City of Stars (Stravaganza)

by Mary Hoffman

The sequel to the international bestseller "City of Masks". The time period is the same - C16 Talia as a parallel world version of Italy - but the setting has moved from Bellezza (Venice) to Remora (Siena). The main character in this book is Georgia - who has a love of horses. She is desperate to buy a little, dusty winged horse that has appeared in a local antique shop. This tiny, winged horse will prove to be the talisman (as the notebook was for Lucien in "City of Masks") that will transport Georgia to Siena - right into the rivalries and the high-octane excitement of the hugely competitive Stellata horse race - and more. Mary Hoffman has proved herself a mistress of a narrative tour-de-force with "City of Masks" and this sequel will not disappoint. 'If you enjoyed "Stravaganza: City of Masks" then you will love returning to Talia in this exciting sequel. Featuring a flying horse, a fast and furious horse race, kidnapping and much intrigue, this is a great adventure.' - Grainne Cooney, Bookseller Teenage Reading Choice.

• ISBN10: 1599907674
• ISBN13: 9781599907673
• Publish Date: 1 February 2011 (first published 21 June 2004)
• Publish Status: Active
• Publish Country: US
• Publisher: Bloomsbury Publishing Plc
• Imprint: Bloomsbury Childrens Books
• Format: eBook (EPUB)
• Pages: 464
• Language: English
• URL: http://bloomsbury.com/

Reviews

"Georgia fell asleep with the model of the flying horse in her hand, wishing she could find a place where horses had wings and she could fly away from her troubles for ever."

I've been rereading a lot this year, because when I have deadlines, I prefer reading books that I can put down easily. I was really into the first three quarters of City of Stars, but because I had to put it down and focus on school, when I got back to the last quarter, it was lackluster in comparison. 

The protagonist, Georgia, is likable and interesting. Her character growth is great and we really get a sense of her personality and passions. One of her passions is horses and horse riding. Usually, books about horses and horse riding are slow and boring (well, the ones that I've read), but I enjoyed the horses and horse riding aspect in City of Stars because of the competitive horse racing and the fantasy element of flying horses.

The city of Remora is where horse racing takes place and I loved the atmosphere and exploration of this city. It revolves around the zodiac signs, where the city is divided according to the signs and there are allies and enemies based on the signs. This aspect added something to the overall story. 

Remora is ruled by the di Chimici family. Duke Nicollo is the head of the di Chimici family and he's a little more nuanced than the other characters. He's power hungry, ambitious and a little ruthless, but he's family-orientated. When certain events occur, I could relate to his emotions and grief. I also enjoyed the introduction of other members of the di Chimici family, such as Falco and Gaetano, because it stops the family from seeming one-note. 

The Arianna and Luciano 'drama' is hilarious. Everyone around them can see how they feel about each other because they're so obvious and I love how everyone tries to bring them together.
   
The plot is a lot stronger in City of Stars and while the narration style is still weird and jarring, it felt a little more organic. The story is engrossing and I wanted to see what would happen next. I also really like the ending, which wraps up the main story, but still leaves room for expansion.

I'm looking forward to rereading the rest of the series! 

""Remember that nothing lasts for ever," he said. "The bad things as well as the good.""