Tarnished City

Dark , foreboding and gripping from first page to last!

Tarnished City picks up from the point Gilded Cage left off with barely a backward glance (don't start here folks, read the first one), focusing in on the trials of the Hadley siblings and their glittering, ruthless Equal antagonists. With few illusions left to lose (and this volume largely dedicated to smashing each and every one of them), Abi emerges as a stronger, smarter character, her dedication to freeing her brother evolving naturally into a broader determination to free her people from the Equals. Luke - unexpectedly, given his situation as the sadistic Lord Crovan's prisoner and plaything - is the light in the growing darkness, the boy who refuses to give up on his belief in human goodness. And the gloom gathers fast here, as Vic James ratchets up the dystopia faster than you can say Make Britain Great Again. It's a deft dark mirror, and I found it gripping from start to finish. Add in the Equal plots - Silyen Jardine's pursuit of his own mysterious agenda; the realisation of his peers that their Skill exceeds their expectations; the weird implications of the briefly-glimpsed otherworld and its king - and there's more than enough here to keep me breathlessly on the edge of my seat for the release of Bright Ruin in due course.

I hadn't read the first book in this series, but a well constructed plot and fantastic descriptions of this terrifying world, ruled by magically skilled Equals, where the commoners perform a decade of slavery to their Lords, made it easy to pick-up and get immersed in the characters.
I loved the unpredictability of the core Equal characters, and seeing how their allegiances were perceived and where they actually lay.
Will keep my eyes peeled for the other installments.

Regular readers of this blog will know that I loved The Gilded Cage, the debut novel from Vic James. So I was delighted to get a review copy of its sequel, Tarnished City from Pan Macmillan. Go read my earlier review if you want the backdrop to this trilogy.

You will be relieved to hear that Tarnished City picks up immediately after the cliffhanger ending of the previous book, and continues with the same, unrelenting pace. Without spoiling the plot of either this book or the first in the series I can say that the events of The Gilded Cage have irreversible changed the lives of all those caught up in them. Both Abi and Luke find themselves set on very different - but equally dangerous - paths.

One of the things I loved about The Gilded Cage was its commentary on English history and class issues. This continues in Tarnished City, and James's writing if anything has got even more political. This book exposes in some detail the culture of the super-rich and powerful, exploring whether they should be seeking to preserve that position of power, or using it to help the less privileged. In a searing look at contemporary celebrity culture, James looks at the way the public are at times complicit in perpetuating those power structures by lionising the very people who do the least to help them. And where the last book fictionalised the Peterloo massacre, Tarnished City gives us both the Gunpowder Plot and the Stanford Prison Experiment.

This is incredibly high-grade writing from Vic James - Tarnished City is insightful and thought-provoking while delivering a thoroughly ripping yarn.

Goodreads rating: 4*

I love how the Dark Gifts series is a YA trilogy that does not understimate the reader. It is a complex story with nuanced characters, and that has lots of parallels with the world we live in. A lovely combination of "I can't put it down" and "I don't want it to end". I will be rereading the first too installments in preparation for the release of [book:Bright Ruin|33206899]

(Many thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for the review copy!)

I have really enjoyed this series so far and find the basic premise very original and entirely terrifying. This tells the continuing story of Luke and Abi as they try to navigate their way through the machinations of power amongst the skilled. The notion of having a ruling class that possess special powers is nothing new, but what I have found so original and well developed here is the idea of slave days. In this version of Britain, all non-skilled people must complete a period of ten years servitude called the slave days. This is an ingenious method of control and one which sparks fascinating discussions about slavery, colonialism and the exercise of power all of which seem particularly relevant among the current political climate. There are some elements of the book that are a little cliche, but I find that the romances give some welcome respite from the relentless horror of the situation. It is interesting to see how the strength of the human spirit is depicted throughout and overall, I think this was a great read and I look forward to the conclusion.
I received a free copy of this book from NetGalley in exchange for a fair and honest review.

A fully-drawn world one step sideways from the Britain we know with a full complement of varied personalities and agendas. The intriguing plot involves social, economic and political ramifications of a population stratified between those who have Skill and those who do not.

It’s important to read the segments of the Dark Gifts story (this is Book 2) in sequence to understand everything and appreciate the full effect.

I was so excited for this book as the first book ended just as it was getting really good. If you read that book and had mixed feelings, then I'd definitely give this series another chance because it gets really good. Maybe I'm biased because I liked the first book to begin with but this book amped everything up. The series is set in a modern Britain that has been ruled by a magical upper class since they killed the King a couple hundred years ago. It gives a brilliantly strange mix of period/modern life that I haven't read before. I read the first one and I really enjoyed it but it ended in a way that made me think the next would be even better and this didn't disappoint. This book is amazing. We get loads more character development and personally, loads more of my favourite character which is always good! I can't wait to see what happens next and can't believe I have to wait to find out. This series always seems to leave me needing more and I'll be snatching up the next book as soon as I can.

Review- Tarnished City, by Vic James
Hooray for YA novels! They can be a little bit hit and miss sometimes, but when you get an author who has put thought into creating a detailed world, with believable, nuanced characters, then it’s a breath of fresh air and I can’t get to the end quickly enough.
Tarnished City is one of these. It’s the second in a trilogy, and for those of you who haven’t read it, it takes place in an alternate-reality version of the UK: one where the general population are subject to their supernaturally gifted ‘Skilled’ overlords. Every person has to undergo ten years’ slavery to these Skilled ‘Equals’- often in appalling slavetowns, where the goods they make are sold in luxury London shops.
Since the cliffhanger of the first novel, I’ve been dying to get my hands on the second book and see where Vic James has taken the story. Turns out, it plunges us straight into more insurrection, excitement and some excellent plotting, all whilst taking the time to develop the characters still further.
My favourite bit about Tarnished City is that there are not, really, any real villains. James tells her story using multiple characters, and even unsympathetic characters like Silyen, Bouda and Gavar get their own backstory, weaknesses and emotions that helps make them much more likeable and their actions more understandable (even if you are, like Bouda, a political machinator par excellence). Real life isn’t a case of black and whites and I loved that James brought that across to her story- it made for a so much more interesting read than it would have done otherwise.
The world that we’re introduced is still as compelling as ever.

James has really taken her time to build her world, complete with backstory, reimagined famous monuments and even an alternative telling of the Battle of Trafalgar, and that really pays off here as the story goes beyond Milltown and Kynaston to the rest of the UK, as the Jardine family rise to power and the relations between the Equals and the population they’re controlling become ever more fractured. The stakes feel a lot more real when the world has been explained to you in detail.
And boy does it all kick off. The main theme of the story is on that relationship, and each of the characters experiences it in a different: for Bouda, it’s about fighting her way to the top of the pile by keeping the people she believes are subhuman under control; for Luke, trapped in the sadist Crovan’s castle and forced to undergo what is essentially torture, what he undergoes makes the story doubly compelling, especially as Abi slowly becomes embroiled in a slowly-emerging political resistance. Vic James blends these different plot strands together skillfully, and the end result is a gripping novel that had me reading well into the night.

As the second book in the Gilded Cage series, Vic James expands her story in a way that’s definitely heading for a big conclusion. There are unexpected friendships, even more unexpected plot twists and a cliffhanger of an ending that’s got me hooked for the next book. Can’t wait!

This series is literally a rollercoaster ride. I loved Gilded Cage and you can check out my review of that here: https://lifehasafunnywayofsneakinguponyou.wordpress.com/2017/09/05/gilded-cage-by-vic-james-review/

Tarnished City was even better, which is quite rare for a Middle novel in a trilogy, usually I find the Middle novel a bit of a 'filler' with not much going on, but this was action packed to say the least. Following the events of Gilded Cage (spoilers for book 1 ahead) Tarnished City explains what happens next to the main characters. Abi is desperately trying to save her brother Luke by appealing to His old friends from the Millmoor Games and Social Club. Luke meanwhile is trapped in Crovan's Scottish castle desperately trying to find a way out and back to his friends and family. Meanwhile Silyen is back to his old tricks and all I can say about Gavar and Jenner is that they're about to both undergo big changes...

Tarnished City is equally as fast paced as Gilded Cage but there is a lot more action in this one now that the author has free reign after the character and world building needed in book one. We start to see a lot more of the in depth personality traits of the characters and I was definitely correct in my original assumption that not everyone is who they seem! There's a lot more violence in this one also as the story takes a darker turn than in the first book.

I was really pleased with the character development overall, I feel like I've got a good idea of who everyone is deep down now as I've been able to see the darker and lighter sides of their characters. In the words of Sirius Black (ok.. JK Rowling) 'we've all got both light and dark inside of us, what matters most is the part we choose to act on, that's who we really are.' I feel that's a really fitting summary of the people in this book.

I literally cannot wait for the next instalment in what has fast become one of my favourite fantasy series'.

I'd been waiting for Tarnished City ever since I read Gilded Cage and the sequel does not disappoint. It's darker and grittier than the first book with a few scenes more sensitive readers might dislike - so obviously I was in my element. The world of the Equals unfolds further here and lines are drawn between those who want the slave days abolished and those who are in support of their continuation. Not everyone acts out of a motlivation that's laudable which is where it gets interesting as certain supporters of abolition are very much in it for their own ends. The characters of Slyan and Corvus were most interesting to follow for me personally. My big beef is that tjis ends on such a cliff hanger. I already wanted to read book 3 so I'm slightly miffed. Highly recommend for fans of dystopian fantasy.

Tarnished City, Vic James

Review from Jeannie Zelos book reviews

Genre:General Fiction (Adult),Sci Fi & Fantasy

I thought Gilded Cage was incredible but this has that one blown away. Its an incredible read.
I see some reviewers suggest its a YA, but for me its one that would appeal to older teens and anyone upwards. Its pretty dark in parts and there are some graphic murders and accounts here which I think make it unsuitable for the lower end of YA.

I had ideas about certain people after GC, but they're turned upside down here. New characters come in, secondary ones from GC move up and Silyen - oh I love his character!! So full of mystery and secrets, so talented and very, very, very un-forthcoming. You simply never know what's in his head, what he's thinking and whether he sees people as real, as having feelings or just pawns in some secret game he's playing. He always seems to be ten steps ahead of what's happening and yet he says he doesn't make plans....

Abi is keen to free Luke, but how? She needs help so has to plan carefully how to get that.  
Luke is desperate to break out of the strange place he's in, but as with Millwood he wants to learn more about the people here, the reasons why one in particular is treated differently, he seems to have an effect on people, and he's clearly a key to what Vic has planned for the grand finale.
Well, that's how it seems to me. All the things that happen to any of the characters have reasons behind them, some not instantly obvious, as in events from GC that now become clearer here. There are murders, revenges, historical grudges, and over it all the Jardine's grasping for power - or are they?

Some of the Club from Millwood are back here and working hard for freedom, William Jardine is cementing his place in power by reviving some old and horrific customs, controlling what news leaks out and how its presented. We see how easy it is to manipulate a mob, and sadly that part is so very, very realistic.
Gavar is reluctantly being led to the alter by his power hungry bride, who sees him as a stepping stone, while he's trying to keep his daughter's place in Society secure, much to the disgust of his father.
Jenner isn't so prominent here, but still the quite guy from book one, who seems to have strong feelings for Abi, and she's busy building alliances to free Luke.
Silyen, well I wrote about him earlier, he's a character that's fascinated me from the outset. He feels so much older that his years, connected to this world and to others, searching for long forgotten answers.
 
Within all that maelstrom of events things are changing, key characters die or get killed, people who we thought were one thing turn out to be something else, and one in particular seems to have undergone a huge change in how they feel.
That came as a huge shock to me and I wonder if perhaps things aren't as they seem? With this story anything seems possible and its a gripping read. and of course ends on a huge cliffhanger!! 
Gah, I so need the final book. 

I know this is a trilogy I'll love to reread, back to back to really get the most from the story. 
There's so much I want to say about this story but I don't want to give away the surprises, shocks and suspense in it. hopefully I've got the balance, if anyone feels its too close to what happens please let me know - I'd hate to spoil it for others. 
 
Stars: five, cracking read, totally absorbing and one to get lost in a world of Skill, suspense and subterfuge.

ARC supplied for review purposes by Netgalley and Publishers

I liked Gilded Cage, but I adored Tarnished City. It takes all of the most compelling elements from Gilded Cage and turns them up to eleven. Abi, Luke, Daisy and their parents are all apart, with Daisy still with the Jardines, caring for Gavar's baseborn daughter, Abi on the run, and Luke about to enter custody for the murder of Winterbourne. Zelston. It's hard to say more without spoiling the many twists and turns Tarnished City has to offer - and rest assured there is no shortage of them. The entire book is a breathless, treacherous journey into an unknown world, with every single character pushing at the boundaries and limitations that shaped them in the first book. More gruesome, more heart-wrenching, and more terrifying than Gilded Cage, the events of Tarnished City are a hurricane in an already-stormy world and I for one can't wait for the conclusion. One thing i feel certain of is that no one is safe.

What I think these books do incredibly well is their exploration of human nature. It was certainly a theme in Gilded Cage and it becomes even more important in Tarnished City. The idea of complacency is also important and ties in with that issue. These would actually make excellent books to read alongside an ethics course or something. What concerns me is how they are becoming increasingly similar to real life (that’s more of a critique of real life as opposed to the fantasy realm).

But enough pontificating. You want to know what the book is like! It’s similar to Gilded Cage as you follow the same characters with each chapter following a different person, often ending on a cliffhanger that makes you need to read the next few chapters very quickly so you can find out what on earth happens to them!

One thing I loved about this book was that, with the characters headed off in different directions (as they were at the end of book #1 so that’s not a spoiler) you get a much wider understanding of the world, the culture, history and geography included. I hope this continues into book #3 because I am thoroughly enjoying how well thought out the world Vic James has built is.

The last thing I’ll say is that this book is unpredictable. I’ve been reading a number of books lately that felt like YA fantasy mad libs (now there’s a blog post) and this story just isn’t obvious. The characters change their opinions and their allegiances and you’re forced to stay on your toes throughout or you might miss something important. It reminds me of early GOT when it was suddenly clear that you couldn’t rely on a character throughout the book staying moral or even alive.

Vic James has done it again. A marvellous addition to this series and one that only enhances how good the first one was. I cannot wait for book #3. No I mean it. I can’t wait. Can I request a review copy now?

My rating: 5/5 stars

Tarnished City releases on the 7th of September so you can order it now and read it oh so soon. The wait is over!

By the way, I received a digital advanced review copy of this book from the publisher via Netgalley in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are my own.