manda-rae reads a lot: City of a Thousand Dolls by Miriam Forster

Sunday, April 21, 2013

City of a Thousand Dolls by Miriam Forster

Genre: YA Fantasy

Bhinian Empire Series, Book 1

Description (taken from Miriam Forster's website):

Nisha was abandoned at the gates of the City of a Thousand Dolls when she was just a child. Now sixteen, she lives on the grounds of the isolated estate, where orphan girls apprentice as musicians, healers, courtesans, and, if the rumors are true, assassins. Nisha makes her way as Matron’s assistant, her closest companions the mysterious cats that trail her shadow. Only when she begins a forbidden flirtation with the city’s handsome young courier does she let herself imagine a life outside the walls. Until one by one, girls around her start to die.

Before she becomes the next victim, Nisha decides to uncover the secrets that surround the girls’ deaths. But by getting involved, Nisha jeopardizes not only her own future in the City of a Thousand Dolls—but her own life.

So how does the City of a Thousand Dolls come about? Well, we give society a two-child limit and let everyone know that only men carry the family name and can own property. Does this sound familiar? Yes, the feminism in mean screams to tear some people apart for making up stupid rules like that. Anyways, we got a safe haven for girls where they will learn things and grow up into something society wants: a wife, a mistress, a medic, a musician, etc. And we add the mysticism around the city and how nothing really gets in or out past the barrier. And we hear a dozen or so variations on how the barrier came about, but it doesn't seem like any of the city's background really gets explained.

Truly, I never became vested in this story. It was too slow for me to get into, and I felt like it was slightly childish for me. It might have been the talking cats that did it for me. Although there is an explanation for that. But it just seems like every aspect of this story was forced into fitting perfectly that it really just fel flat. Don't get me wrong, the murder mystery had me guessing all the way through. But I just didn't care for this one.

I recommend people interested in this one read other reviews before making a decision. I was bored, but I'm sure there are those out there that really enjoyed this read (that's how I added this one to my reading list).