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The Splendid City

By Karen Heuler
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2.98 goodreads logo

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Check link for latest rating. ( 796 ratings, 201 reviews)
Book Hero Magic crafted this summary to help describe this book. While it's new and still learning, it may not be perfect - your feedback is welcome! Summary
The Splendid City by Karen Heuler is a Sci-Fi & Fantasy novel set in a dystopian world where magic and technology intertwine. The story follows Eleanor, once a witch, who is transformed into a cat after a spell gone awry. Set against the backdrop of a city where the bizarre is ordinary, Eleanor’s journey explores themes of freedom, identity, and rebellion in a society teetering on the edge of chaos.
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Format: Paperback / softback
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Book Hero Magic created this recommendation. While it's new and still learning, it may not be perfect - your feedback is welcome! IS THIS YOUR NEXT READ?

This book may appeal to you if you enjoy tales that blend the whimsical with the eerie, featuring alternative realities filled with intriguing characters and unexpected adventures. It's a great pick for readers who are fond of imaginative storytelling that explores the complexities of human relationships within fantastical settings.

Book Hero thinking about your next read

A genre-blending story of modern witchcraft, a police state and WTF characters, for fans of Alice Hoffman and Madeline Miller. --

Book Hero Magic formatted this description to make it easier to read. While it's new and still learning, it may not be perfect - your feedback is welcome! Description

The Splendid City is a genre-blending story of modern witchcraft, a police state, and WTF characters, perfect for fans of Alice Hoffman and Madeline Miller.

In the state of Liberty, water is rationed at alarming prices, free speech is hardly without a cost, and Texas has just declared itself its own country. In this society, paranoia is well-suited because eyes and ears are all around, and they are judging. Always judging.

This terrifying (and yet somehow vaguely familiar) terrain is explored via Eleanor – a young woman eagerly learning about the gifts of her magic through the support of her coven.

But being a white witch is not as easy as they portray it in the books, and she's already been placed under 'house arrest' with Stan, a colleague who wronged her in the past and now exists in the form of a cat. A talking cat who loves craft beers, picket lines, and duping and 'shooting' people.

Eleanor has no time for Stan and his shenanigans, because she finds herself helping another coven locate a missing witch, which she thinks is mysteriously linked to the shortage of water in Liberty.

File Under: Fantasy | Liberty for All | Water is Beautiful | Eyes Everywhere | Stanning for Stan

Book Hero Magic summarised reviews for this book. While it's new and still learning, it may not be perfect - your feedback is welcome! HOW HAS THIS BEEN REVIEWED?

The Splendid City by Karen Heuler is praised for its humour and imaginative storytelling, delving into the state of US politics with a whimsical and satirical approach. Reviewers admire her clever dialogue, vivid imagination, and the delightfully quirky narrative that draws comparisons to a modern, adult version of classic Oz books. This novel is recognised for its ability to balance absurdity with insightful social commentary in a refreshingly original manner.

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Book Details

INFORMATION

ISBN: 9780857669858

Publisher: Watkins Media Limited

Format: Paperback / softback

Date Published: 14 June 2022

Country: United Kingdom

Imprint: Angry Robot

Edition: New edition

Audience: General / adult

DIMENSIONS

Width: 135.0mm

Height: 216.0mm

Weight: 250g

Pages: 280

Collections

Crime & Thriller Fantasy Fiction General Fiction Karen Heuler Penguin Books Sci-Fi & Fantasy

About the Author

KAREN HEULER is a literary sci-fi/fantasy author. Her stories have appeared in over a hundred literary and speculative magazines and anthologies such as Conjunctions to Tin House and Weird Tales. She has received an O. Henry award, been a finalist for the Iowa short fiction award, the Bellwether award, the Shirley Jackson award for short fiction, among others. She has published four novels, four story collections and a novella. She also teaches fiction writing at NYU's School of Professional Studies.

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