A brilliant re-telling of Les Mis ❤️

In the dark days following a failed French Revolution, in the violent jungle of an alternate 1828 Paris, young cat-burglar Eponine (Nina) Thenardier goes head to head with merciless royalty, and the lords of the city’s criminal underworld to save the life of her adopted sister Cosette (Ettie). Her vow will take her from the city’s dark underbelly, through a dawning revolution, to the very heart of the glittering court of Louis XVII, where she must make an impossible choice between guild, blood, betrayal and war.

Welcome to the Court of Miracles! 

Set in 1828 Paris, shortly after the failed revolution, we follow the story of young Nina, her sister and her father Thenardier. Yep, you’ve read that right, this is a retelling of Les Misérables with Eponine (Nina) centre stage.

Nina, through circumstances not of her own making, ends up a member of the Guild of Thieves within the famed ‘Court of Miracles’ a criminal underbelly of Paris. There are nine Guilds within the Court and each one has a leader and members. The Guild of Thieves, Beggars, Mercenaries, Smugglers, Dreamers, Assasins, Gamblers, Flesh and Letters. When you join a Guild, you leave yourself and your family behind, your Guild becomes your family.

Nina, knowing that she has to save her sister from the claws of the Tiger from the Flesh Guild and sets about a plan which will free them both. She meets a young girl Ettie (Cosette) who she uses as bait for the Tiger. Ettie becomes like a sister to her and she protects her by getting her to join the Guild of Beggars.

Having to Navigate the protocols of the guilds and getting caught up in the next revolution, Nina has her hands full but always, her goal is her sister. She is a clever cat and is often underestimated. She meets a Prince, steals some extremely valuable jewellery and plots.

This story is beautifully written and the link to Les Mis is great, I love the twist with the Courts and how intricate each Guild is. The Guild of Assassins was easily my favourite, I love the mystery of them.

Kester has created a magical world within a world we already knew, the story is familiar yet entirely new. I love that Eponine is finally getting the story she deserved. It’s full of mystery, suspense, intrigue, betrayal and of course, love.

Thank you so much to Kester for sending an early E-Arc, I would have killed for the shiny gold beautiful printed one but it was a privilege to enter the Courts as a guest.

I adored every word I read and would gladly read this book again and again.