The Monstrous Citadel

Chronicles of Amicae #2

by Mirah Bolender

The Monstrous Citadel is the sequel to Mirah Bolender's City of Broken Magic--a fast-paced, adventure fantasy where a bomb squad defuses the magic weapons of a long forgotten war.

Amicae, City of Sweepers, survived the Falling Infestation which nearly destroyed it thanks to the efforts of Laura and Okane. While the ancient monsters have been beaten back for the moment, new and more monstrous dangers face them in the form of belligerent bureaucracy, dangerous gangs, grasping Sweepers bent on personal glory . . .

And Rex, the City of Kings, who breed their own kind of monstrosity.

Laura and Okane must go to Rex to reclaim the secret weaponry that keeps Amicae safe and come face to face with a horrifying truth about the Rex and their designs on all of Orien's cities.

Chronicles of Amicae
City of Broken Magic
The Monstrous Citadel

Genres: Fantasy, Fiction

416 pages, Paperback

First published November 5, 2019

About the author

Mirah Bolender graduated from college with majors in creative writing and art in May 2014. A lifelong traveler, she has traveled and studied overseas, most notably in Japan, and these experiences are reflected in her work. City of Broken Magic is her debut fantasy novel.

Reviews

[Annemieke / A Dance with Books · Rating 4 out of 5]

Thank you to Tor and Desirae Friesen for the review copy in exchange for an honest review. This does not change my opinion in anyway.

TW: Slavery | Breeding Machines

A few years ago I read The City of Broken Magic and at the time was quite charmed by this fantasy book where infestations of magic were a danger to the general public. It took a while but I finally read the sequel. The Monstrous Citadel is a very different kind of book, but that is not nessecarily a bad thing.

Laura and Okane saved the city at the end of the first book at great risk of their own lives and by losing their head sweeper, leader and friend Clae. But the council isn't exactly grateful and the citizens wonder who will pay for damages. The only one stepping up for them is a mob which is not something you want to happen.

Laura has to fill in the emty spot that Clae left behind but doesn't know how to do that. She wasn't really ready for that position yet at the start of this book. Filled with grief, too focused on how to be Clae, too busy stepping through a minefield. Enter a foreign sweeper Juliana taking the head position.

The plot of betrayal from the foreign sweeper is obvious and in everyone's face. It was meant to be. The real story is running underneath that plot. Laura and Okane's relationship. Laura becoming a leader. Learning more about Rex. Okane's past. Creating new allies. Don't look at the surface story because there is nothing surprising there. But underneath is where the heart really is.

Laura and Okane's relationship develops further in this story. They are pushed together as the only sweepers left, with their grief. They only have eachother to depend on when it comes to Clae's secret. Laura shares everything with Okane. Okane doesn't always recuperate that. Because saying things out loud means it becomes real, and he doesn't always want to deal with that reality. It is kind of heartbreaking. More than ever I just want to hug our Okane. Luckily Laura takes good care of him. I loved how they referred to themselves as mini-clae's at some point.

I also loved the allies that they make throughout the story. The two rangers they help with a job, a priest who they helped save the church, the inspector who learns it all. Their kindness and being who they are reached out despite all the rumors flying around about them at the time. Especially the two rangers are an interesting addition considering who one of them is.

While the main story is wrapped up here there is still a LOT that isn't that I am expecting to be seeing in the ending installment. And I can't wait to read it.

The Monstrous Citadel dives deeper into our characters and the world of Orien, creating a heart felt story in the midst of adventure.

[Valerie - Cats Luv Coffee Book Reviews · Rating 3 out of 5]

Having read City of Broken Magic, of course, I wanted to pick up #2, The Monstrous Citadel!

What I liked:
Great characters
Pugnacious protagonist
Fast paced and full of action

What didn't work for me:
I was surprised at how political The Monstrous Citadel was
The inability of Okane to say "you". I'm not sure I understand it and it made for a weird read.
Too much going on and not enough "flashbacking" to further comprehension

[Cheyann · Rating 4 out of 5]

4.25 AAAAAAAAAHHHHHHHHHHHHH!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[Ashley · Rating 4 out of 5]

Book 3 now, please? I need it.

[Tim Hicks · Rating 3 out of 5]

Bolender's going to be very good but isn't quite there yet.

This continues from #1 very nicely. Yes, you should read #1 first.

Laura is a standard Plucky Girl, so if you've already had too many of those lately, maybe read this another time. But she is a better-than-average PG.

Overall, the plot's pretty good and there's plenty of action. There are more good people than in many such novels, and I liked that.

I liked the development on what Grim is.

There are too many distractions, though. I tend to focus on those.

The character of Rex and its people is over the top; so is Juliana, who should have a mustache to twirl.

Cherry & Grim, how convenient and how abrupt that they appeared when they did.

And as Laura flees Rex, who should they meet but ... at least there is an attempt to explain it this time.

Clae and Anselm seem to vary in weight a lot.

Eggs and Bijou seem to be unpredictable in efficacy, and why is Bijou the plural of Bijou.

[Liz (Quirky Cat) · Rating 5 out of 5]

I received a copy of The Monstrous Citadel through NetGalley in exchange for a fair and honest review.

The Monstrous Citadel is the second novel in the Chronicles of Amicae series by Mirah Bolender. And I honestly can’t think of a series that has captivated me more through its fascinating world and set of characters.
Amicae is a city full of hubris, and it was nearly their downfall. In a world where infestations are commonplace, they believed themselves to be above it all. Until they were proven just how painfully wrong they were.
That was months ago. Now Laura and Okane are left to pick up the pieces and clean up the city. Following the events o the major disaster, you’d think that it would be easier to get aid from the city. But when it comes to politics, nothing is ever as easy as it seems.
Worse, there’s more than one city on the move with their political scheme. And while our beloved Sweepers are down a member, it seems like there are more players on the field than ever before.

“The friendly city of Amicae descended into chaos following a massive infestation. Amicae has long believed that infestations cannot penetrate their city walls, but these delusions were rudely swept away on November 5th by a damaged Put and ensuing swarm.”

I’ve been looking forward to The Monstrous Citadel from the moment I read the last page of City of Broken Magic. This was a series that got into my brain and wouldn’t let go. So, naturally, my expectations for this novel were quite high. How did it fair, in comparison? It blew my expectations out of the water.
The Monstrous Citadel is a whirlwind of a read – it’s fast-paced and full of surprising turns and twists. Mirah Bolender added a whole bunch of new elements to her second novel in the series, and it further enhanced the world I’ve come to love reading about.
Adding a few more layers of politics was a brilliant call. Suddenly we’re seeing more of the other cities and their desires, plus the people they tend to create. And let’s not forget about the mobsters. Because for a moment there, I nearly did. I shouldn’t have been surprised by their activities, given their large presence in the end of City of Broken Magic. I’m glad that Bolender didn’t let that subplot drop. That she is, in fact, building it up even further.
As for the main characters in this novel? I’ve always adored Laura. She’s passionate and confident in ways that she won’t ever give herself credit for. And it’s been a blast reading about her escapades. While I am still mourning what happened to Clae, I found myself falling in love with Okane in this book. Before he was an interesting side character. But over the course of this novel he became something more, and I’m actively looking forward to seeing more of his story.
So, once again I’m finding myself in a particular situation. I loved The Monstrous Citadel, and want nothing more but to continue reading. But the book is over. So now I have to wait for news on the next novel in the series – and I’ll take any little scrap at this point!

For more reviews check out Quirky Cat's Fat Stacks

[Shane Jardine · Rating 5 out of 5]

Originally posted at www.archeddoorway.com

I feel like I’ve been in a bit of a reading rut lately and struggling to find anything new to really get into so I was pretty excited to receive this book in the mail. The second book in the Chronicles of Amicae by Mirah Bolender, The Monstrous Citadel was a fun and fast-paced read full of so much action and intrigue that I felt like I was sitting on the edge of my seat all night long. This was yet another story that kept me up well past my bedtime because every chapter left me wanting to know what was going to happen next.

Out of all the books I reviewed last year I think I can honestly say City of Broken Magic was easily one of the weirdest and best books I had the pleasure of reading. I was honestly a bit worried going into this book that it wasn’t going to be as good as City of Broken Magic or that it would fail to meet my expectations. So I was pleasantly surprised when The Monstrous Citadel not only met all of those expectations but blew them all out of the water. Mirah Bolender took everything that made the first book in this series so great and somehow managed to expand and improve upon it all.

I honestly did not expect this book to get as political as it did but I think those politics added a whole new interesting layer to the story. I loved learning more about the other cities in the world and getting a look at how they manage infestations in places other than Amicae. Laura and Okane were as fun and awesome to read about as they were in the first book and I loved watching their friendship grow and expand throughout the book. I’m even more impressed with Mirah Bolender’s world and character building in The Monstrous Citadel than I was with the first book in the series.

I can’t really think of anything in this book that I really disliked and I can’t wait to buy the audiobook in the next few days so that I can experience the story again in a new medium. I would have no hesitation recommending this book to anyone looking for something new to read, though I would highly recommend that anyone interested in this book read City of Broken Magic first so that they aren’t lost or confused.

I received a free copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

[Anne - Books of My Heart · Rating 4 out of 5]

This review was originally posted on Books of My Heart
 

Review copy was received from NetGalley. This does not affect my opinion of the book or the content of my review.

I really enjoyed City of Broken Magic and somehow missed the release of the next book in the Chronicles of Amicae series.   So luckily when Tor offered me the third book, they also allowed me a review copy of The Monstrous Citadel.    It took a little to get started after the time lapse but the pace was quick and I was easily on board.

Laura is still our view into this story and world.   She has been a Sweeper for less than a year and has had so many challenges.  I appreciate how strong she is, even with the crazy danger thrown at her.   She and Okane are the only Sweepers now until the new head Sweeper, Juliana is named.  Unfortunately, Juliana is more interested in her press than the actual quality of her work.  Laura and Okane are right to be cautious with her and her brother.

The new head sweeper does what she can do get rid of Laura and Okane so she can have things her own way.  They discover some of her lies and set about fixing the problems.  The fixing leads them to Rex where they are in even more danger. Their planning leaves much to be desired as it is nonexistent. The harrowing rescue there wouldn't be possible without their new found allies.  Like all great urban fantasy heroes, Laura is building a band of misfits to help her fight for what is right with intelligence and compassion.  Rex has always tried to enslave other cities and now they have their sights on Amicae.

The Monstrous Citadel is a bit long and the next book,  Fortress of Magi is a bit shorter than the average 300 some pages.  I enjoyed learning more about the different magics in the world and hope Laura and her friends can catch a break as I read more.

 

[Lisa Hoang · Rating 3 out of 5]

Solid 3.5 stars. As infuriating as the first book. MC Laura had a somewhat decent conclusion in the first book. Unfortunately, that didn't last long. After riots break out in the walled city for transparency about the Falling Infestation. Already vulnerable, the press gleefully documents Laura's rise to the position of Head Sweeper after the events of the first book and the smear campaign that follows to remove her from her newly gained position. Apparently, it's business as usual for the Council. With few allies in the city, Laura and her co-worker/friend Okane are overworked and verbally beaten down for their tactics for removing infestations. Yes, there was property damage, but did you die? One my main frustrations with this book, is how willfully blind the citizens and the Council are to the fact that infestations are getting worse and yet, purposefully handicapping the only two Sweepers in the entire city. My other gripe about this book is how much plot armor Laura seems to have. She's only been a sweeper for less than a year, but manages okay. That's not the issue. The issue is from her mindset. She is not like Clyde, the previous head Sweeper. She's overly confident and does things without thinking. Who the hell sneaks into a military city to retrieve their supplies of infestation fighting tools WITHOUT A PLAN? The plot armor is too thick with this one. I have to give credit to Bolender for creating an interesting world with multi-faceted characters, flawed as they are. This series should have been categorized as a YA series, because of the characters' ages, but also her thought process. She's clever, but much like the sheeple in her city, at times she can be willfully blind to her own mortality. And yet, I'm looking forward to reading the third book.

[Rosie Rizk · Rating 3 out of 5]

Solve one problem, save the city from its greedy and neglectful leaders, but don't expect any thanks. Just be thankful that you're needed desperately enough to be irreplaceable, and thus, only knocked off your pedestal with your name dragged through the dust.

Laura and Okane saved their city, but in an effort to save their own skins, their political leaders hired someone else to take the credit and look good for the press. With both her new boss and the mobs hounding her, Laura has to avoid being framed or killed, all while trying to keep her city safe, and trying to figure out everyone's agendas and rotten schemes. Plus, there are still monsters to fight.

The world and magic are just as unique and interesting as they were in the first book. I wish there was a better summary of how it all worked, because it's been a long time since I've read the first book.

There's a lot of non-stop action and new world building. I miss Clae though. None of the other characters can hold a candle to his unique brand of brutally honest criticism and brash manner. He was able to overcome every obstacle in his path. Laura is a good person, but I really miss Clae. There were some good villains here instead to somewhat make up for him.

A lot of action and explosive magic.

[Florence · Rating 5 out of 5]

Have truly been enjoying these past two books, and I have got to say the SATISFACTION that was this books end?! *chef's kiss* I have been listening to these on audible, and normally when I listen to audible it is when I am going to bed and I fall asleep to it, but these books got me so into the story and characters that I COULDN'T fall asleep to them.. sooo I did a little rethinking and switching around and began listening to them while I do chores/clean - instead of listening to music like I always do. THAT is how much I enjoyed them; more than music. The story has just enough facets and character development to be realistic yet enchanting, and the story pace - much like a song - goes quickly then slows to wonderful melancholic tunes, giving you some respite and MORE character development, before grabbing your hand and dashing after another adventure with glorious fervor, glowing egg in hand, and magic running through its veins. I know it isn't everyone's cup of tea, but those who dismiss this book I worry may have simply been in a monster's trance while they read it, never realizing their search for The Spinner had brought them to a trap, and the broken amulet before them contain no god, but a Kaiju awaiting its next feast.

[Skyler Gallagher-Gray · Rating 3 out of 5]

My qualms with the previous novel have mostly been fixed in the second installment of this series. Though I would still steer clear of the blurbs. This book was faster paced, and while the plot still felt meandering, it didn't feel like the 2nd book of a trilogy. It expanded upon most everything from the first book, we got to see new cities and new people, more magic, and we got more time with Okane. He really flourished in this novel and I love him even more than I did in the first book. It seems like the author is going for a very slow burn for Laura and Okane and I am here for it. Both Julianna and Rex as a whole feel kind of mustache twirly but I still had a fantastic time. I'm not giving it 4 stars like the previous but that's mostly because a lot of the moments felt unrealistic. People and solutions would appear at just the moment Laura and Okane needed them. I guess you could argue that Okane really *is* lucky haha. The sexism was better handled this round imo, I think it helped a lot to have other women comment on it instead of it just being Laura. Overall, a solid 2nd book and I'm excited to finish the series. I still miss Clae.

[Mike · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was very good and it's a bit tough to follow.
The magic system is very unique, which also makes it hard to remember.
I don't really understand how the magic and the liquid magic stopped the monsters.
Also, it's named after an event that happens pretty early in the book, I was expecting the title to be more of a solid world shattering event, and while it's a really good sequence it's not really the center event that you're expect from the title.
But I also understand it can't really have any other title without spoiling things.
Overall, good book, but a bit weird.

[Elena · Rating 3 out of 5]

Someone once described the first book as a sort-of video game type and that’s like the best description I could make for it too.
I really enjoy how while the big plot of infestations and Rex is still there, there are small ‘missions’ in between until finally the big mission comes forward.
The ‘action scenes’ can really keep you on edge as there’s so much going on.
Also, I really love okane’s and Laura’s relationship
However, there are moments when the plot does it kinda slow but when it picks up.. it gets really good

[23hliesch · Rating 5 out of 5]

I finally finished it!
At first I wasn't sure if I liked it as much as the first one, but the first half of it was just setting up the second half. The second half of the book was a lot more exciting and I was interested in learning more about the characters and the antagonists.
I really like the way the different characters use Gin/Kin to do magical stuff or fight. For example: the kin bullets and the kin dagger.
The idea of the infestations thinking to themselves at the end of the book is pretty creepy.

[Matt · Rating 5 out of 5]

The best kind of action-fueled fantasy romp. There's treachery, derring-do, and the mysteries of the world'd magic begin to further unfurl without burdensome formulae that make you feel as if an engineering degree is required. Laura Kramer is the kind of scrappy heroine we need all the time.
If you want a middle chapter of an action series that promises some sheer insanity in a continuing story arc - Bolender delivers in the best way.

[Groucho42 · Rating 2 out of 5]

Thoroughly mediocre. A building only Laura and Okane can enter, but anyone can enter. Mobs that are thoroughly messed up. The cartoonish evil of Rex and cartoonish evil of Juliana. The basic plot is Julianna is a liar and steals the brotherly crystal carcasses, Laura & Okana must go on nonsensical adventures to save the city. Almost made it to three-stars, but I just couldn't do it as I had to skim so much to finish the book.

[Brittany · Rating 5 out of 5]

I don’t think this series gets enough attention. It’s just a good blend of everything. From a city that welcomes all to a city that thinks they are superior to everyone and tries to enslave or murder those deemed of weaker blood.

Monsters. Magic. Rangers. Loyalty. Family. Friendship. Courage. Backstabbing. Mobs. Redemption. Mystery.

It’s just perfection.

[Amanda · Rating 3 out of 5]

2.5 stars

[Julia · Rating 4 out of 5]

Cliff hanger???

[Emily Posthumus · Rating 3 out of 5]

I found that this book was a lot harder to get into than the first one. The characters didn't seem as compelling either. I'm still looking forward to the finale though!

[Peter Lorensen · Rating 5 out of 5]

Great book and followup on the first in the series.

[Charles Cohen · Rating 4 out of 5]

Really enjoying the expansion of this world.

[Todd Lucht · Rating 3 out of 5]

Had an issue with the pacing, felt like the plot just needed a little space to breathe. Events seemed frenetic and bled into each other.