I’m a sucker for found-family fantasy heist books. (It’s a specific niche, but there’s so many amazing books in it). I’ve read and loved Mistborn and Six of Crows. Plus, Roshani Chokshi’s first adult book- The Last Tale of the Flower Bride – haunted me in the best way possible after I finished it.

So, when I found out Roshani Chokshi wrote a found-family fantasy heist? I couldn’t have bought it faster. (This is a spoiler-free review.)

We follow Séverin, a wealthy hotelier, who is searching for his rightful inheritance – one that he was denied when he was a child. His search starts in the glittering, dangerously decadent city of Paris in the 19th century. It is a time that is both beautiful and full of unimaginable horrors

Many of the terrible things in this book are plucked straight from history. For example, the “human zoo” of the Exposition Universelle – a terrifying event that served as the inspiration for this book. The fantasy weaves in between real-life events, historical sources and mythological symbols. The Order of Babel guards the location of the Babel Fragment – a source powering Forging affinities, talents which show up in the blood of certain people. This magical system was so fascinating – it’s difficult to describe, but the book does so perfectly.

Severin’s search is, of course, accompanied by a band of people (who I absolutely adored).

If there’s one thing I could point to and say “that’s what made this book great”, it would be the characters. They seemed to be alive on the page and made every moment of tension heavier, every heartfelt moment more intense and just had some great banter. I felt so attached to every single one of them.

One of my favorite characters. She is a Polish, Jewish pyro-engineer for who complex mathematics is easier than breathing, and yet conversations are labyrinths she cannot decipher. Zofia was very neurodivergent-coded and written in such an absolutely perfect way. Every single sentence from her perspective I read, I just thought “yes, that’s her”.

He’s a mixed Filipino and Spanish historian aching for a place to belong. I just loved his sarcasm and humor – he brought a new dynamic to every conversation. There’s something about his self-aware, funny personality that I literally couldn’t help but love. Plus, his banter with every character was top-tier.

She is an Indian dancer and baker who uses her performances as a mask to hide behind as she questions the nature of her existence. Laila was simultaneously a caring, older sister figure and a feisty, almost seductive presence. I loved her interactions with Zofia – she cared so much for her and really made her feel loved. Each facet of her personality was so dynamic and interesting – how she performed on stage, as a larger than life presence, and her interactions with the other characters.

He’s Severin’s brother. A sweet, imaginative guy with a love for flowers and his gigantic tarantula, Goliath. Despite how he tries to hide from it, his past haunts him every step of the way.

He’s an African patriarch of a House in the Order of Babel, and Severin’s former childhood friend. Hypnos is absolutely hilarious. I loved his flair for the dramatic and his charismatic presence. And yet hiding behind all that pomp, all he wants is for a place to belong.

As you can see from the cast of characters, one of the best parts of this book was the diversity. All the characters were so unique, and all of their cultures so well represented. One of the core parts of this book was the characters taking back artifacts that had belonged to them. Along the way, there was a commentary which showed us how so many things the Court of Babel had acquired and sold as curiosities were parts of cultures that didn’t belong to them.

This book had so, so many interesting puzzles. I really felt like I was learning while I was reading – finishing the book, there were so many things I wanted to research further. You can really tell how much effort and research was pored into this book. There were references to Biblical passages, Greek mythology, Chinese symbols, various histories… the diversity of these puzzles really owed itself to the story of the Tower of Babel, and all the languages and countries that story represented.

Even though I loved this book, there were some parts which I didn’t like. I felt some whiplash realizing the ages of the characters. I feel like trying to stick in the Young Adult category, the characters were given ages that didn’t really fit them. Reading the book, I felt like Laila and Severin should at least in their late twenties, or maybe even thirties. I felt that Enrique and Zofia were younger than Laila and Severin, but still in their 20s.

The numbers that made them teenagers really didn’t fit with what I understood of the characters. This is a similar problem I felt with Six of Crows. Trying to stick with the young adult label can really damage the reader’s immersion, as the scope and capability of the story and characters far outgrows that label.

This story was a sweeping tale in a beautiful setting with incredibly complex, human characters. It had action, banter, tragedy…literally everything I was craving. The prose was beautiful, as I’d grown to expect from Roshani Chokshi. I’m looking forward to continuing my journey with these characters I’ve grown to love.