Readers follow a Demon who watches over the city of Azril. She sees the children of her city through different trials and watches as they celebrate the city. However Angels come and destroy it then she locks herself in a bond with an Angel who's people broke her own. As the city changes and rebuilds centuries go by where there is ruin, then new life and she sees how different the past is from the future.
Beautiful writing with great imagery and a very interest premise

Nghi Vo did it again and what a masterclass of poetry and sensibility. Romance fantasy and enemy to lovers as it should be. This historical and almost archeological approach of a city is nothing short of extraordinary.

Vo’s prose and imagination are always breathtaking, but what struck me about City in Glass was the delicate precision of every detail. More than anything else I’ve read of Vo’s, this book felt like a deliberate work of art, something that has been created so carefully, so exactingly, over a long period of time. The picture it conjures in my head is of a watchmaker using tweezers and a loupe to put every minuscule gear exactly where it needs to be.

(I don’t, at ALL, mean that City in Glass feels manufactured – there’s no sense that this is synthetic, false. Only that it’s the work of a master craftsperson, and you can almost glimpse, or understand, how much craft and skill went into making it.)

Beyond that, I don’t have much to say about it. It’s beautiful, of course. My breath caught in my throat on the very first page, as we see the angels coming to the city. I enjoyed reading it immensely. But I don’t feel like I got it – maybe my head’s too foggy to analyse what I read, or maybe Vo was saying things I didn’t hear. I was kind of disappointed that for most of the book, the city is in ruins – somehow I didn’t realise that would be the case – because I was most enchanted with the descriptions of the city while it was alive, and then the glimpses we got of its flourishing past. But I loved the casual queerness, I want to wrap the prose around me like a velvet blanket, and the ending surprised me enormously – which delighted me. (Love it when I can’t see the end coming!)

Strongly recommended, but you should look elsewhere if you want some smart analysis of this one!

3.5 / 5 ⭐

This reminded me of This Is How You Lose The Time War, which I was also a bit on the fence about. If you're into that kind of writing and prose then this is a good book for you.

The City in Glass by Nghi Vo is pure lyrical prose. This is my first read by Vo, so it was a little hard for me to understand and get into. I’m still not sure what this story is about or what it represents, but the writing is so gorgeous I kept reading this strange little novella.

The story spans over 300 years and tells of the trials and tribulations of city, its people, the Demon whom has poured her heart and soul into protecting it, and the earth-bound Angel that destroyed it.

I wouldn’t call this a romance, it’s more of a character study of two immortals who slowly become closer over a long span of time and begin to develop an understanding relationship with each other and the city.

There is no plot, it’s slow paced and heavy on world building especially for such a short book. It’s still beautiful in its own unique way and I do recommend reading it for yourselves.

Thank you to Tordotcom and NetGalley for an advanced copy.

I genuinely don't know how to feel about this book. I guess if you're in the "no plot, just vibes" camp featuring beautiful writing, then this is for you.

The main issue for me is that the contemplations on rage, grief and love were made to read as deep but ended up feeling hollow because the author was trying so hard to convey her message. It's not that there weren't good moments, but those were usually through character interactions more than Vitrine's own musings, which could get a bit cyclical.

I understand why the angel wasn't given a name, I do, but everything to do with his relationship with our main character Vitrine irked me, and stripping him of that layer of identity made it even more prominent. There are scenes that feel like such violations against his identity and integrity that anything romantic was out the window for me. He read like a pathetic puppy following her around, existing only for her convenience, and personally that's not for me, regardless of which gender fills which role. And the worst part is that in the end he's the one to save her anyway. Again, I get why. Doesn't mean I like it.

Anyway. I like the concept, I like the writing, and I like how the city came alive. I'll certainly give Nghi Vo's work another go.
Thank you to NetGalley, Nghi Vo and Tordotcom for the chance to read and review this book.

I received this as an ARC and I was super excited. I am a massive fan of Nghi Vo's short stories, so I was excited to see what could be woven as a full length tale. Unfortunately, I could not immerse myself in this one. I tried a couple of times and was easily diverted. I saw glimmers of what I love about the writer and their style, but this tale did not hook in the typical way. I am a firm believer that sometimes books are not picked up at the right time (busy life, wrong headspace, etc.) and I feel this may be the case for me this time. While I have set it aside for now as a DNF, I have not given up on it, which is why I give it three stars.

It took me almost half the book to understand the point of the narrative, as it is admittedly a departure from the traditional novel storylines and plot arcs I was used to reading. But once I understood--the resonance of the gorgeous, lyric writing style captivated me. I devoured this one in one sitting because I was so drawn in.

Thank you to NetGalley and to the publisher for providing me with a digital copy to review.

i am honestly convinced that nghi vo's writing gets better and better with everything that she publishes - which is saying something, given that her writing is what made me reach for her books after a not-so-successful meeting with the chosen and the beautiful.

the city in glass doesn't have a lot of plot i cared for, but the writing is EXQUISITE. i obviously read an e-arc, but please know I'll be picking up a physical copy and rereading it even though it wasn't my favorite of hers (perhaps because of the lack of plot). aside from the writing, there were particular scenes that really stoor out to me. they were so visceral and raw it felt like i was there with the characters. the tools that nghi vo employs and has in her arsenal that she uses to translate whatever imagery she wants onto page and then into my brain... it leaves me in awe every single time.

this shortie is nothing short of exceptional and an experience like no other, as far as reading original fiction goes.

however, i retracted a star because in places, it honestly felt like meg x castiel fanfiction.

I've read a few of Nghi Vo's works over the years but this might be her best writing yet. The City in Glass is slow, but a very thoughtful examination of grief and anger over the course of history, shown through the perspective of a demon and a slow-burn love story with an angel. I wasn't such a big fan of the romance in this story, but the prose was so atmospheric and really set the vibe for the world. As a personal preference, I really enjoy character-driven stories, so the lack of a strong plotline wasn't something that I consider a negative but wouldn't be for everyone. My only regret is that this story isn't longer.

Such an unusual and special book! Absolutely unlike anything else I've read. I love Nghi Vo's storytelling as well. Highly recommend

Nghi Vo tells a tale of two immortal beings, a demon and an angel. The demon,Vitrine, spent ages enjoying the city of Azril, The City in Glass (hard fromTordotcom). Then four angels come and destroy the city. She injures one of them, and he tells her she can’t return. Over the next few centuries she first cleans up the city, and then lets refugees, brought by the angel, settle. Her relationship with the angel is complex. In many ways this is a very extended love story, detailing the complex relationship between beings who never age. Recommended.

Nghi Vo is completely unique in her writing and storytelling so I'm always excited to read something new from her.

The City in Glass is about a demon, an angel, and a city they are engrossed by.

I went into this story not really understanding what it was about and I think that is the best way to dive in. It is very hard to encapsulate this story in a synopsis. It is grand as it covers human life spans. It is full of grief, love, revenge, hope and so much more.

As always, Nghi Vo's writing is stunning. This story is unlike anything I have ever read. The story is narrated by the demon Vitrine and I loved that she was not at all what I thought a demon character would be. Both Vitrine and the angel are fascinating characters. As you see the city of Azril rise and fall and then rise again, you see the magic of cities and the people who live there. I have read immortal characters many times as a fantasy reader, but this was the first time that I actually got to read what that meant. Vitrine and the angel live through so many human lifetimes and all the changes that brings which is so expansive and captivating.

This is such a unique book and I can't wait to reread it and discover even more the next time around. If you already love Nghi Vo, you will love The City in Glass. If you haven't read anything by her, this is a great entry into her storytelling. The story of a demon and an angel is intriguing enough, but if you enjoy beautiful writing and rich storytelling pick this up!

e-ARC provided by the publisher through NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

Thank you to NetGalley for the eARC in exchange for an honest review!

Finishing this one late because I hit a slow patch about 30% of the way through the book.

Nghi Vo’s writing is absolutely amazing. Everything she writes is lyrical! And magical! And beautiful! This one was no different from her works I’ve previously read.

This book is ostensibly a romance, and while there are certainly romantic elements to it, the strength of the book comes from its central character’s memories of the city she loves and the people who lived there. Reading through her memories of the city before it was destroyed was heartbreaking but life-affirming.

At the same time, the contrast struck by her memories interspersed with descriptions of the destruction and her efforts to rebuild was starkly effective, and pays off as the book progresses.

It’s honestly remarkable that Vo managed to fit so much depth into such a short book. 4/5.

Oh, what a book The City in Glass was. I let the comp of This Is How You Lose the Time War lure me in, and the idea of a demon and an angel fatally tied to each other and to a place made me excited for it, but I can’t say it met up all of my expectations.

While I do love strange stories made up of vibes and little world-building, and there was something so uniquely fascinating in a narrator like Vitrine, in her way of caring for her city and its people (so far from how human love and yet so similar) that emerges both from her memories of the past and the way she carefully plunk and plant in the present to make her city alive once again through the pain and the joy of it, this book left me slightly unsatisfied: I expected more action, just a little bit more plot, and if the writing wasn’t so beautiful, so poetic, I probably would have like it even way less.

Yet there was something stunningly captivating in the painful longing, in the slow, so very slow, evolution of the relationship between two immortal creatures, fated to be on different sides and yet growing up to be on the same (the side of a city that was of one, and then became of two)… and in that almost forced process, coming involuntarily close to each other. It is friendship, it is companionship, it is love – but how could love grow between two creatures who have nothing of humans and who are, at the same time, the only indestructible and everlasting thing in the lives of each other and the reason why they are so alone?
I can’t say I wouldn’t have liked a different conclusion for them, to see just a bit more of a bond centuries in the making, and yet I don't think it could have truly ended differently.

I honestly don’t know to who I would recommend a book like The City in Glass too: it’s a whimsical and strange fantasy book, and I loved it without loving it fully, but if you are looking for something that could scratch the itch This Is How You Lose the Time War left maybe this could help.

I have never read anything by Nghi Vo. So I was not sure what I was walking into.

This book is beautifully written. The author has a great way with words. However, this book fell flat for me. The plot seems to be a demon becomes devastated when angels come and destroy a city, a city that she has laid claim over. The demon is able to put a part of her into one of the angels, and a connection is formed. The story follows the demon/FMC trying to rebuild the city and for people to come back and live in it. During that time, the angel comes and goes, somehow falling in love with her. At the end... The end??? God... The ending is so frustrating, yet it fits perfectly with this book as a whole.

I could definitely see how this book is for many others. For me? It's a meh. I definitely give the author a ton of credit for their writing. It is unfortunate that I could not connect well with it over all.

Thank you Netgalley, Tor Publishing Group | Tordotcom and author for this opportunity for an honest review.

I will be posting to socials.

Beautifully written with a non-linear timelines. The writing is quite poetic. The love between the Angel and the Demon is so beautiful... I definitely wanted the story to be a bit longer, but it's Vo's writing is impactful (as usual).

I think Nghi Vo's writing is fascinating. Even though the plot of this book is meandering, jumping back and forth between the past, the destruction of the city, and the rebuilding of it over centuries, every chapter kept me interested. The relationship between the demon and the angel (neither of which are anything like expected) and the way the demon loved libraries were both fascinating themes. I've enjoyed every book I've read by this author.

This was stunning.

An absolutely wonderful read.

Nghi Vo has such an amazing ability to paint a picture with her writing. I was hooked from the very beginning. I find it quite hard to properly describe this book: it's haunting, beautiful and strange. We get to follow a demon and an angel and a city they both love.

I also think that to properly enjoy this novella, it's best going in knowing as little as possible about it. If you are a reader that appreciates world building and history, you'll probably really enjoy this novella. It truly was a fresh breath of air to read this. It isn't necessarily about the army at the gates or surviving a plague, it's about how each of those things shapes a city. We get to see Azril go from a wonderful and astounding city to a ruin, from the ruin to a ghost and then reborn to something living again.

This is less so a novel with plot, but a character study between the demon and this angel, and the history of this city across hundreds of years.

Nghi Vo absolutely stuns with The City in Glass, and I am sure that even though I loved it very much on my first read, I will adore it even more on the second one. I have heard after all that the audiobook is amazing as well.

Thank you so much for approving my request for this novella.

This was difficult to get into. I stopped and started and tried again for months, in both print and audio formats. Once I got passed the 30% mark, however, it gripped me enough to let me finish and I read the rest in a single afternoon.

The book is hard to describe. It's beautiful and terrible and haunting and strange, and Vitrine and the Angel are alternately relatable and unknowable. The language and the way the story is told are gorgeous, and the words flow like honey from the narrator's tongue. It's fascinating and unsettling and weirdly compelling.

The audiobook is phenomenally performed and I love it more for having listened to it. The narrator really brings Vitrine to life in all her strangeness and fierce love for her city.

It's the story of a city over centuries, as it rises and falls and rises again, guided and nurtured by Vitrine, a demon who loves it fiercely, and the Angel who doesn't really know how to love but tries anyway. The years flow past in fits and starts and characters come and go and age and die, only for their descendants to take up the tale.

The ending was unexpected and strange and I'm not sure how I feel about it, other than that it was haunting.

It reminds me most of Piranesi, and a little of How you Lose the Time War, and of course of Nghi Vo's other works.

It's the sort of book that leaves you questioning what it was all about and at the same time strangely moved by it and feeling subtly changed for having read it.

*Thanks to tordotcom and Macmillan Audio for providing an early copy for review.