Blog tour: Dark Metropolis by Jaclyn Dolamore + review & giveaway

Title: Dark Metropolis

Author: Jaclyn Dolamore
Series: Dark Metropolis #1
Release date: June 17th 2014
Publisher: Disney-Hyperion
Purchase: Amazon

Cabaret meets Cassandra Clare-a haunting magical thriller set in a riveting 

1930s-esque world.

Sixteen-year-old Thea Holder's mother is cursed with a spell that's driving her mad, and whenever they touch, Thea is chilled by the magic, too. With no one else to contribute, Thea must make a living for both of them in a sinister city, where danger lurks and greed rules.

Thea spends her nights waitressing at the decadent Telephone Club attending to the glitzy clientele. But when her best friend, Nan, vanishes, Thea is compelled to find her. She meets Freddy, a young, magnetic patron at the club, and he agrees to help her uncover the city's secrets-even while he hides secrets of his own.

Together, they find a whole new side of the city. Unrest is brewing behind closed doors as whispers of a gruesome magic spread. And if they're not careful, the heartless masterminds behind the growing disappearances will be after them, too.

Perfect for fans of Cassandra Clare, this is a chilling thriller with a touch of magic where the dead don't always seem to stay that way.

Dark Metropolis offers readers a dark and different world filled with mystery and magic amidst a retro-jazzy world. After reading a slew of contemporary romances, this was the requisite break I needed. Narrated in third person by club work friends Thea and Nan, we see their experiences which fills in many of the puzzle pieces which have formed as the story progresses. Thea, a soft-spoken Urmani (a race known for embracing magic) teen leaves school to help support her ailing mother. Dad was presumed dead after serving in the last war, but her mom disagrees, saying her 'bond' shows he is still alive. Those with the spell-inflicted bond have been known to lose their mental faculties and they are taken away by the government to be 'fixed' so they can be returned. 

While at work, Thea meets and is befreinded by the silver-haired young man, Freddy. As their friendship grows, Thea learns the government is even more malevolent, run by power-hungry and greedy men of wealth. There are stirrings of residents unhappy with the way society is run as secretive meetings are held where words like "revolution" and "change" can be heard.  

Nan has the unfortunate luck to die and then be resuscitated. When she awakens she finds herself in a dank, dreary underground workhouse where others, like her, are forced to work. But Nan isn't like the others, drones drinking their 'magic' juice and following orders. She is curious and her memory returns despite the mind cleansing. Like Thea, she is determined to find answers. Both young women find themselves at the heart of this mystery.

Slave labor with zombies. An underground tunnel society. A dangerous government. The dazzling jazzy world of Berlin in the 1930s. Two teens resolved to uncover secrets. Dark Metropolis is a mesmerizing read! The story definitely has the feel and vibe of its namesake, a classic German expressionist film, but the story line totally belongs to Dolamore. 

After becoming comfortable in Thea's narration, it took a while to adjust to Nan's sudden shift in storytelling. By the end of her first chapter I realized the change in voice was fine. For what I learn from Nan truly adds weight and intrigue to an already interesting world. Both characters are likable and I also liked the strange Freddy, despite his secret keeping. 

If you're looking for something dark and  cool, I recommend Dark Metropolis. Jaclyn Dolamore's latest series is destined to be a hit with readers. It already is with me. Book two is slated to be released in 2015. 

Note: I met Jaclyn Dolamore at the very first author event I ever attended (it was a double bill with Michelle Zink, another favorite writer). If you are able to meet her, don't miss it. She is very cool and her book 'signings' are total gems. She draws a character along with her signature. How cool is that!

Rating: 4

Cover comment:

Uber cool. The font, the cityscape, the lights and model. Works for me.

Book source:

Netgalley

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Jaclyn Dolamore was homeschooled in a hippie sort of way and spent her childhood reading as many books as her skinny nerd-body could lug from the library and playing elaborate pretend games with her sister Kate. She skipped college and spent eight years drudging through retail jobs, developing her thrifty cooking skills and pursuing a lifelong writing dream. She has a passion for history, thrift stores, vintage dresses, David Bowie, drawing, and organic food. She lives with her partner and plot-sounding-board, Dade, and two black tabbies who have ruined her carpeting.

www.jaclyndolamore.com | TWITTER | FACEBOOK

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