The Enchanted Lies of Celeste Artois by Ryan Graudin
Author: Ryan Graudin
Published: 2024
Genre: Historical Fantasy, Fantasy
Synopsis From Goodreads
In this lush and lyrical fantasy, Ryan Graudin transports readers to the hidden magical pockets of early 1900s Paris, a place of enchanted salons, fortune tellers who can change your stars, and doorways that can take you to the most unexpected places—and introduces readers to the delightful Céleste Artois, a con artist who will make a deal with the devil in exchange for her life…and change the fate of the world.
Once, Céleste Artois had dreams of being an artist. But when the creative elite of Paris dashed those plans, she turned her talents to forgery and cons. She and the Enchantresses—her two fellow thieves and best friends—see Paris as a rich hunting ground for marks. Yet even though their hideout in Peré Lachaise cemetery is bursting with francs, Céleste cannot rest. There is always more to take. And the blood she has begun to cough into her handkerchief means her time is running out.
But everything changes when she encounters Rafe, a mysterious and beautiful stranger who leads her to an enchanted salon—a place where artists can bring wondrous imaginations to life. Céleste is captivated by this establishment, and learns of the existence of magical Paris, hidden in the pockets and alleys of the ordinary world, if one only knows where to look.
Rafe offers Céleste an irresistible deal: the gift of time in exchange for lending him and his benefactor her forging talents. But one must be careful making deals with devils, and there’s more to this hidden world than meets the eye. Shadows have begun to circle Paris. And soon, the Enchantresses will find that true magic is far more powerful, and deadly, than they ever imagined.
My Take
I love the premise of this novel: a historic Paris where magic abounds (if you are enlightened enough to see it), three strong female protagonists who form a family after losing their own, and numerous twists and turns. The title alone drew me in. The characters were larger than life, and several found their way into my heart. I would have loved to walk this imagined Paris as an enlightened participant.
The author writes beautiful prose, reminding me of Stephanie Garber’s writing. So many lines jumped off the page, such as:
“Once upon a time, there was a girl who wanted, more than anything, to be a part of a story. Not just any story, but a proper Tale filled with magic, adventure, and endings that made everything sad untrue.”
“Cynicism is the needless interruption of fairy tales.”
“Magic is not all wonder. Sometimes the shadows in an alley have settled for a reason—there are certain corners that should stay hidden. There are some secrets that should remain entombed…”
“What were fingers become claws. Claws turn to vines-dark and choking. The Scanct struggles. Bruise-colored feathers drop from her wings, blowing like autumn leaves. She withers, until there is nothing left but bone.”
So why the low rating and a place in NO-vember? There are several reasons. I can’t put my finger on why, but I had a hard time finishing this book. I liked the characters and wanted to see what happened, but it just seemed to drag. I often was confused and had to reread sections, which made it hard to stay in the story. Somewhere around the 80% mark, the story became a WWI story. I understand why the author did this, and I loved how she wove historical events and people into the story, but the change in scenery and setting was jarring.
When I chose this novel, it was billed as a YA Fantasy…my favorite genre. I later learned that it was written as an adult novel. This changed my opinion of the story because some elements were inappropriate for a YA audience. First, the language was awful. I stopped counting the swearing. The author often swore when a more descriptive noun would have made so much more sense. The frequent swearing and vulgar word choices and phrases were not appropriate to the time period. It pulled me out of the story every time. One of the characters reprimanded another for swearing while she was the worst offender. There was also a gay romance, but it was fairly subtle and not a prominent feature of the story.
Despite the story’s issues, I needed to know how things worked out and pushed myself to finish, but it was a struggle.
Language
Frequent foul language throughout the novel is a significant factor in the low rating. The vulgarity didn’t seem appropriate for the time period and was used when a more descriptive word would have worked much better.
Sexual Content
It’s fairly clean, especially for an adult novel. One couple shares a room in a hostel and sex is alluded to but never described. There is a lesbian romance.
Drug/Alcohol Use
Frequent drinking, bar scenes, and smoking occur frequently.
Violence
This is a darker fantasy, and violence is frequent and often bloody. Characters drink blood and murder others to stay alive.
Plot/Storytelling
The plot is confusing and often drags, which is a significant factor leading to the book’s low rating. This was never a “can’t put it down” novel. My mind strayed as I read, and I had to force myself to finish. For someone who reads every spare second, I found myself doing anything I could rather than picking up this book. I wanted to know what happened, but the book just didn’t catch me.