This book wasn't really my thing. The story just never really gripped me and I was pretty bored throughout most of this book. Besides that, the characters felt a bit flat to me and everything happened to the main character way to easily, in my opinion. I just don't like whenever the main character seems to able to do anything without any real challenges. It just lowers the stakes so much because you know they are going to be fine. The book also made quite a few time jumps but it wasn't really made obvious until quite a few chapters in and that was really confusing. This book was very fast moving though and very quick to read. I won't be continuing into this series, sadly enough. I think this book wrapped up well enough for me to drop this series, especially considering I wasn't really that captivated by this book in the first place.

I received an advance copy of this book via NetGalley.

The premise of this new young adult book definitely appealed to me. A YA take on Les Mis, with a focus on Paris's seedy underworld and a dash of fantasy? Yes, please! But by the end, I was left frustrated. It's not a bad book, but it did feel decidedly clunky to me.

The foremost problem for me was the protagonist, Nina, who from the very start is the best thief ever. All of her plans work out. She never has to train or anything--she never even doubts herself--so there is virtually no tension or concern about failure. She's just sheer brilliance--the kind of brilliance that makes any boy remotely near her age fall in love with her automatically, even as she is repeatedly, modestly described as bony and not attractive. There's no banter or warm-up to a relationship with these guys. They love her, they will kill for her, etc. This made the plot feel increasingly more ludicrous as the book continued.

So what did work for me?

The setting. The way Paris and the Court of Miracles is described is fascinating. The author researched the setting. Paris feels dirty, stinky, the Seine a flowing cess pool. The Court is neat, too--an underworld managed by various lords and masters. Some of the side characters there were more intriguing than the main characters.

The magical element is light and never explained, which left me disappointed. It should be noted that this is alt history, though--the revolution failed, and the royal family maintained their thrones and their heads. The different time stream is never explored in any detail, though. There are also some jumps in time that aren't explained right away and make things confusing for a bit.

Really, enjoy this take on Paris, see the sights, smell the smells, and enjoy that aspect--and there is a lot to enjoy there! But be ready to cringe at the exasperating characters and plot, too.

With how many comparisons this book has going for it, I think how many will rate this will be determined by which element they are rooting for the most. Personally, I just wanted a historical retelling with some Les Mis vibes and this book sells on those! The fantasy elements do feel a bit lacking, but it is the first book in the series so I can forgive those. I can't wait to see where book two will take me.

This story immediately takes you to the streets of France in the early 19th century. With a few French words in between, it develops an atmosphere instantly. But the dejected and bitter situation in which some live becomes clear quite soon. Nina is still a young girl when the story starts and after a major event she is introduced tot he Lord of Thieves who decides to take her under his wings. From that moment on it becomes clear what the world actually looks like in the Court of Miracles. No one is safe in the streets and those who are afraid will not survive very long. There is a great famine and it doesn’t shake anyone when there are corpses lying on the street. The fear, violence and dangers feel very real while Nina goes out on the streets and gets to know members of other Guilds. It doesn’t take long before she changes from a frightened young girl into a confident young woman who takes matters into her own hands. When the Tiger has set his eyes on Nina’s adoptive sister and won’t stop until he has her, Nina has to outsmart him. She must outsmart all Guild Lords, all laws and even herself.

There are several time jumps throughout the story. That’s how the story focuses mainly on the most important and interesting events. There’s enough time spent in the beginning to describe the surroundings, because the world of the Court of Miracles, the streets of France in the 19th centruy, are very different from what you’d imagine. There is kind of a depressing ambiance, hardly any time for celebrations or joy, it is mainly about survival. As Nina continues her personal development, the level of complication in the story increases. To protect Ettie, Nina gets in contact with many people, she makes deals, is in dept to others and others to her. There are a few moments in which magic will appear, which sometimes comes in handy. But in other times the magic works against her. The world is getting bigger and a lot more happens. The further the plot develops, the more exciting it all becomes. It seems that at some point Nina is no longer in control and on her way to lose the dangerous games she’s playing. But that’s exactly what the author wants us to think. She adds more exciting and surprising happenings which sometimes suddenly change the whole story.

De worldbuilding is phenomenal. The separations between the Wretched and the nobility has never been so great nor so clear. Everything is well thought through, all the Guilds, the laws, the mightly Lords of the Guilds and it’s members. It just fits and every Guild seems to be it a small world on it’s own. Once you are a member of a Guild, there’s no turning back. It is one for all and all for one. As for together they are The Court of Miracles. They’re enemies on the streets but allies around the table.

Nina is a strong character, she’s also intelligent and somehow terrifying, but yet oh so fragile at the same time. At some point, her disguises lose their strenght as she’s built up a reputation and more members of other Guilds are starting to recognize her as well. There are several characters introduced while they start an important collaboration with Nina. This slowly makes them more important. But due to the amount of different characters, you might mix up some of them in the first half of the story. It takes some commitment from the reader to get to know them all. Also to understand all the changes and plot twists. But when the tempo rises again, it becomes much more difficult to put the book aside. As the end is getting closer the excitement rises until Nina finally tries to take the opportunity to end all misery. Or so she thinks.

The Court of Miracles isn’t just a retelling of Lès Miserables. Poverty, misery and fear are accompanied by action, familiy ties and intrigue. Beautifully written words and events become a gripping and above all nerve-wracking story.

I really enjoyed reading this! The historical flair was wonderful, and I loved how there's a mixture of a bit of heist mixed in with the familiar Les Mis story.

3.5 stars

I saw Les Miserables on Broadway years ago, but I honestly don't remember anything about it.  Musicals aren't really my thing, but I was outvoted on our show choice that night.  The biggest reason I requested this book was the comparison to Six of Crows.

Knowing little to nothing about Les Mis, I probably missed most of the same character names, plot points, etc., but I don't think lack of knowledge of that story should hinder anyone reading this novel.  The descriptions of the nine guilds at the beginning were a little overwhelming at first, but they quickly became one of my favorite parts of the story.  Nina's world is dark, gritty, and dangerous - starvation, sex slavery, and death are common; consequently, she has to learn to adapt and survive at an early age.  Strong, fierce, and clever, she's an easy character to root for.  Pacing is brisk and tense heists are plenty, but a couple of time jumps may leave you struggling for a few pages to find your footing.

I did question how a nine-year-old Nina in one night transforms into a talented thief who evades highly-trained royal guards.  Maybe some backstory woven in to explain her skills would have helped.  Something I didn't connect with at all was her strong bond with Ettie and willingness to sacrifice nearly everything for her.  After a several year time jump, Ettie is suddenly there, and the reader is given no history of their relationship.  Initially, Nina is planning to sell Ettie into sex slavery to save her own sister, but then changes her mind.  Nearly everything that happens from that point on is due to their sisterly relationship, and the lack of connection on my part made it difficult to understand Nina's choices.  

Don't get me wrong - I definitely enjoyed this story.  It's a wonderful debut with charismatic characters and some suprisingly humorous moments.  Prior knowledge of Les Mis isn't required, but you may get more from the story if you're familiar with it.

I received a complimentary copy of this book from the publisher through NetGalley.  Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.

This book was so fun! I always enjoy adaptations, especially the scavenger hunt for recognizable characters and the fresh twists given to established plot points. The glimpses of Les Mis were satisfying, but even more so were the places the author strayed from the original story. Centering it upon Eponine and the criminal underworld rather than upon Cosette and the revolutionaries made it feel new and not stale.

Said criminal underworld is as brutal as it is alluring. Watching Nina win and lose loyalties kept me on the edge of my seat. At no point did she feel like she was at the mercy of the plot, she always had a trick up her sleeve, an actor and not a reactor even when she was reacting to unforeseen obstacles. Similarly, the Tiger was not a one-dimensional character driven by the plot's need for a villain. Their sparring drove the plot, and not the other way around.

At times the dialogue felt unrealistically lyrical, but overall this was an enjoyable read and I'm excited to see what the rest of the series brings!

Rating: 2/5 semi-miraculous courts (DNF at 47%)

Format: ebook. I’d like to thank NetGalley for a free copy of this book in exchange for an honest review!

What it's like: This book is pitched as a Les Miserable meets Six of Crows but I didn’t see any resemblance to Six of Crows.

To sum up:
This story is set in an alternate 1828 Paris after a failed French Revolution. The city has been divided into nine underground criminal Guilds known as the Court of Miracles. Our main character is a scrappy young thief called the Black Cat who works for the thieves guild. The Black Cat, or Nina, takes responsibility for a young orphan named Ettie, who ends up drawing the eye of the leader of the Flesh guild. In order to protect Ettie from being claimed by a terrible fate, Nina must go to great lengths during this turbulent and desperate time, and ultimately decide what she is willing to sacrifice to protect those she loves.

What I loved:
I think the setting is great. To be totally honest, I haven’t read Les Mis or watched the show/adaptions (I know! I need to fix that), so hopefully, this review will be helpful for those like me who are going into this book knowing nothing about this story or time period! From the start, it’s clear that this city is cut-throat, hungry, and desperate. It’s a great place to throw your main characters into and gives them a lot of conflicts to overcome and adversity to deal with. I love a sneaky thief as the main character and the way the city’s underworld is divided is definitely interesting.

What was meh:
So I dnf’ed this book at about 50% and let me tell you why. It boils down to me not being able to deal with this strategy of storytelling. I’ve read a few other reviews of this arc, and they are mostly positive which is great, but they are also from fans of Les Mis. I mention that because I feel that this author expects the reader to become invested in the characters and understand this very complex world VERY quickly. There is quite a bit of action in the beginning (which is great if done well!) and a cursory explanation of the world and Nina’s motivations before she is thrust into dangerous circumstances. I have barely started to understand this character and we are supposed to be worried for her already? We are supposed to be disappointed if she fails?
Then there are the TIME JUMPS. This is the main story-telling feature that I had trouble with. I finally got a grasp on the world and sort of how it works (mostly from the author telling me rather than showing me, and we are only about 25% into the story at this point) and BAM some amount of time has passed and Nina is no longer trying to carry out this really important goal from “Act 1”. No, now she has a new goal and new characters are introduced and half of the characters from Act 1 seem no longer important. Also, it’s unclear how much time has passed for some of these jumps, you’re just supposed to gather that from the subtle clues the author puts in there (why not just tell us?), but more importantly it’s totally unclear why Nina’s MOTIVATIONS have changed. At first it seems like maybe she has a plan, but it’s so loosely described I can’t quite be sure if it’s not well-thought-out, or if the author is withholding detail to build suspense. But then it appears that Nina abandons the plan and it is totally unclear to me why. There is no internal dialog or discussion from Nina to help me understand. There is just more action, more violence, and a new character she must protect at all costs that we literally just met. Hi, what’s your name? Who are you? Why is it important for our MC to risk her life for you? There are people dying in these streets, sex trafficking, and lots and lots of violence so who is this character to me and why should I care whether they are another victim to this harsh world or not? I’m left with SO many unanswered questions and what seems like an abrupt shift from one plot to a different one.
Ultimately, I think the author depends too heavily on her reader’s prior knowledge of the story of Les Mis and it’s cast. She is trying so hard to introduce a complex underground world onto an already complex story that she doesn’t have enough time (or skill tbh, sorry) to describe and SHOW us these elements in adequate detail. Add to that time jumps that also include shifting character motivations and I felt totally lost. I genuinely thought maybe my ebook was missing some chapters or I accidentally skipped ahead. I have read books that deal with time jumps and it is always a delicate business. There is always a period of reflection or another character illustrates some detail in dialog to help the reader along, but I just felt that was lacking in this book.
I will be the first to say that if a world or main character doesn’t make sense to me, I just can’t read the book. I’ve had this issue with a lot of popular YA (and non-YA) books so this isn’t true for everyone obviously, but for me it’s a deal-breaker. I get so distracted by things not making sense to me (why one guild can break the laws that everyone has agreed on halfway through the book and we are just supposed to accept that?) that I just can’t read it anymore, and unfortunately, that happened to me in this book.

Overall, if you are a fan of Les Mis I still encourage you to give this book a try! Maybe you will see things in it that I did not, but I can’t recommend this book to readers who haven’t read it or seen the musical because I fear that they will feel just as confused as I am. I think the setting and the underground courts are great pieces of the story (I have no idea what makes them miraculous though other than it sounds cool *shrug*) but they aren’t enough for me. I need to understand who carries out the laws of the court, why they made them and show me in a convincing way that doesn’t feel rushed or brushed aside, and how does the royalty fit into this world (okay, you stole a necklace from a prince, is that going to have some significance later??)? Give me time to get to know the characters and SHOW me what they care about, and then don’t just pull the rug out from under me with no warning and no explanations.

Trigger warnings:
Violence, drug use, sex trafficking of children, emotional and physical abuse of a child.

This was a fun read, fast paced and the storyline really never seemed to stop moving, with all the twists and turns you really couldn’t see a lot of it coming. Nina was an interesting character, and I loved her title of the Black Cat since she was able to get away with anything. But part of that is why I found her unbelievable, even as a child she was able to steal from the prince that easily? Aspects of the book definitely seemed unrealistic, such as the fact she seems have three guys pining over her. The Prince, The Assassin and the Rebel, it’s all very fun but unrealistic.

I did enjoy Ettie and her development from being sheltered and scared to no longer being afraid. But other than constantly being sought after she didn’t have much of a personality, I’m hoping that will change down the line.

The main thing that kept confusing me during this whole book was the timeline, I had difficulty imagining what Nina looked like a lot because they were time jumps that lost me and I was scrambling to figure out how much time had passed.

My favorite character though, wasn’t Nina or Ettie. It was Montparnasse, the assassin who seems to have thing for Nina, who just shows up to kill people. And I sincerely hope we see more of him.

The Court of Miracles combines the underworld of Six of Crows with a re-imagining of the events of Les Miserables. I’m a huge fan of Eponine and was beyond excited when I received an ARC of this book! The first in a planned trilogy, this story follows Nina (Eponine), as she fights to be reunited with her sisters and seeks to prove to the lords of the underworld that she is not a pawn on their chessboard. Nina is fierce about pursuing her goals, unflinching in the face of almost certain death, and always thinking five steps ahead. This book was impossible to put down; there’s never a dull moment and a sense of eerie fantasy permeates throughout.

Grant’s writing is smooth, descriptive, and captivating. At the heart of this book, there is a strong bond of sisterhood, which is one of my favorite things to see! The Court of Miracles was genuinely so much fun to read: with a female Javert, lots of nods to Les Mis throughout, and more than one intriguing gentleman who crosses paths with Nina. You do not need to have read or seen Les Miserables to enjoy this book, as the author makes the story completely her own. I already can’t wait for the sequel to The Court of Miracles and to see how Nina’s adventures continue! The Court of Miracles releases on June 2, 2020. Thank you to Kester Grant, Knopf Books for Young Readers, and Netgalley for a free ARC of this book in exchange for an honest review.

I enjoyed reading this and it definitely kept me turning the pages to find out what happened next. I had some issues with the characters not quite being flushed out (Ninas skills seem to just appear out of thin air) and the romance angle was poor.
I think things feel to easily into place. The Les Miserables inspiration felt forced and at times got confusing. The Six is Crows comparison should not have been used as those books are so highly rated that it makes this work seem weaker.

Overall would like to read the sequel to this to see where the story goes next but had some issues with plot pacing and character abilities.

This was a marvelous find!! What an original spin off of history and a classic of literature (and stage)!

I thoroughly enjoyed this one. Grant did a phenomenal job with the world-building here. The story takes events and personalities, real and literary, and blends them seamlessly with a wholly original construct involving guilds, the poor, conspiracy, and preternatural skill. The result is a fantastic read populated by a wide-ranging cast of characters that leapt off the pages for me. The pacing, the adventures, the drama, the scene-setting - it was all brilliant. The story grabbed me from the opening pages and never let go...

I cannot WAIT to see what happens next and sincerely hope the next installment comes out soon. There are a LOT of characters with a LOT of balls on the air, and it will not be easy to keep them all top of mind enough to maximize the magic of a second book if a lot of time passes before I read it. It's good enough to warrant a reread if need be though - and that right there should be all the affirmation you need in order to pick this one up post-haste!

At the 50% mark I DNF'd this book for now. I love the concept and the different houses for all of the unwanted but my biggest concern was the main character. For what I read, she spent all of her time trying to right a wrong that she made herself. I didn't really want to root for her. And when she was able to to 'complete' her goal, it got reset again. I wanted little Ettie's story to begin rather than just her needed protection.
Once I read another book to give my mind a break, I plan on coming back around to this book and finishing it.

There’s a scene in Kester Grant’s The Court of Miracles, where an entire room of nobles is hypnotized by the head of the assassin’s guild into doing something horrific but which they are wholly oblivious to. It’s an apt scene to note, because while this first book in a trilogy is far from horrific (really, far from it), Grant is such a fluid writer that she lulls you into a sort of readerly trance, a smoothly flowing journey that carries you effortlessly along, leaving you if not oblivious at least uncaring with regard to the story’s several flaws. As such, it’s one of those occasional odd novels where I’m going to say there are lots of places it isn’t very good, but you still may find yourself enjoying it anyway.

The blurbs label it a retelling (of sorts) of Les Misérables, and sure, several of the characters appear here with the same or similar names — Eponine, Javert (here a woman), Valjean — and it is set in revolutionary France, but honestly, I’m not sure the linkage to Hugo’s work, which is pretty minor and surface-level, adds that much to the story or isn’t in fact more of a distraction than a plus. In some ways, I’d even say it’s a negative, such as choosing to make Javert a woman seemingly so her obsession with Valjean could be because they had something a few years back. Why not just keep Javert male and have that same backstory? (apologies to Grant if there turns out to be some other motive). Meanwhile, some of the connections feel forced, many feel overly light, and I much preferred Grant’s more original additions to the storyline. So, I’d say don’t think of it as a reworking or retelling and think of it as more “kinda sorta inspired by” and then just forget the whole thing.

Grant sets her story in a Paris where the French Revolution failed and Paris is split amongst the nobility, your basic poor (those who walk by day), and the “Miracle Court” — nine criminal guilds, the most important of which here are The Legion of Ghosts (beggars), The Guild of Assassins, The Guild of Thieves, and The Guild of Flesh. After her sister is sold off by their father to “The Tiger”, leader of the Flesh Guild and feared by all other guild lords, our main character Nina becomes a “cat” (burglar) in the Guild of Thieves. Despite a sworn oath to the Thieves’ leader not to try to rescue her sister, Nina of course does just that. It’s not much of a spoiler (but if you want to avoid even a small one that arrives early in the novel skip to the next paragraph. No, really), to say she fails. But then her protective nature turns to her new sister (not by blood) Ettie, who also catches the attention of The Tiger. To save her Nina will not just set herself against The Tiger, but against any guild lords who refuse to help her, any police, any revolutionaries, the Dauphin, even the Queen herself.

To start with the positives, as noted, Grant’s writing is smooth and engrossing, and while the overall worldbuilding of 19th Century Paris is relatively slim, Grant does a nice job describing characters and specific settings. Her descriptions of the significant guilds are particularly atmospheric and striking. Nina is an easy character to root for thanks to her determination and resilience. The Tiger, meanwhile, a somewhat standard if enigmatic villain through much of the novel ends up much more complex than he at first seems.

As far as my issues with the novel. One is that everything comes a bit too easily to Nina. That isn’t to say she doesn’t suffer consequences — some are especially terrible — but that there seems little she cannot do. She breaks into the most impossible of places with the greatest of ease, charms nearly all, is brilliant at long-term strategy and short-term improvising, etc. One of the pleasures of heists (and while this isn’t a “heist novel” there are several heist requirements) is the slow build-up, the planning, the execution, the inevitable wrinkle, etc. but here they’re pretty much introduced as a goal and then just as quickly completed. Even for a YA story, and this has that YA vibe (and is marketed as such), she’s a little too brilliantly competent.

There’s also no real character growth in her story, even with the (sometimes abrupt) jumps forward in time of several years. Other characters also lack depth, serving as basic villain, stalwart support, reluctant-but-won-over-by-her-plucky attitude support, or victim-of-her-plucky attitude love interest (three of them fall, unnecessarily I’d say and implausibly, into this role). Though “love interest” really lends them more seriousness than they contain in the story itself, given that we only know they are that by Nina musing on how attractive they are or Ettie giggling over a brief interaction. Finally, the entire plot feels rushed.

The Court of Miracles is, as noted, a YA novel, and the younger end of its target market will probably be less bothered by the book’s flaws. Older ones, and adults, will certainly find themselves wishing for more fully-fleshed out characterization and more of a sense of struggle/difficulty for the main character, but both groups will still mostly likely find themselves zipping through the story thanks to its quick pacing, intriguing guild structures and rules, and smooth flowing prose. As a first book in a trilogy (and this one does resolve itself enough so it can stand on its own if one wishes), it’s not a bad introduction to a world that is interesting enough to convince me to pick up book two, with hopes those weaker elements improve.

This was such an excellent read.
Six of Crows x Les Misérables, The Court of Miracles is dark and brutal. Initially I dragged my feet starting this novel—I received an ARC through NetGalley— because I thought it was going to be a slow start, but that changed by the end of the first chapter.
Nina is quickly inducted into the guild of thieves and has a single-minded goal—to rescue her sister. While her goal changes slightly through the novel, her layers of schemes build. This novel sparkled with sisterly affection as it's emotional backbone. Don't get me wrong, Nina has plenty of suitors, but I really appreciated finding a YA novel where romance wasn’t the focus.
I wanted more at the end, but it looks like this is the first in a series so I’ll get my wish.
A trigger warning; sex trafficking and slavery are elements of this novel, as part of the antagonist’s Guild, but it is kept age appropriate without being graphic.
Five stars. I will be putting this on my reread stack.

I have never read Les Misérables and I've never been a particular fan of the musical, but I still enjoyed this book a lot! I do think that knowledge of Les Mis might have enhanced my enjoyment, however, as this seems to be a fairly close adaptation?

The writing was lush and evocative and the plot was fast paced, which made The Court of Miracles a quick, compelling read. I love fantasy books that explore the seedy underbellies of their settings, and I thought this was particularly well done here. I will also say that I'm always a sucker for stories about the sisterly bond, and the first chapter of The Court of Miracles was a gut punch. Overall, really fun and really well done!

Thank you to Knopf Books for Young Readers and Netgalley for providing me with an e-ARC in exchange for an honest review!

I really thought this book would be amazing. Six of Crows is my absolute favorite dulogy so I may have expected too much. Once I started reading it, nothing in this book kept my interest. To start, there was just too much going on in the Court. Too many pieces to it and too much to even try to remember. Unfortunately this was a big turn-off for me.

This was my first book by this author, It was pretty enjoyable. I would give this book a 3.5 star rating! It was a pretty Quick and easy read!

This was a well-written book with intricate characters and setting but it was not my favorite book. I gave it about 150 pages to see if I could fall into the story. But, it just was not for me. I know that some of my students would enjoy this and find it highly entertaining. I would recommend it to my students, especially the ones who love fantasy. Unfortunately, this was a DNF for me. I am interested in checking out anything else by this author.

The Court of Miracles by Kester Grant is described as a mix of Les Miserables and Six of Crows and is an accurate description. Being a fan of both Les Miserables and Six of Crows, I found The Court of Miracles to be an immensely fun romp. Fans of Les Miserables will enjoy the references to the book and musical, and Six of Crows fans will enjoy the strong teenage characters navigating the guilds of the underworld of Paris.
The Court of Miracles was engaging and entertaining. I enjoyed the characters and the fast-paced plot. My only complaint was that the ending felt abrupt and I would have liked a little more time spent wrapping up the story. But overall a fun book that I recommend!

Thank you NetGalley and Knopf Books for Young Readers for this ARC.