What do you think?
Rate this book
Světla nad Prahou
Vítejte v temných uličkách staré Prahy, ve kterých zlo nikdy nespí.
V temných uličkách noční Prahy číhají bytosti, o jejichž existenci nemají Pražané ani potuchy. Jen díky nebojácným lampářům – elitním lovcům příšer – je město chráněno před nadvládou upírů, vodníků, bludiček či duchů.
Lampář Domek Myška patří mezi ty nejlepší. Poté, co odhalí spiknutí pijavic, které by mohlo rozpoutat zkázu denního světa, se ocitne v boji proti těm, kdo chtějí zneužít alchymii ve svůj vlastní prospěch.
Taky se zdá, že jeho krásná přítelkyně Ora Fischerová možná nebude ta, za koho se vydává, a stojí na straně nepřítele.
Podaří se jim najít společnou cestu a zachránit Prahu před přílivem monster?
V temných uličkách noční Prahy číhají bytosti, o jejichž existenci nemají Pražané ani potuchy. Jen díky nebojácným lampářům – elitním lovcům příšer – je město chráněno před nadvládou upírů, vodníků, bludiček či duchů.
Lampář Domek Myška patří mezi ty nejlepší. Poté, co odhalí spiknutí pijavic, které by mohlo rozpoutat zkázu denního světa, se ocitne v boji proti těm, kdo chtějí zneužít alchymii ve svůj vlastní prospěch.
Taky se zdá, že jeho krásná přítelkyně Ora Fischerová možná nebude ta, za koho se vydává, a stojí na straně nepřítele.
Podaří se jim najít společnou cestu a zachránit Prahu před přílivem monster?
352 pages, Paperback
First published May 25, 2021
291 people are currently reading
11445 people want to read
Ratings & Reviews
Friends & Following
Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!
Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 30 of 601 reviews
May 31, 2021
There are many reasons why I wanted to read this book. From the pretty cover, to the title, setting and blurb. But the real winner for me, was the word "pijavica".
In my language (and in Czech too, I'd imagine, as our languages aren't so different) it means leech. I thought that was a really endearing way to say vampire. Then again endearing probably isn't the right word, since the vampires in this story are anything but cuddly...either way I thought it was cool and a tiny bit funny. I kept giggling for the first several mentions (and there were many in chapter one).
It was nice to see a book set somewhere familiar, both culture and location wise. I've been to Prague a couple of years ago. It's one of the most beautiful cities in the world and The Lights of Prague did it justice with the descriptions. I felt like I was back exploring everything because it was so vivid.
AND THE NAMES! Domek Myska??? THAT'S SO ADORABLE!!! The names were done right for once. My Slavic soul is happy.
It was interesting to see the differences between Czech and Serbian in the names too. For example Kaja would be a female name here, always...and more of a nickname really, but in the book it's male.
Still, this book is not without its faults. The first half is slow. The next 20% gets better and then the rest is amazing. So it's a bit hard to rate.
On top of that, the characters gave me mixed feelings. I liked Domek better than Ora, but I didn't love him. He was nice, but I wanted him to have more depth.
Ora was alright, just not that interesting. Lina for example, was a lot more interesting (and Romani rep!).
Kaja was the best character. A little ball of light, literally. He was written so well and I cried during his scene at the end. I think it's a unique concept for will-o'-the-wisps to be bound, I haven't come across that before. Bonus points.
The storyline could've been fleshed out better. I liked it though. Especially when the twists come in the final third.
As for the length, I think the book would've benefited from being a tad shorter. Somewhere from 30-50% scenes could be cut. It's still worth the read if you can look past the slower parts.
*Thank you to the publishers and NetGalley for providing me with an e-ARC in exchange for an honest review*
In my language (and in Czech too, I'd imagine, as our languages aren't so different) it means leech. I thought that was a really endearing way to say vampire. Then again endearing probably isn't the right word, since the vampires in this story are anything but cuddly...either way I thought it was cool and a tiny bit funny. I kept giggling for the first several mentions (and there were many in chapter one).
It was nice to see a book set somewhere familiar, both culture and location wise. I've been to Prague a couple of years ago. It's one of the most beautiful cities in the world and The Lights of Prague did it justice with the descriptions. I felt like I was back exploring everything because it was so vivid.
AND THE NAMES! Domek Myska??? THAT'S SO ADORABLE!!! The names were done right for once. My Slavic soul is happy.
It was interesting to see the differences between Czech and Serbian in the names too. For example Kaja would be a female name here, always...and more of a nickname really, but in the book it's male.
Still, this book is not without its faults. The first half is slow. The next 20% gets better and then the rest is amazing. So it's a bit hard to rate.
On top of that, the characters gave me mixed feelings. I liked Domek better than Ora, but I didn't love him. He was nice, but I wanted him to have more depth.
Ora was alright, just not that interesting. Lina for example, was a lot more interesting (and Romani rep!).
Kaja was the best character. A little ball of light, literally. He was written so well and I cried during his scene at the end. I think it's a unique concept for will-o'-the-wisps to be bound, I haven't come across that before. Bonus points.
The storyline could've been fleshed out better. I liked it though. Especially when the twists come in the final third.
As for the length, I think the book would've benefited from being a tad shorter. Somewhere from 30-50% scenes could be cut. It's still worth the read if you can look past the slower parts.
*Thank you to the publishers and NetGalley for providing me with an e-ARC in exchange for an honest review*
September 7, 2024
Massive thank you to Titan Books and NetGalley for providing me with a free ARC in exchange for an honest review.
The Lights of Prague follows Domek Myska, a lamplighter, whose job secretly involves keeping the city of Prague safe from pijavice (vampires) and Lady Ora Fischerová, an aristocratic, bisexual widow, who just happens to also be a pijavica. It follows their relationship, and their intertwining storylines as they both attempt to save Prague, before the pijavice, who have recently discovered a cure, take over the city.
I love these characters and the dual perspective the story followed. Domek is such an unlikely gentlemen, which was refreshing considering the majority of modern male love interests seem to be the alpha male type, and Domek was quite the opposite. Whilst, Ora was definitely a badass (with an emotional side) and such a strong female lead. The romance between them is definitely not the focus of the book, but it was still great.
“He was tearing down her walls, taking her apart - and would piece her back together. She let herself shatter.” -oop
I will say, if you’re looking to read this book for a female-female relationship at the centre of this story, you won’t find it. However, I did think the normalisation and casual reference to Ora’s previous sapphic relationships was wonderful.
The highlight of the book for me was Kája, the mischievous will-o'-the-wisp. Not only was their personality so well fleshed out (honestly had the most personality out of all of the characters), the whole concept of the will-o'-the-wisps was so unique? I’ve never quite seen a new creature be executed so well, it was so well integrated into the storyline, they just fit perfectly.
The first 50% of the book were fairly slow paced, and if it wasn’t for the detailed, atmospherical descriptions of Prague, it perhaps would have been too slow paced. But as I absolutely love Prague (it’s one of my favourite European cities), it felt like the perfect setting for this story, especially within the 1800’s timeframe. It was wonderful to be able to relive the stunning city and recognise certain landmarks, such as the Charles Bridge, picturing them as if I never left.
“Like a giant sated after a hearty meal, Prague after a storm was content and slow.” I’m sorry but these descriptions are stunning - not sure I’ll ever get over them!
Overall I adored this and I would 100% recommend this to fans of urban fantasy, especially fantasy fans which love a historical setting (think ‘These Violet Delights’ by Chloe Gong)
CAWPILE: 7.57 / 10
Blog | Instagram | Twitter
The Lights of Prague follows Domek Myska, a lamplighter, whose job secretly involves keeping the city of Prague safe from pijavice (vampires) and Lady Ora Fischerová, an aristocratic, bisexual widow, who just happens to also be a pijavica. It follows their relationship, and their intertwining storylines as they both attempt to save Prague, before the pijavice, who have recently discovered a cure, take over the city.
I love these characters and the dual perspective the story followed. Domek is such an unlikely gentlemen, which was refreshing considering the majority of modern male love interests seem to be the alpha male type, and Domek was quite the opposite. Whilst, Ora was definitely a badass (with an emotional side) and such a strong female lead. The romance between them is definitely not the focus of the book, but it was still great.
“He was tearing down her walls, taking her apart - and would piece her back together. She let herself shatter.” -oop
I will say, if you’re looking to read this book for a female-female relationship at the centre of this story, you won’t find it. However, I did think the normalisation and casual reference to Ora’s previous sapphic relationships was wonderful.
The highlight of the book for me was Kája, the mischievous will-o'-the-wisp. Not only was their personality so well fleshed out (honestly had the most personality out of all of the characters), the whole concept of the will-o'-the-wisps was so unique? I’ve never quite seen a new creature be executed so well, it was so well integrated into the storyline, they just fit perfectly.
The first 50% of the book were fairly slow paced, and if it wasn’t for the detailed, atmospherical descriptions of Prague, it perhaps would have been too slow paced. But as I absolutely love Prague (it’s one of my favourite European cities), it felt like the perfect setting for this story, especially within the 1800’s timeframe. It was wonderful to be able to relive the stunning city and recognise certain landmarks, such as the Charles Bridge, picturing them as if I never left.
“Like a giant sated after a hearty meal, Prague after a storm was content and slow.” I’m sorry but these descriptions are stunning - not sure I’ll ever get over them!
Overall I adored this and I would 100% recommend this to fans of urban fantasy, especially fantasy fans which love a historical setting (think ‘These Violet Delights’ by Chloe Gong)
CAWPILE: 7.57 / 10
Blog | Instagram | Twitter
March 25, 2023
"No ending seems truly final in Prague."
Well, it's solid 4,5/stars out of 5 in its category - I mean leisure books about vampires and monsters and love. And about Prague.
As a converted many-years-in Praguer starting this book I was kinda sceptical about it being one of these "I spent a vacation week in Prague and I want to write a book about that". Prague is a city many people pull out when thinking about something beautiful, magical but overall small and harmless, yet giving it no further thought and understanding, limiting the tropes to all the stuff worn-out ad nauseam such as "city of spires", "golden city", freaking Charles bridge and the Castle 🏰 and the like.
This book however, I have to admit, went beyond my expectations in that respect - factography and topography both sit pretty well, there is quite much facts dropping and the somewhat magical aura was pretty neatly rendered through things like the alchemy shops, alchemist apprenticeship, etc. We mostly don't go any way farther from the historical city center but honestly I'm not sure if anyone should complain that a book about vampires, wizards, alchemists and witches doesn't show "real working class Prague" beyond the intra muros trails as popular as Královská cesta. It's fine.
It's very action-packed, dynamic story with skillfully built plot which all loose ends have been diligently tied at the conclusion of the epilogue, the characters are likeable, relatable and nicely drawn with quite solidly built up personas and development throughout the book.
There's a number or rather the main and the smaller love stories interwoven into the plot and many of them get a satisfying and/or quite beautiful closure, that part of the book is actually very sweet.
This is a book about fighting monsters. But what I appreciated about it is that there's a lot of second thoughts there about who's your friend and who's your foe, who's the real monster and what does it take to be human and not to reject someone or think they're monsters only because of who they are and so forth.
I'm an inch shy from accusing this book of a small tokenism - the lesbian and gay parts are just dropped there for nothing all that much and it would make more sense had their parts been more developed but I'm probably exaggerating.
The plot is pretty interesting and engaging, with time we uncover another layers if it and we wait until the very last page to understand the entire story. Gore factor is average on this one and it's rather this fluffy b-horror movie gore.
It's really a very nice book if one is into fantasy - I'm not yet still enjoyed it and managed not to lose interest in the process.
4.5/5
Well, it's solid 4,5/stars out of 5 in its category - I mean leisure books about vampires and monsters and love. And about Prague.
As a converted many-years-in Praguer starting this book I was kinda sceptical about it being one of these "I spent a vacation week in Prague and I want to write a book about that". Prague is a city many people pull out when thinking about something beautiful, magical but overall small and harmless, yet giving it no further thought and understanding, limiting the tropes to all the stuff worn-out ad nauseam such as "city of spires", "golden city", freaking Charles bridge and the Castle 🏰 and the like.
This book however, I have to admit, went beyond my expectations in that respect - factography and topography both sit pretty well, there is quite much facts dropping and the somewhat magical aura was pretty neatly rendered through things like the alchemy shops, alchemist apprenticeship, etc. We mostly don't go any way farther from the historical city center but honestly I'm not sure if anyone should complain that a book about vampires, wizards, alchemists and witches doesn't show "real working class Prague" beyond the intra muros trails as popular as Královská cesta. It's fine.
It's very action-packed, dynamic story with skillfully built plot which all loose ends have been diligently tied at the conclusion of the epilogue, the characters are likeable, relatable and nicely drawn with quite solidly built up personas and development throughout the book.
There's a number or rather the main and the smaller love stories interwoven into the plot and many of them get a satisfying and/or quite beautiful closure, that part of the book is actually very sweet.
This is a book about fighting monsters. But what I appreciated about it is that there's a lot of second thoughts there about who's your friend and who's your foe, who's the real monster and what does it take to be human and not to reject someone or think they're monsters only because of who they are and so forth.
I'm an inch shy from accusing this book of a small tokenism - the lesbian and gay parts are just dropped there for nothing all that much and it would make more sense had their parts been more developed but I'm probably exaggerating.
The plot is pretty interesting and engaging, with time we uncover another layers if it and we wait until the very last page to understand the entire story. Gore factor is average on this one and it's rather this fluffy b-horror movie gore.
It's really a very nice book if one is into fantasy - I'm not yet still enjoyed it and managed not to lose interest in the process.
4.5/5
November 6, 2021
this was such a treat. I mean it’s VAMPIRES in PRAGUE!! how could I not enjoy this??
it was really refreshing to see a vampire story not set in london (or just any story because apparently thats the only city in the world). I admit the setting was definitely my favorite part of the book. the plot & characters weren’t all that revolutionary but I say if you’re a fan of vampires stories you should check this one out!!
it was really refreshing to see a vampire story not set in london (or just any story because apparently thats the only city in the world). I admit the setting was definitely my favorite part of the book. the plot & characters weren’t all that revolutionary but I say if you’re a fan of vampires stories you should check this one out!!
November 25, 2022
DNF Pag. 165
Boring, boring, boring.
Boring, boring, boring.
May 6, 2021
If you are looking for a book without any character depth nor development, a plot that is so basic that literally nothing happens, a world building that is so plain I couldn’t even imagine myself in that city. The only thing that kept me from dnf is the writing style. It’s good, but unfortunately all the rest was not and in the end, this book was just bad for me.
Thanks to netgalley for the ecopy.
Thanks to netgalley for the ecopy.
October 10, 2021
3.5 Stars
This was a simple, fun take on vampire fiction. I wish it had been darker with less romance. A nice story, but just not my personal tastes.
This was a simple, fun take on vampire fiction. I wish it had been darker with less romance. A nice story, but just not my personal tastes.
August 29, 2020
I was sent this book as an advance copy by the publisher via Edelweiss for reviewing purposes, but all opinions are my own.
3.5 stars
I quite liked this historical fantasy/mystery about vampires (pijavice) in Prague and the lamplighter who kills them, only to then fall in love with one of them.
I will admit the premise wouldn't have caught my eye if it wasn't that the vampire heroine is bisexual (I promise you will never catch me reading about str*ight vampires...ever). The book immediately drew me in and I found it had a strong start, plus the writing is really good, not too flowery but it manages to create powerful images. The writing is also very detailed sometimes and that made my ADHD brain lose focus more than once, to the point where I kind of skim-read a lot of the more detailed parts, but it should be no problem for someone else who loves descriptions of a beautiful city like Prague.
The characters were well built in my opinion, we get a dual point of view from Domek and Ora and they're both well fleshed out people, but to me they didn't feel like the type of character I'm usually going to fall in love with, and that was also not the case here. I liked them both but I sort of felt a disconnect with both of them throughout the book. My favorite character by far was Kája, the wisp that Domek finds at the beginning of the book and that is at the core of the mystery of the story. Kája is exactly the type of character that inevitably ends up as my favorite and I'm only sorry that he didn't have more page time, because I loved it every time he had a line or did something.
The romance between Ora and Domek was enjoyable, I liked that they already knew each other, somewhat, because the book didn't have to find a super relatable meet-cute or cliché first meeting (which can sometimes be a hit or miss, especially because you might feel like things are too rushed if they just met) and I think the book had the perfect amount of focus on the romance for its genre, not too much and not too little, but I also felt rather lukewarm about it.
In a surprising turn of events, I was more drawn to the actual story than to the characters or relationships in this book, something that rarely happens to me, which is why I referred somewhere else about this book as "perfect for casual readers": you might not find your next favorite character or romance here, but the plot is entertaining and the mystery intriguing enough to hold your interest from the first to the last page. At least it was for me.
So overall I think if the premise of this book sounds intriguing to you then it's really worth to give it a try and read about some slightly different takes on vampires.
3.5 stars
I quite liked this historical fantasy/mystery about vampires (pijavice) in Prague and the lamplighter who kills them, only to then fall in love with one of them.
I will admit the premise wouldn't have caught my eye if it wasn't that the vampire heroine is bisexual (I promise you will never catch me reading about str*ight vampires...ever). The book immediately drew me in and I found it had a strong start, plus the writing is really good, not too flowery but it manages to create powerful images. The writing is also very detailed sometimes and that made my ADHD brain lose focus more than once, to the point where I kind of skim-read a lot of the more detailed parts, but it should be no problem for someone else who loves descriptions of a beautiful city like Prague.
The characters were well built in my opinion, we get a dual point of view from Domek and Ora and they're both well fleshed out people, but to me they didn't feel like the type of character I'm usually going to fall in love with, and that was also not the case here. I liked them both but I sort of felt a disconnect with both of them throughout the book. My favorite character by far was Kája, the wisp that Domek finds at the beginning of the book and that is at the core of the mystery of the story. Kája is exactly the type of character that inevitably ends up as my favorite and I'm only sorry that he didn't have more page time, because I loved it every time he had a line or did something.
The romance between Ora and Domek was enjoyable, I liked that they already knew each other, somewhat, because the book didn't have to find a super relatable meet-cute or cliché first meeting (which can sometimes be a hit or miss, especially because you might feel like things are too rushed if they just met) and I think the book had the perfect amount of focus on the romance for its genre, not too much and not too little, but I also felt rather lukewarm about it.
In a surprising turn of events, I was more drawn to the actual story than to the characters or relationships in this book, something that rarely happens to me, which is why I referred somewhere else about this book as "perfect for casual readers": you might not find your next favorite character or romance here, but the plot is entertaining and the mystery intriguing enough to hold your interest from the first to the last page. At least it was for me.
So overall I think if the premise of this book sounds intriguing to you then it's really worth to give it a try and read about some slightly different takes on vampires.
June 16, 2022
This was so eerie and magical. I really loved this a lot! I lovedddddd the setting, Ora and Domek were really great POV characters, and the lore was just sooooo good! If this is on your tbr and you need something to read that’s easy and a standalone? This is it! It does a great job of explaining everything you need to know within the story, and the pacing is fantastic.
I’m not sure what I was expecting from this but the historical time period, Prague as the setting and all of the monsters just made it such my cup of tea! The little eeks of romance were a delightful edition honestly. 4.5* rounded to 5!
I’m not sure what I was expecting from this but the historical time period, Prague as the setting and all of the monsters just made it such my cup of tea! The little eeks of romance were a delightful edition honestly. 4.5* rounded to 5!
May 25, 2021
The Lights of Prague is Nicole Jarvis’ debut historical fantasy novel with a delicious gothic tinge to it and tells a haunting story drawn from long-established Eastern European mythology. Otherworldly creatures of dark myth roam the streets of the city and only the lamplighters of Prague offer protection against this conspiracy of vampiric pijavica, the Czech cousin of the vampire. Domek Myska walks the dingy, cobblestone streets of 19th century Prague as a member of the Lamplighters’ Guild, a group responsible for ensuring that the city’s many gas lamps continue to burn - protecting the population from bloodthirsty supernatural beings roaming for easy prey. He helps fight against the creatures that hide out in darkened alleys and among the shadows in Prague’s vast underground tunnel system shying away from the light that up until now has hindered their existence. But after killing a pijavica, Domek is shocked to discover the creature had been in possession of a captive will-o’-the-wisp, a rare spirit, and decides to attempt to track its origins.
He befriends Lady Ora Fischerová, an affluent and elegant older woman who also happens to be a pijavica and is currently investigating rumours that some of her kind are developing a cure for their allergy to sunlight. Could the monsters be evolving? This is a riveting, enthralling and richly atmospheric vampire novel steeped in a creepy history and aura and alluring worldbuilding including such vivid descriptions of the city are so superb that you can transport yourself there amongst the culture, food and people almost instantly. It's a refreshing fantasy and actually the first story I have read that didn't come across as juvenile when using vampires and monster hunters as the main thrust of the sinister plot. It touches on the class system and thirst for power and is peopled with complex characters who feel like old friends as well as protectors. It's also a surprisingly action-packed and high-intensity adventure with an unsettling moodiness and unease underpinning it all. A thoroughly entertaining gothic historical fantasy. Highly recommended.
He befriends Lady Ora Fischerová, an affluent and elegant older woman who also happens to be a pijavica and is currently investigating rumours that some of her kind are developing a cure for their allergy to sunlight. Could the monsters be evolving? This is a riveting, enthralling and richly atmospheric vampire novel steeped in a creepy history and aura and alluring worldbuilding including such vivid descriptions of the city are so superb that you can transport yourself there amongst the culture, food and people almost instantly. It's a refreshing fantasy and actually the first story I have read that didn't come across as juvenile when using vampires and monster hunters as the main thrust of the sinister plot. It touches on the class system and thirst for power and is peopled with complex characters who feel like old friends as well as protectors. It's also a surprisingly action-packed and high-intensity adventure with an unsettling moodiness and unease underpinning it all. A thoroughly entertaining gothic historical fantasy. Highly recommended.
June 1, 2021
4 of 5 stars at The BiblioSanctum https://bibliosanctum.com/2021/06/01/...
Set in 19th century Prague, Nicole Jarvis’ historical fantasy debut opens on a world at the cusp of great change. Society has been introduced to countless wonderful new scientific technologies, paving the way for an era of cultural and artistic development. Residents of the city are enjoying a revolution of sorts, with everything around them changing quickly, becoming better and more modern. However, unbeknownst to its citizenry, Prague is still a dangerous place, hiding many secrets in its shadows. Thanks to men like Domek Myska and his fellow Lamplighters though, everyone can sleep a little more soundly. Our protagonist is part of a guild of monster hunters who patrol the streets at night, keeping the gas lamps burning, vanquishing any supernatural creature unfortunate enough to cross his path. As the story begins, Domek has just had a run-in with a particularly nasty pijavica, a vampire-like predator. After killing it, he discovers what the creature had been transporting—a mysterious container with a will-o’-the-wisp trapped inside. Curious about his find, Domek contemplates taking the wisp to the guild scientists, but winds up befriending it instead, learning that its name is Kája.
Along the way, he also becomes drawn to Lady Ora Fischevá, our other major POV character who is a wealthy widow with a reputation for being a little eccentric. What no one realizes though, is that the noblewoman actually cultivates that image to her advantage, in order to prevent people from looking too deeply into her affairs. The truth is, she is a pijavica, currently working on her own investigation into rumors about a possible cure for vampirism. Having survived for centuries, Ora has mostly turned away from the more violent and baser instincts of her kind, but for some, it won’t matter—she’ll always be a soulless monster. Unaware of Domek’s affiliation with the Lamplighters, she strikes up a relationship with the young man, while he also finds himself growing more attracted to her, completely clueless as to her true nature. As the bond between our two main characters deepens, so too does the urgency to expose those behind the conspiracy that has bought them together, but of course, it’s also only a matter of time before they find out the truth about each other.
Drenched in history and atmosphere, The Lights of Prague is an intelligent and moody work of fiction combining supernatural and urban fantasy elements. Nicole Jarvis has a way with words, bringing the setting to life with flowing, confident prose. Her world-building feels at once strange and wonderful, from the grand museums and lavish opera halls in which we find Lady Ora and the upper class circles she runs in, to the dank crypts and alleyways where Domek often hunts his prey. I loved that our two main characters come from different worlds, in more ways than one, as it allowed readers to experience so much more of the author’s version of Prague—both its fantastical side, as well as the mundane.
I was also fascinated by the characters, as individually they were each quite compelling, though I confess I was probably more impressed with how well the two clicked with they were together. Domek is a level-headed man of purpose and principles, but he’s not so rigid as to be unwilling to consider other ways of doing things. That makes him a pretty good match for Ora, who is charming and vivacious, for all that she is secretly a pijavica. I was a huge fan of her character, the way she flouted social norms and expectations, following her heart wherever it leads her. Despite her socialite ways, there’s also a depth to her that’s only revealed in her more private moments. Ora has something of a heartrending backstory, one that gives her current mission quite a bit more meaning and substance. It’s when she and Domek are in each other’s presence, however, that things get really interesting, as neither are aware they are on opposite sides of a primal conflict.
And when their investigative paths coincide, that’s when the story really heats up. Prior to that, the pacing was more of a slow burn, but the action ticks up noticeably after the halfway point, as does the intrigue in the overall mystery. For me, Kája was a highlight as well, and I enjoyed how such a seemingly minor side character came to occupy such a large place in my heart by the end of the book! Bottom line, there were so many moving parts to this book, I was quite amazed Jarvis was able to weave them all together while losing none of the gothic elements or atmospheric vibes.
All in all, I had a good time with The Lights of Prague, a historical fantasy I would recommend to readers looking for a more sophisticated kind of vampire and monster hunter story.
Set in 19th century Prague, Nicole Jarvis’ historical fantasy debut opens on a world at the cusp of great change. Society has been introduced to countless wonderful new scientific technologies, paving the way for an era of cultural and artistic development. Residents of the city are enjoying a revolution of sorts, with everything around them changing quickly, becoming better and more modern. However, unbeknownst to its citizenry, Prague is still a dangerous place, hiding many secrets in its shadows. Thanks to men like Domek Myska and his fellow Lamplighters though, everyone can sleep a little more soundly. Our protagonist is part of a guild of monster hunters who patrol the streets at night, keeping the gas lamps burning, vanquishing any supernatural creature unfortunate enough to cross his path. As the story begins, Domek has just had a run-in with a particularly nasty pijavica, a vampire-like predator. After killing it, he discovers what the creature had been transporting—a mysterious container with a will-o’-the-wisp trapped inside. Curious about his find, Domek contemplates taking the wisp to the guild scientists, but winds up befriending it instead, learning that its name is Kája.
Along the way, he also becomes drawn to Lady Ora Fischevá, our other major POV character who is a wealthy widow with a reputation for being a little eccentric. What no one realizes though, is that the noblewoman actually cultivates that image to her advantage, in order to prevent people from looking too deeply into her affairs. The truth is, she is a pijavica, currently working on her own investigation into rumors about a possible cure for vampirism. Having survived for centuries, Ora has mostly turned away from the more violent and baser instincts of her kind, but for some, it won’t matter—she’ll always be a soulless monster. Unaware of Domek’s affiliation with the Lamplighters, she strikes up a relationship with the young man, while he also finds himself growing more attracted to her, completely clueless as to her true nature. As the bond between our two main characters deepens, so too does the urgency to expose those behind the conspiracy that has bought them together, but of course, it’s also only a matter of time before they find out the truth about each other.
Drenched in history and atmosphere, The Lights of Prague is an intelligent and moody work of fiction combining supernatural and urban fantasy elements. Nicole Jarvis has a way with words, bringing the setting to life with flowing, confident prose. Her world-building feels at once strange and wonderful, from the grand museums and lavish opera halls in which we find Lady Ora and the upper class circles she runs in, to the dank crypts and alleyways where Domek often hunts his prey. I loved that our two main characters come from different worlds, in more ways than one, as it allowed readers to experience so much more of the author’s version of Prague—both its fantastical side, as well as the mundane.
I was also fascinated by the characters, as individually they were each quite compelling, though I confess I was probably more impressed with how well the two clicked with they were together. Domek is a level-headed man of purpose and principles, but he’s not so rigid as to be unwilling to consider other ways of doing things. That makes him a pretty good match for Ora, who is charming and vivacious, for all that she is secretly a pijavica. I was a huge fan of her character, the way she flouted social norms and expectations, following her heart wherever it leads her. Despite her socialite ways, there’s also a depth to her that’s only revealed in her more private moments. Ora has something of a heartrending backstory, one that gives her current mission quite a bit more meaning and substance. It’s when she and Domek are in each other’s presence, however, that things get really interesting, as neither are aware they are on opposite sides of a primal conflict.
And when their investigative paths coincide, that’s when the story really heats up. Prior to that, the pacing was more of a slow burn, but the action ticks up noticeably after the halfway point, as does the intrigue in the overall mystery. For me, Kája was a highlight as well, and I enjoyed how such a seemingly minor side character came to occupy such a large place in my heart by the end of the book! Bottom line, there were so many moving parts to this book, I was quite amazed Jarvis was able to weave them all together while losing none of the gothic elements or atmospheric vibes.
All in all, I had a good time with The Lights of Prague, a historical fantasy I would recommend to readers looking for a more sophisticated kind of vampire and monster hunter story.
September 10, 2020
Hopeless or not, life keeps moving. I don’t intend to let it move on past me.
On my blog.
Rep: bi mc with depression, wlw side character, gay side characters
CWs: violence, gore
Galley provided by publisher
Something about the year 2020 seems to have led half of my most anticipated releases (although this one has since been pushed to 2021) to be boring as anything to me. I should have liked this one. It combines some of my favourite things (sapphic historical paranormal mystery). And yet.
The Lights of Prague follows Domek Myska (House Mouse), a lamplighter in Prague who has a secret life as a vampire (or pijavica) hunter. He is drawn to the widow Lady Ora Fischer, who is, unbeknownst to him, herself a pijavica. When Domek kills a pijavica and ends up with a will-o-the-wisp, he finds he has stumbled on a macabre plot, one that might well spell the end to life as he knows it.
I think I knew from pretty early on that this book wasn’t going to be for me. Something about the slow pace of it, the lack of real action, flagged it as being potentially boring from early on. And I was proven right. I could not really pinpoint what it was about it that made it so – possibly because it felt like YA-depth writing in adult fiction trappings – but I found myself skimming from fairly early on.
The most disappointing thing about it was the amount of potential it had. I truly thought I would love this book, and I did not. Like I said, it didn’t have enough action to truly grab me, but that would have been alright if the world had been somewhat more immersive. It wasn’t. So I ended up bored. So bored in fact that I looked up what the characters’ names meant, which is how I came to be calling the mc House Mouse.
That was probably a tactical error, because once I knew that, there was no chance I was going to read this book seriously.
I thought for a moment that it might redeem itself by having an interesting mystery, but that too was not to be. It was pretty obvious from the start that the people who were supposedly to be trusted actually couldn’t be.
Or maybe that’s just because I’ve read way too many books with similar plotlines.
But regardless. It ended up predictable and boring. Like I found much of the rest of the book too.
March 22, 2022
3.5 rounded up
I'm struggling with what to rate this book. After reading The Maid and hating it, it put me in a bit of a reading slump. Then my mental health took a turn for the worst and no matter what book I picked up I just couldn't focus. My hubby seeing my struggle said, "Honey, this book is set in Prague, you love Prague. Try it, I think you'll like it."
I really don't think my lack of enjoyment is the books fault. It had everything I normally would love. Vampires, ghosts, wisps, alchemy and a Gothic vibe that I adore.
I think the slow start this book had frustrated me. It took awhile for the story to get going. Once it did I loved it. Domek was a frustrating character because he was so arrogant and at the same time way too trusting, but I couldn't help but like him. His heart was in the right place. Lady Ora was a wonderfully written character. She had layers to her and the more pieces of her life were revealed the more I grew to like her.
What was frustrating was a lot of the plot was predictable. I was able to figure out the major twist and that was a bit disappointing.
I am not sorry I read this book and I loved that a vampire story was set in Prague and not London or Paris. It was a nice change of pace.
I'm struggling with what to rate this book. After reading The Maid and hating it, it put me in a bit of a reading slump. Then my mental health took a turn for the worst and no matter what book I picked up I just couldn't focus. My hubby seeing my struggle said, "Honey, this book is set in Prague, you love Prague. Try it, I think you'll like it."
I really don't think my lack of enjoyment is the books fault. It had everything I normally would love. Vampires, ghosts, wisps, alchemy and a Gothic vibe that I adore.
I think the slow start this book had frustrated me. It took awhile for the story to get going. Once it did I loved it. Domek was a frustrating character because he was so arrogant and at the same time way too trusting, but I couldn't help but like him. His heart was in the right place. Lady Ora was a wonderfully written character. She had layers to her and the more pieces of her life were revealed the more I grew to like her.
What was frustrating was a lot of the plot was predictable. I was able to figure out the major twist and that was a bit disappointing.
I am not sorry I read this book and I loved that a vampire story was set in Prague and not London or Paris. It was a nice change of pace.
dnf
February 10, 2023DNF @ 50%, pg 209
The writing just isn’t for me, I’m spending more time snarking over holes, inconsistencies, or Tumblr-esque phrases rather than actually paying attention properly. The characters lack depth, as do the relationship dynamics, though admittedly I do enjoy the wisp quite a lot. I think it’s an interesting take on the vampire, known as pijavica in here, and lamplighters serving also as monster hunters is great fun. I like this idea of Prague, which I’ve seen other reviewers who have been to Prague praising its descriptions of the city, and Slavic reviewers approving the Czech naming choices, so that’s always a bonus. Overall worth a peek for those interested in monster and monster hunter stories, but I’m jumping ship at the halfway mark after realizing that I’m more skimming my way through rather than reading.
The writing just isn’t for me, I’m spending more time snarking over holes, inconsistencies, or Tumblr-esque phrases rather than actually paying attention properly. The characters lack depth, as do the relationship dynamics, though admittedly I do enjoy the wisp quite a lot. I think it’s an interesting take on the vampire, known as pijavica in here, and lamplighters serving also as monster hunters is great fun. I like this idea of Prague, which I’ve seen other reviewers who have been to Prague praising its descriptions of the city, and Slavic reviewers approving the Czech naming choices, so that’s always a bonus. Overall worth a peek for those interested in monster and monster hunter stories, but I’m jumping ship at the halfway mark after realizing that I’m more skimming my way through rather than reading.
Want to read
January 12, 2020I heard it is gay. I'm here for the gay
February 9, 2022
Thank you to Netgalley and Titan Books for gifting me an electronic copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.
"𝙵𝚘𝚛 𝙳𝚘𝚖𝚎𝚔, 𝚝𝚑𝚎 𝚐𝚊𝚜 𝚕𝚊𝚖𝚙𝚜 𝚠𝚎𝚛𝚎 𝚑𝚒𝚜 𝚓𝚘𝚋, 𝚊𝚗𝚍 𝚑𝚒𝚜 𝚊𝚜𝚜𝚞𝚛𝚊𝚗𝚌𝚎 𝚝𝚑𝚊𝚝 𝚝𝚑𝚎𝚛𝚎 𝚠𝚎𝚛𝚎 𝚙𝚎𝚘𝚙𝚕𝚎 𝚒𝚗 𝚝𝚑𝚎 𝚠𝚘𝚛𝚕𝚍 𝚠𝚑𝚘 𝚠𝚊𝚗𝚝𝚎𝚍 𝚝𝚘 𝚖𝚊𝚔𝚎 𝚝𝚑𝚒𝚗𝚐𝚜 𝚋𝚎𝚝𝚝𝚎𝚛. 𝙵𝚘𝚛 𝚌𝚎𝚗𝚝𝚞𝚛𝚒𝚎𝚜, 𝙿𝚛𝚊𝚐𝚞𝚎 𝚊𝚏𝚝𝚎𝚛 𝚍𝚊𝚛𝚔 𝚑𝚊𝚍 𝚋𝚎𝚕𝚘𝚗𝚐𝚎𝚍 𝚝𝚘 𝚝𝚑𝚘𝚜𝚎 𝚠𝚑𝚘 𝚏𝚎𝚍 𝚘𝚗 𝚏𝚎𝚊𝚛 𝚊𝚗𝚍 𝚞𝚗𝚌𝚎𝚛𝚝𝚊𝚒𝚗𝚝𝚢."
The age-old fight of vampires against humans is brought to life in The Lights of Prague, the debut novel of Nicole Jarvis. Walking the streets of Prague at night in 1868 is dangerous, but with lamplighters routinely lighting the lamps at night, it's somewhat safer. In the darkness lurks a creature lusting for blood and waiting for its next victim. In this book, the term for a vampire used is 'pijavica'. Told from dual POVs, Domek (lamplighter) and Ora (pijavica) we see the two worlds of humans and vampires combined. With a possible cure to allow vampires to walk in daylight and an unexpected romance, the reader will be swept into this atmospheric read.
I listened to the audiobook while reading and it enhanced my reading experience. There are sound effects when the will-o'-the-wisp speaks and adds to the eeriness of the story. My favourite character was Kája, the imprisoned wisp. The audiobook really contributed to Kája's character, the sound effects were astonishing. I definitely recommend reading and listening to the audiobook at the same time. Domek and Ora's friendship was interesting until a sudden plot twist changes everything. While reading I was thinking, "Domek, you won't believe this!" I wanted to shout at him to warn him. The reader is taken along the ride of his emotional destruction but soon something else happens that has the reader forget about the shocking reveal.
Can humans and pijavicas co-exist, or will they always be enemies? Will the streets of Prague be free of nightly terrors or will the shadows have eyes and a hunger for blood? Nicole Jarvis takes the reader to the streets of Prague to find out. If you enjoy books about vampires, this book is for you.
#TheLightsofPrague #Netgalley
"𝙵𝚘𝚛 𝙳𝚘𝚖𝚎𝚔, 𝚝𝚑𝚎 𝚐𝚊𝚜 𝚕𝚊𝚖𝚙𝚜 𝚠𝚎𝚛𝚎 𝚑𝚒𝚜 𝚓𝚘𝚋, 𝚊𝚗𝚍 𝚑𝚒𝚜 𝚊𝚜𝚜𝚞𝚛𝚊𝚗𝚌𝚎 𝚝𝚑𝚊𝚝 𝚝𝚑𝚎𝚛𝚎 𝚠𝚎𝚛𝚎 𝚙𝚎𝚘𝚙𝚕𝚎 𝚒𝚗 𝚝𝚑𝚎 𝚠𝚘𝚛𝚕𝚍 𝚠𝚑𝚘 𝚠𝚊𝚗𝚝𝚎𝚍 𝚝𝚘 𝚖𝚊𝚔𝚎 𝚝𝚑𝚒𝚗𝚐𝚜 𝚋𝚎𝚝𝚝𝚎𝚛. 𝙵𝚘𝚛 𝚌𝚎𝚗𝚝𝚞𝚛𝚒𝚎𝚜, 𝙿𝚛𝚊𝚐𝚞𝚎 𝚊𝚏𝚝𝚎𝚛 𝚍𝚊𝚛𝚔 𝚑𝚊𝚍 𝚋𝚎𝚕𝚘𝚗𝚐𝚎𝚍 𝚝𝚘 𝚝𝚑𝚘𝚜𝚎 𝚠𝚑𝚘 𝚏𝚎𝚍 𝚘𝚗 𝚏𝚎𝚊𝚛 𝚊𝚗𝚍 𝚞𝚗𝚌𝚎𝚛𝚝𝚊𝚒𝚗𝚝𝚢."
The age-old fight of vampires against humans is brought to life in The Lights of Prague, the debut novel of Nicole Jarvis. Walking the streets of Prague at night in 1868 is dangerous, but with lamplighters routinely lighting the lamps at night, it's somewhat safer. In the darkness lurks a creature lusting for blood and waiting for its next victim. In this book, the term for a vampire used is 'pijavica'. Told from dual POVs, Domek (lamplighter) and Ora (pijavica) we see the two worlds of humans and vampires combined. With a possible cure to allow vampires to walk in daylight and an unexpected romance, the reader will be swept into this atmospheric read.
I listened to the audiobook while reading and it enhanced my reading experience. There are sound effects when the will-o'-the-wisp speaks and adds to the eeriness of the story. My favourite character was Kája, the imprisoned wisp. The audiobook really contributed to Kája's character, the sound effects were astonishing. I definitely recommend reading and listening to the audiobook at the same time. Domek and Ora's friendship was interesting until a sudden plot twist changes everything. While reading I was thinking, "Domek, you won't believe this!" I wanted to shout at him to warn him. The reader is taken along the ride of his emotional destruction but soon something else happens that has the reader forget about the shocking reveal.
Can humans and pijavicas co-exist, or will they always be enemies? Will the streets of Prague be free of nightly terrors or will the shadows have eyes and a hunger for blood? Nicole Jarvis takes the reader to the streets of Prague to find out. If you enjoy books about vampires, this book is for you.
#TheLightsofPrague #Netgalley
May 18, 2021
"There was something melancholic yet comforting about a silent library. So much knowledge sat unlearned. Books without readers were only paper."
The Lights of Prague is the debut novel from Nicole Jarvis & comes out on the 25th in North America & TODAY for the rest of the world!
Thanks to Titan Books for the copy & for inviting me along on the Instagram tour!
Taking place in gaslight-era Prague, this has such a comfortable, cozy vibe but with wicked sharp teeth!
Jarvis weaves together historical fantasy & horror in a lusciously brutal way. It's got mythology, costumery, bloodthirsty predators, elite monster hunters, trapped spirits, atmospheric writing & IT'S QUEER!!
CW: Death, gore, homophobia, antisemitism, depression.
The Lights of Prague is the debut novel from Nicole Jarvis & comes out on the 25th in North America & TODAY for the rest of the world!
Thanks to Titan Books for the copy & for inviting me along on the Instagram tour!
Taking place in gaslight-era Prague, this has such a comfortable, cozy vibe but with wicked sharp teeth!
Jarvis weaves together historical fantasy & horror in a lusciously brutal way. It's got mythology, costumery, bloodthirsty predators, elite monster hunters, trapped spirits, atmospheric writing & IT'S QUEER!!
CW: Death, gore, homophobia, antisemitism, depression.
July 17, 2020
I was overjoyed when I received a free review copy of this book from Edelweiss+. I grew up in Europe, grew up on Slavic mythology, and I am very familiar with it. Central and Eastern Europe is still too rare a setting in western literature, and Slavic myths and legends are even rarer a subject. This was a book I would definitely have reached for, sooner rather than later.
I have never actually been to Prague, although I've visited nearby Slovakia, and I am familiar enough with old European cities to feel right at home in the descriptions of Prague, this novel's titular setting. The descriptions are vivid, they are atmospheric, and through them the city becomes a perfect setting for this Gothic story.
The plot revolves around Domek, a lamplighter moonlighting as a vampire hunter, and Ora, a vampire living among the humans. Domek is a kind, but somewhat bumbling, young man tirelessly working to protect his city, friends, and family from a myriad of paranormal creatures deeply rooted in Slavic mythology (pijavice, rusalki, even a mention of a Golem!). Ora, the several-hundred-year old pijavica, is living a pretty routine "life" among the humans, until a sighting of a fellow vampire apparently committing suicide-by-sun draws her into the sinister machinations of the high society.
Sounds good, right? And yet quickly my excitement - and with it my interest - waned. At first, I was merely getting annoyed by the frequent interruptions of the narrative to "dump" the backstory and other information to the readers. Unlike the descriptions of the setting, the plot becomes heavily "tell" instead of "show". I think the most egregious of these was when we find out that Domek and Ora are already acquainted, more - there is already some kind of emotional attachment/attraction that has developed between them. The lack of the traditional meet-cute is an enormous blunder on the authors' part, in my opinion, especially in a novel that is also a love story. A huge part of the reader forming attachments to the characters and falling for their romantic choices is being able to follow these budding romances from the beginning, and not "in medias res".
Ultimately, I was unable to spark any interest in these protagonists, and by extension, in what was going to happen to them. By being described primarily through the other POV's eyes, and not enriched in enough internal thought, they lacked personality. I saw no allure in following their romance, because I was not there from its inception, and had no chance to fall in love alongside them. Everything exciting seemed to have already happened to them, including the unceremoniously revealed reasons for why Domek was fighting the forces of evil in the first place. The novel is in dire need of better pacing, better structure, more vivid characters. I wish the debuting author all the luck in the future – and kudos for including LGBT characters in major way.
I have never actually been to Prague, although I've visited nearby Slovakia, and I am familiar enough with old European cities to feel right at home in the descriptions of Prague, this novel's titular setting. The descriptions are vivid, they are atmospheric, and through them the city becomes a perfect setting for this Gothic story.
The plot revolves around Domek, a lamplighter moonlighting as a vampire hunter, and Ora, a vampire living among the humans. Domek is a kind, but somewhat bumbling, young man tirelessly working to protect his city, friends, and family from a myriad of paranormal creatures deeply rooted in Slavic mythology (pijavice, rusalki, even a mention of a Golem!). Ora, the several-hundred-year old pijavica, is living a pretty routine "life" among the humans, until a sighting of a fellow vampire apparently committing suicide-by-sun draws her into the sinister machinations of the high society.
Sounds good, right? And yet quickly my excitement - and with it my interest - waned. At first, I was merely getting annoyed by the frequent interruptions of the narrative to "dump" the backstory and other information to the readers. Unlike the descriptions of the setting, the plot becomes heavily "tell" instead of "show". I think the most egregious of these was when we find out that Domek and Ora are already acquainted, more - there is already some kind of emotional attachment/attraction that has developed between them. The lack of the traditional meet-cute is an enormous blunder on the authors' part, in my opinion, especially in a novel that is also a love story. A huge part of the reader forming attachments to the characters and falling for their romantic choices is being able to follow these budding romances from the beginning, and not "in medias res".
Ultimately, I was unable to spark any interest in these protagonists, and by extension, in what was going to happen to them. By being described primarily through the other POV's eyes, and not enriched in enough internal thought, they lacked personality. I saw no allure in following their romance, because I was not there from its inception, and had no chance to fall in love alongside them. Everything exciting seemed to have already happened to them, including the unceremoniously revealed reasons for why Domek was fighting the forces of evil in the first place. The novel is in dire need of better pacing, better structure, more vivid characters. I wish the debuting author all the luck in the future – and kudos for including LGBT characters in major way.
March 15, 2024
THE LIGHTS OF PRAGUE is a bit out of my usual reading genre but I'm glad I picked it up because I liked this interesting historical fantasy. The descriptions of a gas lamp era Prague were lush and beautiful and I really felt like I was there. I also enjoyed both main characters, our lamplighter and monster hunter, Domek, and our beautiful and aloof pijavice (vampire), Ora. I expected this to be mostly fantasy but there is a little bit of a romance that does end with Domek and Ora together and that fed my romance reading soul. Of course it was very angsty since Domek doesn't realize at first that Ora is his "enemy" and this leads to some heartbreaking moments.
A large part of THE LIGHTS OF PRAGUE focuses on mysterious rumors of a cure for the pijavice that leaves them able to go out in the sun but still maintain their other powers. In addition there's another fairly important character, Kaja the wisp who gets tangled up in the plot in a variety of ways. This also leads Ora and Domek (and the reader by extension) into exploring the various classes of pijavice and brings up some interesting points about what truly makes someone a monster.
While I enjoyed most of the book I do have to say that the pacing felt super lopsided. The first half of the book is very slow going and then the second half is action packed and literally everything happens. There's a lot of twists and turns and surprising betrayals and alliances. And while I really liked the second half of the book, I think it would have been better if some of it was spaced out a little bit more.
Content Warning: references to antisemitism, racism, classism, and slavery; references to grieving the death of a loved one
A large part of THE LIGHTS OF PRAGUE focuses on mysterious rumors of a cure for the pijavice that leaves them able to go out in the sun but still maintain their other powers. In addition there's another fairly important character, Kaja the wisp who gets tangled up in the plot in a variety of ways. This also leads Ora and Domek (and the reader by extension) into exploring the various classes of pijavice and brings up some interesting points about what truly makes someone a monster.
While I enjoyed most of the book I do have to say that the pacing felt super lopsided. The first half of the book is very slow going and then the second half is action packed and literally everything happens. There's a lot of twists and turns and surprising betrayals and alliances. And while I really liked the second half of the book, I think it would have been better if some of it was spaced out a little bit more.
Content Warning: references to antisemitism, racism, classism, and slavery; references to grieving the death of a loved one
September 8, 2024
I loved this standalone novel, mostly because I got what I expected: a true monster tale, set in gaslight-era Prague. Bona fide steampunk for once! The whole thing was wonderfully atmospheric.
Domek is a Lamplighter, elite monster hunters working to keep the humans in Prague safe from the supernatural. His guild uses a combination of known tools (hawthorne wood, pure silver, etc.), new inventions, and experimental alchemy. Serious and dedicated Domek slowly gets to know Lady Ora Fischerová, a beautiful, intelligent, and very wealthy widow who does as she pleases. Ora has a big secret that she keeps from nearly everybody she knows, and if Domek was to learn of it, she isn't sure if he'd hate her or exploit her. There's also a wonderful surprise character: a will-o'-the-wisp named Kaia.
The Lights of Prague deserves more readership! There's romance, but it's nowhere near the main thing. Rather, it's about uncovering and thwarting a plot. It's a solid, old-school monster story that gets the details right. Very satisfying from start to finish. I've added Nicole Jarvis' other books to my TBR (only one other published so far; another is coming in 2025.)
Domek is a Lamplighter, elite monster hunters working to keep the humans in Prague safe from the supernatural. His guild uses a combination of known tools (hawthorne wood, pure silver, etc.), new inventions, and experimental alchemy. Serious and dedicated Domek slowly gets to know Lady Ora Fischerová, a beautiful, intelligent, and very wealthy widow who does as she pleases. Ora has a big secret that she keeps from nearly everybody she knows, and if Domek was to learn of it, she isn't sure if he'd hate her or exploit her. There's also a wonderful surprise character: a will-o'-the-wisp named Kaia.
The Lights of Prague deserves more readership! There's romance, but it's nowhere near the main thing. Rather, it's about uncovering and thwarting a plot. It's a solid, old-school monster story that gets the details right. Very satisfying from start to finish. I've added Nicole Jarvis' other books to my TBR (only one other published so far; another is coming in 2025.)
January 23, 2025
3.25⭐️
“Give men weapons and tell them they have a righteous war, and they’ll do anything.”
Nicole Jarvis creates a beautifully atmospheric setting in The Lights of Prague. Her descriptive prose paints a picture of foggy cobblestone streets, softly lit by the warm glow of gas lamps. I could envision the gloom-filled seedy underbelly of ancient tunnels running beneath city, awash with vampires and ghostly visages. However, where the story falls flat is in any compelling action to move the plot forward. It’s a fantasy novel with very little momentum.
While I thoroughly enjoyed the world Jarvis creates, the characters within it fell a bit flat due to the lack of story development. If historical, slow-burn novels with a touch of the fantastical are your preference, perhaps this is the book for you.
“Give men weapons and tell them they have a righteous war, and they’ll do anything.”
Nicole Jarvis creates a beautifully atmospheric setting in The Lights of Prague. Her descriptive prose paints a picture of foggy cobblestone streets, softly lit by the warm glow of gas lamps. I could envision the gloom-filled seedy underbelly of ancient tunnels running beneath city, awash with vampires and ghostly visages. However, where the story falls flat is in any compelling action to move the plot forward. It’s a fantasy novel with very little momentum.
While I thoroughly enjoyed the world Jarvis creates, the characters within it fell a bit flat due to the lack of story development. If historical, slow-burn novels with a touch of the fantastical are your preference, perhaps this is the book for you.
May 17, 2021
I requested this from Netgalley because just look at that cover! Also, The Husband and I went on our honeymoon to Prague, so the city has a special place in my heart. And I am happy to report that this read was a lot of fun.
We follow two characters, Domek and Ora, both on their own hunt to find the truth (and of course their paths collide). Domek is a lamplighter, an organization that keeps the streets safe at night. From monsters that is (also, he does light the gaslamps on the steet). And most of these monsters find their origin in Slavic mythology and lore. Which is a thing I for some reason absolutely love. Domek is a big and kind bear of a man, but also very set in his ways. Monsters are bad and need to be killed.
Which brings us to Ora… a pijavice (a kind of vampire), who has given up on drinking human blood (and yes she has been to an AA meeting). She married a human, and is now sadly a widow. She is also very rich, a flirt, bi, and loves to host dinner parties for her human friends, as well as visit museums and science fairs. Basically, she tries to love life even though she is (un)dead.
These were two great characters to follow. They both have to face their prejudices and change their minds to get to the bottom of the mystery… which is that pijavice have somehow created a cure for their weaknesses, making them impossible to kill. Because we have two POVs we get to approach this case from two very different sides, and therefore can piece things together ourselves a bit (lot) quicker than Domek and Ora do. Although nice, this did also lead to some moments of frustration… I just wanted them to stop their miscommunications and work together already.
As I stated earlier, I do have a soft spot for Prague. And the city has certainly been done justice here. Maybe someone who actually lives there may disagree with me, but as a once tourist I definitely felt transported back. Yes we pass by some of the very well known buildings, but also some lesser ones. And the atmosphere is just spot on. It served for a great stage of this till full of monsters.
The ending sketches the possibility for this becoming a series, and I really hope it does. I want to see more of these characters, the monsters and the city. This was a great read for me, and certainly one I would recommend.
We follow two characters, Domek and Ora, both on their own hunt to find the truth (and of course their paths collide). Domek is a lamplighter, an organization that keeps the streets safe at night. From monsters that is (also, he does light the gaslamps on the steet). And most of these monsters find their origin in Slavic mythology and lore. Which is a thing I for some reason absolutely love. Domek is a big and kind bear of a man, but also very set in his ways. Monsters are bad and need to be killed.
Which brings us to Ora… a pijavice (a kind of vampire), who has given up on drinking human blood (and yes she has been to an AA meeting). She married a human, and is now sadly a widow. She is also very rich, a flirt, bi, and loves to host dinner parties for her human friends, as well as visit museums and science fairs. Basically, she tries to love life even though she is (un)dead.
These were two great characters to follow. They both have to face their prejudices and change their minds to get to the bottom of the mystery… which is that pijavice have somehow created a cure for their weaknesses, making them impossible to kill. Because we have two POVs we get to approach this case from two very different sides, and therefore can piece things together ourselves a bit (lot) quicker than Domek and Ora do. Although nice, this did also lead to some moments of frustration… I just wanted them to stop their miscommunications and work together already.
As I stated earlier, I do have a soft spot for Prague. And the city has certainly been done justice here. Maybe someone who actually lives there may disagree with me, but as a once tourist I definitely felt transported back. Yes we pass by some of the very well known buildings, but also some lesser ones. And the atmosphere is just spot on. It served for a great stage of this till full of monsters.
The ending sketches the possibility for this becoming a series, and I really hope it does. I want to see more of these characters, the monsters and the city. This was a great read for me, and certainly one I would recommend.
June 17, 2021
The setting of this novel was superb, and as someone that has visited Prague a couple of times, I feel like the author really captured the feel of the city. The way that the vampires functioned was also pretty original, and I liked the more cultural take on them - especially with the other supernatural elements that appear, like will-o-the-wisps and the White Lady of Prague.
Sadly, there were also alot of things that didn't work for me. The characters needed more time to develop, and I found it hard to care about the romance even though I did like both of the characters quite abit - especially the vampiric character. But I think many readers will love the vampire hunter/vampire romance, as it got that enemies to lovers aspect to it!
The plot itself I found kind of meh and predictable, but in the grand scheme of things this is not that bad. It is formulaic, and often I find that comforting, even if it wasn't to my taste here.
Thank you to the publisher and NetGalley for the arc!
3.5/5 stars.
Sadly, there were also alot of things that didn't work for me. The characters needed more time to develop, and I found it hard to care about the romance even though I did like both of the characters quite abit - especially the vampiric character. But I think many readers will love the vampire hunter/vampire romance, as it got that enemies to lovers aspect to it!
The plot itself I found kind of meh and predictable, but in the grand scheme of things this is not that bad. It is formulaic, and often I find that comforting, even if it wasn't to my taste here.
Thank you to the publisher and NetGalley for the arc!
3.5/5 stars.
September 26, 2022
Thanks to the publisher (Titan Books) for the ARC of this book.
Another of my long-overdue ARCs. I think I picked it up for 1) bisexual vampires and 2) because it was set in Prague (I'm beyond tired of UK-based historical stuff), and it was...fine I guess? Plot-wise, it's bog standard urban fantasy with vampires and romance between Ora, a vampire lady and Domek, a monster hunter. Not bad at all, but didn't do anything new or interesting either.
My ambivalence wasn't helped by the fact that Domek has moments of being the worst kind of lawful good: lawful stupid. He got better at the very end (I suspect Ora lent him some braincells), but...god, miscommunication-based subplots and sanctimonious arses make me want to tear my hair out. That small annoyance aside, it was a perfectly mediocre read.
Enjoyment: 3/5
Execution: 3/5
More reviews on my blog, To Other Worlds.
Another of my long-overdue ARCs. I think I picked it up for 1) bisexual vampires and 2) because it was set in Prague (I'm beyond tired of UK-based historical stuff), and it was...fine I guess? Plot-wise, it's bog standard urban fantasy with vampires and romance between Ora, a vampire lady and Domek, a monster hunter. Not bad at all, but didn't do anything new or interesting either.
My ambivalence wasn't helped by the fact that Domek has moments of being the worst kind of lawful good: lawful stupid. He got better at the very end (I suspect Ora lent him some braincells), but...god, miscommunication-based subplots and sanctimonious arses make me want to tear my hair out. That small annoyance aside, it was a perfectly mediocre read.
Enjoyment: 3/5
Execution: 3/5
More reviews on my blog, To Other Worlds.
August 3, 2023
"Give men weapons and tell them they have a righteous war, and they'll do anything."
I really enjoyed this one but it was really slow at times. I also wanted more interactions between Ora and Domek, their relationship felt kind-of underdeveloped.
I really enjoyed this one but it was really slow at times. I also wanted more interactions between Ora and Domek, their relationship felt kind-of underdeveloped.
June 3, 2021
Words cannot express how much I adored this debut. Atmospheric and engaging, The Lights of Prague swept me away to another time and place. This is a must read for fans of immersive fantasy.
✨ You can read an excerpt from The Lights of Prague here!
"With the gas lamps came the lamplighters to patrol and protect their routes, fighting back against the shadows of Prague."Oozing with atmosphere that engages all of the senses, Jarvis transports the reader to Prague of the 1800s with its lush and vivid prose. I'll admit that it took me a bit of time to settle into this immersive historical fantasy (likely because of my mood), but it didn't take me long to fall in love with the characters and the world. The story really took off for me around 20% in. I love that the worldbuilding is vast and left no questions to pull me out of the story while maintaining a solid pace and avoiding info-dumps.
"Cobblestones gleamed underfoot from the rain earlier in the evening. Like a giant sated after a hearty meal, Prague after a storm was content and slow."With two main characters seemingly on the opposite side of a supernatural battle in the dark streets of Prague, the book follows follows a lamplighter (and monster hunter) named Domek and a centuries-old bisexual vampire (pijavica) named Ora. Secret identities unknown to one another, their paths have crossed on occasion over the course of the last year, both having a bit of a crush but not moving beyond casual flirtations.
I love gentle ribbing and roasting among friends, and both Ora's and Domek's friends trade gentle barbs with one another. This gives life to the friendships beyond the parts of our character's lives confined within the pages.
"There are days when it seems like no matter what happens, everything stays the same. Maybe on a grand scale, it does. That doesn't mean that every minute in someone's life can't be important too."I appreciate the discussion of class and privilege woven into the narrative. Despite being of the working class, Domek's been fortunate for people to judge him based on his character rather than station but there's still an undercurrent of how different his world is from Cord's or Ora's. High society in a way serves as a lens for the rigid boxes that he puts people into. Human or monster. Good or evil. Just and Ora and Cord look beyond his station, he needs to learn how to judge a person by their character. Meanwhile, Ora is a foil to Domek's selflessness and needs to help others. Their journeys are complex and compelling, as well as a bit messy.
"Give men weapons and tell them they have a righteous war, and they'll do anything."No review by me would be complete without mentioning Kaja's philosophical musings. Who is worthy of saving? Good and bad are not purely black and white; some monsters are of the human variety, and some "monsters" act just as they did when they were human. I love that Domek's character development doesn't come from his relationship with Ora, but rather Kaja challenging his rigid notions of right and wrong.
Overall, I am wholly impressed with Jarvis' debut fantasy and look forward to reading more from this author in the future! I enjoyed the characters and world created, as well as the vivid and immersive prose. Fans of V.E. Schwab's writing style will certainly enjoy The Lights of Prague, just be sure you're in the right mood before picking this one up as I think it's one that you need to be in the right mood to read.
Representation: bisexual main character, gay side character, Romani rep
Content warnings: blood, classism (challenged), death, racism and antisemitism (challenged)
ARC provided by the publisher for my honest review. This has not affected my opinion nor the contents of my review. Quotations are from an unfinished proof and subject to change upon final publication.
Blog | Twitter | Instagram
June 23, 2020
Thank you to Edelweiss and Titan Books for the e-arc.
Ah, this was such a treat! I've been itching for some historical creepiness since finishing Penny Dreadful on Showtime. This gave me the dark, atmospheric vibes I was craving. This story centered on a lamplighter (moonlighting as a vampire hunter) and a vampire living amongst humans.
I loved the split POV as you get to see both worlds. I absolutely loved the setting. Prague was one of my favorite cities I'd visited and it holds a special place in my heart. I could picture the scenes, as Jarvis wrote them in such vivid detail, and found myself back in the Czech Republic, marveling over the sights.
I loved everything about this book. If you're looking for a unique spin on vampires, this the book for you.
Ah, this was such a treat! I've been itching for some historical creepiness since finishing Penny Dreadful on Showtime. This gave me the dark, atmospheric vibes I was craving. This story centered on a lamplighter (moonlighting as a vampire hunter) and a vampire living amongst humans.
I loved the split POV as you get to see both worlds. I absolutely loved the setting. Prague was one of my favorite cities I'd visited and it holds a special place in my heart. I could picture the scenes, as Jarvis wrote them in such vivid detail, and found myself back in the Czech Republic, marveling over the sights.
I loved everything about this book. If you're looking for a unique spin on vampires, this the book for you.
May 8, 2023
“Lights of Prague” follows a humble gas lamp lighter named Domek, who patrols the streets lighting the lamps for the citizens of Prague. Unbeknownst to the general public Domek and his fellow lamp lighters have another task they must attend each night; the task of defending the city from creatures of myth and nightmares. Domek’s life gets turned upside down when he starts mingling with a wealthy widow who happens to be a vampire and when he stumbles upon an magical will-o-wisp the may be the key to humanity’s damnation. Everything he knows will soon be questioned. With betrayals around every corner, all of Domek’s beliefs will soon be put to the test.
A fun little gothic adventure with vampires and other mythical creatures from Czech folklore. I highly recommend it if you like vampire books. For me I’m not a huge fan of vampires, but I feel this book handled them just right. It was your pretty standard vampire, but I found myself completely invested. There are some cliche moments and some pretty obvious plot twist, but all in all it was a fun and engaging read. There was even some romance which is usually something I don’t go for, but I found it worked really well in this book. A solid 4 stars.
A fun little gothic adventure with vampires and other mythical creatures from Czech folklore. I highly recommend it if you like vampire books. For me I’m not a huge fan of vampires, but I feel this book handled them just right. It was your pretty standard vampire, but I found myself completely invested. There are some cliche moments and some pretty obvious plot twist, but all in all it was a fun and engaging read. There was even some romance which is usually something I don’t go for, but I found it worked really well in this book. A solid 4 stars.
June 9, 2021
4.5
Vampires, monsters and other creatures have returned and they are stomping!
Great atmosphere and characters that I think still have a lot to tell.
I really enjoyed the story and those little details that make it different from other vampire books.
I want more from Domek and Ora!
Vampires, monsters and other creatures have returned and they are stomping!
Great atmosphere and characters that I think still have a lot to tell.
I really enjoyed the story and those little details that make it different from other vampire books.
I want more from Domek and Ora!
November 15, 2025
Byla to... byla to kniha. Největší nadšení ve mně stále vzbuzuje jméno hlavního hrdiny (protože kde jinde najdete jméno jako Domek Myška!?), ten zbytek zase tolik ne. Nebylo to strašný, ale ani skvělý. Úplně mi nesedl styl psaní a příběh se zhruba do poloviny knihy táhl a nic se pořádně nedělo, nebo aspoň tak mi to přišlo.
Displaying 1 - 30 of 601 reviews