Beautifully written - broad in scope and also intensely personal, delicious and well-worthy of revisiting. The audiobook was well produced, and I didn't think the narrator was bad, but they did sometimes make it really difficult to understand sentences, mostly by way of placing emphasis on words that didn't need it or pausing in odd places. This likely wouldn't have bothered me so much if I had been listening at the speed I usually listen, but I had slowed down the narration out of appreciation for the prose, as the carefully chosen wording is one of my favorite things about Vo's style.

Thanks to Macmillan Audio for the ALC.

I really enjoyed Susan Dalian's narration of THE CITY IN GLASS. I think that she got the tone just right.

The story itself was very unique, if not a little reminiscent of ancient Greek and Roman stories. While I did enjoy the read, I didn't feel like there was a lot more to it than what was already stated in the synopsis.

4.5⭐️



I absolutely loved this book so much. The writing is beautiful and covers many topics regarding grief, morally gray decisions, community and different forms of love.

I can see this book having polarizing reviews. Where it works really well for some and the complete opposite for others. This book really has no plot or true world building, but it's getting a slice of life from a demon and angel. You'll feel many different range of emotions thru out this book.

The only thing that wasn't perfect for me was the romance. I think it would have been honestly better with out as it just didn't feel quite right.

The narrator of this book was fantastic. She expressed these characters with such emotion and it felt real. I would love you listen to more books by this narrator.

Thank you to NetGalley and MacMillan Audio for this advanced listener copy. My review is voluntarily my own.

3 ⭐️

This book was just so aggressively not for me. I think if you’re someone who likes short thought r experiments coupled with pretty prose, then this is for you. If you want a cohesive plot, deep magic or world building, or traditional character work…then this probably isn’t for you. This was my first experience with Nghi Vo but if she is always this all vibes to the extreme it might be only one. I will say the writing was pretty and some of the metaphors and symbolism were interesting. I also think that the audiobook narrator was quite solid. She embodied the ethereal almost magical realism vibes quite well. This isn’t 3 ⭐️ because anything was bad, it’s just not for me but I’m sure it’s great for the right kind of reader.

I received a copy in exchange for an honest review.

The City in Glass is a book I really appreciated and know I'll get even more out of on a second read. The conceit of the city-as-a-character is one that I enjoy reading in any iteration. The City in Glass is a blend between philosophical and contemplative narrative with subtle plot and clever character development. It reminded me of Invisible Cities by Italo Calvino (apparently Tordotcom agrees with me on this) and This is How You Lose the Time War, but with Nghi Vo's signature style prose. It's on the more speculative end of the fantasy genre, which I appreciate, with gorgeous atmospheric [literal] worldbuilding.

This is perfect for those who like to think about their SFF books without the prose feeling overly lofty or pretentious. At 215 pages, the prose is tight and the word choice judicious.

The narration is great, but I found myself drifting much more while listening, so this may be better suited to read with the eyes.

Well, hmm. I don’t know how I feel about this one. It is a beautifully written story, as every Nghi Vo story is beautiful. I’ve also noticed many times that her books are better on a reread because knowing the broad strokes it’s easier to pick up the smaller threads, and I can The City in Glass following that pattern.

All that said, it does a lot of really interesting things regarding grief, autonomy, and community. This is a love story, but not a romance. The ending left me feeling very what the fuck and that’s a large part of why I don’t know if I enjoyed this yet, because I don’t know if the ending was worth the journey, as much as I was engrossed. I definitely recommend this, especially if you’ve enjoyed previous Nghi Vo works.

The narration is really good and I really liked how much the tone was expressed and how that enhanced the listening experience.

Vitrine is a demon ruling over her world, Azril, when it is destroyed by an angel. She curses the angel and has to live amongst their presence and she mourns her old city and citizens. She tries to recover and preserve all of the history books and traditions of her land.

The angel and the demon are designed to be enemies, but when the war of their world threatens the city again, they must decide if they will work together or not. With the latter meaning sure demise for the fantasy city.

One word to describe this book BEAUTIFUL. I loved the perspective from the demon perspective and evil isn’t always as it’s conceived to be. You feel her true loss and motivation and she tries to rebuild her city. his was a quick read, but a definite must read and 5 stars. Will be looking for more from this author !

Thank you to NetGalley and Macmillan Audio for the ARC in exchange for an honest review. Release date 10/1/2024!

I enjoyed the gorgeous writing that flowed throughout this book. However, I wanted a little bit more plot, character development, and world building. I found myself struggling to stay engaged in the storyline and it was difficult to figure out which parts were in the past and which were in the present. I listened to the audio and found the narrator’s voice to be very soothing which worked well with the lyrical writing style.

Many thanks to Macmillan Audio and NetGalley for the advance copy!

A demon loves her city and the people within. While she delights in the darker parts of life, she doesn't seem to cause them. However, a band of angels destroys the city and its inhabitants because of her wickedness. She curses one angel, who sticks around, falling in love with her. Slowly the city is rebuilt and resettled.

This is an unusual story, I felt like I was waiting for it to start even though I was sucked in. It is hard to describe but I did thoroughly enjoy myself throughout the entire story!

Thank you to Macmillan Audio and Net Galley for the audioARC!

Thank you to Nigh Vo (author), Susan Dalian (narrator), Tor Publishing Group, Tordotcom, and Netgalley for this free advanced reader copy of "The City in Glass" for an honest review. At this point, I will never be able to resist reaching out and seeking out the newest Nghi Vo book. I started trying them out here on Netgalley, and I have fallen forever in love with their worlds. This world is a testament to the long, slow march of time, and all that is born, glitters, rusts, dies, and is born again.

It's about a demon who loved a city so hard she mourned it with all she had within her heart, soul, and glass case. It's about an angel who was perfect as he was made, cursed for his arrogance and shortsightedness. It's about the city that grows on the ashes of those actions and those beings. It's about love and death, about growth and change. It's about genuinely examining who you were, who you are, and who you might be. It's about loving someone for who they are and not who you assumed they were or the assumptions they might be lumped into.

It's about books and time, mothering as a calling both beautiful and heart-shattering, immortals woven into the mortality of everything around them, and the importance of every tiny spec of life. It's all of this, none of this, and everything else a sky of stars can be filled with.

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My compliments to Dalian who so fully filled my mind with the heart, thoughts, emotions, and wild fierceness of our main character. I hardly knew she was there with me, because it was always Virtine's whisper crooning into my ears the whole time.

I really enjoyed this slow burn buildup of a demon and an angel coexisting in a toppled city.

First of all the style of writing of Vo is unsurpassed. The imagery and way of drying the reader into the story cannot be accomplished by anybody else. So much is always accomplished within her short Novellas. The character development of vitrine in particular was absolutely stellar. I related to the loneliness and heartache that she experienced throughout this short novel.

I thought the dynamic between the demon and the angel was interesting and somewhat of a flop on what is typically happening between a demon and an angel. While the angel did not seem inherently evil or bad to me in anyway he definitely was not the shining good guy that they are usually portrayed as. Vitrine had a lot of emotion and love for those in the city, which is not typical of a demon in most stories. I enjoyed that change of pace, and I thought it added a lot of complexity and richness to the story.

Overall, another stellar installment Novella from this lovely author. I will continue to cherish her work.

I really enjoyed this work!. This was something new and exciting. Wished it was a bit longer to fully delve into the world.

To be quite honest, I don’t even know how to describe this book… but I know one thing… I absolutely loved it. Vo solidified their self as a favorite author of mine with The Singing Hills Cycle, but this might be my new favorite. The writing was lyrical, the world building was so unique, and I loved the non-linear timeline of these immortal beings who ended up loving each other so tenderly. This book is definitely a vibes only book, but I found that it worked really well. The characters were complex and well fleshed out. I know this won’t work for everyone but it really worked for me.

Thank you so much to NetGalley for the ARC in exchange for an honest review.

This was the first book I’ve read by Nghi Vo, and it definitely won’t be my last! "The City in Glass" is beautifully written, with incredible emotional depth and world-building.

We follow Vitrine, who grieves but refuses to give up, slowly rebuilding her beloved city. The audiobook is narrated by Susan Dalian, who perfectly captures the poetic and atmospheric tone, making it even more captivating. Though the plot is light and the timeline non-linear, the unique blend of fantasy, philosophy, and introspection, paired with lyrical prose, makes this a must-listen for fans of immersive storytelling.

2.5. This book is definitely carried by its premise. The premise is SO strong, but the execution was kind of lackluster. The writing is beautiful, but the rest of the book just wasn’t very well executed

Vitrine is a demon who deeply loves her ancient city and those within, but she cannot stop its destruction. Saddled with the angel who caused its end, can she overcome her loss and rebuild?

This is so beautifully written, as per the author’s style and voice: the setting/world and the characters and their actions are vividly described. The audiobook narrator also did an excellent job of conveying the tone. I didn’t always know what was going on though, so for me, some understanding was lost within the lyricism. Regardless, I still got the main plot and ideas and this short novel was very satisfying to read - it was beautiful and sad all at the same time.

Thank you to Netgalley and Macmillan Audio for the ARC in exchange for an honest review.

Where have I been all my life where I haven't experienced the work of Hugo Award winning author Nghi Vo? By happy circumstance, I've been given the opportunity to review her latest book before its release, The City in Glass. Now I will take it upon my own responsibility to make sure you don't miss out on this unique and riveting story.

This is a book unlike anything I have read. It is poetry and philosophy. Biology and sociology. It is Anthropology and metaphysics. It captures at once the fragility of a human life, and its unique, irreplaceable beauty. Perhaps most of all it explores the most potent and universal human desire: to be remembered.

Azril is an ancient city that has grown and developed through the ages. It has done so by the careful and loving influence of the demon Vitrine, who records its most special figureheads, events, and traditions in the book she stores in the glass case within herself. When a group of vengeful angels comes to destroy what she most loves, she is almost destroyed in her grief and curses the angel nearest her before giving in to her despair. Unwilling to give up the place she loves, she sifts through the wreckage slowly and methodically and coaxes the rivers to return to the once prosperous land. The angel she cursed is ostracized from his own kind so long as he bears the mark she's given him, and she refuses to remove it, so he keeps close and watches as Vitrine scrambles to recreate that which was once so precious to her. Decades pass. Then centuries. More.

Gazing upon the Earth from the astral perspective offers such value to consider. When we realize as humans how fleeting we are, does it not humble us? Does it not force us into gratitude for the present moment, every moment, we happen to be granted?

I received a copy to listen to for free, and before I was halfway done with it, I had pre-ordered a hardcover copy. This is the kind of book that begs to be read with regularity. I have no doubt in my mind that revisiting these pages will reveal new and fascinating insights each and every time I turn them.

4.5
This book has exquisitely crafted prose, which Susan Dalian's narration highlights. It is a very unique and atmospheric story that packs a punch in less pages than your average fantasy novel.

Vitrine is a demon who has watched over the city of Azril for many years...until an angel comes and destroys it. This book details both an immortal grieving for mortals and watching as the city slowly rebuilds, to face and overcome new hardships.

I can always go into a Nghi Vo story not understanding anything and yet enjoy every moment of my time reading it. I always love this author's style, the lyrical writing is always captivating. This is a painful yet beautiful tale where you know the ending is exactly what you know needs to happen even if you end up leaving feeling devestated. I know many won't like the structure of this story and its non-linear timeline, but I think it was perfect.

I will read anything this author writes. This reminded me a lot of This is How You Lose the Time War, so those who love that novella should give this a try!

This was an interesting lyrical fiction between a demon and an angel. It follows how their relationship develops throughout the book and starts after the destruction of a beloved city. This book was not for me. It was fine. I wanted a little more character development other than just the FMC.

The narrator for the audio book did a great job and kept me captivated longer than I probably would have been had I been reading a physical or ebook.

Thank you for the audioarc