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Cadenza is the City of Words, a city run by poets, its skyline dominated by the steepled towers of its libraries, its heart beating to the stamp and thrum of the printing presses in the Printing Quarter. Carlo Mazzoni, a young wordsmith arrives at the city gates intent on making his name as the bells ring out with the news of the death of the city’s poet-leader. Instead, he finds himself embroiled with the intrigues of a city in turmoil, the looming prospect of war with their rival Venice ever-present. A war that threatens not only to destroy Cadenza but remove it from history altogether…
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I really tried, but I couldn't. I had to DNF at 10%. The concept of a city of books is fascinating, and was the main reason why I requested an ARC, but the choice to begin the story with the stereotypical “young angsty drunk poet” doesn't help maintain the reader's interest. The focus on that character makes the reading experience tedious and impossible to enjoy.
As others have pointed out, this is not really a fantasy novel. That means the marketing text is misleading.