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Gabriel's City: A Tale of Fables and Fortunes
For spoiled young aristocrat Colin Harwood, the port city of Casmile is a buffet of easy pleasures. But when he steps into a pub brawl to help a dangerously outnumbered young man, he is drawn into the seedy underbelly of the city the young man calls home.
Gabriel is a cutpurse and a knife for hire, practically an urban legend. His vision of Casmile is touched by a strange combination of faith and madness, driven by fairytale logic and a capacity for love that he often must suppress to survive. He’s always worked alone, but when a dashing dragon who calls himself Colin saves him in a bar fight, he pulls Colin into his world.
Gabriel’s city is nothing like the refined, socialite existence that bored Colin senseless. Colin finds adventure and excitement there—and maybe even love. But with his layers of finery stripped away, nothing remains to protect him from poverty or danger—except Gabriel. So he must choose: go back to the civilized young man he once was, or fly free as Gabriel’s dragon.
Gabriel is a cutpurse and a knife for hire, practically an urban legend. His vision of Casmile is touched by a strange combination of faith and madness, driven by fairytale logic and a capacity for love that he often must suppress to survive. He’s always worked alone, but when a dashing dragon who calls himself Colin saves him in a bar fight, he pulls Colin into his world.
Gabriel’s city is nothing like the refined, socialite existence that bored Colin senseless. Colin finds adventure and excitement there—and maybe even love. But with his layers of finery stripped away, nothing remains to protect him from poverty or danger—except Gabriel. So he must choose: go back to the civilized young man he once was, or fly free as Gabriel’s dragon.
280 pages, Paperback
First published November 17, 2014
4 people are currently reading
210 people want to read
About the author
Laylah Hunter
28 books57 followers Laylah Hunter is a third-gendered butch queer who writes true stories about imaginary people in worlds that never were. Most of hir work deals with queer characters, erotic themes, and the search for happy endings in unfavorable circumstances.
Hir mild-mannered alter ego lives in Seattle, at the mercy of the requisite cats and cultivating the requisite caffeine habit, and dreams of a day when telling stories will pay all the bills.
Hir mild-mannered alter ego lives in Seattle, at the mercy of the requisite cats and cultivating the requisite caffeine habit, and dreams of a day when telling stories will pay all the bills.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 33 reviews
November 17, 2014
3.5 stars
Well, this one is not your typical gay romance. I’d venture to say that Gabriel’s City is more of an action/adventure story with a look at how poverty and desperation reshapes one young man’s look at the world.
It took me the longest time to get a handle on the story…
At first, this appears to be a coming of age tale: a rich, pampered boy (Colin) gets in trouble with bad people over a gambling debt. He flees his comfortable home-- and his debtors-- for a hard knock life, hiding out in the city slums. There, Colin meets street thug, Gabriel. Knives are Gabriel’s weapon of choice and he gives Colin a personalized entry into a world of crime, grifting, theft, and murder.
Cutpurse and cutthroat. We get to see what these words really mean. In full technicolor. There is a lot of blood-letting.
And then, I’m confused… Am I supposed to like these guys? Gabriel is clearly not all there much of the time. He’s so, so dangerous (with a capital D) when he’s not. Colin slowly learns about Gabriel’s slippery grasp on reality. You don’t get on his bad side, he’s a powder keg, ready to go off in an instant, knives flashing. Colin learns that his gift for storytelling soothes the savage in Gabriel. And Gabriel develops a thing for Colin. He sees hope and, maybe, a kind of salvation in him.
Colin -- who becomes Drake in his new street thug reincarnation-- goes along with it all. He falls trippingly into Gabriel’s life, at first frightened and leery and then seduced by Gabriel’s allure. Yeah, thieving and committing murder bothers him but it doesn’t send him running.
Not a cozy, warm and fuzzy couple, these two.
Maybe it’s a Prince and the Pauper kind of thing? But, instead of exchanging roles, Colin-now-Drake, climbs into a new skin. He sees the shallowness and futility of his previous rich-boy life and learns some hard-knock life lessons. That, in and of itself, seems like a good thing… but is this new life that Drake immerses himself in better? Is it an improvement? Does it make him a better person?
What are Colin and Gabriel to each other, really, besides partners in crime? Gabriel wants nothing to do with rich-boy Colin. But has a fondness for the scrappy Drake who brings him companionship and stability (as much as that is possible). And Drake doesn’t want to reform Gabriel. He becomes an enabler.
About half-way in, an interesting dynamic develops between Gabriel and Drake.
It seems that Drake finally recognizes how poverty and abandonment can affect a bright mind. He learns to care for Gabriel when he slips into that narrow edge between sanity and madness. They learn to comfort each other. There is sex eventually, but it’s… odd. Gabriel, in this respect, seems strangely inexperienced and naive. Drake is much more experienced and it almost seems as if he’s taking advantage. But, maybe that’s just me.
While I can appreciate the coming of age aspect of the story, I had a hard time empathizing with Drake and Gabriel. They are colorful and interesting characters but they’re also scary in how comfortably psychopathic they can be-- a different take on Bonnie and Clyde, maybe. Gabriel’s City is a tough romance to cozy up to-- it didn’t really work for me-- but it is well written and has some great action/adventure scenes.
A copy of this book was provided by the publisher/author in exchange for an honest review. For this and other reviews, author interviews, and general fabulousness, visit Love Bytes:
July 21, 2015
This is not a perfect book, but it's one I really enjoyed. The characters were fun, and interesting, and I loved that Gabriel was a complex, and difficult character and not some Disney ruffian. I liked that he was as dangerous as he was made out to be. It's a refreshing change from other books of this sort. I was surprised by how much I liked Colin as well, and how much his actions changed him, and how much it brought out of the parts of himself that he had been hiding. I liked that Colin really did suffer a change in circumstances, and had to suffer without any of the luxuries he had grown up with, and that life on the run wasn't glamourous in the least. The level of violence felt real to the characters, and their situation. It felt like a real adventure rather than a child's dream of adventure, and I'd love to read more about these characters and their world. Perfect vacation hammock reading. Once I started it I couldn't put it down, and isn't that the essence of a five star read.
Want to read
February 13, 20192/13/19 Currently 99c via Amazon: https://smile.amazon.com/dp/B00MV5UT8K
dnf
May 11, 2019I hate to give up on this, but the story doesn't have any forward momentum, so there's no motivation to keep reading. I've been stuck at not quite halfway for almost 2 months. Time to admit it's a lost cause, and move on. :(
DNF @ 48%.
DNF @ 48%.
books-im-in
June 2, 2014I can't wait to share these guys with you. It feels like I've been carrying them with me forever.
October 25, 2014
Yes, I’m giving this book four stars, but I don’t know if I love it or hate it. Mostly, I think I love it? It was different from something I would normally pick up. I’ve not often read narratives of people slipping into a life of crime from a life of luxury. While it’s from a publishing press known for their romance and erotic titles, Gabriel’s City doesn’t fit into either of those categories (for all that Colin and Gabriel do end up together). If I had to fit it into a genre beyond fantasy, I’d label it something along the lines of “new adult fantasy.”
I enjoyed watching Colin become Gabriel’s Drake. Once I became engrossed, I didn’t register time passing as a I read. Both boys captured my attention. A few times, toward the end of the novel, I caught myself holding my breath. It’s not a pretty book, it’s violent and while not as graphic as it could be, it’s a bloody book. For all that I normally dislike that, it worked for Gabriel’s City.
I also enjoy that it is a queer novel where the queerness of either characters had nothing to do with the main elements of the narrative.
Without getting too into spoilers, I also enjoyed how their stories wove together and the boys became Gabriel and Drake of myth and whispered stories.
A few problems: I had trouble getting into the present tense voice of the novel. It does pick up a rhythm, but I felt like it was a bit slow starting. Secondly, I have mixed feelings over Gabriel’s mental health and his developing relationship with Colin/Drake. This is a bit spoilery, but when their relationship turned physical, I had the feeling that Gabriel would have done anything to keep Drake in his life. Although, I’m reasonably certain that isn’t the case. All said and done though, I feel like Gabriel’s mental health wasn’t played out as a trope.
I don’t normally add recommendations to the end of my reviews, but I’d suggest this to fans of Sarah Monette’s Mélusine and Lynn Flewelling’s Nightrunner books, although it’s not really a “read alike” of either series. I also feel that people who hated both of those series, but want a queer fantasy, would like this one.
I enjoyed watching Colin become Gabriel’s Drake. Once I became engrossed, I didn’t register time passing as a I read. Both boys captured my attention. A few times, toward the end of the novel, I caught myself holding my breath. It’s not a pretty book, it’s violent and while not as graphic as it could be, it’s a bloody book. For all that I normally dislike that, it worked for Gabriel’s City.
I also enjoy that it is a queer novel where the queerness of either characters had nothing to do with the main elements of the narrative.
Without getting too into spoilers, I also enjoyed how their stories wove together and the boys became Gabriel and Drake of myth and whispered stories.
A few problems: I had trouble getting into the present tense voice of the novel. It does pick up a rhythm, but I felt like it was a bit slow starting. Secondly, I have mixed feelings over Gabriel’s mental health and his developing relationship with Colin/Drake. This is a bit spoilery, but when their relationship turned physical, I had the feeling that Gabriel would have done anything to keep Drake in his life. Although, I’m reasonably certain that isn’t the case. All said and done though, I feel like Gabriel’s mental health wasn’t played out as a trope.
I don’t normally add recommendations to the end of my reviews, but I’d suggest this to fans of Sarah Monette’s Mélusine and Lynn Flewelling’s Nightrunner books, although it’s not really a “read alike” of either series. I also feel that people who hated both of those series, but want a queer fantasy, would like this one.
June 21, 2016
This is a strange and strangely beautiful story/fable set in an ugly, slavery-dependent world of highly divided classes and brutal retributions. The MCs are very young men from opposite sides of the rich man/poor man spectrum. The story is told in third-person present tense from the viewpoint of Colin/Drake, a spoiled and virtually clueless young noble who has never given much thought to how the other half lives, beyond slumming it a bit in gambling dens and gossiping with his equally clueless (albeit in some cases good-hearted) privileged friends. A series of unfortunate events, due to Colin's carelessly neglected gambling debts, lead to being on the lam on the wrong side of the tracks and being rescued, then saved and sheltered, by Gabriel, a notorious cutthroat who is also mentally fragile and often delusional. As Drake and Gabriel's precarious relationship develops they manage to save each other — body, heart, and soul — becoming an assassin team of mythic reputation. Does this sound sordid and nasty? Yes, but there's harsh beauty there as well, and even a dash of sweetness. The present tense voice gave this story a tense immediacy, and I was on edge through much of it and unsure how any form of a happy ending could be wrenched from this dark world. Not a perfect story, but one with a bit of magic and one that touched me in these oft-dark times.
September 2, 2014
This a a beautiful, multi-layered tale that truly has a little bit of everything: action, adventure, mystery, and romance. But more than anything, it is Gabriel and his characterization that gripped me and made me fall in love with this story.
**Contains spoilers**
Too often mental disorders--like schizophrenia--are romanticized or villainized in stories, the characters who have those traits never elevated beyond a set of stereotypes and troupes. This is NOT the case in Gabriel's City. Gabriel's condition is never specifically named, and it wouldn't be in the language or thinking of the time and world in which the story is set. Everyone thinks him mad or, if they are more compassionate towards him, "touched" and prone to flights of fantasy. But his portrayal is so wonderfully nuanced that he is presented as a fully realized character who happens to be schizophrenic, not a schizophrenic character. The difference may seem slight, but it is very important. Because Gabriel is a fully realized character and not a caricature of his disorder, the story as a whole speaks to the importance of perspective in understanding, and how even "flawed" perspectives hold truth and value. How perspective can change the world around you and the way you interact with it; the way others interact with it.
Watching Colin grow and change from a spoiled, entitled brat who was really rather unlikeable into a strong, intelligent man who thinks of more than just his own pleasure is satisfying, and he would not have undergone this transformation if not for his relationship with Gabriel. Gabriel, in both his moments of clarity and his moments of "madness," drives the story forward even though it is really Colin's journey.
Gabriel's City kept me on the edge of my seat, flipping pages and desperate to learn how it ended. There is a lot of action--theft and violence and knife play (so much knife play) and jail breaks--but there is also heart. It is engaging on so many levels, and will stick with you long after the end.
**Contains spoilers**
Too often mental disorders--like schizophrenia--are romanticized or villainized in stories, the characters who have those traits never elevated beyond a set of stereotypes and troupes. This is NOT the case in Gabriel's City. Gabriel's condition is never specifically named, and it wouldn't be in the language or thinking of the time and world in which the story is set. Everyone thinks him mad or, if they are more compassionate towards him, "touched" and prone to flights of fantasy. But his portrayal is so wonderfully nuanced that he is presented as a fully realized character who happens to be schizophrenic, not a schizophrenic character. The difference may seem slight, but it is very important. Because Gabriel is a fully realized character and not a caricature of his disorder, the story as a whole speaks to the importance of perspective in understanding, and how even "flawed" perspectives hold truth and value. How perspective can change the world around you and the way you interact with it; the way others interact with it.
Watching Colin grow and change from a spoiled, entitled brat who was really rather unlikeable into a strong, intelligent man who thinks of more than just his own pleasure is satisfying, and he would not have undergone this transformation if not for his relationship with Gabriel. Gabriel, in both his moments of clarity and his moments of "madness," drives the story forward even though it is really Colin's journey.
Gabriel's City kept me on the edge of my seat, flipping pages and desperate to learn how it ended. There is a lot of action--theft and violence and knife play (so much knife play) and jail breaks--but there is also heart. It is engaging on so many levels, and will stick with you long after the end.
November 3, 2014
I'd asked for steampunk recommendations, and Gabriel's City was suggested (though it is not in any way steampunk,really). I am so glad that I wound up with it though, because I loved it! The writing is exceptional, and the characters and plot are well thought out and and developed in a way that kept me engaged and intrigued.
Colin/Drake's change from a spoiled, rich kid to a street-tough 'dragon' could have easily been too rushed, but I thought the pacing was spot on. Gabriel was as much of an anti-hero as I've ever read, and I loved him for it.
This isn't a book for you if you're looking for characters who redeem themselves and turn from a life of crime.
Colin/Drake's change from a spoiled, rich kid to a street-tough 'dragon' could have easily been too rushed, but I thought the pacing was spot on. Gabriel was as much of an anti-hero as I've ever read, and I loved him for it.
This isn't a book for you if you're looking for characters who redeem themselves and turn from a life of crime.
April 27, 2019
I debated whether to give this book one or two stars, but ultimately the anxiety mixed with boredom this book instilled in me just won over any enjoyment I might have found in the last few chapters.
Mostly, this book made me realise how spoiled I am with the amount of warnings and tags that go on in my internet consumption and online reading, because this book has some serious dubious consent vibes and it stressed me very, very much. One of the protagonists, the titular Gabriel, suffers from some sort of mental illness, making him act and think in a rather fantastical, sometimes childish manner. Intimacy is something he seemingly never considered or tried and is not sure about at first and it can make some readers, me included, just very uncomfortable.
The story follows Colin, who for the most of the chapters is kind of unlikeable. He comes from a rich family and was spoiled his whole life, not to mention his gambling addiction that he doesn't really deal with at all. Through certain circumstances that mainly consist of him getting in deep debt with some rough people and throwing a tantrum over his father scolding him and running away from home, because he's so adult and responsible and can deal with his own problems, he gets involved with Gabriel who is a cutthroat for hire.
The biggest shock for him is that the captain of the guard prosecutes poor and rich alike for murder and he might get in deep trouble for breaking someone's skull. He realises that he can't go home and goes back to Gabriel who at this point assigned him a role of a lucky dragon. And I mean literally, as in his less lucid moments Gabriel 100% seem to believe Colin is a dragon in disguise.
For many many chapters nothing of note happens at all. Don't get me wrong, there's action almost all the time: stealing, fighting, hanging watching, gambling.... But nothing that has any consequences other than making the reader know the characters more. As Colin isn't really likeable until about 23rd chapter, it's not a great read.
The last, I want to say 5 chapters are really nice on the other hand, their well paced and give the reader a proper mix of action, fluff and background history and I enjoyed reading them greatly. But it was only the last few chapters and they couldn't save the book for me.
During the lecture, I have sent a friend a message "gr8 book if u kind of want both protags to die for ur own peace of mind" and it still probably stands as the best review I could have given this book.
Mostly, this book made me realise how spoiled I am with the amount of warnings and tags that go on in my internet consumption and online reading, because this book has some serious dubious consent vibes and it stressed me very, very much. One of the protagonists, the titular Gabriel, suffers from some sort of mental illness, making him act and think in a rather fantastical, sometimes childish manner. Intimacy is something he seemingly never considered or tried and is not sure about at first and it can make some readers, me included, just very uncomfortable.
The story follows Colin, who for the most of the chapters is kind of unlikeable. He comes from a rich family and was spoiled his whole life, not to mention his gambling addiction that he doesn't really deal with at all. Through certain circumstances that mainly consist of him getting in deep debt with some rough people and throwing a tantrum over his father scolding him and running away from home, because he's so adult and responsible and can deal with his own problems, he gets involved with Gabriel who is a cutthroat for hire.
The biggest shock for him is that the captain of the guard prosecutes poor and rich alike for murder and he might get in deep trouble for breaking someone's skull. He realises that he can't go home and goes back to Gabriel who at this point assigned him a role of a lucky dragon. And I mean literally, as in his less lucid moments Gabriel 100% seem to believe Colin is a dragon in disguise.
For many many chapters nothing of note happens at all. Don't get me wrong, there's action almost all the time: stealing, fighting, hanging watching, gambling.... But nothing that has any consequences other than making the reader know the characters more. As Colin isn't really likeable until about 23rd chapter, it's not a great read.
The last, I want to say 5 chapters are really nice on the other hand, their well paced and give the reader a proper mix of action, fluff and background history and I enjoyed reading them greatly. But it was only the last few chapters and they couldn't save the book for me.
During the lecture, I have sent a friend a message "gr8 book if u kind of want both protags to die for ur own peace of mind" and it still probably stands as the best review I could have given this book.
May 25, 2018
I finished this Wednesday evening and really enjoyed it, but I’m going to say upfront that it is NOT for everyone. It’s a surprisingly sweet story about a privileged kid who accidentally loses and then categorically rejects his privilege in favour of his new murderboyfriend with whom he lives happily ever after while doing terrible and deadly things to mostly terrible and deserving people.
cw: graphic violence and torture, although the torture is mostly off-screen and not lingered on. Murder. Slavery as background world building.
The worldbuilding is kind of shaky in places, but the characters and their interactions were wonderfully to my tastes. Colin is the son of a rich landowner who likes to go into the city and spend his money in the high-end casinos, flirt with the more scandalous corners of high society, and listen to salacious stories about cutthroats and criminals. And then he gets in over his head and finds himself in that world, taken in by Gabriel, the most notorious and notoriously unhinged cutthroat of them all.
Gabriel, still young himself, has lived on the streets since he was a child and is more than willing to use his wits, his knives, and his lack of much of a moral compass to survive.
And Gabriel is...not entirely sane. He has moments where he’s not entirely lucid, he sometimes has trouble discerning the truth from the stories he tells himself, and he often prefers the stories. And I really like that about him. I like that he is allowed to be mentally ill, and not in a family-friendly or comfortable way, but still have community and still find love. And love doesn’t cure him, and Colin falls in love with him knowing this, and doesn’t have any illusions about Gabriel when they begin sleeping together.
And then they kill some people for money, and other people try to kill them, so they kill some people for no money at all and live happily ever after. And I couldn’t put it down.
cw: graphic violence and torture, although the torture is mostly off-screen and not lingered on. Murder. Slavery as background world building.
The worldbuilding is kind of shaky in places, but the characters and their interactions were wonderfully to my tastes. Colin is the son of a rich landowner who likes to go into the city and spend his money in the high-end casinos, flirt with the more scandalous corners of high society, and listen to salacious stories about cutthroats and criminals. And then he gets in over his head and finds himself in that world, taken in by Gabriel, the most notorious and notoriously unhinged cutthroat of them all.
Gabriel, still young himself, has lived on the streets since he was a child and is more than willing to use his wits, his knives, and his lack of much of a moral compass to survive.
And Gabriel is...not entirely sane. He has moments where he’s not entirely lucid, he sometimes has trouble discerning the truth from the stories he tells himself, and he often prefers the stories. And I really like that about him. I like that he is allowed to be mentally ill, and not in a family-friendly or comfortable way, but still have community and still find love. And love doesn’t cure him, and Colin falls in love with him knowing this, and doesn’t have any illusions about Gabriel when they begin sleeping together.
And then they kill some people for money, and other people try to kill them, so they kill some people for no money at all and live happily ever after. And I couldn’t put it down.
May 24, 2017
Colin Harwood lived the typical life of a spoiled young aristocrat. He wants some excitement but his father will not allow it. He has no problem sneaking out through windows. When he steps in on a pub brawl to help save an outnumbered young man, Colin’s wish for excitement is granted. He finds himself drawn into the underbelly of his home city of Casmile.
Gabriel is practically a legend. A cutpurse and a knife for hire, Gabriel lives by his wits. He is a curious mix of fairy tale innocence and jaded survivor. When a dragon named Colin saves him, he wants to keep him.
Gabriel’s city is nothing like Colin’s and as he becomes deeply involved with Gabriel, Colin has choices to make. Does he stay as Gabriel’s dragon or return to life pampered life as an aristocrat?
Gabriel’s City was a fascinating tale. Gabriel was a unique individual, considered a legend by many. He had faith but was an assassin for hire. He had no problem dispatching anyone who deserved it and anyone who attacked him. He seemed very dark at times and quite a study in contrasts. When Colin came to his rescue when he was outnumbered, Gabriel called him his dragon and decided to keep him. Colin was used to a pampered life and found Gabriel fascinating. He stayed with him because he felt drawn to him. But Colin was not born to that life and soon he found conflict with both and was forced to make a decision. What one did he make? You will need to pick up Gabriel’s City to find out. There is so much in its pages – two very complex main characters, action on every page, and more than enough danger to satisfy all of us. If you relish MM stories with a touch of different, then this one is for you.
Gabriel is practically a legend. A cutpurse and a knife for hire, Gabriel lives by his wits. He is a curious mix of fairy tale innocence and jaded survivor. When a dragon named Colin saves him, he wants to keep him.
Gabriel’s city is nothing like Colin’s and as he becomes deeply involved with Gabriel, Colin has choices to make. Does he stay as Gabriel’s dragon or return to life pampered life as an aristocrat?
Gabriel’s City was a fascinating tale. Gabriel was a unique individual, considered a legend by many. He had faith but was an assassin for hire. He had no problem dispatching anyone who deserved it and anyone who attacked him. He seemed very dark at times and quite a study in contrasts. When Colin came to his rescue when he was outnumbered, Gabriel called him his dragon and decided to keep him. Colin was used to a pampered life and found Gabriel fascinating. He stayed with him because he felt drawn to him. But Colin was not born to that life and soon he found conflict with both and was forced to make a decision. What one did he make? You will need to pick up Gabriel’s City to find out. There is so much in its pages – two very complex main characters, action on every page, and more than enough danger to satisfy all of us. If you relish MM stories with a touch of different, then this one is for you.
August 21, 2019
Wow. This was just... Not for me.
One of the main characters, Gabriel, has a tenuous grasp on reality at best, and this is never addressed in any real capacity. There's just a hint of the magical disabled character trope, as well as some serious consent issues if he really thinks as he's portrayed here that are just never spoken of. Not to mention the prose is amateurish at best. I don't even remember why I bought this one or how it made its way onto my tbr, but off it goes. Yuck.
One of the main characters, Gabriel, has a tenuous grasp on reality at best, and this is never addressed in any real capacity. There's just a hint of the magical disabled character trope, as well as some serious consent issues if he really thinks as he's portrayed here that are just never spoken of. Not to mention the prose is amateurish at best. I don't even remember why I bought this one or how it made its way onto my tbr, but off it goes. Yuck.
March 22, 2017
This book had one of my favorite things in queer books with romantic elements. Can't tell you, though, it's spoilery.
November 17, 2014
Gabriel's City, Laylah Hunter
Review from jeannie zelos book reviews
This is a strange book to categorise. With the mention of Dragons I assumed Colin was going to be some kind of shifter, but was wrong. Then there’s the feel of it – its classed as NA and it has that definite air that it will appeal to that age group. Some NA transcend age groups and appeal to everyone, but this was one that’s very NA specific IMO. I enjoyed it but it’s not one I'd re read and not one I’d have been really sorry to miss.
Colin has a real change of personality over the course of the book, which starts when he becomes embroiled with Gabriel, who promptly names him Drake. That works well because Colin and Drake really are two very different people. The Dragon reference was confusing at first, but made sense once I understood Gabriel more, and fitted the story telling ( both the book and the stories told within it) perfectly. Gabriel – oh how sad I was for him, and yet he wasn’t sad for himself but had known no other way of life, abandoned in the cemetery at a really young age. He’s looked after himself since then, with only Deidre for a sort of friend. He looked upon Drake coming in to his life as a great gift. Deidre was so good to him, helping where she could and trying her best to keep him alive. Its easy to get moral about the killings, but it’s a rough world where its often kill or be killed. I loved how the connection between Drake and Gabriel grew slowly, developing at its own pace, not an insta love type romance.
Its a very different read to which I'm used to, a romance but also a story of how difficult life can be if you’re not born into the right class, and even if you are how easy it is to fall from favour. I loved that friendship and help was often found in unexpected places. Even the little details, the squalid room they lived in, the ratty blanket and worn clothes, catching pigeons ( and even rats) for food – it all gave that almost historical, underclass of people feel to the story, but the desolation that could have been in was lifted by Gabriel's way of looking at life and appreciating the small things, and his love for Drake. From someone who was so self contained he gave his whole heart over time, and was lost when he thought Drake would leave.
Stars: Its a fun read, and like I said, very outside my comfort zone. Its a Riptide publication and I've read and enjoyed so many of those that I simply didn’t check carefully enough to see what this story was about. I’m sure for YA/NA its a five star read but from this O(der) A its a three.
ARC supplied via Netgalley and Riptide.
Review from jeannie zelos book reviews
This is a strange book to categorise. With the mention of Dragons I assumed Colin was going to be some kind of shifter, but was wrong. Then there’s the feel of it – its classed as NA and it has that definite air that it will appeal to that age group. Some NA transcend age groups and appeal to everyone, but this was one that’s very NA specific IMO. I enjoyed it but it’s not one I'd re read and not one I’d have been really sorry to miss.
Colin has a real change of personality over the course of the book, which starts when he becomes embroiled with Gabriel, who promptly names him Drake. That works well because Colin and Drake really are two very different people. The Dragon reference was confusing at first, but made sense once I understood Gabriel more, and fitted the story telling ( both the book and the stories told within it) perfectly. Gabriel – oh how sad I was for him, and yet he wasn’t sad for himself but had known no other way of life, abandoned in the cemetery at a really young age. He’s looked after himself since then, with only Deidre for a sort of friend. He looked upon Drake coming in to his life as a great gift. Deidre was so good to him, helping where she could and trying her best to keep him alive. Its easy to get moral about the killings, but it’s a rough world where its often kill or be killed. I loved how the connection between Drake and Gabriel grew slowly, developing at its own pace, not an insta love type romance.
Its a very different read to which I'm used to, a romance but also a story of how difficult life can be if you’re not born into the right class, and even if you are how easy it is to fall from favour. I loved that friendship and help was often found in unexpected places. Even the little details, the squalid room they lived in, the ratty blanket and worn clothes, catching pigeons ( and even rats) for food – it all gave that almost historical, underclass of people feel to the story, but the desolation that could have been in was lifted by Gabriel's way of looking at life and appreciating the small things, and his love for Drake. From someone who was so self contained he gave his whole heart over time, and was lost when he thought Drake would leave.
Stars: Its a fun read, and like I said, very outside my comfort zone. Its a Riptide publication and I've read and enjoyed so many of those that I simply didn’t check carefully enough to see what this story was about. I’m sure for YA/NA its a five star read but from this O(der) A its a three.
ARC supplied via Netgalley and Riptide.
March 4, 2015
Let me praise the writing up to the sky. Hunter's writing was magical and it really took me from my reading place and introduced me the city of Casmile where everything seemed so much more exciting. There was no finery or socialite as Gabriel introduced Colin - or as he said, his Drake - to darker side of Casmile: the dark, gloomy streets. It was magical as Hunter's writing descriped everything yet so detailed but not boring at all. Also, she really knew her characters and I felt so lucky to witness how they both grew as a person and how much they taught to each other.
Technically Gabriel's City was a street thug romance. However, Hunter's writing, the plot and characters itself (mainly Colin and Gabriel) made the story seem so much more. It wasn't simply street thug romance as Colin learned that the priviledged life he had wasn't everything there was and while Gabriel learned some compassion and kindness from Colin. They made each other better in their own ways and it wasn't forced at all. Many times in romance genre it feels forced - there's a man and woman or man and man and they fall in love and things happen. Hunter did it differently. She told a story about two young men - whose life couldn't be more different, whose personalities were different. Practically everything in them was different from each other. During the story the romance aspect seemed to be more like a backround as it was there but it didn't consume the story and it's characters itself.
And Gabriel. Oh my, he's a character that stole my heart practically right away. Some could say he's a nutcase. I'd say he's edgy, interesting, spontanius, unpredictable, marvellous, nothing like I've ever had pleasure to meet. Gabriel's not good, per say, no - he's a street thug: he steals, lies and he's even killed. He's not even sorry for it. He might not sound good or anything like that and even while he's not, you just have to love him. If not because who he is, then because how he treats Colin. Gabriel's gentle and kind towards Colin and they keep each other safe and sound, well, as sade as you can be on Casmile's streets. He's not good but he's not heartless basteads either. Flawed human being, that's what Gabriel is.
Exceptional story with a magical writing and heart stealing characters. They won't give your heart back and eventually, you don't even want it back. Gabriel's City is a stunning story, don't miss it! I highly recommend it.
Technically Gabriel's City was a street thug romance. However, Hunter's writing, the plot and characters itself (mainly Colin and Gabriel) made the story seem so much more. It wasn't simply street thug romance as Colin learned that the priviledged life he had wasn't everything there was and while Gabriel learned some compassion and kindness from Colin. They made each other better in their own ways and it wasn't forced at all. Many times in romance genre it feels forced - there's a man and woman or man and man and they fall in love and things happen. Hunter did it differently. She told a story about two young men - whose life couldn't be more different, whose personalities were different. Practically everything in them was different from each other. During the story the romance aspect seemed to be more like a backround as it was there but it didn't consume the story and it's characters itself.
And Gabriel. Oh my, he's a character that stole my heart practically right away. Some could say he's a nutcase. I'd say he's edgy, interesting, spontanius, unpredictable, marvellous, nothing like I've ever had pleasure to meet. Gabriel's not good, per say, no - he's a street thug: he steals, lies and he's even killed. He's not even sorry for it. He might not sound good or anything like that and even while he's not, you just have to love him. If not because who he is, then because how he treats Colin. Gabriel's gentle and kind towards Colin and they keep each other safe and sound, well, as sade as you can be on Casmile's streets. He's not good but he's not heartless basteads either. Flawed human being, that's what Gabriel is.
Exceptional story with a magical writing and heart stealing characters. They won't give your heart back and eventually, you don't even want it back. Gabriel's City is a stunning story, don't miss it! I highly recommend it.
February 2, 2015
This review has been crossposted from my blog at The Cosy Dragon . Please head there for more in-depth reviews by me, which appear on a timely schedule.
Colin is a upper class boy with a gambling problem so bad that he can't go home, and is hunted through the streets. Gabriel is a touched boy who takes a shine to Colin. As Colin's old life slips away, it's Gabriel who will take that empty position.
The beginning was a bit of an annoyance for me. I didn't like the tense it was told in, and I felt like the background information could have been incorporated better. It's separated into three parts, across the seasons. Although this sounds like a logical order, it's not actually really related to the seasons. There are several main events.
Gabriel and Drake's tentative love for each other is both touching and realistic. You don't realize that Drake has any experience in this area until later in the novel. And Gabriel seems like he might have been abused, but he warms to Drake's tentative touch. This thread of romance isn't overdone, it's just the right amount.
Something that might make some people uncomfortable are the descriptions of sex in the novel, and the straightforward facts of whoring in the slums. I found them well written, without any cloying descriptions, and they actually add something to the characters.
As Colin (Drake) took on the persona more, the character naming was reflected to show that. The entirity of the text is written from Drake's perspective after all. This was a clever device used by the autho, and I really appreciated it. The transition was so smooth, that I had to double check the ending and beginning to make sure I hadn't gotten confused!
I sat still for several hours to read this. Once I got in, I couldn't get back out again. Amazing how a good author can produce such in-depth characters with a sense of pace that won't let you go.
It's amazing how much trouble two young men can get into when they set their minds to it. But they're both really good at their job, as bloody and messy as it is. I can't even blame Gabriel for being a bit... well, creepily interested in collecting body parts. Most of the targets they are set on deserved their treatment as far as I am concerned.
I was requested to read this novel, and was provided with an ARC. This was in electronic format, but I had such faith in the publishers that I opted to read it.
Colin is a upper class boy with a gambling problem so bad that he can't go home, and is hunted through the streets. Gabriel is a touched boy who takes a shine to Colin. As Colin's old life slips away, it's Gabriel who will take that empty position.
The beginning was a bit of an annoyance for me. I didn't like the tense it was told in, and I felt like the background information could have been incorporated better. It's separated into three parts, across the seasons. Although this sounds like a logical order, it's not actually really related to the seasons. There are several main events.
Gabriel and Drake's tentative love for each other is both touching and realistic. You don't realize that Drake has any experience in this area until later in the novel. And Gabriel seems like he might have been abused, but he warms to Drake's tentative touch. This thread of romance isn't overdone, it's just the right amount.
Something that might make some people uncomfortable are the descriptions of sex in the novel, and the straightforward facts of whoring in the slums. I found them well written, without any cloying descriptions, and they actually add something to the characters.
As Colin (Drake) took on the persona more, the character naming was reflected to show that. The entirity of the text is written from Drake's perspective after all. This was a clever device used by the autho, and I really appreciated it. The transition was so smooth, that I had to double check the ending and beginning to make sure I hadn't gotten confused!
I sat still for several hours to read this. Once I got in, I couldn't get back out again. Amazing how a good author can produce such in-depth characters with a sense of pace that won't let you go.
It's amazing how much trouble two young men can get into when they set their minds to it. But they're both really good at their job, as bloody and messy as it is. I can't even blame Gabriel for being a bit... well, creepily interested in collecting body parts. Most of the targets they are set on deserved their treatment as far as I am concerned.
I was requested to read this novel, and was provided with an ARC. This was in electronic format, but I had such faith in the publishers that I opted to read it.
August 11, 2015
Once again I got smitten by the artwork on a book cover and purchased the book and once again I've cracked the cliché: 'don't judge a book by it's cover' on its behind. So I ended up with not only another kick-ass book cover to gawk at but a kick-ass story that entertained me no end.
While no one is born a criminal, one can be born mentally defective, yes? This is not just a story about two thugs. How Colin got 'there' could be arguably but (Peter Panish but not quite) Gabriel was born to the life he grew up in. He truly knew no better except that to survive, he must defend himself from the true criminals and exploiters. Yet as fearless and fearsome as he is, Gabriel never once thought to be another Morgan or Barron. He does things to 'survive' not to live 'fancy' -poor thing wouldn't know how or why. He was that innocent. His life to him is quite normal.
Colin, on the other hand sort of just fell into Gabriel's world because he was a privileged, spoilt kid with too much time on his hands to get into needless trouble. Yet, he too has a sense of innocence dealing with Gabriel's world.
They stated out with a wary dependence on each other; grew to be each other's protector, lover. Yes, they are a pair of veritable terror but consider upon whom and when they unleash said terror.
Most interesting would be to see how they grow; after all they cannot forever remain 'circumstantiated criminals'. They are young now and free, but in 10, 20 years, what would've changed for them? Would they have come to any realizations about other choices they can make. Would they? I just cannot imagine there isn't going to be a book 2.
Super, super artwork on the cover that is actually reflective of the story. I can't count how many time I interrupt my reading to take another gander at them devilsh boys :).
Well thought out plot. Exemplary editing! Bloody fantastic writing! 10 stars. Well done Ms Hunter, well done!
While no one is born a criminal, one can be born mentally defective, yes? This is not just a story about two thugs. How Colin got 'there' could be arguably but (Peter Panish but not quite) Gabriel was born to the life he grew up in. He truly knew no better except that to survive, he must defend himself from the true criminals and exploiters. Yet as fearless and fearsome as he is, Gabriel never once thought to be another Morgan or Barron. He does things to 'survive' not to live 'fancy' -poor thing wouldn't know how or why. He was that innocent. His life to him is quite normal.
Colin, on the other hand sort of just fell into Gabriel's world because he was a privileged, spoilt kid with too much time on his hands to get into needless trouble. Yet, he too has a sense of innocence dealing with Gabriel's world.
They stated out with a wary dependence on each other; grew to be each other's protector, lover. Yes, they are a pair of veritable terror but consider upon whom and when they unleash said terror.
Most interesting would be to see how they grow; after all they cannot forever remain 'circumstantiated criminals'. They are young now and free, but in 10, 20 years, what would've changed for them? Would they have come to any realizations about other choices they can make. Would they? I just cannot imagine there isn't going to be a book 2.
Super, super artwork on the cover that is actually reflective of the story. I can't count how many time I interrupt my reading to take another gander at them devilsh boys :).
Well thought out plot. Exemplary editing! Bloody fantastic writing! 10 stars. Well done Ms Hunter, well done!
June 26, 2016
Quite different, this one. It’s basically a kind of coming-of-age story wherein the main POV character -- wealthy ne’er-do-well Colin – grows up not into a worthy man by society’s standards, but into a street thug after falling in with Gabriel, a notorious young cut-throat and thief with an unspecified mental disorder.
Based on that description alone, I would have loved to see these boys get up to no good (and get it up for each other!), but there’s something a little squicky about the whole thing. At the same time that Colin – who quickly comes to be known as Drake -- is learning all about How the Other Half Live, so to speak, he’s also taking sexual advantage. The author consciously attempts to frame Drake and Gabriel’s physical affair as fully consensual, and there’s no doubt that the two are mutual attracted to one another, but Gabriel is also painted as so sexually innocent and eager to please that it was hard to get past the idea that Drake is an abuser. These are both young men around 18 years old or so, but still: only one is altogether cognizant of the situation.
Nevertheless, one does route for them to get a happy ending of sorts. One wants to see them free from jail and from undue hardship; together, without Drake leaving Gabriel and returning to his pampered life as Colin the merchant’s son.
The titular city in and around which the story takes place is an interesting one, and just a little more world-building would have been welcome too.
So overall, I’m left ambivalent. This novel has some fantastic ideas, but falls a little short in execution.
** I received a Review Copy of this book via NetGalley **
Based on that description alone, I would have loved to see these boys get up to no good (and get it up for each other!), but there’s something a little squicky about the whole thing. At the same time that Colin – who quickly comes to be known as Drake -- is learning all about How the Other Half Live, so to speak, he’s also taking sexual advantage. The author consciously attempts to frame Drake and Gabriel’s physical affair as fully consensual, and there’s no doubt that the two are mutual attracted to one another, but Gabriel is also painted as so sexually innocent and eager to please that it was hard to get past the idea that Drake is an abuser. These are both young men around 18 years old or so, but still: only one is altogether cognizant of the situation.
Nevertheless, one does route for them to get a happy ending of sorts. One wants to see them free from jail and from undue hardship; together, without Drake leaving Gabriel and returning to his pampered life as Colin the merchant’s son.
The titular city in and around which the story takes place is an interesting one, and just a little more world-building would have been welcome too.
So overall, I’m left ambivalent. This novel has some fantastic ideas, but falls a little short in execution.
** I received a Review Copy of this book via NetGalley **
March 5, 2016
I picked this up on recommendation, and enjoyed it even more than I expected to.
The worldbuilding is solid. Casmile has a flavor, and I ended up with an idea of the geography as defined by waterfront and bad neighborhoods, of climate and food. It works even better on a human level, with details about how cultures and classes interact in the city.
The characters are where it really shines: Colin/Drake has a gambling problem, and it does not go away even when his circumstances change, and it shows through even though it's Drake telling the story, and he wouldn't characterize it as a problem. The shift in identity from Colin to Drake was in itself fascinating, and indicative of one of the things I really loved about Gabriel's City: Drake is addicted to stories, from the gossip he searches out at dinner to the fairy tales he tells Gabriel in private to the narrative of a dragon he takes refuge in to get through fights. He worries about Gabriel buying too deeply into stories, but prolonged exposure to him gives Drake more faith in their power.
The pacing was just right - I got lost in it, and kept wanting to know what happened next, and spent a whole morning in bed reading on my phone.
The worldbuilding is solid. Casmile has a flavor, and I ended up with an idea of the geography as defined by waterfront and bad neighborhoods, of climate and food. It works even better on a human level, with details about how cultures and classes interact in the city.
The characters are where it really shines: Colin/Drake has a gambling problem, and it does not go away even when his circumstances change, and it shows through even though it's Drake telling the story, and he wouldn't characterize it as a problem. The shift in identity from Colin to Drake was in itself fascinating, and indicative of one of the things I really loved about Gabriel's City: Drake is addicted to stories, from the gossip he searches out at dinner to the fairy tales he tells Gabriel in private to the narrative of a dragon he takes refuge in to get through fights. He worries about Gabriel buying too deeply into stories, but prolonged exposure to him gives Drake more faith in their power.
The pacing was just right - I got lost in it, and kept wanting to know what happened next, and spent a whole morning in bed reading on my phone.
November 15, 2014
I got my copy in the mail a bit early - which was an awesome surprise for me this week - and thoroughly enjoyed every minute I spent reading it. Gabriel's City includes a beautifully flowing narrative and engaging characters, but most of all I loved all of the glimpses into how much worldbuilding took place in developing Casmile and the world around it. Encountering subtle cues into the nature of the world's history, varied theology, social politics, and - oh yes - the darker aspects of its vices made the characters that much more easy to relate to, for all that I felt that Colin was an absolute brat at first and Gabriel a force of pure chaos. Over time, both main characters grew heavily on me, and while I was able to spot some of the plot devices coming, I enjoyed seeing how things played out and how they responded to what was thrown at them. Many of the minor characters, Dierdre and Westfall in particular, were just as interesting for their varied facets and for how they brought a new element to play in both the city and the story. I sincerely hope that this is not the only tale that Hunter has to tell of Casmile.
October 10, 2015
i went to lgbt romance meet up, where i found this title. Now, why does this book not show up on my main feeds in amazon or at good reads? makes me really question the 'recommend' filters these places have. this book totally fits my bill. not knowing the author, i did not know what to expect. it was unexpectedly enthralling. the story avoids cliche plot twists, so i was never quite sure of what would happen to the main characters. who, by the way, i got quickly invested in. the romance never gets overly sticky or cutesy, the characters are too grounded in the struggles to stay safe. The violence never exploitative or used as cheap substitute for suspense, i found the tension-release of the story arcs subtle and skillful. there is also the tale within the tale, which creates a lovely blur between 'is it real magic?, or just magical thinking?' from one of the main characters. in a genre that has many scripted predictable plot lines, this author brings a unique turn of a tale. hope more stories happen in this realm or to these characters!
April 11, 2015
I kind of loved this against my will. These two little psychopaths should be on that show The World's Child Killers where their reign of terror is revealed. Yet, the author managed to separate out their dirty deeds which they only did to earn money and stay alive (when they weren't killing people for revenge) and OMG, how filthy they must have been 24/7. It's kind of a co-dependent relationship with Gabriel keeping "Drake" alive in the city and showing him the tricks, while Drake manages their money and makes sure they have fuel, the rent is paid and that when Gabriel goes into his psychotic breaks that he takes care of him. There is much wanton violence which should have made them revolting "heroes", yet I was cheering for them to get away. So I'm very conflicted. I feel like the upstanding law-abiding citizen in me should have been horrified, but the romantic in me was firmly on their side. Sigh. But I couldn't stop reading and I enjoyed every minute of it.
March 16, 2016
this was such a good book. colin's character development was so thought out and despite the changes he goes through, there are still hints of colin within drake and god, it was just so good. gabriel was such an intriguing character and i loved that whatever he was going through was never romanticized or made into some fantastical thing, but instead was written like he was just a kid with some type of mental illness.
one problem i had was the ambiguity of colin/drake and gabriel's ages. like i know in the story, ages aren't very important and gabriel had other things on his mind than how old he was but the constant referral to gabriel as a boy and colin/drake as a hulk of a man kinda put me off. but that was my only problem with the book and otherwise this is very good book to read!!
one problem i had was the ambiguity of colin/drake and gabriel's ages. like i know in the story, ages aren't very important and gabriel had other things on his mind than how old he was but the constant referral to gabriel as a boy and colin/drake as a hulk of a man kinda put me off. but that was my only problem with the book and otherwise this is very good book to read!!
March 24, 2015
I went into Gabriel's City not knowing quite what to expect, but I ended up loving it. It was hard for me to put down, since I always wanted to know where Colin/Drake would end up next.
As for Colin/Drake himself, I found the development of his identity to be one of the most interesting things about the story. His transformation is well-paced and believable, and executed masterfully, even down to where the narration changes from referring to him as Colin to referring to him as Drake.
Overall, I really enjoyed this book and I'm looking forward to reading more by Laylah Hunter in the future!
As for Colin/Drake himself, I found the development of his identity to be one of the most interesting things about the story. His transformation is well-paced and believable, and executed masterfully, even down to where the narration changes from referring to him as Colin to referring to him as Drake.
Overall, I really enjoyed this book and I'm looking forward to reading more by Laylah Hunter in the future!
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
November 24, 2014
I'd give this book a 3.5. I wanted to like this book much more than I did, since the writing is great. However, it turns out that something about the type of casual violence (digging out eyes) and Gabriel's different mental state really squicked me...This is the sort of book that I would have loved when I was younger- the violence wouldn't have bothered me as much and Colin anchoring Gabriel through friendship&love would have seemed more romantic than it does to me now.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
June 27, 2015
I wish Goodreads allowed half star ratings-this is a three and a half star book. it was good to read about a mentally ill character who is not healed by love but steadied by it.
a slow boil but a satisfying one.
a slow boil but a satisfying one.
November 20, 2014
3.5 rounded up.
November 30, 2014
Not at all what I was expecting based on the book blurb, but damn if I wasn't pleasantly surprised.
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November 20, 2014This book was read and reviewed by Elizabetta for Love Bytes Reviews.
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