AD* | All her life, Jani has dreamed of Elsewhere. Just barely scraping by with her job at a tannery, she’s resigned to a dreary life in the port town of Durc, caring for her younger sister Zosa. That is until the Hotel Magnifique comes to town.
The hotel is legendary not only for its whimsical enchantments but also for its ability to travel - appearing at a different destination every morning. While Jani and Zosa can’t afford the exorbitant costs of a guest’s stay, they can interview to join the staff, and are soon whisked away on the greatest adventure of their lives. But once inside, Jani quickly discovers their contracts are unbreakable and that beneath the marvellous glamour, the hotel is hiding dangerous secrets.
With the vexingly handsome doorman Bel as her only ally, Jani embarks on a mission to unravel the mystery of the magic at the heart of the hotel and free Zosa - and the other staff - from the cruelty of the ruthless maître d’hôtel. To succeed, she’ll have to risk everything she loves, but failure would mean a fate far worse than never returning home.
Richly detailed and gorgeously evocative, Hotel Magnifique is a delight for all the senses.
The fantasy world of the Hotel is decadent and glorious, catering for every whim. It's an environment where glamour meets magic and the end result is a brilliantly imaginative melting pot of luxury and enchantments.
Jani is the main character, a dogged young woman determined to make a better life for her sister and herself. She is devoted to Zosa, her younger sister, to the extent that she is blinded to the dangers around the siblings. When they enter the Hotel, Jani quickly realises that all is not as it first seems.
Jani's developing relationship with Bel, her enigmatic new colleague, is beautifully written with just the right balance of attraction and intrigue. And Bel certainly is an intriguing character - again, all is not as it seems!
This was a really enjoyable read and I flew through the story. Despite the majority of the book being set within the Hotel, the story didn't feel too confined or restricted by the location. There is a large cast of supporting characters - both friends and foes - and this helps to add another dimension to the central plotline.
My only criticism is that Zosa isn't a very well developed character. Once the sisters are ensconced in the world of the Hotel Zosa quickly fades away into the background. I feel that an opportunity to develop their relationship further was missed because it's almost as if she just becomes a plot point rather than a character in her own right. Luckily, Jani makes up for Zosa's lack of personality as she is such a strong, well-defined character.
Hotel Magnifique was a real treat of a debut novel; I can't wait to read more from this author in the future!
Rating: 5 stars
Hotel Magnifique is available to buy now.
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* I received a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review
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