Customer Review of ‘The Kiss of the Nightingale’ by Adi Denner
We have another customer review for you all!
Lyndsey came into the shop a little while ago, and whilst talking I realised that The Kiss of the Nightengale might be a book she would enjoy. Thank you to Hachette for an advanced copy and to Lyndsey for reading and reviewing it for us. Read below to see what Lyndsey thought!
The Synopsis:
A stolen magical gem transforms an orphan's destiny... A stunning and completely unputdownable romantasy novel set in an alternative historical Paris, The Kiss of the Nightingale weaves together the seduction of Bridgerton and the magic of Raven Kennedy's Gild.
1890, Lutèce: In this city, Talents are everything: precious gems that gift unrivalled skills to their owners.
The most coveted, Elite Talents, are claimed by the aristocracy, passed through generations by blood magic. Cleodora dreamed of inheriting her father's Tailoring Talent, but when he died, the magic died with him. Now she's left with empty promises, a dress shop she can't keep afloat, and her bed-ridden younger sister.
But everything changes when she meets the dark-eyed Lady Dahlia Sibille. Dahlia offers Cleodora a Singing Talent - a chance to save her beloved sister and rewrite her own fate. From the first instant, Cleodora is bewitched... There's just one catch: she needs to steal an Elite Talent from the prestigious Lenoir family. As Lutèce's nightingale, Cleodora is the star of the opera's galas and balls, worlds away from the darkness and dust of home. But the handsome yet infuriating Vicomte Lenoir is nothing like she expected.
Soon, the Vicomte's teasing smiles win her over, even as Dahlia's seductive whispers linger in her ears. Torn between Dahlia, who gave her everything, and the Vicomte, who holds the price of her freedom, is Cleodora in danger of losing it all? Or can she prove that magic isn't the only gift that counts?
Lyndsey's reading nook.
Lyndsey’s thoughts:
“I really wasn’t sure what to expect when I was lucky enough to be asked to review this book. Some of the other reviews online describe it as similar to The Night Circus which I read some years ago but remember being a bit darker, so I’d say this is definitely a lighter read. I’d describe it as a theatrical romantasy with Bridgerton vibes in places, with a sense of peril and mystery, a simple magic/gift system, and the teeniest bit of spice thrown in in the middle. I struggled to get into it a little bit at first but once I understood more about the Talents and our main character, I found myself whizzing through it, and wanting to see how everyone’s stories would end.
The author has a beautiful almost lyrical way of describing things, without resorting to clichés and repetitive phrases, which really paints a picture of the world she’s created and the characters within it – I genuinely felt the turmoil of our main character as she considered the actions she was being asked to take. The spice in the middle also didn’t feel forced or shoehorned in and added something to the story and our protagonist’s motives.
It’s quite a short read at just over 350 pages, but the story didn’t feel rushed or compromised. The author has an interesting take on moving the narrative along by skipping a week or two in the story’s timeline but bringing us up to speed via the character’s conversations, which I thought was a really nice touch, and added some realism to the story as well. As someone who usually spots the twist in a book, I was genuinely taken by surprise at one point too, which I always love!
I’d definitely read another book set in the same world, and there were sufficient loose ends for me to hope the author carries on some of the other characters’ stories. Despite the sense of mystery and peril at times it left me with the feeling of having read a lovely fairytale by the end. If you’re looking for a beautifully descriptive romantasy to snuggle under a blanket with this autumn, I’d definitely recommend this book.”"
The cover of The Kiss of the Nigtengale
Book details:
The Kiss of the Nighingale is out today.
£20 in Harback
