Hello, everyone! Today I’m reviewing The Enchanted Lies of Céleste Artois by Ryan Graudin. Redhook/Orbit Books published this magical adventure through the streets of early 1900’s Paris on August 27, 2024. Read on to find out all my thoughts!

In this lush and lyrical fantasy, Ryan Graudin transports readers to the hidden magical pockets of early 1900s Paris, a place of enchanted salons, fortune tellers who can change your stars, and doorways that can take you to the most unexpected places—and introduces readers to the delightful Céleste Artois, a con artist who will make a deal with the devil in exchange for her life…and change the fate of the world.

Once, Céleste Artois had dreams of being an artist. But when the creative elite of Paris dashed those plans, she turned her talents to forgery and cons. She and the Enchantresses—her two fellow thieves and best friends—see Paris as a rich hunting ground for marks. Yet even though their hideout in Peré Lachaise cemetery is bursting with francs, Céleste cannot rest. There is always more to take. And the blood she has begun to cough into her handkerchief means her time is running out.

But everything changes when she encounters Rafe, a mysterious and beautiful stranger who leads her to an enchanted salon—a place where artists can bring wondrous imaginations to life. Céleste is captivated by this establishment, and learns of the existence of magical Paris, hidden in the pockets and alleys of the ordinary world, if one only knows where to look.

Rafe offers Céleste an irresistible deal: the gift of time in exchange for lending him and his benefactor her forging talents. But one must be careful making deals with devils, and there’s more to this hidden world than meets the eye. Shadows have begun to circle Paris. And soon, the Enchantresses will find that true magic is far more powerful, and deadly, than they ever imagined.

***Thank you to Redhook/Orbit Books for providing a copy of the book. My review contains my honest thoughts about my reading experience.***

The Enchanted Lies of Céleste Artois was such a magical story. The writing and world-building were exquisite, and I enjoyed my time seeing the wonders of Paris through the eyes of these characters. The lush descriptions transported me into this world of hidden magic. I also loved the uniqueness of the magic system, which was based on the power of ideas and dreams.

The plot of The Enchanted Lies of Céleste Artois was a bit slow. It took me a while to get through this book because it felt like something to be savored. The overarching story was interesting. It just took quite some time to develop and got somewhat lost in all the descriptive prose. That being said, I didn’t mind the pace so much because I adored the characters and the setting. Therefore, I loved exploring the ins and outs of this version of Paris in all the quiet moments. I do think, however, that the book would have been even better if some things had been more condensed to make the story 75 to 100 pages shorter.

The characters in The Enchanted Lies of Céleste Artois piqued my interest from the first chapter. I enjoyed getting to know them and seeing how they’d carved out a life for themselves as con artists in Paris. Each of the three Enchantresses had a compelling and unique background. Céleste was struggling to save her life from the doom of consumption. Honore had to come to terms with the trauma of her past begin to believe in the possibility of happy endings again. Sophie, my favorite of the three, was a little spitfire with an unwavering will and a vivid imagination. They all had fascinating arcs and grew considerably over the course of the novel.

Furthermore, I don’t think I could review The Enchanted Lies of Céleste Artois without talking about the cats. I adored the role they played in the story. I just wanted to scoop Marmalade up and give him all the snuggles. He and his whisper network had such a fun, yet important, role to play, and I couldn’t wait to see what they’d get up to next.

The romances in The Enchanted Lies of Céleste Artois were fine but nothing to write home about. I liked Céleste’s love interest, Rafe. However, their relationship felt a bit like an afterthought to everything else going on and the descriptiveness of the prose. I did like that some of the other romantic entanglements managed to add some queer representation to the book. Although, none of the romance subplots really stuck out to me as being the best part(s) of this book.

I loved the way the author used imagery and plot to explore themes in The Enchanted Lies of Céleste Artois. The power of imagination and ideas, as well as the strength of those ideas when people dream in concert, was beautifully represented by the magic system. Furthermore, the darker side of the magic showed how lust for power can corrupt even the most well-meaning system. The story also explored identity and the existential dread associated with impending death. Céleste’s story, in particular, looked at what lengths a person will go to survive and what parts of themselves they might along the way.

Overall, The Enchanted Lies of Céleste Artois was a beautiful story that explored the power of imagination. Each character added something unique to the narrative, and the descriptive prose brought the magic of Paris to life in an extraordinary way. This was definitely a story to be savored as the imagery was vivid and engrossing. However, it did mean the plot moved a bit slow for most of the book. With all this in mind, I’ve given The Enchanted Lies of Céleste Artois a rating of 4 out of 5 stars.

Have you read The Enchanted Lies of Céleste Artois? What did you think? Let me know your thoughts down in the comments! I think people who enjoyed The City of Stardust and The Starless Sea might like this one, too.