To begin with, this first book of the fantasy series skilfully incorporates a murder-mystery detective plotline with the power struggle and an unfair hierarchy system of the authority. It depicts a world in which humans are discriminated against and where slaves are a common practice. Yet it includes enough humour to make up for and balance out the darkness of it all. Not to mention enough chemistry between characters to satisfy even the biggest hopeless romantics.
The one ever-present species that you will find in all her works are fae. However, what distinguishes this series from the rest is the sheer amount of magical creatures: they range from shifters and witches to fae and angels to mer people to vampyrs and many more – all divided into four houses according to which gods they worship and believe in.
The main character, Bryce, is a grief-stricken but bold and cheeky half-fae female. Along with Hunt, a fallen angel, she attempts to solve the murder of her best friend Danika. However, soon it becomes clear that Danika has kept many secrets of her own which begin to complicate the case. Every character has their own past haunting them and guiding their actions. It is intriguing to watch their stories unravel and truths being revealed.
Multi-faceted characters with complicated relationships, the rich storyline and the potential for an unbelievably stunning CGI
The plotline is extremely fast-paced and leaves no space for tuning out. Sarah J. Maas manages to fill every single page with crucial information which makes every chapter worth reading. It is incredible how she can keep up the suspense and hold the attention of her readers for 800 pages straight.
Multi-faceted characters with complicated relationships, the rich storyline and the potential for an unbelievably stunning CGI – these are all valid reasons for wanting Crescent City on big screens. Although, I do sometimes wonder if it would make a better tv-show than a film. After all, there is just way too much material to include and none of it can be skipped.