A book review: The Court of Miracles
Title of the book: The Court of Miracles
Author: Kester Grant
Publisher: Voyager GB
Publication Date: 19th of June 2020
Genre: Fantasy, Historical Fiction, Young Adult
Why I picked up this book:
Nicely riding this wave of momentum I thought it was high time for another book review. The Court of Miracles had been on my nightstand (and kitchen table, coffee table, favourite chair and bottom of my bag) for a while, so I needed little more excuse to finish it.
I initially picked it up way back in July as a birthday treat to myself from Waterstones. Coincidently, seeing me walk in with the Waterstones bag nearly gave my partner a heart attack as he had bought me books for my birthday as well. Luckily they ended up being different ones.
Truthfully I knew very little when I bought The Court of Miracles, it was the stunning cover art that first caught my eye (yes, ye shall not judge a book by its cover) and the synopsis on the back cover was interesting enough to keep me hooked.
About the author:
Kester Grant is a British-Mauritian writer of color. She was born in London, grew up between the UK, Democratic Republic of Congo, and the tropical island paradise of Mauritius. As a wanton nomad she and her husband are unsure which country they currently reside in but they can generally be found surrounded by their fiendish pack of cats and dogs.
Synopsis:
The French Revolution of 1828 has failed, and Paris is in mourning.
The wretched of the city have gathered into guilds of thieves, assassins and worse, to form the Court of Miracles.
When Eponine's sister is sold into the Guild of Flesh, both their fates are sealed. The only chance Eponine has of rescuing her is to join the Miracle Court and steal back what was taken.
But to do that she'll have to become the greatest thief the city has ever known.
Review of the book:
Oh, where to begin, where to begin?
I don’t know what it’s like for other book lovers out there. However, if I put down a book, forget about it for weeks and/or months and re-read chapters I have already covered several times, we’re not off to a good start. I sometimes read books in a single sitting, which are extremes for sure, but a book a week is certainly no rarity. So we can safely establish that The Court of Miracles didn’t exactly grip me.
One of the issues lies with the main character Nina. While I felt for the young girl who was whisked away in the early morning hours. Saved from a fate worse than death, costing her sister her only chance at freedom. She quickly turned into something that borders on Mary Sue territory. I know this book has been hailed as a beguiling feminist story but to me, Nina was anything but. More often than not Nina rushed headfirst into situations she hadn’t properly considered, leaving it to the countless men in her life to save her. Montparnasse, Gavroche, Orso, Loup, St. Juste, The Dauphine. It’s the classic damsel in distress in a more grubby package. As we are so often reminding Nina ‘isn’t pretty, she is bony, she is skinny..etc’. So to see all the men, and women too, swoon over her for the simplest acts is boring, repetitive and honestly so overdone. And those rare instances where she outclasses the other members of this cast, it is because she has a natural gift, a talent, which none other possess. Yawn.
Another thing that rubs me the wrong way, generally speaking, are books that sprinkle in historical names, locations and events in hopes of lending their book more legitimacy. The events of the French Revolution, the overt nudges at Les Misérables (did someone say gender-bend Javert?) were utterly unnecessary. I would have been far more immersed in the story if it wasn’t for the constant reminders of famous events and cast members. Had Grant chosen to set her story in a faraway land, where it could stand on its own merit it would have made the book a far more enjoyable read.
Finally, there are issues with the pacing at well. The book jumps years forward on several occasions, without rhyme or reason it seems. It isn’t helped by the fact that the actual plot barely makes it clear. A young girl blooms into adolescence for the convenience of what is to follow. We lose 2 years after Nina is lashed, because – well because of convenience once more. It is used to build tension that isn’t there, making the whole affair feel forced.
Now, that’s not to say the book isn’t enjoyable at all. I actually enjoyed reading and learning about the Court itself. Some of its leaders felt far more compelling than our main character ever could be. The inner workings, the Law, it all felt loosely based on the Pirate Code we get to see in Pirates of the Caribbean, and as a self-professed legal nerd, I’m here for it. The setting itself wasn’t bad either, a city on the brink of starvation, brother turns against brother, the friend becomes foe and vice versa. It makes for a compelling backdrop, it’s just a shame that the plot falls flat of the overall promise.
What are your thoughts? Has my time away made me more grumpy or did I hit the nail on the head with this one? Should I just step away from books that have any sort of YA affiliation or do you have some genuine favourites? Let me know in the comment section below, and until then - just one more page!