Marie Lu is back!!! She is now here with an adult debut and I will let you know now it won't disappoint. This ride, this story is incredible and you will not be bored one second of it. It has multiple povs including Sam and Ari's pov, but it includes a couple of other characters and those bring such incredible insight to the world and the characters. I love the twists and turns this takes us, we witness betrayals, first loves, crime lords, powers, assassins and everything in between!
You meet Sam and Ari from a very young age and will see how their background and childhood struggles influence them as they grow up. Sam and Ari are such opposites, Sam is invisible to those around her always craving attention (will serve her well in the future), all while Ari has a magnetic energy to him that just attracts others to him, but plot twist he is very shy and gets anxious because of all that attention. They become friends as kids, but keep each other at a distance although that doesn't stop them from loving each other. Sadly that does not stop destiny from pining them into enemies as Sam is part of the Grand Central syndicate and Ari with Lumine. It is made very clear that it’s a death sentence to be friendly with another syndicate or to be friends even with those outside their syndicates so they are separated. When they meet again it's as Shakespeare and a Mozart, gone are Sam and Ari. They belong to others now. A bioalchemist and a polemist forced to be key pawns in a war that is in full force. Sam and Ari may not have a choice in what they do next.

Thank you Tor Publishing Group and NetGalley for this arc!

Red City took me a long time to get into.

It's going to take me a longer time to get out.

Though this story follows two characters specifically, the entire world that Marie Lu has built feels so alive - as if there are countless stories that could be told in other parts of the world - or even in Angel City - without even coming close to touching the characters we meet. That seems like part of the beauty of it - it's big and important and life changing for Sam and Ari and yet in the long run, with everything going on with each syndicate, will anything even change?

As a reader who experienced a few of this author's YA entries, years ago, I honestly did not expect to be so engaged with her first adult novel. I am very happy to be proven wrong.

Thanks to author/publisher/NetGalley for the opportunity to read.

"Red City" is a fantasy novel by Marie Lu. Magical transformation is real, but hidden from everybody except for the alchemists running the large, lucrative, and dangerous rival syndicates. The story starts out with two students who are learning about alchemy and are very good at what they do. Both lose track of each other after ending up in rival syndicates, but when their groups end up in a power struggle, they are forced to confront each other.
A violent and fast-paced drama, this is a must-buy for fiction collections.

This was such an interesting spin on crime syndicates by way of alchemy. The magic system was so freaking cool, and the worldbuilding was excellent. I was so deeply invested in Ari and Sam on their respective journeys. Can't wait to see what comes next!

*Thank you Tor Publishing Group and NetGalley for a copy of this eARC in exchange for an honest review*

I have loved every book I have read by Marie Lu and this one is no different. The pacing was great, the characters were well developed, and I loved the magic system created for this book. I am usually pretty good at figuring out what is going to happen in a book, but this one had me on the edge of my seat the entire time.

Disclaimer: I received an ARC in exchange for an honest review.

In a world where reality is slowly becoming more and more dystopian, you would think I would shy away from the genre, but instead my answer is to jump fully into it and embrace it for what it is -- a reminder of what we could easily be headed towards ourselves without the proper checks in place.

So where does that lead with Red City? It's a modern dystopian story about two kids coming from very different worlds trying to make something of themselves while also looking out for their family's welfare. While immersed in studies both regular and non-regular, they find in each other a small solace and recognize a glint of themselves in each other, which blossoms into something more.

This is a love story through and through. A romantic love story, between the two childhood friends but also a deep love for family that has no bounds. The question is, just how far would one go for either love? How far would one go until there is nothing more left to give?

This story took a little bit to get started but soon I found myself gripped by the edge of my seat. It's unpredictable, emotional, dark, violent and tense as you try to figure out the mysteries of each secret society and how far their roots spread. The vibes very much gave me magical mafia.

And damn was it DARK and very… creative with its violence. Do not read this if you have a weak stomach for any particular *creative* torture.

I did enjoy the main character, Samantha aka Sam as well as a few other characters but I felt like we could have gone just a bit deeper with character building of the important side characters as well. It's something I always personally enjoy immensely as having those character connections really makes the emotional feel so much more impactful. It's like using a sharpened blade instead of a rubber one. You can feel both but the sharpened blade cuts much deeper with more expertise. It's something to explore for the next book, likely.

Overall I would give this a 4.5/5 or a 4.75/5. I think most people are going to enjoy this!

4 stars!

I'm living for all of the YA authors publishing adult books for the first time recently, and Ms. Marie Lu DID NOT HOLD BACK.

Ari and Sam are just kids when they become fast friends, somehow incredibly close and yet keeping secrets from one another until time forces them apart. Year later, each is entangled with one of Angel City's two rival syndicates of Alchemists, and rising tension between the two groups brings Ari and Sam back together, him drawing everyone's eyes and her forever invisible.

I haven't read a ton of Marie Lu's YA books (just the Wildcard Duology) but this book has the ease of reading of a YA book with the heat and violence of an Adult book, and I think it works great. The details of the magic system aren't touched on a whole lot but you get the general idea pretty quick and I think delving into the nitty-gritty will serve for some good twists in later books. Ari and Sam are both excellent characters with opposing appeals to their syndicates that both make sense and also create a nice contrast. Their differing experiences surrounding their families and immigration were a really strong foundation and motivation for their actions, both when they each got involved with the Alchemists and later as the story progresses. As mentioned, there is some heat (not sure I'd go as far as to say spice), pretty intense fight scenes, and background mentions of mental illness and drug use that make this story feel more adult.

I don't have any big criticisms, this just didn't really knock my socks off or anything. It's very entertaining and as mentioned convincingly adult (which I can't say for a lot of the books I've read of recent) but it's still not as dark as I'd like it to be. I like to have something to really chew on, and so far I don't really feel conflicted about who I'm supposed to root for. This book feels pretty black-and-white in regards to good and evil, and I think a little grey could go a long way.

Still, I'm looking forward to the next book! I think longtime fans and total newcomers to Marie Lu will both really enjoy this!

Thank you to Marie Lu and Tor Books for this ARC in exchange for my full, honest review!

Happy reading!

This was an electric start to a new adult fantasy series! The story was dark and sensual, which I wasn’t necessarily anticipating (but certainly wasn’t mad about)! I didn’t know exactly what to expect from her adult debut, but I think Marie Lu pulled it off well. This was a decadent tale of sex and violence, exploring power and what we will do in the pursuit of perfection. I was hooked from the start by the clever magic system, and I thoroughly enjoyed Lu’s writing. Highly recommend this book! I only wish the rest of the series was ready to binge…

Thank you to Tor Publishing for providing this book via Netgalley in exchange for my honest review.

This is the best book I've read so far this year (though that's not surprising at all). I grew up loving Marie Lu's YA work and was so excited to hear about her adult novel debut.

Sam and Ari both grow up in poor families and eventually meet and connect in school. They become quick friends. Years later, they find out that they have been recruited to opposing gangs that make and sell a drug called sand. These two groups have been on the brink of a war for years, and things are just getting more tense. Sam and Ari have to determine where their loyalties lie.

This book is absolutely heartbreaking. The characters are introduced and developed beautifully. As the reader, you grow so attached to them. Every time they hurt, you hurt too.

Power, money, identity, self-discovery, love, betrayal, grief, vulnerability, the struggle of immigrating and starting over. This is truly a beautiful and magical story that touches on so many important themes.

Thank you so much, Marie Lu, Tor Books, and NetGalley, for this experience. I am so incredibly grateful to have read this book early.

Thanks to NetGalley and Tor Books for an ARC in exchange for an honest review.

4.5 stars

Sam and Ari are both poor kids who meet and connect in school. Years later they reconnect discovering they are both alchemists working to make and support competing crime syndicates that make the drug sand which makes you MORE. I loved the world building. Could have done without Sam's unhealthy relationship. Can't wait for book two.

This ATE! It was all around such a solid book - good characters, an interesting magic system, and great pacing and plot. I really liked the idea of alchemy and the way that a person sacrifices a tiny piece of their soul for it. It set up really interesting themes that could be explored in the rest of the series. If you are looking for a friends to enemies to lovers to... whatever they are now relationship with great world building and plot, pick this book up!

SAM, GET BEHIND ME 🤺🤺🤺

This adult debut shines. I’m not always a fan of a linear timeline that follows characters as they grow up, finding it often times slows the pacing of the novel. And here, it is a bit slow to build up. But I will say, the way the characters are introduced to the reader and developed is highly effective. By the half way point, I was so invested in Sam and Ari and where the story was headed.

I also really enjoyed the landscape of the world built within this book. It feels so much like our world, adjacent, wholly realistic if we somehow managed to unlock alchemy as a twisted form of magic. It’s dark, gritty, yet glamorized. Perfectly done, in my opinion.

Not to mention .., THE YEARNING? Insane, heart wrenching, amazing, torturous.

This is truly a story about what we sacrifice for power, money and the ability to be seen. It is a bit slow to start, but worth it, I promise!

Thank you so much Tor and NetGalley for the ARC!!!!

4.5-5 stars ⭐️

Marie Lu!!!!! Her debut in adult fantasy had me staying up late to dive into the world of Sam + Ari (and I have a newborn so voluntarily losing sleep is saying a lot lol).

I went into this book blind and I'm so glad I did. The world building in this book is phenomenonal, I really appreciated the time spent in part I building Ari + Sams background. This is part character driven and part plot driven. Sometimes that split (in other books) can cause pacing issues, but I felt like Lu got the pacing right throughout all 3 parts of this story.

This book touches on the definition (and attainability) of perfection, the immigrant story (and the lie that is the "American dream"), love, betrayal, and self discovery.

The character development and plot picks up in the final act. The magic/alchemy system is completely unique and made for a very entertaining read.

The different POVs allowed for sympathy for certain characters that I don't think I would have had if the POV was restricted to just Sam + Ari. Overall I think that added depth to the book (although I really wish we had a chapter from Will in the II and III part).

Surprisingly, there was some spice in this book 👀 romance is not the main focus of this book but very much a strong undercurrent.

Overall, this was a great debut novel, and a strong start to a series. Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for an ARC in exchange for my honest review.

Another strong crossover into adult, as Marie Lu’s Red City crafts a magical tale of alchemy and crime, with somewhat of a Romeo and Juliet romance at the center.

As a longtime fan of Marie Lu’s YA work, I was really curious to see how her voice would translate to an adult debut. Red City delivers. It’s sharp, stylish, and ambitious, blending the sleek danger of The Godfather with the magical intensity of The Magicians, all set in a glittering, corrupted alternate Los Angeles.

This world runs on sand, an alchemical drug that transforms people into the “best” versions of themselves—for a price. The rival syndicates who control it, Grand Central and Lumines, feel equal parts corporate and criminal. Watching Sam and Ari, childhood friends turned enemies, get pulled deeper into those worlds was both heartbreaking and addictive.

Lu explores power, identity, immigrant ambition, and the cost of striving toward perfection with an emotional weight I appreciated. Sam in particular is a standout, with a ruthless vulnerability that grounds the book even as the stakes escalate into betrayal and magic-fueled violence.

I wavered between four and five stars because while the setup is excellent, a few sections in the middle dragged, and I occasionally wanted more from the side characters. Still, the ending lands. It’s satisfying on its own, even if there’s more to come.

Thank you to NetGalley for the ARC.

Thank you to NetGalley for the e-ARC; all thoughts & opinions are my own.

This was my first Marie Lu book, though I have heard great things about her writing. I am so incredibly glad that this was my introductory experience to her writing; I was absolutely blown away by her writing. The characters were well built and I thought their development was well done. No one was stuck to just one personality trait - every character had flaws and yet were redeemable. The inevitability of their situations was heartbreaking and the twists were devastating. I legitimately cannot wait for book 2.

Talking more specific book details:

I absolutely LOVED how well the passage of time was written. The background followed Sam and Ari through their childhood and built the conflict that occurred during their adult years phenomenally well. A lot of the times year-long jumps can be jarring, but that was not the case here.

Plot wise, Ari and Sam end up in competing syndicates that produce "sand," a ground up form of the philosopher's stone that, when ingested, makes a person more of what they are. Ari, an attractive charismatic young man, becomes one of the most desirable men. Sam, a quiet girl who no one notices, becomes almost invisible. I also love that sand emphasizes not just good/helpful traits, but also bad traits - cancer can spread more quickly, violence escalates, things of that sort. Though each have their own story on how they ended up where they were, they each play a vital role in their respective syndicates. Though it has this mafia-like theme, the fantasy aspect of alchemy and using of souls makes it even more enchanting.

I read the entire book in one day. Truly amazing, and I cannot wait for its release.

Thanks to NetGalley, Tor Publishing, and Marie Lu for the ARC of her adult debut. I went back and forth on whether I thought this was a four or five star read and may sit on it / change my mind: it was definitely a very solid read.

We have an urban fantasy slightly alternate world where a drug called sand enhances characteristics of people, and has massive societal implications. We have rival syndicates who navigate the world through sand and alchemy and power. We have childhood friends Sam and Ari, who end up on opposite sides of those rival syndicates. We have a story about immigrant experiences growing up, the drive to succeed, the effects of addiction and power and greed, and what different manifestations of love look like.

"The closer we come to the perfection that drives us, the more we chip away at our souls. And what happens when we arrive there? What then? You look down from the mountain and see the carnage you've wrought."

I thought this was really well done. The complexity of the characters was compelling, watching as the story developed and Sam and Ari got sucked into these worlds for noble reasons and became part of their syndicates and the roles they played. The world and the alchemy system felt interesting and fresh and curious.

I guess there's going to be more of this world, but with how it ended I think it'd be perfectly acceptable as a standalone (or at least won't leave you on a cliff waiting for resolution).

This book, beyond a shadow of a doubt, blew me away. Marie Lu's adult debut is everything and more, and I finished it in less than 24 hours. I have so, so much to say about this book.

Red City is an urban fantasy set in an alternative Los Angeles, called Angel City. I love how she altered the name of not only LA but other cities like London (Londinium in the book) to give her world a more modern and even a slight dystopian touch. Across the world, a drug called "sand" that enhances strength, beauty, etc. has sunk its teeth into the wealthy elite. It's so coveted that rival syndicates, who produce the sand, are locked constantly in heated conflict. Angel City is ruled by two: Grand Central and the Lumines. Our main character Sam gets recruited by Grand Central, while Ari, her childhood best friend and source of constant mutual pining, is with the Lumines. Uh oh.

The story establishes the history between Ari and Sam by taking readers through Sam and Ari through their childhood and teen years before skipping years ahead to when they're in their mid twenties, which is where the bulk of the plot and story unfolds.

Sam's talent (arguably even a power, so I'll refer to it as that from here on out) of being unremarkable and unnoticeable seemed kind of lame to me at first, but boy did that change once she gets recruited by Grand Central and learns to wield her power and strength. Not only is she absolute queen of shadows who can slip through a crowd without even being perceived, but she quickly gets classified as a Polemist, who specializes in combat/warfare. Basically, she can snap people's bones and kill people without a thought. I think her abilities as being preternaturally elusive and a Polemist is one of the coolest things I've ever seen in a book. It's so unlike other typical powers you usually see in fantasies. She is an absolute badass and the way that she carries herself, especially when she's on sand, is nothing short of awesome. She is just TOO cool and I loved everything about her.

On the other hand, Ari is a golden boy-- the complete opposite of Sam. Noticed everywhere he goes, he effortlessly captures everyone's attention and immediately has people falling at his feet without even doing anything. He's quite literally irresistible, making him incredibly powerful. But what I loved is how Lu created such depth to his character-- his social anxiety and low social battery under his outwardly presenting facade. And though Sam is "invisible", he's always noticed her.

This book was surprisingly spicy and I kind of loved it? Sam and Ari have lots of action with other characters. I did however think it was odd how Ari pictured her every single time he was with other woman especially when he was younger because like, hello? She's right there? It wasn't cheating but it felt odd at times, although I do kind of see how it was an important aspect of his character.

So I guess I'm a hypocrite because I must confess I was such a fan of Will, Sam's mentor(ish) and son of Grand Central's leader, throughout the book because of the mean-edgy-mysterious-but-subtle-yearning-for-Sam vibe he had going on: I really wanted them together (pre betrayal). Disappointed. Not sure what that says about me... but it's clear that Ari and Sam have the kind of bond that transcends being a part of enemy groups and any other obstacles life has ever thrown at them, really.

All in all, I was so blown away by Red City. The plot was fast-paced and engaging even in moments without action. The concept of sand, the system of powers, the romance, the plot-- impeccable. This is an absolutely electric first installment to the new series!

Thank you so much to Tor and NetGalley for this ARC!

4.25! 🌟 Starting from the beginning, I liked that the first part of the book is dedicated to telling the story of their childhood and teenage years. It made it a lot easier to understand where their future actions came from and what motivated each one of them. I also liked how it showed Sam and Ari’s friendship being built and how it’s emphasized that, in a way, they complete each other.

What I probably liked the most was how the magic works. Besides being different from anything I’ve ever seen, you can definitely tell the author put a lot of thought into it. I also liked how the rivalry between the two main crime syndicates was developed but I did wish we had seen a bit more about the other syndicates too. Considering the way the book ended, I’m guessing we’ll get more of that in the sequel, so that’s definitely something I’m excited to see.

Considering I read the whole book in less than 24 hours (and barely slept thinking about it), I don’t even need to say how much the story hooked me from start to finish. Despite noticing a few flaws beyond what I mentioned, my love for the book ends up overshadowing most of them and that’s okay.

Red City by Marie Lu was my first introduction to her writing, and I was immediately struck by how sharp and immersive her style is!

Set in a glittering alternate Los Angeles, this dark, contemporary fantasy blends magical warfare, crime syndicates, and the high-stakes pursuit of perfection. In this world, alchemy is power—a secret art used to create “sand,” a drug that transforms users into more ideal versions of themselves. Two rival syndicates, Grand Central and Lumines, are locked in a tense standoff until childhood friends Sam and Ari end up on opposite sides of the brewing war.

Sam, raised by a single mother, is desperate to rise through Grand Central’s ranks. Ari, a brilliant Lumines apprentice, was taken from his family and molded into one of their most promising talents. Once, there may have been love between them—but now, ambition and loyalty are pitted against each other in a city on the edge of chaos.

I loved the unique magic system and the way each syndicate had its own flair. The worldbuilding was rich, especially with all the cultural layers woven into the story. The book starts a bit slow, and I found myself wishing some of the flashbacks were interspersed more dynamically with the present timeline Those early chapters do help deepen our understanding of the characters and their choices, but I think a slow unveiling of the past would’ve been a bit more satisfying to understanding the character choices and motivations.

If anything, I wanted less romance and more syndicate politics—I was fascinated by this world and wanted to linger in it longer.

Thank you to NetGalley and Tor Publishing for the ARC in exchange for an honest review!