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City of Villains #1
City of Villains
Disney’s Villains meet Gotham in this gritty fairy tale-inspired crime series.
Mary Elizabeth Heart is a high school senior by day, but by night she’s an intern at the Monarch City police department. She watches with envy from behind a desk as detectives come and go, trying to contain the city’s growing crime rate. For years, tension has simmered between the city’s wealthy elite, and their plans to gentrify the decaying neighborhood called the Scar—once upon a time the epicenter of all things magic.
When the daughter of one of the city’s most powerful businessmen goes missing, Mary Elizabeth is thrilled when the Chief actually puts her on the case. But what begins as one missing person’s report soon multiplies, leading her down the rabbit hole of a city in turmoil. There she finds a girl with horns, a boyfriend with secrets, and what seems to be a sea monster lurking in a poison lake. As the mystery circles closer to home, Mary finds herself caught in the fight between those who once had magic, and those who will do anything to bring it back.
This dark and edgy YA series explores the reimagined origins of Maleficent, Ursula, Captain Hook, and other infamous Disney Villains like you’ve never seen before.
Mary Elizabeth Heart is a high school senior by day, but by night she’s an intern at the Monarch City police department. She watches with envy from behind a desk as detectives come and go, trying to contain the city’s growing crime rate. For years, tension has simmered between the city’s wealthy elite, and their plans to gentrify the decaying neighborhood called the Scar—once upon a time the epicenter of all things magic.
When the daughter of one of the city’s most powerful businessmen goes missing, Mary Elizabeth is thrilled when the Chief actually puts her on the case. But what begins as one missing person’s report soon multiplies, leading her down the rabbit hole of a city in turmoil. There she finds a girl with horns, a boyfriend with secrets, and what seems to be a sea monster lurking in a poison lake. As the mystery circles closer to home, Mary finds herself caught in the fight between those who once had magic, and those who will do anything to bring it back.
This dark and edgy YA series explores the reimagined origins of Maleficent, Ursula, Captain Hook, and other infamous Disney Villains like you’ve never seen before.
240 pages, Hardcover
First published February 2, 2021
147 people are currently reading
4709 people want to read
About the author
Estelle Laure
16 books583 followersEstelle Laure is a Vonnegut worshipper who believes in love and magic and the power of facing hard truths. She has a BA in Theater Arts from New Mexico State University and an MFA in Writing for Children and Young Adults from Vermont College of Fine Arts, and thinks everyone should have to wait tables or work in a kitchen at least once in their lives. She lives in Taos, New Mexico with her children.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 394 reviews
July 22, 2022
**2.5-stars rounded up**
City of Villains is the first installment of a new Fairy Tale-inspired Crime series published by Disney Books.
Our protagonist is Mary Elizabeth, a teenage girl living within the Scar, an area where magic once thrived, but now no longer exists.
After her family was killed, Mary's main goal became to one day become a police officer; she wants to help protect others. In addition to her schooling, Mary currently interns for the Monarch City Police Department.
While her main duties at the station involve paperwork, when a classmate of hers, Mally Saint, disappears, the Chief actually assigns her to the case, partnering her with a young detective, Bella.
Mary is over the moon to finally have the chance to prove to the Chief what she can do. She sees this as her opportunity to seal a position within the department for after she finishes school.
Mary and Bella begin their investigation, but instead of gaining any clarity, the mystery only gets deeper.
After Mary's best friend, Ursula, disappears as well, Mary knows something more sinister is happening than just kids running away from the Scar, but who will believe her!?
Even though I wanted to get to the bottom of the disappearances, the writing and overall plot of this story were a little basic for my tastes.
I think this could have used another round of editing, perhaps cutting out some of the romantic aspects, changing Mary's age, and allowing this to fall more into a higher Middle Grade, or Tween, category.
I just personally feel it is a better fit within that space than in YA; and that's okay!
Tweens and Middle Graders deserve great stories as well!
I did like the appearance of some of my favorite Disney characters, Maleficent, Ursula and Captain Hook, in teen-form.
Overall, I think this is a solid premise for a series and I would be interested in picking up the second book. I'm not entirely sure where it will go from here, but I would like to find out.
Thank you so much to the publisher, Disney Books, for providing me with a copy of this to read and review. I appreciate the opportunity!
City of Villains is the first installment of a new Fairy Tale-inspired Crime series published by Disney Books.
Our protagonist is Mary Elizabeth, a teenage girl living within the Scar, an area where magic once thrived, but now no longer exists.
After her family was killed, Mary's main goal became to one day become a police officer; she wants to help protect others. In addition to her schooling, Mary currently interns for the Monarch City Police Department.
While her main duties at the station involve paperwork, when a classmate of hers, Mally Saint, disappears, the Chief actually assigns her to the case, partnering her with a young detective, Bella.
Mary is over the moon to finally have the chance to prove to the Chief what she can do. She sees this as her opportunity to seal a position within the department for after she finishes school.
Mary and Bella begin their investigation, but instead of gaining any clarity, the mystery only gets deeper.
After Mary's best friend, Ursula, disappears as well, Mary knows something more sinister is happening than just kids running away from the Scar, but who will believe her!?
Even though I wanted to get to the bottom of the disappearances, the writing and overall plot of this story were a little basic for my tastes.
I think this could have used another round of editing, perhaps cutting out some of the romantic aspects, changing Mary's age, and allowing this to fall more into a higher Middle Grade, or Tween, category.
I just personally feel it is a better fit within that space than in YA; and that's okay!
Tweens and Middle Graders deserve great stories as well!
I did like the appearance of some of my favorite Disney characters, Maleficent, Ursula and Captain Hook, in teen-form.
Overall, I think this is a solid premise for a series and I would be interested in picking up the second book. I'm not entirely sure where it will go from here, but I would like to find out.
Thank you so much to the publisher, Disney Books, for providing me with a copy of this to read and review. I appreciate the opportunity!
December 19, 2020
This might be a case of mismatched reader and book. City of Villains is billed as YA but reads more like a MG novel, in my opinion. The idea behind this book is extremely clever, and while the book felt geared at a much younger crowd than I was expecting, it's quite a fast paced read, and one I'm definitely going to pass on to my daughter who will eat it up. If you aren't a fan of MG novels, you might have the same issues I did, but if you're open to something on the younger side of the genre/age spectrum, I definitely recommend giving this one a try for yourself!
*Many thanks to the publisher for my review copy.
*Many thanks to the publisher for my review copy.
December 29, 2020
ARC provided by the publisher via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. All opinions expressed are my own.
Reading the synopsis for this book you'd think it's going to be a Gotham meets OUAT sort of deal, right? Wrong. That's not what this is. This is what would happen if the CW had made a Descendants x Zootopia crossover, complete with characters written by someone that has never spoken to a teenager and enough cringeworthy dialogue to level a country.
This was just... so bad.
I typically try to find something positive to say in each of my reviews, even if I hated the book. However, I've been trying for longer then I care to admit and I can't come up with one positive thing. I disliked every aspect of this book.
The characters were were all either one dimensional or such bastardized, cartoonish reimaginings of their Disney counterparts that it's laughable. Or both. Quite a few of them fell into both categories, come to think of it.
Retellings are hard because you're working with characters that mean a lot to a lot of people and it can be hard to pull that off in a unique way that still maintains the character's original energy, and I acknowledge that. But this is the worst take on any of these characters I've ever seen.
(My only caveat to this is that Ursula had moments where she amused me, but those were few and far between and not nearly enough to save this.)
The writing style was juvenile, which might have been purposeful if it wasn't for the swearing and other decidedly not-juvenile content. As someone who loves YA, I'm aware that there are definitely different age ranges in YA. Some of it is going to read younger, and that's okay. But this book wasn't going for younger audiences and it really kept pulling me out of the story.
In a similar vein, the worldbuilding in this book? Nonexistent. They keep acting as if this is some other world with heroes and villains and magic, and then they reference Love Island or Michigan and you're just sitting there questioning what the heck is going on. It was extremely jarring. Blending fantasy and reality could have worked really well for this story, but it just... did not. At all.
I could keep going but I feel like the rest of this review would slowly devolve from coherent, logical complaints to incoherent anger and confusion on why the heck it was supposed to be a dramatic reveal that a character got their girlfriend's name tattooed on their arm. Or the transparent, garish, nearly tone-deaf way the author tried to incorporate current events. Or any of my million other problems with this story.
In the end, every book has its readers and I know this book is no different, but I feel like it's being marketed wrong. I can see a lot of people going into this (myself included) expecting something entirely different than this story is going to give.
Reading the synopsis for this book you'd think it's going to be a Gotham meets OUAT sort of deal, right? Wrong. That's not what this is. This is what would happen if the CW had made a Descendants x Zootopia crossover, complete with characters written by someone that has never spoken to a teenager and enough cringeworthy dialogue to level a country.
This was just... so bad.
I typically try to find something positive to say in each of my reviews, even if I hated the book. However, I've been trying for longer then I care to admit and I can't come up with one positive thing. I disliked every aspect of this book.
The characters were were all either one dimensional or such bastardized, cartoonish reimaginings of their Disney counterparts that it's laughable. Or both. Quite a few of them fell into both categories, come to think of it.
Retellings are hard because you're working with characters that mean a lot to a lot of people and it can be hard to pull that off in a unique way that still maintains the character's original energy, and I acknowledge that. But this is the worst take on any of these characters I've ever seen.
(My only caveat to this is that Ursula had moments where she amused me, but those were few and far between and not nearly enough to save this.)
The writing style was juvenile, which might have been purposeful if it wasn't for the swearing and other decidedly not-juvenile content. As someone who loves YA, I'm aware that there are definitely different age ranges in YA. Some of it is going to read younger, and that's okay. But this book wasn't going for younger audiences and it really kept pulling me out of the story.
In a similar vein, the worldbuilding in this book? Nonexistent. They keep acting as if this is some other world with heroes and villains and magic, and then they reference Love Island or Michigan and you're just sitting there questioning what the heck is going on. It was extremely jarring. Blending fantasy and reality could have worked really well for this story, but it just... did not. At all.
I could keep going but I feel like the rest of this review would slowly devolve from coherent, logical complaints to incoherent anger and confusion on why the heck it was supposed to be a dramatic reveal that a character got their girlfriend's name tattooed on their arm. Or the transparent, garish, nearly tone-deaf way the author tried to incorporate current events. Or any of my million other problems with this story.
In the end, every book has its readers and I know this book is no different, but I feel like it's being marketed wrong. I can see a lot of people going into this (myself included) expecting something entirely different than this story is going to give.
February 4, 2021
2.5 stars
This was not for me and to be honest I had a hard time getting through it. Review to come!
Thank you to the publisher for my copy in exchange for an honest review.
This was not for me and to be honest I had a hard time getting through it. Review to come!
Thank you to the publisher for my copy in exchange for an honest review.
January 17, 2021
This book has a very interesting premise and since it's been awhile since I've consumed any Disney content I was eager to read.
While I got Gotham vibes in the very beginning I was unsure throughout exactly what this book was trying to be. It's much darker than traditional Disney fare since it features our teen villains in the making cursing, referencing sex, hanging at bars, etc. Plus someone is murdering people and sending their body parts to the station. At the same time this story takes place in the US in the modern day world because it references pop culture like Love Island and different states and countries.
Mary Elizabeth Hart works as an intern at the local police station as a way to cope with the murder of her family and eventually make a difference. You already have to suspend belief that the police department would use un unpaid and untrained intern to help solve a missing person's case regardless of her knowing and being the same age as the missing person. She doesn't display any particular abilities that even make this worth the risk. She displayed pretty typical teen behavior especially when it came to her relationship with her boyfriend James.
At times it felt like it was trying to be an edgier version of Descendants. And speaking of Descendants it did the same thing that made me mad about D3 where it used these Disney characters as a stand in for minorities. Disney did it in that movie by trying to make the villains similar to immigrants even though it was a shoddy at best comparison. And this book does it by being clearly inspired by the real life struggles of Black people in the US. And seeing that this book takes place in the US it was even more jarring. The Legacies live in the worst part of town, are treated horribly by the rich non magic descendants called the Narrows, and have to fight gentrification. When Legacy kids start disappearing the police don't care enough to properly search for them. However everyone in this story reads very white in description.
The book did get more interesting towards the end when it finally felt like the story had moved along. Without spoiling too much the story behind the disappearances of the Legacy kids was interesting. Albiet again it felt paralleled to the treatment of Black people in the US. It definitely suffered from the problem some YA series have where book 1 has the sole purpose of setting up the series for future books instead of being able to stand on it's own.
This might be more interesting as a graphic novel.
I received this arc from Disney-Hyperion in exchange for an honest review.
While I got Gotham vibes in the very beginning I was unsure throughout exactly what this book was trying to be. It's much darker than traditional Disney fare since it features our teen villains in the making cursing, referencing sex, hanging at bars, etc. Plus someone is murdering people and sending their body parts to the station. At the same time this story takes place in the US in the modern day world because it references pop culture like Love Island and different states and countries.
Mary Elizabeth Hart works as an intern at the local police station as a way to cope with the murder of her family and eventually make a difference. You already have to suspend belief that the police department would use un unpaid and untrained intern to help solve a missing person's case regardless of her knowing and being the same age as the missing person. She doesn't display any particular abilities that even make this worth the risk. She displayed pretty typical teen behavior especially when it came to her relationship with her boyfriend James.
At times it felt like it was trying to be an edgier version of Descendants. And speaking of Descendants it did the same thing that made me mad about D3 where it used these Disney characters as a stand in for minorities. Disney did it in that movie by trying to make the villains similar to immigrants even though it was a shoddy at best comparison. And this book does it by being clearly inspired by the real life struggles of Black people in the US. And seeing that this book takes place in the US it was even more jarring. The Legacies live in the worst part of town, are treated horribly by the rich non magic descendants called the Narrows, and have to fight gentrification. When Legacy kids start disappearing the police don't care enough to properly search for them. However everyone in this story reads very white in description.
The book did get more interesting towards the end when it finally felt like the story had moved along. Without spoiling too much the story behind the disappearances of the Legacy kids was interesting. Albiet again it felt paralleled to the treatment of Black people in the US. It definitely suffered from the problem some YA series have where book 1 has the sole purpose of setting up the series for future books instead of being able to stand on it's own.
This might be more interesting as a graphic novel.
I received this arc from Disney-Hyperion in exchange for an honest review.
May 22, 2022
Darum gehts:
Mary Elizabeth Heart arbeitet neben der Highschool als Praktikantin bei der Polizei von Monarch City. In der Stadt gibt es schon länger Spannungen zwischen dem Eliteviertel und dem Viertel "The Star, Marys alter Heimat und einstigem Zentrum, der Magie. Als ein Mädchen entführt wird und Mary den Fall übernehmen darf, beginnt für sie ein nervenaufreibendes Abenteuer...
Meine Meinung:
Als großer Disney-Fan kam ich an dem Buch natürlich nicht vorbei. Der Klappentext versprach eine Mischung aus Disney- und Krimi-Vibes, was irgendwie neu, aber auch unheimlich interessant klang. In City of Villains spielen gleich mehrere bekannte Disney-Bösewichte eine Rolle, nämlich Ursula aus Arielle und Maleficent aus Dornröschen. Ich fand es auf jeden Fall sehr spannend die beiden von einer ganz anderen und jüngeren Seite kennenzulernen und quasi ihre Anfänge des Bösewicht-Daseins zu erleben. Besonders das recht düstere, mysteriöse Setting und die Grundidee mit dem Vermisstenfall haben mir echt gut gefallen. Dennoch hatte ich anfangs meine Schwierigkeiten mit der Geschichte. Durch einige Längen hat die erhoffte Spannung leider ganz schön auf sich warten lassen und so richtig fesseln, konnte mich die Geschichte erst zum Ende hin. Und auch wenn es sich um eine Disney-Krimi Geschichte handelte, so hätte ich mir, was vielleicht auch ein wenig der Länge des Buches geschuldet ist, noch mehr Krimi-Vibes und mehr Disney gewünscht. Ich bin ehrlich gesagt ein wenig zwiegespalten. Die Story an sich hat mir zwar durchaus gut unterhalten, aber andererseits hätte ich mir einfach von allem etwas mehr erwartet, auch wenn ich schwer beschreiben kann, was genau gefehlt hat.
Fazit:
Die Geschichte war definitiv mal was anderes, aber leider nicht ganz meins. Ich bin mir daher noch unsicher, ob ich die Reihe weiterverfolgen möchte. Aber Lesen ist natürlich subjektiv und ich würde das Buch Disneyfans dennoch empfehlen.
Mary Elizabeth Heart arbeitet neben der Highschool als Praktikantin bei der Polizei von Monarch City. In der Stadt gibt es schon länger Spannungen zwischen dem Eliteviertel und dem Viertel "The Star, Marys alter Heimat und einstigem Zentrum, der Magie. Als ein Mädchen entführt wird und Mary den Fall übernehmen darf, beginnt für sie ein nervenaufreibendes Abenteuer...
Meine Meinung:
Als großer Disney-Fan kam ich an dem Buch natürlich nicht vorbei. Der Klappentext versprach eine Mischung aus Disney- und Krimi-Vibes, was irgendwie neu, aber auch unheimlich interessant klang. In City of Villains spielen gleich mehrere bekannte Disney-Bösewichte eine Rolle, nämlich Ursula aus Arielle und Maleficent aus Dornröschen. Ich fand es auf jeden Fall sehr spannend die beiden von einer ganz anderen und jüngeren Seite kennenzulernen und quasi ihre Anfänge des Bösewicht-Daseins zu erleben. Besonders das recht düstere, mysteriöse Setting und die Grundidee mit dem Vermisstenfall haben mir echt gut gefallen. Dennoch hatte ich anfangs meine Schwierigkeiten mit der Geschichte. Durch einige Längen hat die erhoffte Spannung leider ganz schön auf sich warten lassen und so richtig fesseln, konnte mich die Geschichte erst zum Ende hin. Und auch wenn es sich um eine Disney-Krimi Geschichte handelte, so hätte ich mir, was vielleicht auch ein wenig der Länge des Buches geschuldet ist, noch mehr Krimi-Vibes und mehr Disney gewünscht. Ich bin ehrlich gesagt ein wenig zwiegespalten. Die Story an sich hat mir zwar durchaus gut unterhalten, aber andererseits hätte ich mir einfach von allem etwas mehr erwartet, auch wenn ich schwer beschreiben kann, was genau gefehlt hat.
Fazit:
Die Geschichte war definitiv mal was anderes, aber leider nicht ganz meins. Ich bin mir daher noch unsicher, ob ich die Reihe weiterverfolgen möchte. Aber Lesen ist natürlich subjektiv und ich würde das Buch Disneyfans dennoch empfehlen.
January 24, 2021
3.5/5 stars
Hmmm… this book leaves something to be desired, but it isn’t a total waste of time! :)
My Moodboard
Goodreads summary:
Mary Elizabeth Heart is a high school senior by day, but by night she’s an intern at the Monarch City police department. She watches with envy from behind a desk as detectives come and go, trying to contain the city’s growing crime rate. For years, tension has simmered between the city’s wealthy elite, and their plans to gentrify the decaying neighborhood called the Scar—once upon a time the epicenter of all things magic.
When the daughter of one of the city’s most powerful businessmen goes missing, Mary Elizabeth is thrilled when the Chief actually puts her on the case. But what begins as one missing person’s report soon multiplies, leading her down the rabbit hole of a city in turmoil. There she finds a girl with horns, a boyfriend with secrets, and what seems to be a sea monster lurking in a poison lake. As the mystery circles closer to home, Mary finds herself caught in the fight between those who once had magic, and those who will do anything to bring it back.
The concept of City of Villains is very interesting and is probably its strongest asset. Estelle Laure has created a Renegades + Descendants + Nancy Drew world that approaches infamous Disney villains from an entirely different angle while still including intriguing characters and magic for days. As the various threads of mystery begin to unravel and characters begin to change, the anticipation really hooks you to the finish. Unfortunately, the book doesn’t have a great amount of plot; by the end, it doesn’t quite feel like you’ve read a whole book, making this a solid introduction to the world and the characters but not as solid of a story arc on its own.
Also, I have to address the writing; although it gets better by the end, the content feels YA while the writing style feels MG. It’s honestly a little insulting how childish the language is at the beginning since this is targeted for teens and young adults - I’m seventeen, and I promise I understand things without the internal dialogue’s over-explaining, thank ya.
Overall, this was an enjoyable read. It was comfortably paced and kept me company, but I’m not sure I recommend it if you’re looking for anything older than a younger-YA novel.
*Thank you Disney-Hyperion and Netgalley for the e-arc in exchange for an honest review, all opinions are my own! This book releases on January 26th, 2020 if it sounds like something you’re interested in!*
If you enjoyed this review, you can friend me here on Goodreads and follow my Bookstagram/Pinterest/Twitter @ashton_reads. Thanks for reading!
Hmmm… this book leaves something to be desired, but it isn’t a total waste of time! :)
My Moodboard
Goodreads summary:
Mary Elizabeth Heart is a high school senior by day, but by night she’s an intern at the Monarch City police department. She watches with envy from behind a desk as detectives come and go, trying to contain the city’s growing crime rate. For years, tension has simmered between the city’s wealthy elite, and their plans to gentrify the decaying neighborhood called the Scar—once upon a time the epicenter of all things magic.
When the daughter of one of the city’s most powerful businessmen goes missing, Mary Elizabeth is thrilled when the Chief actually puts her on the case. But what begins as one missing person’s report soon multiplies, leading her down the rabbit hole of a city in turmoil. There she finds a girl with horns, a boyfriend with secrets, and what seems to be a sea monster lurking in a poison lake. As the mystery circles closer to home, Mary finds herself caught in the fight between those who once had magic, and those who will do anything to bring it back.
The concept of City of Villains is very interesting and is probably its strongest asset. Estelle Laure has created a Renegades + Descendants + Nancy Drew world that approaches infamous Disney villains from an entirely different angle while still including intriguing characters and magic for days. As the various threads of mystery begin to unravel and characters begin to change, the anticipation really hooks you to the finish. Unfortunately, the book doesn’t have a great amount of plot; by the end, it doesn’t quite feel like you’ve read a whole book, making this a solid introduction to the world and the characters but not as solid of a story arc on its own.
Also, I have to address the writing; although it gets better by the end, the content feels YA while the writing style feels MG. It’s honestly a little insulting how childish the language is at the beginning since this is targeted for teens and young adults - I’m seventeen, and I promise I understand things without the internal dialogue’s over-explaining, thank ya.
Overall, this was an enjoyable read. It was comfortably paced and kept me company, but I’m not sure I recommend it if you’re looking for anything older than a younger-YA novel.
*Thank you Disney-Hyperion and Netgalley for the e-arc in exchange for an honest review, all opinions are my own! This book releases on January 26th, 2020 if it sounds like something you’re interested in!*
If you enjoyed this review, you can friend me here on Goodreads and follow my Bookstagram/Pinterest/Twitter @ashton_reads. Thanks for reading!
September 20, 2020
"People are like maps. They have lines on them just like the ones on the palms of their hands. Those lines tell stories."
This is the true story, of Disney Villains, picked to live in Gotham City, go to school together, and have their lives taped*. Find out what happens, when people stop being polite, and start getting real… The Real World: Villain Style!
*(Okay, let me clarify things. No, they aren’t having their lives taped but reading a book is kind of like getting a behind the scenes look at their everyday lives.... drama included.)
The Real World meets Once Upon a Time in this sinful visualization of the villains of Disney.
While this was a very quick read, it wasn’t as action packed as I hoped it would be.
RTC
This is the true story, of Disney Villains, picked to live in Gotham City, go to school together, and have their lives taped*. Find out what happens, when people stop being polite, and start getting real… The Real World: Villain Style!
*(Okay, let me clarify things. No, they aren’t having their lives taped but reading a book is kind of like getting a behind the scenes look at their everyday lives.... drama included.)
The Real World meets Once Upon a Time in this sinful visualization of the villains of Disney.
While this was a very quick read, it wasn’t as action packed as I hoped it would be.
RTC
January 18, 2023
I had high hopes for this one, but it missed the mark a little bit for me. It was one of those books that read young for a YA book, but read a little old for middle grade. I loved the concept of this book, as it was intended to be a fairy tale inspired crime series, but I just didn’t connect with it. I had a hard time following all of the characters and keeping them straight. I did however appreciate how the main character’s voice and personality was very distinct. If you enjoy reimaginings of your favorite Disney characters you may want to check this one out.
September 2, 2022
En finissant ma lecture, je suis vraiment comme ça 🤨🤨🤨🤨. D’un côté, l’univers est vraiment chouette et le concept est super original. D’un autre... tour m’a semblé hyper brouillon, les événements s’enchaînent trop vite et parfois ça fait pas très naturel... je sais pas, comme je le disais, j’ai aimé l’idée mais quelque chose m’a freinée dans ma lecture. Je vais quand même lire le tome 2 car j’ai reçu un sp, en espérant accrocher plus !
January 3, 2021
**Thank you to Netgalley and Disney Books for an eArc in exchange for an honest review. This in no way changed my rating**
In this first book of a series, we find Mary Elizabeth Heart, a girl who dreams of being a detective and helping others in her neighborhood after the brutal murder of her parents and sister. Mary Elizabeth is a "Legacy", the descendant of a family line that had magic. However, magic has been dead for years and after Legacy kids start to go missing, including Mary Elizabeth's best friend, she'll have to choose between her found family and her dream.
I'm going to be completely honest...this book was a wreck. It was so clumsily handled. It becomes very obvious early on the "Legacy" kids are an analog for minorities, specifically the Black community in modern day America. They live in an area of the city that once was beautiful but is now crumbling apart. Some of the "Narrow" kids (those born without magical descent) try to copy their style of dress and their heart birthmarks with tattoos. A history teacher mentions a march that happened in the past for better infrastructure in the Legacy area, the Scar, and one of the Narrow kids says something to the effect of "they cost the city of Monarch thousands and looted and stole!" Another says a politician character is "going to make Monarch great again!" It feels like the author is hitting the reader over the head with this in a book about the origin stories of the villains. The *villains* are stand-ins for Black people and are constantly written as being in opposition to or unwilling to talk with the police in a book not by a Black author. This is problematic, to say the least.
The way they become the villains we know and love was not super unique but I did think how we got there was new. The actual antagonist isn't as much of a surprise as they should be. This all said, it was a wreck the way that a bad movie can be really entertaining. I wasn't ever bored even though this book has a LOT of problems. It was really funny, though I think most of it was unintentionally so. My absolute favorite thing is that Gaston is a detective and the author decided he needed a first name, so he's now "Officer Tony Gaston" and it cracked me up every time I thought about it.
I think this book was amusing, but I would recommend the author think long and hard about how she proceeds with the series since she decided to make the "villains" analogs for Black people. I'm curious to see how it plays out.
⭐️⭐️/5 stars
In this first book of a series, we find Mary Elizabeth Heart, a girl who dreams of being a detective and helping others in her neighborhood after the brutal murder of her parents and sister. Mary Elizabeth is a "Legacy", the descendant of a family line that had magic. However, magic has been dead for years and after Legacy kids start to go missing, including Mary Elizabeth's best friend, she'll have to choose between her found family and her dream.
I'm going to be completely honest...this book was a wreck. It was so clumsily handled. It becomes very obvious early on the "Legacy" kids are an analog for minorities, specifically the Black community in modern day America. They live in an area of the city that once was beautiful but is now crumbling apart. Some of the "Narrow" kids (those born without magical descent) try to copy their style of dress and their heart birthmarks with tattoos. A history teacher mentions a march that happened in the past for better infrastructure in the Legacy area, the Scar, and one of the Narrow kids says something to the effect of "they cost the city of Monarch thousands and looted and stole!" Another says a politician character is "going to make Monarch great again!" It feels like the author is hitting the reader over the head with this in a book about the origin stories of the villains. The *villains* are stand-ins for Black people and are constantly written as being in opposition to or unwilling to talk with the police in a book not by a Black author. This is problematic, to say the least.
The way they become the villains we know and love was not super unique but I did think how we got there was new. The actual antagonist isn't as much of a surprise as they should be. This all said, it was a wreck the way that a bad movie can be really entertaining. I wasn't ever bored even though this book has a LOT of problems. It was really funny, though I think most of it was unintentionally so. My absolute favorite thing is that Gaston is a detective and the author decided he needed a first name, so he's now "Officer Tony Gaston" and it cracked me up every time I thought about it.
I think this book was amusing, but I would recommend the author think long and hard about how she proceeds with the series since she decided to make the "villains" analogs for Black people. I'm curious to see how it plays out.
⭐️⭐️/5 stars
April 30, 2021
Mary Elizabeth Heart has set her mind on being a police officer in a city that seems to be based on Gotham and is populated by so many Disney characters. Even the "good guys" come across as being bad. Mary Elizabeth seems perfectly suited for a case that is quite grisley. There is someone chopping up people in the city. It will be up to Mary Elizabeth to sort it all out.
The best thing I can say about this book is that it seems to TRY SO FREAKING HARD. The concept is intriguing, which is one of the main reasons I picked it up. It has been published as a young adult novel, but it certainly doesn't capture the voice of any teen that I know. I am not sure why they would allow a teen (in any reality) to be a police detective ... an actual detective intern.
Laura seems to suffer from the same challenge the television show Once Upon a Time had: sacrifice storytelling and character development in order to toss in every possible Disney character. It is almost like she is name-dropping her way through Mary Elizabeth's story. The result is confusing and distracting. The reader is constantly trying to balance the references to characters they know with their reimaged versions in this story.
The dialog is the biggest challenge facing the book. It is flat, doesn't feel realistic, and is often trite or corny.
This is certainly a pass. I have no desire to read any potential sequels that come out of this one.
I do love how Laure has captured the Gotham feel to the city, but
The best thing I can say about this book is that it seems to TRY SO FREAKING HARD. The concept is intriguing, which is one of the main reasons I picked it up. It has been published as a young adult novel, but it certainly doesn't capture the voice of any teen that I know. I am not sure why they would allow a teen (in any reality) to be a police detective ... an actual detective intern.
Laura seems to suffer from the same challenge the television show Once Upon a Time had: sacrifice storytelling and character development in order to toss in every possible Disney character. It is almost like she is name-dropping her way through Mary Elizabeth's story. The result is confusing and distracting. The reader is constantly trying to balance the references to characters they know with their reimaged versions in this story.
The dialog is the biggest challenge facing the book. It is flat, doesn't feel realistic, and is often trite or corny.
This is certainly a pass. I have no desire to read any potential sequels that come out of this one.
I do love how Laure has captured the Gotham feel to the city, but
January 31, 2021
Out the gate, I will start by saying that this is a younger YA story and if you go in expecting anything else you maybe disappointed. Yes, the main character is a senior in high school, but this definitely a younger YA story. It does a good job nailing the fairy tale-inspired crime aspects of the story; however, with such a large cast of characters the characterizations sometimes get a bit muddled up. Overall, I am interested in continuing on in the City of Villains because I had enjoyed the main selling point of it.
I received an ecopy of this book through Netgalley; however, my opinions are my own.
I received an ecopy of this book through Netgalley; however, my opinions are my own.
February 3, 2021
This is another case of the story having an interesting concept with a lot of potential and the execution just not doing it for me. I did appreciate the nods to a variety of Disney properties (specifically as pertains to villains), and was very amused about the details chosen for incorporation in this tale. But the messiness of the world, the uneven pacing and the characters feeling very much like caricatures made this story far less memorable than it could have been otherwise.
dnf
January 1, 2021DNF @ 25%
I really dislike the writing style of this book. The author seems to rely on telling us what happens instead of showing it to us, and this results in little development of the world and the characters. This one has so much potential with its concept of villain origin stories, but unfortunately, I have lost interest in this one.
I really dislike the writing style of this book. The author seems to rely on telling us what happens instead of showing it to us, and this results in little development of the world and the characters. This one has so much potential with its concept of villain origin stories, but unfortunately, I have lost interest in this one.
February 28, 2021
I have actually no clue anymore how I came across this book and have absolutely no idea why I decided to pre-order it. However, I think it was the idea of a combined origin stories for a lot of Disney villains that actually pulled me in. And since I'm currently staying at my parents and don't really have the time to read big books right now, this book was the perfect Sunday morning read. I read it in bed in one sitting and enjoyed myself immensely.
Of course, part of the fun is recognizing all the different Disney characters. Some are quite easy (either because they have a very recognizable first or last name), others are a little harder, but I loved how all the characters had something unique and different, something we hadn't seen from them before, combined with some very well known characteristics. I also love how they are now all living in the same city and literally interacting and crossing paths.
Especially because the city seems a really awesome place with quite some history AND an interesting future. I loved how we were thrown into this world and story without info-dumps and lengthy explanations. When we needed certain information we got it, but overall the story was quite fast paced and really moved forward. And yet it never felt like it was rushed. Of course, I wouldn't have been against some more depth and some more emotional scenes, but it's only a minor remark.
And that's mostly because our main character is quite a joy to read about. She has one foot in one world and one foot in the other. Not only does this lead to her being an outcast in both worlds, it also means that there are quite a few moments where she has to choose. And as you might expect from a Villain Origin stories she doesn't always make the easy choice or the one I as a reader would want her to make.
The first book started an exciting story at least and I can't wait to read the next one!
Of course, part of the fun is recognizing all the different Disney characters. Some are quite easy (either because they have a very recognizable first or last name), others are a little harder, but I loved how all the characters had something unique and different, something we hadn't seen from them before, combined with some very well known characteristics. I also love how they are now all living in the same city and literally interacting and crossing paths.
Especially because the city seems a really awesome place with quite some history AND an interesting future. I loved how we were thrown into this world and story without info-dumps and lengthy explanations. When we needed certain information we got it, but overall the story was quite fast paced and really moved forward. And yet it never felt like it was rushed. Of course, I wouldn't have been against some more depth and some more emotional scenes, but it's only a minor remark.
And that's mostly because our main character is quite a joy to read about. She has one foot in one world and one foot in the other. Not only does this lead to her being an outcast in both worlds, it also means that there are quite a few moments where she has to choose. And as you might expect from a Villain Origin stories she doesn't always make the easy choice or the one I as a reader would want her to make.
The first book started an exciting story at least and I can't wait to read the next one!
March 1, 2023
It just wasn't my cup of tea. I liked the authors writing, the plot had potential, but I didn't connect with the storyline at all.
January 19, 2021
I loved the Disney Villains meets Gotham vibes of this story, it's perfect for anyone who enjoyed books like Kingdom Keepers growing up. I enjoyed all the references to different characters, and think the concept of the villains as teens (before they become villains) was super interesting to explore. I found myself struggling to get interested at first, there was a lot of world-building that felt a lot like info dumps, but once the mystery is established, the pace picks up in a major way. I think it's important to note going in that this book is definitely more for the young end of the young adult spectrum, bordering on middle grade, and I think if you are prepared for that type of story going in, you will enjoy this book. I also don't know if the published version of this book will include a map, but I think it would be incredibly useful, just so readers can more easily orient themselves in the world.
Okay so now spoiler-talk, because there's actually a lot I ended up wanting to unpack.
This is your last warning if you don't want spoilers, my friends, click away now!
Okay so obviously we know that Ursula is, well, Ursula, James is Hook, and Mally Saint is Maleficent. These were all pretty established early on, and as a result acted as a perfect distraction as to who exactly Mary Elizabeth is (or maybe I'm totally thick-headed and did not put it together until the first time Mary went through the mirror), and that is the Queen of Hearts. She's killer at croquet pinball, and with all the references to her mother with the bright red hair, wearing the dress with hearts on it the day she died, it's the only person she could possibly be. Which, as a result, makes me super intrigued for Mary's story going forward. Will she take the turn towards evil, will she go a little mad, or will she be a good, old-fashioned anti-hero?
I'm also very interested to see what nefarious dealings the Chief is up to. I almost wish there was a bit more of a focus on The Mad Hatter mystery, or that it tied into the main plot a little bit more, for a couple reasons. First, it's super dark and twisted, and as a result very compelling to my Criminal Minds-loving self, but secondly, it ties in with the Gotham vibes super well. As soon as the story was established, I thought to myself "oh this is awesome, this is straight out of a comic, something The Joker or The Riddler would do." But then the case more or less faded into the background as Bella and Mary Elizabeth went along with their own case. I don't know, I just wish it all tied together a little more. I also wish we saw just a little bit more interactions between Lucas and the main characters, then the twist of his family being behind the testing would be a little bit bigger, a little more shocking.
Overall, I think this was a fun book, and the solid opener for what could be a very intriguing series.
Okay so now spoiler-talk, because there's actually a lot I ended up wanting to unpack.
This is your last warning if you don't want spoilers, my friends, click away now!
Okay so obviously we know that Ursula is, well, Ursula, James is Hook, and Mally Saint is Maleficent. These were all pretty established early on, and as a result acted as a perfect distraction as to who exactly Mary Elizabeth is (or maybe I'm totally thick-headed and did not put it together until the first time Mary went through the mirror), and that is the Queen of Hearts. She's killer at croquet pinball, and with all the references to her mother with the bright red hair, wearing the dress with hearts on it the day she died, it's the only person she could possibly be. Which, as a result, makes me super intrigued for Mary's story going forward. Will she take the turn towards evil, will she go a little mad, or will she be a good, old-fashioned anti-hero?
I'm also very interested to see what nefarious dealings the Chief is up to. I almost wish there was a bit more of a focus on The Mad Hatter mystery, or that it tied into the main plot a little bit more, for a couple reasons. First, it's super dark and twisted, and as a result very compelling to my Criminal Minds-loving self, but secondly, it ties in with the Gotham vibes super well. As soon as the story was established, I thought to myself "oh this is awesome, this is straight out of a comic, something The Joker or The Riddler would do." But then the case more or less faded into the background as Bella and Mary Elizabeth went along with their own case. I don't know, I just wish it all tied together a little more. I also wish we saw just a little bit more interactions between Lucas and the main characters, then the twist of his family being behind the testing would be a little bit bigger, a little more shocking.
Overall, I think this was a fun book, and the solid opener for what could be a very intriguing series.
March 10, 2021
3.5 stars. (I really wish all reviewing platforms had a half star option.)
This was a wild ride of a book. The beginning is very choppy because of being told instead of being shown, but it gets better at about 40% if you can make it that far. The action picks up and you see more character development, although not so much for the main character. James was probably the most interesting character, so I was upset when his page time went way down towards the end, even though what was going on with him was very important.
I think the next book in the series will be a lot better, and I am also left wondering if Mary Elizabeth Heart somehow becomes the Queen of Hearts, since with the other characters it is clear who they have (or rather, are) becoming.
It was an interesting origin story, but the beginning was too jumbled for me to really understand the Scar and what was going on with the Narrows and groups that want magic back. It also seemed that Monarch was part of the United States, but the rest of the country was operating like it is now, and yet Monarch was set apart because the citizens used to have magic. It just really wasn’t clear how they fit in with the U.S. as a whole, and so that part of it simply could have been left out without taking away anything from my understanding of what was going on within the story.
I want to see more of what could develop between Bella and Mary Elizabeth as partners, friends, and maybe something more down the line? Plus there is another thread left hanging about the police department.
I do want to read the next book(s) in this series to see where the story is going. Too bad it won’t be out til next year.
This was a wild ride of a book. The beginning is very choppy because of being told instead of being shown, but it gets better at about 40% if you can make it that far. The action picks up and you see more character development, although not so much for the main character. James was probably the most interesting character, so I was upset when his page time went way down towards the end, even though what was going on with him was very important.
I think the next book in the series will be a lot better, and I am also left wondering if Mary Elizabeth Heart somehow becomes the Queen of Hearts, since with the other characters it is clear who they have (or rather, are) becoming.
It was an interesting origin story, but the beginning was too jumbled for me to really understand the Scar and what was going on with the Narrows and groups that want magic back. It also seemed that Monarch was part of the United States, but the rest of the country was operating like it is now, and yet Monarch was set apart because the citizens used to have magic. It just really wasn’t clear how they fit in with the U.S. as a whole, and so that part of it simply could have been left out without taking away anything from my understanding of what was going on within the story.
I want to see more of what could develop between Bella and Mary Elizabeth as partners, friends, and maybe something more down the line? Plus there is another thread left hanging about the police department.
I do want to read the next book(s) in this series to see where the story is going. Too bad it won’t be out til next year.
January 15, 2021
Mary Heart is an intern at the local police department and when a few of her friends go missing, she's put on the case to help figure out what has happened. But will she figure it out before she becomes the next victim?
This was such a fun and creative reimagining of how some of the baddest of Disney's villains got their start! It is a great mystery with a lot of bread crumbs that you have to follow and pieces that have to be put together. Mary, herself, goes through a lot as she tries to find her friends and ends up making a great new one along the way. It's a novel about change, embracing your destiny and letting go.
I will admit this is not at all what I expected but ultimately, I embraced that and ran with it and truly enjoyed this novel. I feel that this is the perfect book for those looking for a Gothem type mystery with some X-Men type moments. That is what it reminded me of. It had action, magic and amazing Disney villains! Sometimes different is cool and in this case, it worked!
Thank you Netgalley and Disney Publishing Worldwide (Disney-Hyperion) for the Advanced Reader's Copy!
This was such a fun and creative reimagining of how some of the baddest of Disney's villains got their start! It is a great mystery with a lot of bread crumbs that you have to follow and pieces that have to be put together. Mary, herself, goes through a lot as she tries to find her friends and ends up making a great new one along the way. It's a novel about change, embracing your destiny and letting go.
I will admit this is not at all what I expected but ultimately, I embraced that and ran with it and truly enjoyed this novel. I feel that this is the perfect book for those looking for a Gothem type mystery with some X-Men type moments. That is what it reminded me of. It had action, magic and amazing Disney villains! Sometimes different is cool and in this case, it worked!
Thank you Netgalley and Disney Publishing Worldwide (Disney-Hyperion) for the Advanced Reader's Copy!
February 20, 2021
1.5 stars
This was really weird and hard to follow. Mostly I was bored. Nothing was explained, even at the end. The romance was weird. At 13 James (Hook) decides that he’ll be with Mary Elizabeth Heart (the queen of Hearts) forever and they talk about marriage? He’s barely in the story and they spent virtually no time together, so this Great Love was very out of place. The ending wasn’t satisfying and a story about Disney villains who have relatives in California or Michigan seemed out of place.
This was really weird and hard to follow. Mostly I was bored. Nothing was explained, even at the end. The romance was weird. At 13 James (Hook) decides that he’ll be with Mary Elizabeth Heart (the queen of Hearts) forever and they talk about marriage? He’s barely in the story and they spent virtually no time together, so this Great Love was very out of place. The ending wasn’t satisfying and a story about Disney villains who have relatives in California or Michigan seemed out of place.
April 2, 2021
Mary Elizabeth Hart is a high school senior by day and a police force intern by night. As she watches the senior detectives solve cases, she is envious and dreams about her success as an detective in the future. With her tragic past and as being a Legacy, Mary Elizabeth realizes she is mostly looked at with concerned eyes. So when a classmate goes missing and she is being made a official part of that case, she sees the opportunity to rise above the scrutiny. But then Magic rises again in Monarch and Mary Elizabeth her friend group and boyfriend might be the actual thing keeping her ambitions back.
Pro's:
+ The ending of this book makes this the perfect intro into a new, gritty series containing Disney Villains. A couple of the well-loved villains that make an appearance are Maleficent, Ursula, Captain Hook and even the Queen of Hearts makes a minor appearance. There seems to be no evidence of the heroes of the original story, but I'm not sure as there is a Cop character named Bella.
+ The rise of the villain in the book is quite well written, as they are coming forth from legacy teens who weren't completely 'good' from the beginning. Also, them working together is kinda epic. I always wanted to have a collaboration between Maleficent and Ursula.
Con's:
- I think the author needed at least 150 pages extra to properly explain everything, which unfortunately wasn't the case in this instance. Now you're confused and bored for the first 150 pages, because too much information has been squashed in too little pages and after that it comes together a little bit.
- I didn't feel anything for the heroine of this story. Mostly she is obnoxious and self centered, everything is about her and even thought that is explained a little ( something with heads that need to be separated from bodies), I was annoyed with Mary Elizabeth for the full 229 pages. I didn't care for her and her stupid problems and It shows in the score I gave this book.
I was really exited to receive this book in a book mystery box and the summary got me really exited, but unfortunately this book just didn't deliver. I didn't really care for Mary Elizabeth, she is a dick to her friends and her partner while working at the case, constantly running off and only doing what she thinks she needs to do. She never does anything for her friends and I just couldn't stand it. Also, there is so much information in too little pages and even after finishing reading I still have the feeling I'm missing information. This was a dud for me and I'm not sure if I'll continue the rest of the series.
Pro's:
+ The ending of this book makes this the perfect intro into a new, gritty series containing Disney Villains. A couple of the well-loved villains that make an appearance are Maleficent, Ursula, Captain Hook and even the Queen of Hearts makes a minor appearance. There seems to be no evidence of the heroes of the original story, but I'm not sure as there is a Cop character named Bella.
+ The rise of the villain in the book is quite well written, as they are coming forth from legacy teens who weren't completely 'good' from the beginning. Also, them working together is kinda epic. I always wanted to have a collaboration between Maleficent and Ursula.
Con's:
- I think the author needed at least 150 pages extra to properly explain everything, which unfortunately wasn't the case in this instance. Now you're confused and bored for the first 150 pages, because too much information has been squashed in too little pages and after that it comes together a little bit.
- I didn't feel anything for the heroine of this story. Mostly she is obnoxious and self centered, everything is about her and even thought that is explained a little ( something with heads that need to be separated from bodies), I was annoyed with Mary Elizabeth for the full 229 pages. I didn't care for her and her stupid problems and It shows in the score I gave this book.
I was really exited to receive this book in a book mystery box and the summary got me really exited, but unfortunately this book just didn't deliver. I didn't really care for Mary Elizabeth, she is a dick to her friends and her partner while working at the case, constantly running off and only doing what she thinks she needs to do. She never does anything for her friends and I just couldn't stand it. Also, there is so much information in too little pages and even after finishing reading I still have the feeling I'm missing information. This was a dud for me and I'm not sure if I'll continue the rest of the series.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
July 9, 2023
Ich wollte die Idee dazu wirklich mögen, aber nee es ging einfach nicht. Auf der einen Seite wird sehr deutlich gesagt wer wer sein soll, irgendwie haben alles schon was mit ihren "Vorbildern" zu tun und es finden sich immer wieder Hinweise darauf, aber auf der anderen Seite wird bei anderen Figuren überhaupt nicht klar wer sie sein sollen (zumindest aus meiner Sicht) und auch aus den Handlungen wurde es mir nicht klar, außerdem hatte ich das Gefühl, dass die Figuren wo es deutlich wurde nicht so richtig zu ihren "Vorbildern" passen.
Das Worldbuilding hat mich sehr an die Serie "Once upon a time" erinnern, nur eben mehr für die Bösewichter und mehr Kontakt zu normalen Welt, aber gleichzeitig war die Magie eben einfach da und es gab null komma gar keine Erklärungen warum das so war oder eben nicht mehr so war....
Es passt für mich einfach alles nicht so richtig zusammen, darum habe ich es auch nicht fertig gelesen, da kann ich mir was besseres suchen.
Das Worldbuilding hat mich sehr an die Serie "Once upon a time" erinnern, nur eben mehr für die Bösewichter und mehr Kontakt zu normalen Welt, aber gleichzeitig war die Magie eben einfach da und es gab null komma gar keine Erklärungen warum das so war oder eben nicht mehr so war....
Es passt für mich einfach alles nicht so richtig zusammen, darum habe ich es auch nicht fertig gelesen, da kann ich mir was besseres suchen.
December 20, 2021
3/3.5 stars.
This wasn't what I was expecting, I had really wanted a good Disney Villains story to get completely immersed in however I was left feeling a little ambivalent.
The juxtaposition of it being Disney but in the real world didn't really mesh for me, it didn't feel complete.
I enjoyed the murder mystery aspect but it was just a little lack luster with the characters and the world building. I wanted to feel more for the characters and the things at stake.
It does have some good nuggets in there but I'm just not sure it was for me.
This wasn't what I was expecting, I had really wanted a good Disney Villains story to get completely immersed in however I was left feeling a little ambivalent.
The juxtaposition of it being Disney but in the real world didn't really mesh for me, it didn't feel complete.
I enjoyed the murder mystery aspect but it was just a little lack luster with the characters and the world building. I wanted to feel more for the characters and the things at stake.
It does have some good nuggets in there but I'm just not sure it was for me.
January 5, 2024
3 ⭐️
So I read this book just so I could finish one of my physical tbr books and it was a disappointment. I think that the premise was interesting, but the writing sort of felt like something that I would have written at twelve. This also felt sort of woke in a way. Like, oh, we have magic, so everyone discriminates against us. It just felt like the person who wrote this was just trying to talk about racism and it kinda brought me out of the book. Anyways, it's not worth reading, but at least it was short.
So I read this book just so I could finish one of my physical tbr books and it was a disappointment. I think that the premise was interesting, but the writing sort of felt like something that I would have written at twelve. This also felt sort of woke in a way. Like, oh, we have magic, so everyone discriminates against us. It just felt like the person who wrote this was just trying to talk about racism and it kinda brought me out of the book. Anyways, it's not worth reading, but at least it was short.
February 22, 2021
*Source* Publisher
*Genre* Young Adult / Fantasy / Fairy Tales
*Rating* 3.5-4
*Thoughts*
City of Villains is the first installment in author Estelle Laure's City of Villains trilogy. I like to think of this book as a villains re-imaging story. The story takes place 20 years After the Fall when magic disappeared. It's also the 2 year anniversary of the night the Ward, the crown jewel of the Scar, came crashing down killing thousands Legacies who worked at the tower in the center of their corner of the city. Now, the only thing remaining is a lake made of black water that is highly toxic where the building used to be. 17-year old Mary Elizabeth lives in an area called the Scar. The Scar is an area where magic once thrived, but now supposedly no longer exists.
*Full Review @ Gizmos Reviews*
https://gizmosreviews.blogspot.com/20...
*Genre* Young Adult / Fantasy / Fairy Tales
*Rating* 3.5-4
*Thoughts*
City of Villains is the first installment in author Estelle Laure's City of Villains trilogy. I like to think of this book as a villains re-imaging story. The story takes place 20 years After the Fall when magic disappeared. It's also the 2 year anniversary of the night the Ward, the crown jewel of the Scar, came crashing down killing thousands Legacies who worked at the tower in the center of their corner of the city. Now, the only thing remaining is a lake made of black water that is highly toxic where the building used to be. 17-year old Mary Elizabeth lives in an area called the Scar. The Scar is an area where magic once thrived, but now supposedly no longer exists.
*Full Review @ Gizmos Reviews*
https://gizmosreviews.blogspot.com/20...
January 13, 2025
Ich war begeistert von der einzigartigen Atmosphäre dieser Geschichte, die eine spannende Mischung aus „Disney-Bösewichte treffen Gotham“ bietet. Das Buch ist eine perfekte Wahl für alle, die Geschichten lieben, die klassische Charaktere in ein neues Licht rücken. Besonders gefallen haben mir die zahlreichen Anspielungen auf bekannte Figuren aus der Disney-Welt, und ich fand die Idee, die Bösewichte in ihrer Jugend zu erleben – bevor sie die ikonischen Schurken werden, die wir kennen – unglaublich faszinierend. Dieses Konzept öffnet eine völlig neue Perspektive auf die Charaktere und macht neugierig darauf, wie sie sich weiterentwickeln.
Allerdings muss ich zugeben, dass es mir am Anfang schwerfiel, in die Geschichte hineinzufinden. Der Einstieg war geprägt von umfangreichem World-Building, das sich oft wie eine Aneinanderreihung von Infodumps anfühlte. Es war nicht immer einfach, all die Details zu verarbeiten und dabei das Interesse an der Handlung zu behalten. Doch sobald das zentrale Mysterium eingeführt wurde, gewann die Geschichte spürbar an Tempo und Dynamik. Ab diesem Punkt war es schwierig, das Buch aus der Hand zu legen.
Ein wichtiger Hinweis für potenzielle Leser ist, dass sich dieses Buch eher an das jüngere Ende des Young-Adult-Genres richtet, fast schon in den Bereich der Middle-Grade-Literatur. Wenn man sich darauf einstellt und mit der Erwartung einer leichteren, verspielteren Geschichte herangeht, kann man das Buch in vollen Zügen genießen. Außerdem bin ich mir nicht sicher, ob die endgültige Version des Buches eine Karte enthalten wird, aber ich halte das für eine großartige Ergänzung. Eine Karte würde den Lesern helfen, sich besser in der Welt zu orientieren, die manchmal etwas überwältigend wirken kann.
Wir wissen natürlich, dass Ursula, nun ja, Ursula ist. James ist Captain Hook, und Mally Saint stellt sich als Maleficent heraus. Diese Enthüllungen waren relativ früh offensichtlich und dienten meiner Meinung nach als eine Art falsche Fährte. Sie lenkten perfekt davon ab, wer Mary Elizabeth in Wirklichkeit ist. (Oder vielleicht war ich einfach nur unglaublich langsam und habe es erst beim ersten Mal begriffen, als Mary durch den Spiegel trat.) Letztlich wird klar: Mary Elizabeth ist niemand anderes als die zukünftige Herzkönigin.
Es gab so viele subtile Hinweise darauf, die ich im Nachhinein wirklich bewundere. Sie ist eine außergewöhnliche Spielerin im Croquet-Pinball, und die Beschreibungen ihrer Mutter – die leuchtend roten Haare und das herzförmige Kleid, das sie an dem Tag trug, als sie starb – passten perfekt zusammen. Das machte es im Nachhinein offensichtlich, aber während des Lesens hat es mich richtig überrascht. Diese Enthüllung macht mich umso neugieriger, wie Marys Geschichte weitergeht. Wird sie den Weg zur Bösartigkeit einschlagen, wie man es von der Herzkönigin erwartet? Wird sie verrückt werden? Oder wird sie vielleicht eine klassische Antiheldin, die in der Grauzone zwischen Gut und Böse bleibt?
Ein weiterer Aspekt, der mich neugierig gemacht hat, sind die Machenschaften des Chief. Ich wünschte, der Fall rund um den Verrückten Hutmacher hätte etwas mehr Raum bekommen oder wäre stärker mit der Hauptgeschichte verwoben worden. Dieser Handlungsstrang hatte so viel Potenzial, vor allem, weil er unglaublich düster und verstörend war. Gleichzeitig passte er perfekt zu den Gotham-Vibes der Geschichte. Der ganze Fall fühlte sich an wie ein Szenario, das direkt aus einem Comic stammen könnte – etwas, das der Joker oder der Riddler inszeniert hätten. Leider geriet dieser Aspekt der Handlung zunehmend in den Hintergrund, während Bella und Mary Elizabeth ihre eigene Spur verfolgten. Ich hätte es großartig gefunden, wenn alles etwas stärker miteinander verknüpft worden wäre.
Auch die Beziehung zu Lucas hätte noch mehr Tiefe erhalten können. Hätten wir mehr Interaktionen zwischen ihm und den Hauptfiguren gesehen, wäre der Twist – dass seine Familie hinter den fragwürdigen Experimenten steckt – umso schockierender und wirkungsvoller gewesen. So fühlte es sich ein wenig zu plötzlich und nicht ganz so bedeutsam an, wie es hätte sein können.
Insgesamt hat mir das Buch jedoch sehr viel Spaß gemacht. Es bietet eine einzigartige Mischung aus bekannten Elementen, dunklen Geheimnissen und frischen Ideen. Für mich ist es ein solider Auftakt zu einer Serie, die großes Potenzial hat, sich weiterzuentwickeln.
Fazit:
Das Buch vereint auf faszinierende Weise „Disney-Bösewichte trifft Gotham“-Vibes und bietet eine spannende Geschichte. Die Idee, bekannte Bösewichte als Teenager zu zeigen, ist originell und lädt zum Miträtseln ein, auch wenn der Einstieg durch umfangreiches World-Building etwas zäh wirkt. Sobald das Mysterium jedoch ins Rollen kommt, steigert sich das Tempo deutlich. Das Buch richtet sich eher an ein jüngeres Publikum, fast schon im Middle-Grade-Bereich, und wäre mit einer Karte leichter zugänglich. Insgesamt ein vielversprechender Start einer Serie mit großem Potenzial!
3 von 5 Sternen!
Allerdings muss ich zugeben, dass es mir am Anfang schwerfiel, in die Geschichte hineinzufinden. Der Einstieg war geprägt von umfangreichem World-Building, das sich oft wie eine Aneinanderreihung von Infodumps anfühlte. Es war nicht immer einfach, all die Details zu verarbeiten und dabei das Interesse an der Handlung zu behalten. Doch sobald das zentrale Mysterium eingeführt wurde, gewann die Geschichte spürbar an Tempo und Dynamik. Ab diesem Punkt war es schwierig, das Buch aus der Hand zu legen.
Ein wichtiger Hinweis für potenzielle Leser ist, dass sich dieses Buch eher an das jüngere Ende des Young-Adult-Genres richtet, fast schon in den Bereich der Middle-Grade-Literatur. Wenn man sich darauf einstellt und mit der Erwartung einer leichteren, verspielteren Geschichte herangeht, kann man das Buch in vollen Zügen genießen. Außerdem bin ich mir nicht sicher, ob die endgültige Version des Buches eine Karte enthalten wird, aber ich halte das für eine großartige Ergänzung. Eine Karte würde den Lesern helfen, sich besser in der Welt zu orientieren, die manchmal etwas überwältigend wirken kann.
Wir wissen natürlich, dass Ursula, nun ja, Ursula ist. James ist Captain Hook, und Mally Saint stellt sich als Maleficent heraus. Diese Enthüllungen waren relativ früh offensichtlich und dienten meiner Meinung nach als eine Art falsche Fährte. Sie lenkten perfekt davon ab, wer Mary Elizabeth in Wirklichkeit ist. (Oder vielleicht war ich einfach nur unglaublich langsam und habe es erst beim ersten Mal begriffen, als Mary durch den Spiegel trat.) Letztlich wird klar: Mary Elizabeth ist niemand anderes als die zukünftige Herzkönigin.
Es gab so viele subtile Hinweise darauf, die ich im Nachhinein wirklich bewundere. Sie ist eine außergewöhnliche Spielerin im Croquet-Pinball, und die Beschreibungen ihrer Mutter – die leuchtend roten Haare und das herzförmige Kleid, das sie an dem Tag trug, als sie starb – passten perfekt zusammen. Das machte es im Nachhinein offensichtlich, aber während des Lesens hat es mich richtig überrascht. Diese Enthüllung macht mich umso neugieriger, wie Marys Geschichte weitergeht. Wird sie den Weg zur Bösartigkeit einschlagen, wie man es von der Herzkönigin erwartet? Wird sie verrückt werden? Oder wird sie vielleicht eine klassische Antiheldin, die in der Grauzone zwischen Gut und Böse bleibt?
Ein weiterer Aspekt, der mich neugierig gemacht hat, sind die Machenschaften des Chief. Ich wünschte, der Fall rund um den Verrückten Hutmacher hätte etwas mehr Raum bekommen oder wäre stärker mit der Hauptgeschichte verwoben worden. Dieser Handlungsstrang hatte so viel Potenzial, vor allem, weil er unglaublich düster und verstörend war. Gleichzeitig passte er perfekt zu den Gotham-Vibes der Geschichte. Der ganze Fall fühlte sich an wie ein Szenario, das direkt aus einem Comic stammen könnte – etwas, das der Joker oder der Riddler inszeniert hätten. Leider geriet dieser Aspekt der Handlung zunehmend in den Hintergrund, während Bella und Mary Elizabeth ihre eigene Spur verfolgten. Ich hätte es großartig gefunden, wenn alles etwas stärker miteinander verknüpft worden wäre.
Auch die Beziehung zu Lucas hätte noch mehr Tiefe erhalten können. Hätten wir mehr Interaktionen zwischen ihm und den Hauptfiguren gesehen, wäre der Twist – dass seine Familie hinter den fragwürdigen Experimenten steckt – umso schockierender und wirkungsvoller gewesen. So fühlte es sich ein wenig zu plötzlich und nicht ganz so bedeutsam an, wie es hätte sein können.
Insgesamt hat mir das Buch jedoch sehr viel Spaß gemacht. Es bietet eine einzigartige Mischung aus bekannten Elementen, dunklen Geheimnissen und frischen Ideen. Für mich ist es ein solider Auftakt zu einer Serie, die großes Potenzial hat, sich weiterzuentwickeln.
Fazit:
Das Buch vereint auf faszinierende Weise „Disney-Bösewichte trifft Gotham“-Vibes und bietet eine spannende Geschichte. Die Idee, bekannte Bösewichte als Teenager zu zeigen, ist originell und lädt zum Miträtseln ein, auch wenn der Einstieg durch umfangreiches World-Building etwas zäh wirkt. Sobald das Mysterium jedoch ins Rollen kommt, steigert sich das Tempo deutlich. Das Buch richtet sich eher an ein jüngeres Publikum, fast schon im Middle-Grade-Bereich, und wäre mit einer Karte leichter zugänglich. Insgesamt ein vielversprechender Start einer Serie mit großem Potenzial!
3 von 5 Sternen!
December 15, 2020
Thanks to the publisher for providing an eARC of City of Villains in exchange for an honest review.
I don't know who the audience for this could possibly be. The writing is all showing no telling which is typical of younger YA/middle grade but the presence of swearing and a few more adult conversations means this can't really be marketed at readers in that age demographic. A lot of this book suffers from a similar inbetweeness that keeps it from forming a strong identity or audience. We're in a world with magic that recently died and a fairytale-esque social hierarchy, but our protagonist also references Love Island so apparently we're in a modern day alternate earth. A lot of the names are comically fantastical, but then we also have characters casually named "Lucas" and "Kyle". Immersion here was near impossible because the world was so, so shaking that every time I thought I had a handle on the world, tone, or demographic, I'd get a jarring reminder of something to the contrary.
I don't know who the audience for this could possibly be. The writing is all showing no telling which is typical of younger YA/middle grade but the presence of swearing and a few more adult conversations means this can't really be marketed at readers in that age demographic. A lot of this book suffers from a similar inbetweeness that keeps it from forming a strong identity or audience. We're in a world with magic that recently died and a fairytale-esque social hierarchy, but our protagonist also references Love Island so apparently we're in a modern day alternate earth. A lot of the names are comically fantastical, but then we also have characters casually named "Lucas" and "Kyle". Immersion here was near impossible because the world was so, so shaking that every time I thought I had a handle on the world, tone, or demographic, I'd get a jarring reminder of something to the contrary.
December 1, 2021
This is a young adult book, as all the characters are in high school, senior year. It's an interesting take on Disney villain origin stories, and posits the creation of faerie villains like Maleficent and Ursula is the result of non-fae attempting to bottle and sell fae magic. The experiment goes horribly, terribly wrong, of course. The villains are victims of non-magical greed.
The story starts with the villains in high school in the Scar of Monarch City -- a place where fae magic used to rule, but literally disappeared and left behind a big, ugly vacuum called the Scar. All that's left behind are echoes of its brilliance, like perfect weather all the time and a magical garden. And a nasty, deadly black ink-water lake, called Miracle Lake, that kills all that falls into it. No one has magic any longer, but some experience traces of it. Families of magical fae are called Legacy. They're born with a distinctive, heart-shaped mark. It's very much a dystopian setting.
Ursula is the most recognizable villain, and she's the main character's best friend. The main character, Mary Elizabeth Heart, I understood to be the young Queen of Hearts, from Alice in Wonderland of "Off with her head!" fame, although that's truly left up for interpretation. Ursula's already a skilled blackmailer and has enemies in high school and out. Mary is dating James, aka Captain Hook from Peter Pan, and they're that couple, the one joined at the hip.
Mary's doing an unpaid internship for the local police department, and gets pulled into an Scar investigation when Mally, aka Maleficent, goes missing. Her super-rich father is convinced something bad has happened to her, especially when her raven is left behind.
Mary teams up with junior detective Bella, aka Beauty and the Beast's Belle. Soon Ursula disappears, too. Mary steps through the mirror in a local night club / hang out popular with Legacy kids, and not only is she nastier looking in her reflection, it takes her to a place where she figures out someone may be experimenting on Legacy!
Mary escapes, and she and Bella go through all the contacts on Ursula's phone, looking for clues, and phew! Things are getting nasty in the Scar, with non-Legacy encroaching, buying up property cheap, and Ursula's been a big supporter of Legacy by blackmailing non-Legacy council members to stay in line.
Then there are sightings of a monster by Miracle Lake, which is patently impossible, until a tentacle reaches out and transforms into... Ursula. She spills the beans. I won't spoil what happens, but it was an interesting take on how the villains were formed -- in response to cruelties by us non-magical folks.
This is an interesting new take on Disney villains and will make for an interesting read under the tree for Disney fans. Enjoy!
Looking for more book suggestions for your 7th/8th grade classroom and students?
Visit my blog for more great middle grade book recommendations, free teaching materials and fiction writing tips: https://amb.mystrikingly.com/
The story starts with the villains in high school in the Scar of Monarch City -- a place where fae magic used to rule, but literally disappeared and left behind a big, ugly vacuum called the Scar. All that's left behind are echoes of its brilliance, like perfect weather all the time and a magical garden. And a nasty, deadly black ink-water lake, called Miracle Lake, that kills all that falls into it. No one has magic any longer, but some experience traces of it. Families of magical fae are called Legacy. They're born with a distinctive, heart-shaped mark. It's very much a dystopian setting.
Ursula is the most recognizable villain, and she's the main character's best friend. The main character, Mary Elizabeth Heart, I understood to be the young Queen of Hearts, from Alice in Wonderland of "Off with her head!" fame, although that's truly left up for interpretation. Ursula's already a skilled blackmailer and has enemies in high school and out. Mary is dating James, aka Captain Hook from Peter Pan, and they're that couple, the one joined at the hip.
Mary's doing an unpaid internship for the local police department, and gets pulled into an Scar investigation when Mally, aka Maleficent, goes missing. Her super-rich father is convinced something bad has happened to her, especially when her raven is left behind.
Mary teams up with junior detective Bella, aka Beauty and the Beast's Belle. Soon Ursula disappears, too. Mary steps through the mirror in a local night club / hang out popular with Legacy kids, and not only is she nastier looking in her reflection, it takes her to a place where she figures out someone may be experimenting on Legacy!
Mary escapes, and she and Bella go through all the contacts on Ursula's phone, looking for clues, and phew! Things are getting nasty in the Scar, with non-Legacy encroaching, buying up property cheap, and Ursula's been a big supporter of Legacy by blackmailing non-Legacy council members to stay in line.
Then there are sightings of a monster by Miracle Lake, which is patently impossible, until a tentacle reaches out and transforms into... Ursula. She spills the beans. I won't spoil what happens, but it was an interesting take on how the villains were formed -- in response to cruelties by us non-magical folks.
This is an interesting new take on Disney villains and will make for an interesting read under the tree for Disney fans. Enjoy!
Looking for more book suggestions for your 7th/8th grade classroom and students?
Visit my blog for more great middle grade book recommendations, free teaching materials and fiction writing tips: https://amb.mystrikingly.com/
January 30, 2022
Review coming soon
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