as being the best part(s) of this book.
I loved the way the author used imagery and plot to explore themes in The Enchanted Lies of Céleste Artois. The power of imagination and ideas, as well as the strength of those ideas when people dream in concert, was beautifully represented by the magic system. Furthermore, the darker side of the magic showed how lust for power can corrupt even the most well-meaning system. The story also explored identity and the existential dread associated with impending death. Céleste's story, in particular, looked at what lengths a person will go to survive and what parts of themselves they might along the way.
Overall, The Enchanted Lies of Céleste Artois was a beautiful story that explored the power of imagination. Each character added something unique to the narrative, and the descriptive prose brought the magic of Paris to life in an extraordinary way. This was definitely a story to be savored as the imagery was vivid and engrossing. However, it did mean the plot moved a bit slow for most of the book. With all this in mind, I've given The Enchanted Lies of Céleste Artois a rating of 4 out of 5 stars.
The Enchanted Lies of Céleste Artois was such a magical story. The writing and world-building were exquisite, and I enjoyed my time seeing the wonders of Paris through the eyes of these characters. The lush descriptions transported me into this world of hidden magic. I also loved the uniqueness of the magic system, which was based on the power of ideas and dreams.
The plot of The Enchanted Lies of Céleste Artois was a bit slow. It took me a while to get through this book because it felt like something to be savored. The overarching story was interesting. It just took quite some time to develop and got somewhat lost in all the descriptive prose. That being said, I didn't mind the pace so much because I adored the characters and the setting. Therefore, I loved exploring the ins and outs of this version of Paris in all the quiet moments. I do think, however, that the book would have been even better if some things had been more condensed to make the story 75 to 100 pages shorter.
The characters in The Enchanted Lies of Céleste Artois piqued my interest from the first chapter. I enjoyed getting to know them and seeing how they'd carved out a life for themselves as con artists in Paris. Each of the three Enchantresses had a compelling and unique background. Céleste was struggling to save her life from the doom of consumption. Honore had to come to terms with the trauma of her past begin to believe in the possibility of happy endings again. Sophie, my favorite of the three, was a little spitfire with an unwavering will and a vivid imagination. They all had fascinating arcs and grew considerably over the course of the novel.
Furthermore, I don't think I could review The Enchanted Lies of Céleste Artois without talking about the cats. I adored the role they played in the story. I just wanted to scoop Marmalade up and give him all the snuggles. He and his whisper network had such a fun, yet important, role to play, and I couldn't wait to see what they'd get up to next.
The romances in The Enchanted Lies of Céleste Artois were fine but nothing to write home about. I liked Céleste's love interest, Rafe. However, their relationship felt a bit like an afterthought to everything else going on and the descriptiveness of the prose. I did like that some of the other romantic entanglements managed to add some queer representation to the book. Although, none of the romance subplots really stuck out to me as being the best part(s) of this book.
I loved the way the author used imagery and plot to explore themes in The Enchanted Lies of Céleste Artois. The power of imagination and ideas, as well as the strength of those ideas when people dream in concert, was beautifully represented by the magic system. Furthermore, the darker side of the magic showed how lust for power can corrupt even the most well-meaning system. The story also explored identity and the existential dread associated with impending death. Céleste's story, in particular, looked at what lengths a person will go to survive and what parts of themselves they might along the way.
Overall, The Enchanted Lies of Céleste Artois was a beautiful story that explored the power of imagination. Each character added something unique to the narrative, and the descriptive prose brought the magic of Paris to life in an extraordinary way. This was definitely a story to be savored as the imagery was vivid and engrossing. However, it did mean the plot moved a bit slow for most of the book. With all this in mind, I've given The Enchanted Lies of Céleste Artois a rating of 4 out of 5 stars.
August 27, 2024
I enjoyed reading this one, despite some flaws. Fans of The Night Circus would probably like it.
Note: I received an ARC from Orbit in exchange for honest feedback.
❤️ Whimsical writing style
❤️ Many well-rounded, loveable characters
❤️ Interesting and creative lore
❤️ Atmosphere
❤️ The cat network
❤️ LGBTQ rep
❌ Slightly confusing at times
❌ Some flat characters (looking at you Celeste and Rafe)
❌ Animal cruelty (I really can’t)
❌ Too long
Trigger warnings: violence, death, blood and gore, poverty and homelessness, self-harm, murder, etc. (off page: attempted rape, domestic abuse, child abuse, animal cruelty and death, patricide).
Plot:
Céleste, Honoré, and Sylvie are the Enchantresses, a trio of liars, con artists, and thieves who established their residence at the Père Lachaise cemetery. Unbeknown to the others, Céleste is dying from consumption. During a night at the opera, her life is turned upside down. She meets Rafe, an attractive fellow thief who can help her escape death. He brings her to an enchanted salon, where she discovers the hidden world of magic. But to really survive, she must make a deal with a dark sorcerer.
There are so many things I loved about this book: the chosen family trope, strong FMCs, cat companions, tons of bright and dark magic, imagination and creativity, sapphic romance, strong Phantom of the Opera vibes, a magical carnival, mouth-watering food descriptions, etc. However, I feel like this book should have been 400 pages tops. I don’t feel like there was much “dragging,” but there are some storylines I could have lived without (the Russian Empire and World War plot lines).
Note: There are quite a few references to a kitten being skinned. It’s not *too* graphic, but I still almost stopped reading at that point. If you’re sensitive to animal cruelty, keep this in mind.
Characters:
I have mixed feelings about the characters. I never connected to the titular protagonist, Céleste Artois (that sounds a little too much like a beer name to me), and her love interest, Rafe. I couldn’t care less if they lived or died. However, there were other characters—like Honoré, Sylvie, and Marmalade—that I couldn’t get enough of.
Writing:
I really enjoyed Graubin’s writing and would read more from this author. Her prose is evocative and lyrical, with tons of whimsy. This book doesn’t quite hold a candle to Erin Morgenstern, but it has some similarities in terms of writing style, atmosphere, and structure.
Follow me on Instagram: @bibi.reads.writes
Note: I received an ARC from Orbit in exchange for honest feedback.
❤️ Whimsical writing style
❤️ Many well-rounded, loveable characters
❤️ Interesting and creative lore
❤️ Atmosphere
❤️ The cat network
❤️ LGBTQ rep
❌ Slightly confusing at times
❌ Some flat characters (looking at you Celeste and Rafe)
❌ Animal cruelty (I really can’t)
❌ Too long
Trigger warnings: violence, death, blood and gore, poverty and homelessness, self-harm, murder, etc. (off page: attempted rape, domestic abuse, child abuse, animal cruelty and death, patricide).
Plot:
Céleste, Honoré, and Sylvie are the Enchantresses, a trio of liars, con artists, and thieves who established their residence at the Père Lachaise cemetery. Unbeknown to the others, Céleste is dying from consumption. During a night at the opera, her life is turned upside down. She meets Rafe, an attractive fellow thief who can help her escape death. He brings her to an enchanted salon, where she discovers the hidden world of magic. But to really survive, she must make a deal with a dark sorcerer.
There are so many things I loved about this book: the chosen family trope, strong FMCs, cat companions, tons of bright and dark magic, imagination and creativity, sapphic romance, strong Phantom of the Opera vibes, a magical carnival, mouth-watering food descriptions, etc. However, I feel like this book should have been 400 pages tops. I don’t feel like there was much “dragging,” but there are some storylines I could have lived without (the Russian Empire and World War plot lines).
Note: There are quite a few references to a kitten being skinned. It’s not *too* graphic, but I still almost stopped reading at that point. If you’re sensitive to animal cruelty, keep this in mind.
Characters:
I have mixed feelings about the characters. I never connected to the titular protagonist, Céleste Artois (that sounds a little too much like a beer name to me), and her love interest, Rafe. I couldn’t care less if they lived or died. However, there were other characters—like Honoré, Sylvie, and Marmalade—that I couldn’t get enough of.
Writing:
I really enjoyed Graubin’s writing and would read more from this author. Her prose is evocative and lyrical, with tons of whimsy. This book doesn’t quite hold a candle to Erin Morgenstern, but it has some similarities in terms of writing style, atmosphere, and structure.
Follow me on Instagram: @bibi.reads.writes
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