“We are here. Do not forget us. Do not leave us.”
Nghi Vo, author of the acclaimed novellas The Empress of Salt and Fortune and When the Tiger Came Down the Mountain, returns with The City in Glass, a standalone story about a demon, an angel, and a fallen city. Together, throughout the decades they will try to unearth the past of the city of Azril and begin to shape its future. The novel explores themes such as grief, love, and the passage of time through the lens of immortal beings thus making it thought-provoking and poignant.
The author’s prose is undeniably beautiful, with lyrical and captivating descriptions that paint a vivid picture of the fantastical city of Azril. Vo’s ability to weave intricate metaphors and symbolism throughout the narrative creates a dreamlike atmosphere that permeates the entire story. On another note, the central characters, a demon named Vitrine and an unnamed angel, present an intriguing dynamic. Their relationship, evolving from enemies to sort-of lovers, is an extreme slow burn that adds depth to the narrative.
However, the novel’s strength in prose and atmosphere are somewhat offset by its weaknesses in plot and character development. The story follows a non-linear timeline and focuses more on “vibes” rather than a traditional narrative structure. While this approach works for some readers, others may find it challenging to engage with the story fully. The lack of substantial world-building outside of Azril and the limited character development, may also leave some readers wanting for more. At around 200 pages, the book is relatively short, but its pacing can feel slow at times, especially for those who prefer more plot-driven narratives, and thus making it seem longer than it is.
All in all, The City in Glass, is a beautifully written, atmospheric novel that will appear to readers who appreciate lyrical prose and don’t mind a less conventional narrative structure. However, those who seek a more traditional fantasy story with extensive world-building and character development might find it lacking. It’s a book that demands patience and willingness to immerse oneself in its unique style and pacing.
The City in Glass is available from Amazon, Barnes & Noble, and other good book retailers, like your local bookstore, as of October 1st, 2024.
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Synopsis | Goodreads
In this new standalone, Hugo Award-winning author Nghi Vo introduces a beguiling fantasy city in the tradition of Calvino, Mieville, and Le Guin.
A demon. An angel. A city that burns at the heart of the world.
The demon Vitrine—immortal, powerful, and capricious—loves the dazzling city of Azril. She has mothered, married, and maddened the city and its people for generations, and built it into a place of joy and desire, revelry and riot.
And then the angels come, and the city falls.
Vitrine is left with nothing but memories and a book containing the names of those she has lost—and an angel, now bound by her mad, grief-stricken curse to haunt the city he burned.
She mourns her dead and rages against the angel she longs to destroy. Made to be each other’s devastation, angel and demon are destined for eternal battle. Instead, they find themselves locked in a devouring fascination that will change them both forever.
Together, they unearth the past of the lost city and begin to shape its future. But when war threatens Azril and everything they have built, Vitrine and her angel must decide whether they will let the city fall again.
The City in Glass is both a brilliantly constructed history and an epic love story, of death and resurrection, memory and transformation, redemption and desire strong enough to burn a world to ashes and build it anew.
