red city
, pub. , pp
by Marie Lu
in Red City we see Marie Lu writing in an adult vein, but also putting more of her own life into a character than she has done before. The start of the book is gorgeously written as it introduces Sam, an effortlessly brilliant girl who makes herself invisible to those around her, and Ari, whose intellect requires hard work, but is blindingly charismatic, and is one of the few people who sees Sam. They know each other in school, but for their own reasons keep their lives hidden, even though neither has anyone else whom they could remotely call a friend.
They live in Angel City, where two syndicates of alchemists fight for power and wealth behind the scenes. Ari had been brought here to be groomed for one of these, and Sam is recruited by the other, unbeknownst to each other. As a result, they vanish into the shadowed underworld of the alchemists. Surrounded by monsters, they become shadow dwellers.
Red City becomes the story of how they grow, survive, rediscover themselves as rivals, and offer us the hope that they can find a path toward redemption, freedom, and maybe love. Through all of this, there are reminders of the humanity within almost every character, lending emotional depth to a gripping story.
if this is a standalone book, it is satisfying even if we are left with many questions. If there is a sequel, I will be very pleased to see more of this innovative world, and how Sam and Ari may survive and grow.
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