Writer. Reader. Reviewer.

First, I would like to thank HarperCollins for an ARC of “The Court of Miracles”, which caught my attention due to the cover image and synopsis. This review will go over my first impressions of reading this book.

I would give this book a ranking of 4/5. I will try not to add any spoilers and so will be vague as possible.

So, The Court of Miracles is set in an alternate universe based around Les Misérables with a multitude a reference to The Jungle Book – which I found myself enjoying. The main character is Eponine, a young thief who wishes to protect her adoptive younger sister; Cosette, from the predilections of The Tiger, a reference to Shere Khan, after her older sister was sold to him years previously. This vow means that she has to contend with the various lords of the underworld court as well as the royal court of Louis XVII.

What I liked about this book are the adaptions of the characters; Eponine is a skilled thief known as the Black Cat, a ferocious and cunning young woman. Her father Thénardier is a well-known, unlikable recruiter for the Thief’s Guild, Valjean is a convict turned spy and Javert is a female inspector, both of whom pasts are even more fraught than before. I find myself enjoying these takes on the characters, especially Eponine, who had a rather tragic minor role in the original.

I liked the brutal aspects of the animal kingdom that intertwined with the bloody underworld of a post failed revolution and the consequences of such. The creation of a fascinating guild system, with the backstabbing and jockeying that come with it was a nice touch.

I also enjoyed the decisions that Eponine has to make that are rooted in her morality. Still, it is more personable with the dichotomy between her desire for revenge for her older sister and her need to protect her younger, naive sister. Her actions to fulfill these needs could spark a war between the lords of the guilds, as well as another attempt at revolution against the crown, despite her growing friendship with the young, lonely heir to the throne, whom she stole from years earlier.

Overall I very much enjoyed reading this book; I took my time with it and immersed myself into the well-created world. I would reread this book, and I plan to buy a physical copy of the book to add to my bookshelf.