Thank you to the publisher and to Netgalley for providing me with this ARC!

I did enjoy this book, and the concept of it sounded amazing, however I'm not sure that it was executed how I would have liked. The writing was beautiful and stories that span over long timelines are stories that I actively seek. I think my issue and why I didn't enjoy this as much as I wanted was the lack of plot and character development. The book excelled in aesthetics but lacked the growth and substance I had hoped for. I also really wanted some angst in the romance and I just didn't feel it.

I am big fan of Nghi Vo's Singing Hill's Cycle and look forward to more installments in that series, as well as any future projects! If you enjoyed books like The Witch's Heart or even Circe, you might enjoy this!o

Such a beautiful, lyrical, and unique novella. I found the reading experience of this to be similar to This Is How You Lose the Time War,though I personally connected with the story/world/characters of this novella more. It's a slow, melancholy, and occasionally vague story that may not work for everyone (it's a weird little book, but I mean that affectionately). When I started, I wasn't sure how I felt about it and then after a few chapters I felt like a switch flipped and I was hooked.

It's a love story about a demon and an angel but first and foremost it's a love story about a demon and the city she cares for. The writing is evocative and I was impressed with how invested I became in this story with such a short page count. I loved the stories about the city of Azril and its people and I loved Vitrine and her complicated relationship with the angel who destroyed her beloved city. I also feel that this novella has one of the best depictions of immortal supernatural beings I've read in a while. I loved the contrast between the quick lives of the humans of Azril and the slow, centuries-long evolution of the relationship between Vitrine and the angel.

In the acknowledgements, Nghi Vo calls this her "pandemic book" and that is clear in the themes of this book. This is a story about isolation and grief amidst catastrophe and how to keep going when your world has been irrevocably changed. It's a story that really worked for me and I think it will also work for a lot of readers (particularly if they enjoy literary fantasy).

I read the authors note after I finished only to find the phrase, "have you ever wondered about f****** a library,' and even if I hadn't loved it the whole time, that would have sold me on this book.

This is a very different type of story to Vo's other novellas, however, I think the writing is still the same and brings the same feelings as the Singing Hills. It is a story of a town and its resident demon and the ravages of time that destroy and also rebuild. I liked the personification of the town through the relationship between the devil and the angel. It has the same feeling as Invisible Cities, but with a more accessible writing style.

Nghi Vo is an author that I don't hesitate to try whatever they come out with, and this absolutely did not let me down!

After angels raze the once-dazzling city of Azril to the ground, the demon Vitrine tries to rebuild her city as an exiled angel seeks her forgiveness.

The City in Glass by Nghi Vo is a beautiful gem of a novella—written with evocative, vivid prose that brings the city of Azril and its inhabitants to life.

It’s a richly imaginative and heartfelt story about immortality, grief, and forbidden love. The demons in this world are grounded and sentimental, and you can’t help but feel for Vitrine.

This is a sweeping tale that covers the course of centuries. Due to this nature, the pacing can be slow at times. It’s the true definition of a slowburn. However, if you’re in the mood for a quieter, more contemplative fantasy, this one will hit the spot.

Nghi Vo does not miss. This is probably going to be my favorite read of the year. I have not stopped talking about it to everyone that is near.
It's so achingly beautiful. Vitrine and Azril are everything to be currently.

DNF .... I tried and tried and tired. I just couldn't get into the groove of the writing on this one. I wanted so badly to like and finish this book and no matter how many times I started it I couldn't get past the first chapter. I'll probably give it another go next year but for now, this one goes in the DNF pile.

If Italo Calvino wrote Good Omens (but as lyrical and haunting as only Nghi Vo can do).

I think that sounds a little trite but honestly this book felt so <i>new</i>, so fresh and experimental and so, so rich and replete with love and magic and history both epic and intimate in scale, each time I picked it up to read a little more, it felt like taking little intoxicating sips of an ocean's worth of drink. Crystalline, inexorable, mesmerizing, a bewitching joy to read.

Thank you to the publisher for the ARC.

dnf @ 16%


This was my most-anticipated novella of the year, & unfortunately it didn't work for me, which I'm v upset about. The prose is lush and precise and very well-done, but I just didn't find myself connecting the way I have with the last few works I've read from this author. (I suspect that may be in part because the previous books I've read from Vo were in 1st person, whereas this one is in 3rd person.)

Absolutely plan to read more from this author in the future, but this one sadly didn't click with me. :(

The City in Glass follows a Demon, Vitrine, and an unnamed Angel in a fallen city, Azril. Vitrine hopes to bring that city, the one she nurtured for ages, back to its height. 

This was a highly emotional book. It begins with the end of Azril, the demon’s city, and from there, it's a slow burn of growth. Dreamlike in its storytelling, the prose is beautiful and tells us of the people and places where rubble now rests. Nghi Vo is a master at drawing you in with her craft.

The plot and character development were a bit weak here. Plotwise, if you’re into more of a jumping, non-linear narrative that leaves some to the imagination, this is your book. Otherwise, you might be confused. In terms of character development, I was left with questions and overall wanted more acknowledgment of changes in the characters that led to the final pages. 

Thank you Tor Publishing and Net galley for the opportunity to read this arc!

I've got my full review up on halfextinguishedthoughts.com

Well! I don’t have much to say about this one. Reading The City in Glass felt like reading something new, something a little different, but something comprised mostly of style rather than substance. Nghi Vo’s incisive prose continues to shine here. You won’t be disappointed if you’ve enjoyed her other writing. Vitrine makes a fascinating protagonist. I loved the grand time scale over which the story takes places. Vitrine engages in tasks only a powerful immortal being could complete, spending months or years to complete a singlular task of manual labour. Seeing the city’s rebirth over hundreds of years and following families through generations humanizes both Vitrine and the city itself.

I have mixed feelings on stories which feature angels and demons yet don’t specifically define either within the context of the story. I would have loved to learn why angels sack Azril, or what the ongoing relationship between angels and demons at large it, or to whom (if anyone) they report, but I suppose I’ll accept that those details don’t matter for this story. Comments about Vitrine’s siblings (and an apperance by one) intrigued me but didn’t reveal much further. What I tried to keep in mind is that The City in Glass is ultimately a love story between one demon and one angel. An atypical love story (and not simply for the fact it’s between an angel and a demon) but a love story nonetheless. So that’s what the story focuses on – the relationship between those two alone.

The Bottom Line 💭: Another hit from Vo that feels more experimental than anything else I’ve yet read by her, The City in Glass is one to pick up if you prefer character and setting over plot and action.

This book was all atmosphere in a very unique way. I enjoyed my time with this book, but I didn’t absolutely love it as much as I wanted to. If you are a reader who is there for the vibes and atmosphere, this is definitely worth checking out.

another five star read from a nghi vo book nobody is surprised. i loved everything about this book, from the setting to the story and more

Nghi Vo writes such interesting stories, and this one was no different, with a demon and an angel fighting over the destruction of a city. However, I do always find the writing somewhat difficult to follow, and I think this is a me problem. I probably tend toward somewhat easier fantasy style writing, but I do always admire Vo's writing.

Imagine being an angel tasked with the destruction of a city crafted over centuries by a demon. But this demon, in her final act of defiance, curses a fragment of herself to linger with you forever. Cast out by your own kin, you find yourself returning to the ruins of that same forgotten city, only to discover the demon tirelessly rebuilding it. Against all reason, you can’t resist helping her—but when she lashes out and demands you leave for 50 years, you obey, driven by unshakable devotion.

When you finally return, shaped by your years among humanity and bringing refugees whose homes have been destroyed, she demands something unimaginable. Not only must you beg for their safe haven within the city, but you must also surrender your wings—the very essence of your freedom. You allow her to sever them willingly, grounding yourself forever. Over time, amidst shared pain and fragile hope, the two of you find a kind of peace together, eventually raising a beautifully chaotic trans child.

And that’s just a glimpse of this breathtaking tale. I can’t even begin to do it justice—please, read this story!

The City in Glass was another great read from Nghi Vo, I don't know where they get their ideas, but I have been blown away by everything they right. The premise of this one was really interesting and of course the follow through was 10/10. I look forward to seeing what they do next!

Thank you to netgalley and the publishers for providing me with an arc for an honest review.

The City in Glass is a story of grief, extended in an order of magnitude when it is a whole city being grieved across centuries. Nghi Vo's mastery of language and ability to create sympathetic characters outside of the boundaries of good and evil allow for a deep exploration of what it means to miss not only people, but the place that was created by their presence and the essence of their having lived.

"They need a home, and every city needs people," he said at last.

What a weird and glorious book.

It's perfection. Utter perfection. This is a top 10 read of 2024.

I'm in awe.

“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.

I did not expect this to give me Romance Feelings, and it did? This felt like This Is How You Lose the Time War except it isn't epistolary and it's only half as confusing and it's somehow even darker. Vo's writing is so evocative and lush and I love it - this is borderline purple prose but it feels fitting in this unsettling reflection on love and judgement and violence. This is entirely character-driven, as time stops and starts and flashes back fairly seamlessly to show us glimpses of the people our main character has loved through her too-long life. Vitrine, you absolutely ruthless, heartsick creature, I love you (but please don't love me back).

A few of my favorite quotes:

" 'Mine,' she said, and then she turned to shout it to the city in a voice that could be heard only by the dead, the listening, and the cats."

"Vitrine loved her city like demons and cats may love things, with an eye towards ownership and the threat of small mayhem."

"This is how you break yourself into a thousand pieces that are all equally wrong and unloved."

"The bitterness rose up in his voice like the taste of clove through sugar candy, something sharp and significant. She liked him best with it, because sugar alone was so dull and plain and because once you have mixed a drop of clove into a vat of sugar, nothing in the world could take it out."

"I love you so, I love you best," she whispered, nipping firmly at his ear. "I will walk in you, and I will care for you, and I will bring the whole world to rejoice in you."

Moments of success, but also a bit of heavy handedness in quite a few places. The book may have done better as a novella, or a series of episodes/images. So highly descriptive that it feels in places that it wants to be poetry, but those passages also tend to stop the narrative almost to a halt.

I received an advance review copy of this title in exchange for an honest review