This review was originally posted on <a href="https://booksofmyheart.net/2021/04/29/the-monstrous-citadel-by-mirah-bolender/" target="_blank"> Books of My Heart</a>
&nbsp;

<i>Review copy was received from NetGalley. This does not affect my opinion of the book or the content of my review.</i>

I really enjoyed <strong>City of Broken Magic </strong>and somehow missed the release of the next book in the <a href="https://www.goodreads.com/series/248437-chronicles-of-amicae" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><em><strong>Chronicles of Amicae</strong></em></a> series.   So luckily when Tor offered me the third book, they also allowed me a review copy of <strong>The Monstrous Citadel</strong>.    It took a little to get started after the time lapse but the pace was quick and I was easily on board.

Laura is still our view into this story and world.   She has been a Sweeper for less than a year and has had so many challenges.  I appreciate how strong she is, even with the crazy danger thrown at her.   She and Okane are the only Sweepers now until the new head Sweeper, Juliana is named.  Unfortunately, Juliana is more interested in her press than the actual quality of her work.  Laura and Okane are right to be cautious with her and her brother.

The new head sweeper does what she can do get rid of Laura and Okane so she can have things her own way.  They discover some of her lies and set about fixing the problems.  The fixing leads them to Rex where they are in even more danger. Their planning leaves much to be desired as it is nonexistent. The harrowing rescue there wouldn't be possible without their new found allies.  Like all great urban fantasy heroes, Laura is building a band of misfits to help her fight for what is right with intelligence and compassion.  Rex has always tried to enslave other cities and now they have their sights on Amicae.

<strong>The Monstrous Citadel</strong> is a bit long and the next book,  <strong>Fortress of Magi</strong> is a bit shorter than the average 300 some pages.  I enjoyed learning more about the different magics in the world and hope Laura and her friends can catch a break as I read more.

A few years ago I read The City of Broken Magic and at the time was quite charmed by this fantasy book where infestations of magic were a danger to the general public. It took a while but I finally read the sequel. The Monstrous Citadel is a very different kind of book, but that is not nessecarily a bad thing.

Laura and Okane saved the city at the end of the first book at great risk of their own lives and by losing their head sweeper, leader and friend Clae. But the council isn't exactly grateful and the citizens wonder who will pay for damages. The only one stepping up for them is a mob which is not something you want to happen.

Laura has to fill in the emty spot that Clae left behind but doesn't know how to do that. She wasn't really ready for that position yet at the start of this book. Filled with grief, too focused on how to be Clae, too busy stepping through a minefield. Enter a foreign sweeper Juliana taking the head position.

The plot of betrayal from the foreign sweeper is obvious and in everyone's face. It was meant to be. The real story is running underneath that plot. Laura and Okane's relationship. Laura becoming a leader. Learning more about Rex. Okane's past. Creating new allies. Don't look at the surface story because there is nothing surprising there. But underneath is where the heart really is.

Laura and Okane's relationship develops further in this story. They are pushed together as the only sweepers left, with their grief. They only have eachother to depend on when it comes to Clae's secret. Laura shares everything with Okane. Okane doesn't always recuperate that. Because saying things out loud means it becomes real, and he doesn't always want to deal with that reality. It is kind of heartbreaking. More than ever I just want to hug our Okane. Luckily Laura takes good care of him. I loved how they referred to themselves as mini-clae's at some point.

I also loved the allies that they make throughout the story. The two rangers they help with a job, a priest who they helped save the church, the inspector who learns it all. Their kindness and being who they are reached out despite all the rumors flying around about them at the time. Especially the two rangers are an interesting addition considering who one of them is.

While the main story is wrapped up here there is still a LOT that isn't that I am expecting to be seeing in the ending installment. And I can't wait to read it.

The Monstrous Citadel dives deeper into our characters and the world of Orien, creating a heart felt story in the midst of adventure.

OK, I loved City of Broken Magic, and I absolutely adored the expansion of the world of Amicae in The Monstrous Citadel. I absolutely need book 3 now, please. Please? Please?

I’m writing this on the floor. I’m physically on the floor. I’m listening to my sad playlist.

This series broke me.

No, I’m not kidding, okay? I’m not even near the realm of kidding. I wholeass reopened my FF.Net account to see if someone posted fix-it fic over there because I couldn’t find it on AO3. Which means now I have to write it, and I’m already hip-deep in preparations for flying off to Salt Lake City this weekend. Y’all. Someone’s slacking here.

Let me lay down the deets on this book, and then break apart the exact ways in which it broke me. Because then I’m putting a call-to-action to go out and devour this series with extreme prejudice because on god. On god. If I don’t get a book 3, I’m absolutely going to lose my domestication and that is a threat.

So let’s talk about THE MONSTROUS CITADEL (and also CITY OF BROKEN MAGIC) by Mirah Bolender.


Amicae, City of Sweepers, survived the Falling Infestation which nearly destroyed it thanks to the efforts of Laura and Okane. While the ancient monsters have been beaten back for the moment, new and more monstrous dangers face them in the form of belligerent bureaucracy, dangerous gangs, grasping Sweepers bent on personal glory . . .

And Rex, the City of Kings, who breed their own kind of monstrosity.

Laura and Okane must go to Rex to reclaim the secret weaponry that keeps Amicae safe and come face to face with a horrifying truth about the Rex and their designs on all of Orien’s cities.

–

So let me summarize CITY OF BROKEN MAGIC for you, so y’all can get up to speed: Laura Kramer is a Sweeper, meaning that in her city of Amicae, she and her boss Clae Sinclair find, battle, and handle magical infestations a la bomb squad shenanigans. They’re later joined by Okane, who possesses unique magical capabilities and was basically a slave to one of the big-name families in the city. During one of the largest infestations – dubbed the Falling Infestation – Clae halfway kinda sorta fucking died, leave Laura and Okane to take over as the senior Sweepers of Amicae.

So yeah. We’re caught up.

(Time to pour one out for Clae Sinclair and my dumb gay heart. My weakness is “the grumpy one being soft for the sunshine one” and I absolutely thought that it was going to go that way and I read on, full of hope in my heart, and then Clae Sinclair turns into a giant magical crystal to avoid being eaten by the infestation and I physically died. This book killed me and I held out hope for the sequel and it killed me again in my own grave.)

So THE MONSTROUS CITADEL picks up within a few weeks of CITY OF BROKEN MAGIC’s ending. Laura, who had been promoted to Head Sweeper, gets demoted because the entire city needs a scapegoat and she fits the bill. A new Head Sweeper gets brought in, but Laura’s unease with the new Sweepers prevents her from sharing the truth about Clae’s state. Some adventures abound, including Laura getting framed for infestations and having Mob ties, a rescue mission into a city that views and breeds Sweepers like dogs, and a cliffhanger that literally punched my teeth in.

The writing is superb – Bolender knows what details to include to truly paint the scene, the dialogue hits the perfect spot of exposition without being too manufactured, and every action cranks the tension in a believable way. I’m always aware of what it looks like when the hand of the author is too present in a story – things fall too perfectly, or a magic coincidence gets us from point A to point B. That is absolutely not happening here. I’m getting a glimpse of the real life world of Amicae, and it’s so delightfully fleshed out that I find myself wanting to go live there. Goodbye everyone, I’m about to go be a Sweeper, don’t let the student loan people know where I ran off to.

The characters from our first installment are bigger versions of themselves – they’ve grown a bit from who they were in book 1, which is what you want in a sequel. Laura isn’t afraid to defend the Sweeping traditions laid down by Clae, but neither does she shy from implementing new things or taking new routes. Okane, my dear sweet boy, has grown so expressive (and unafraid of being so!) and ready to fling himself into a firefight just to ensure that Laura can get away or do what she needs to do. I would easily die for either of these characters.

And Clae!! He’s technically “””dead””” but he’s a giant crystal that makes the magic in their bombs work better, and technically has some level of sentience! At one point he’s been captured and his captors try to utilize the pure magic pouring from him, and they all pretty much die when they get close. But then comes Laura and she calms the magic down so she and other can get him out!!!! And at one point it’s hinted that he can communicate with her telepathically the way their other magic stones do!!! It makes me want to hope that Clae is still alive and can be resurrected from that form!! I’ve informed you that I am very gay for him and I will literally give everything to see him come back!!

(Dear Mirah Bolender, if you’re reading this, I’m sorry if this is really weird but listen, listen okay. I have A Type. And Clae just happens to be my type. I have no shame.)

CITY OF BROKEN MAGIC beat me up, and THE MONSTROUS CITADEL basically picked my pockets while I was on the ground. But like, in an emotional way. And it’s at this time that I must inform you of three things:

I absolutely wish I could unread both of these books so I could reread them again for the first time. This is technically a review of THE MONSTROUS CITADEL, so I especially want to relive the last 25% of the book when It All Goes Down.
At the 40% mark I’m pretty sure I lied on my sister and made her pet my head because it was then that I knew. I just knew that this book was going to destroy me, and I was going to smash it within 24 hours and I didn’t want it to be over.
I will absolutely do everything humanly possible to make sure y’all read this book.
There’s so much love in this book – and not romantic love, either! As much as my little goblin heart wants some of that sweet, sweet romance, I’m also here for that sweet found family trope. But Laura does so much out of love – love for her city, love for her family, love for Okane, love for Clae. Despite the fact that this book is quite open with the sexism in Amicae society and how Laura has to deal with it like, all the time, she still feels enough love in her heart to keep reaching keep, keep extending herself to help others around her. It really sends home the message that kindness is a choice, and that it’s one we constantly have to make. It’s a choice that Laura never stops making, no matter how dire the situation is, and no matter how badly the last kind choice went.

I love this book. I love this world. I want to carve my chest open and put this book in my heart and carry it with me for the rest of forever.

THE MONSTROUS CITADEL is out now, and you should def read it. I’m not saying that I’m going to break into your house and make you, but I do own lock picks and feel no human fear.

–

The podcast review THE MONSTROUS CITADEL BROKE ME is out now on your favorite podcatcher! Remember to leave a comment – comments help my podcast!

Having read City of Broken Magic, of course, I wanted to pick up #2, The Monstrous Citadel!

What I liked:
Great characters
Pugnacious protagonist
Fast paced and full of action

What didn't work for me:
I was surprised at how political The Monstrous Citadel was
The inability of Okane to say "you". I'm not sure I understand it and it made for a weird read.
Too much going on and not enough "flashbacking" to further comprehension

City of Broken Magic was one of my favorite books from 2018 and I was desperate for the sequel as soon as I turned the last page. Well, the sequel is now here and The Monstrous Citadel suffered a wee bit from the sophomore slump.

This was an enjoyable book, but there were drastic changes in the cast thanks to the events in book one and I just didn’t like them. The major new characters introduced were Sweepers from another city brought over to help out Amicae. At risk of spoilers I won’t go into more detail here, but the new folks were simply untrustworthy from the start and it wasn’t subtle. It was a strong right hook of “something’s not right with these people” but it wasn’t revealed until a bit later what exactly was sketchy.

Fortunately, Laura and Okane were still pretty awesome. Laura is a take-charge kind of girl and Okane is more comfortable with his new place in society. He’s still quite shy and I remain glad that the author didn’t throw these two into a relationship. I’m breathing a sigh of relief – they can just be friends and co-workers! PLATONIC!

Most of the plot is heavily centered on dealing with the new Sweepers, but the more interesting bits are scattered about. The Amicae gangs are leaning on the Sinclair Sweepers and the rogue sweepers from the city of Rex are still a threat and these two things really help keep the story lively. I’ve also really enjoyed getting to see some new scenery this time around and I think the world building is really cool. The history of the cities and infestations is sprinkled throughout the story and honestly, I’d love to have some more of that!

Like I said previously, this book has the sophomore slump and while enjoyable, I didn’t like it nearly as much as the first book. I’ll definitely read future installments and I hope the pace picks back up. I’m confident it will, as things were starting to get wild in the latter portion – running through the wild lands, panicked escapes, and the bloody crazy Rexians.

The Monstrous Citadel is the second novel in the Chronicles of Amicae series by Mirah Bolender. And I honestly can’t think of a series that has captivated me more through its fascinating world and set of characters.
Amicae is a city full of hubris, and it was nearly their downfall. In a world where infestations are commonplace, they believed themselves to be above it all. Until they were proven just how painfully wrong they were.
That was months ago. Now Laura and Okane are left to pick up the pieces and clean up the city. Following the events o the major disaster, you’d think that it would be easier to get aid from the city. But when it comes to politics, nothing is ever as easy as it seems.
Worse, there’s more than one city on the move with their political scheme. And while our beloved Sweepers are down a member, it seems like there are more players on the field than ever before.

“The friendly city of Amicae descended into chaos following a massive infestation. Amicae has long believed that infestations cannot penetrate their city walls, but these delusions were rudely swept away on November 5th by a damaged Put and ensuing swarm.”

I’ve been looking forward to The Monstrous Citadel from the moment I read the last page of City of Broken Magic. This was a series that got into my brain and wouldn’t let go. So, naturally, my expectations for this novel were quite high. How did it fair, in comparison? It blew my expectations out of the water.
The Monstrous Citadel is a whirlwind of a read – it’s fast-paced and full of surprising turns and twists. Mirah Bolender added a whole bunch of new elements to her second novel in the series, and it further enhanced the world I’ve come to love reading about.
Adding a few more layers of politics was a brilliant call. Suddenly we’re seeing more of the other cities and their desires, plus the people they tend to create. And let’s not forget about the mobsters. Because for a moment there, I nearly did. I shouldn’t have been surprised by their activities, given their large presence in the end of City of Broken Magic. I’m glad that Bolender didn’t let that subplot drop. That she is, in fact, building it up even further.
As for the main characters in this novel? I’ve always adored Laura. She’s passionate and confident in ways that she won’t ever give herself credit for. And it’s been a blast reading about her escapades. While I am still mourning what happened to Clae, I found myself falling in love with Okane in this book. Before he was an interesting side character. But over the course of this novel he became something more, and I’m actively looking forward to seeing more of his story.
So, once again I’m finding myself in a particular situation. I loved The Monstrous Citadel, and want nothing more but to continue reading. But the book is over. So now I have to wait for news on the next novel in the series – and I’ll take any little scrap at this point!

I really enjoyed this book and would highly recommend it to anyone looking for a fun and interesting fantasy book. Great sequel to City of Broken Magic. While you do not have to read City of Broken Magic before reading The Monstrous Citadel, I would highly recommend that you do so. (It is also a great book!)

Thanks to Tor Books and NetGalley for an early copy to review.

"The Monstrous Citadel" follows "City of Broken Magic" as the second in Mirah Bolender's action-packed "Chronicles of Amicae". In this world, isolated cities have magical bomb squads (Sweepers) who fight off voracious infestations that eat magic, and anything else they encounter along the way.

This 2nd episode is just as action-packed as the first, taking young Sweepers Laura and Okane out of the city and into a whirlwind of adventures. An engaging fantasy series!