Book Synopsis
Welcome to the City of Sin, where casino families reign, gangs infest the streets…
and secrets hide in every shadow.
Enne Salta was raised as a proper young lady, and no lady would willingly visit New Reynes, the so-called City of Sin. But when her mother goes missing, Enne must leave her finishing school—and her reputation—behind to follow her mother’s trail to the city where no one survives uncorrupted.
Frightened and alone, her only lead is a name: Levi Glaisyer. Unfortunately, Levi is not the gentleman she expected—he’s a street lord and a con man. Levi is also only one payment away from cleaning up a rapidly unraveling investment scam, so he doesn't have time to investigate a woman leading a dangerous double life. Enne's offer of compensation, however, could be the solution to all his problems.
Their search for clues leads them through glamorous casinos, illicit cabarets and into the clutches of a ruthless mafia donna. As Enne unearths an impossible secret about her past, Levi's enemies catch up to them, ensnaring him in a vicious execution game where the players always lose. To save him, Enne will need to surrender herself to the city…
And she’ll need to play.
My Thoughts
Ace of Shades was advertised as the new ‘Six of Crows’. I’m sure there are many of us invest their time to read it because of that, including me.
Shame, this book is far different than SoC. Levi is not the new Kaz Brekker. The story was quite confusing to me maybe because I had very high expectation before. It’s all about the highly educated student who just arrived at the city of sin looking for her missing mother. Her only clue was her mother’s letter saying if she couldn’t be found, please ask this Levi guy to guide her. Turns out Levi is one of the gang-lord members. I’m sure you can guess what happens with the good girl and bad guy plot. And it was the most irritable plot for me because there’s no single explanation why her mother recommends Levi to Enne. Like there’s no connection ever.
I have some complaints about this book
First, I don’t feel any ‘dangerous’ vibe coming from Levi. As the gang-lord, he didn’t have any significant power over the city, his gang member challenge and leave him, he’s got problem with another mafia, etc. I saw him like a puppy wandering on the wrong side of the city, just like his nickname ‘Pup’. He is a puppy, not a wolf.
Second, Enne. The nice, innocent missy who got her hands dirty for searching her missing mother in the strange city. I feel disappointed over her character, especially on the beginning. She’s frustrated character to follow. Though she finds her backbones throughout the story, it’s not that believable plot.
The city setting. If it’s explained properly, New Reynes should be one of the most interesting places in the fictional world, it should be like the dark place of New Vegas. But yeah, I don’t understand much of it.
I feel terrible if I don’t mention the good part of this book. Thus, let’s talk about the good portion
The magic/ability setting was interesting. You can’t choose for your own ability, it’s coming down from your parents and family. So you will have two abilities each inherited from your father and mother, one your dominant and one other ability.
The story is much more interesting toward the ending, but already too late to make up with its mess beginning.
Conclusion
Ace of Shades had many potentials to be a powerful story on its own. The marketing team shouldn’t be called the new Six of Crows because there's no similar thing between those two (except the gang, I believe).
My rating is 2.5 out of 5 stars and I round it down to 2 stars (on Goodreads) because I feel being cheated on.
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