Hotel Magnifique (Hotel Magnifique, #1)

by Emily J. Taylor

Jim Tierney (Artist) and Kristie Radwilowicz (Cover Designer)

AN INSTANT NEW YORK TIMES BESTSELLER

“Hotel Magnifique opened the door to a sumptuous and glittering world of magic and mysteries and left me enchanted. Perfect for fans of Caraval and The Night Circus.” –Erin A. Craig, New York Times bestselling author of House of Salt and Sorrows and Small Favors

Decadent and darkly enchanting, this lavish YA fantasy debut follows seventeen-year-old Jani as she uncovers the deeply disturbing secrets of the legendary Hotel Magnifique.

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 in 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 marvelous 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.

• ISBN10: 0593404513
• ISBN13: 9780593404515
• Publish Date: 5 April 2022
• Publish Status: Active
• Publish Country: GB
• Imprint: Razorbill
• Format: Hardcover
• Pages: 400
• Language: English
• URL: https://penguinrandomhouse.com/books/isbn/9780593404515

Reviews

[Berls]

2.5 stars
Meh. This book COULD have been good. It had all the right pieces but it just dragged on FOREVER. Michelle and I were buddy reading it and she gave up. But she did want to know what happened and I was able to summarize over 50% of the book for her in a few paragraphs. And she enjoyed my paragraphs a lot more than the book lol.

The main character is annoyingly YA. Yes, this is a YA and so it's to be expected to an extent. But isn't there like an unspoken rule that YA characters in fantasy are more mature? Well, don't hope for that here, you will be disappointed.

And there's just way too many side plots going on. Too many characters who we have to traverse down their path before returning to the main plot. And yes, those side stories do ultimately impact the main plot but we could have taken a more direct path I think and enjoyed it a lot more.

The magic was also disappointing in it's meandering explanations. It took too long to get to the point.

Oh and the romance was... you wanna guess? It took too long and was too predictable. If i'm going to wait that long please give me something slightly unexpected.

I am glad I finished as I was curious about a few things and wanted the answers. As michelle pointed out, one of us had to finish so we'd know what happened. But if a cliff notes version of this book existed I would have totally grabbed it. Find a spoilery review (because I don't have the energy to write it) and save yourself the time.

[Terri M. LeBlanc]

What a fantastic cover and what an amazing story! While this is comped to The Night Circus, I felt it is strong enough to stand on its own. And while it doesn't have elements of The Night Circus, the romance and mystery didn't have the same strong pull as The Night Circus. 

That's not to say I didn't enjoy this title. But this feels firmly in the YA realm. The characters are strong. There is light romance (the will-they-or-won't-they/forbidden love kind). And there is the element of the youngest members of the hotel being identified as the ones that will save the world (you know, the special snowflake(s)…or in this case the Hotel Magnifique. 

The whole world made me think of Paris during 20s with a splash of the darker side of New Orleans. It was delightful and I loved every minute of it.

[Quirky Cat]

I'm a little bit behind on my OwlCrate reading, but I'm finally sitting down to read Hotel Magnifique! I love the covers for this book. Both the one I got from OC and the original is stunning. So no matter which one you grab, I promise it'll look stunning on your shelf.

Before I dive into my review, I want to talk about the two main reasons I wanted to read Hotel Magnifique (outside of it being in a subscription box, that is). It was positively compared to two books I adored: Caraval and The Night Circus. Um, yes, please! Having now read all three, I can see the comparisons. They have very similar vibes, though ultimately, all three have very different takes on magical wonders of entertainment.

Jani has been responsible for her little sister, Zosa since their mother passed away. Sometimes it feels like she can't keep up with the world, with their hopes. Other times, it feels like things are suddenly going right.

Through a series of wonderful events and one display of exceptional stubbornness, Jani has managed to land her and her sister the opportunity of a lifetime: work within Hotel Magnifique. It's a magical place – literally. And now she and her sister get to be part of it. But will it be as she had always dreamed, or will it be a nightmare?

“Produce an invitation and I'll eat that ruffled atrocity of a hat."
Then get a fork and give me five minutes.”

If you're looking for a fun and magical read, Hotel Magnifique is here for you. I will always joyfully embrace a novel that transports me to another world – especially one that combines magic with the splendor of carnivals and the circus. It's something that seems to go hand in hand, no?

If you got into Hotel Magnifique intending to compare it to Caraval or The Night Circus, you might be disappointed. I meant it when I said it has similar vibes, but it is otherwise a very different story. Smaller elements feel the same, but otherwise, Emily J. Taylor isn't afraid to do things her way. Personally, I enjoyed the outcome. It was fun and original while providing nostalgic feelings.

There is a romantic subplot within Hotel Magnifique, which I'll confess I did enjoy. It is far from the main plot, though it does help to support it. I wouldn't have minded them indulging in that a bit more. For that matter, I wouldn't have minded seeing more of the magic within this world.

You see, it sounds like everyone with magic has a different potential, which certain objects can help bring out. We get to see a few (several, really) of these abilities. But I'm greedy, and I would have loved seeing a dozen more. If not a hundred more. It just feels like there's so much more to explore, you know?

Anyway, what I'm trying to say is that I enjoyed Hotel Magnifique. Jani makes for a strong leading lady, and the world is as wondrous and magical as I had hoped.

Read more reviews over at Quirky Cat's Fat Stacks

[Inkslinger]

Over the last year or so I've come to realize I have a fondness for fantasy novels that deal with performative magic in some way. So, it came as no surprise when I got my first glimpse at the synopsis for 'Hotel Magnifique' by Emily J. Taylor, that I felt immediately drawn to the story.  

 

Swelling with enchantments, nothing is what it seems to be beyond the threshold of the hotel. Often, even the simplest of tasks are complex spells at work, but for those things deemed too unimportant to waste magic on.. there are employees to handle the details. Though, I hesitate to call anything that goes on behind the hotel's black lacquered door.. regular, they're as close as it comes.

 

Jani is our main character, a feisty.. devoted sister to young Zosa who is hired as a singer. While I appreciate her loyalty and desire to right wrongs, her inner monologues and dialogue border on annoying for me. Luckily, that's not even really a complaint, however.  

 

Bel is probably the gem of the story in my eyes, though of course I often tend to connect better with a side character and this is no exception. Mysterious and playful from the beginning, the more we get to know him, the more likable he is. Likewise for Beatrice and Hellas, though sometimes interactions between the characters feel a little clunky.

 

The book does feature an interesting trinket-based magic system, which allows the author room to be creative and results in numerous different abilities, which I love. In addition to the threat posed by the antagonist, the hotel is constantly changing and traveling to a new location every day.. not only keeping the setting fresh and interesting, but also creating some more challenges along the way.

 

Though there are moments where the story feels a little choppy, I honestly think it's just because Taylor is keeping so many proverbial plates spinning at the same time. There's a lot going on at all times within the hotel, layers of mystery and I really enjoyed the journey the author took us on.

 

While there is plenty of beauty and whimsical magic at play, there's also plenty of darkness. Gruesome, cruel acts take place that actually kind of surprised me a little. So.. if you're squeamish, keep that in mind.

 

If you're a fan of Caraval, Where Dreams Descend, or Night Circus.. you'll probably enjoy this book as well.  

 

(I received this title as an ARC. All opinions are mine and freely given.)