Hello, everyone! Today I’m reviewing Bright and Broken Things by Ryan Graudin. I enjoyed the beautiful writing and great character work in The Enchanted Lies of Celeste Artois by Graudin. So, I was quite excited when I saw she had written a novel about the Egyptology craze of the 1920s. Was my excitement warranted? Read on to find out!

Set among the glittering parties and Egyptology craze of the 1920s, young academic learns he might be the key to an ancient Egyptian tomb coveted by a powerful cabal of magicians in this enthralling adventure from the author of Enchanted Lies of Céleste Artois.

Ezra Bright has returned to London after serving in World War I but, like many returned soldiers, he is haunted by his time on the front lines and the loss of his adoptive brother. He attempts to put the nightmares behind him and focus on his dissertation, but a chance encounter with his sister, Biz, introduces him to the Bright Young Things, a group of socialites famous for their elaborate costume parties and treasure hunts spanning London. At one such party Ezra meets Celia, a young socialite who introduces him to a world of magic and secret societies.

Unbeknownst to many, a powerful cabal of magicians known as the Order has been stealing magical artifacts in the hopes of impressing its mysterious leader. The ultimate prize is said to bestow immortality on its bearer and Celia suspects Ezra may be in possession of the powerful, ancient magic key to locating it. When Biz mistakes a note from Ezra’s mother for the start of another scavenger hunt, the Order is alerted to Ezra’s presence forcing him, Celia, Biz and her fiancé on a race across Cairo to find the treasure before the Order does.

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

I had a great time while reading Bright and Broken Things. The vibes reminded me of a mixture between The Great Gatsby and The Mummy. The writing was probably my favorite thing about the book. It was beautiful with great descriptiveness that transported me into the settings. I found it so easy to get lost in the glamorous parties and Egyptian deserts, and the adventure of it all really swept me away, especially in the second half of the story.

As for the plot of Bright and Broken Things, it did seem a bit uneven. The first third or so of the book was mostly focused on introducing Ezra, and the reader, to the glitz and glamour of the magic elite. The parties and scavenger hunts had great vibes that I enjoyed reading and provided a good backdrop for getting to know the characters. However, the story didn’t feel like it was progressing all that much for the longest time. That changed rapidly once the characters fled to Egypt on their treasure hunt. Things really kicked into high gear, and there were some twists that caught me by surprise. Overall, the plot kept me invested but could have been better if the pacing was more consistent.

I liked the characters in Bright and Broken Things, but I wanted a bit more depth from them. Ezra’s backstory was interesting and layered, as well as a driving force for the story, but I didn’t have the emotional reaction to him or the other characters that I expected. Don’t get me wrong. Their stories were sad and even quite compelling, but I just never felt attached to these people all that much. Ezra was the character I found most interesting, with his trauma from WWI and being snatched from his home as a child, but it just wasn’t enough to make me feel intimately connected to their group.

The romance in Bright and Broken Things was just sort of there. Once I realized Biz’s fiancé was Ezra’s ex, I expected gag-worthy, all-caps DRAMA. Instead, this weird foursome had absolutely no chemistry between them. It was super disappointing when the setup for an explosive dynamic was RIGHT THERE. Oh well. I had this same issue with some of the author’s previous work where the romance was fine but felt like an afterthought compared to everything else. It pretty much just took up space and messed with the pacing for no good reason. lol.

The world-building and magic in Bright and Broken Things was fascinating but could have used more detail. I still don’t have a good handle on how each aspect of the magic works, but it didn’t affect my enjoyment of the story all that much. The magic seemed to be situated in a pyramid-shaped hierarchy reliant on tithing that worked as an excellent metaphor for the extraction of resources/artifacts due to colonization. There were actually a lot of great themes explored in this book, including class divisions, cultural assimilation, and the impacts of the blatant theft of pieces of Egyptian cultural heritage. The story left me with a lot to think about, which I always enjoy.

All in all, Bright and Broken Things would be a great read for anyone wanting an adventure through glitzy parties and Egyptian mysteries. While I do wish that I’d connected a bit more with the characters, they were all interesting and distinct while providing good avatars for the examination of some fairly deep themes. Therefore, I rate this book 4.25 out of 5 stars and will be back for whatever the author writes next.

There you have it! My thoughts on Bright and Broken Things by Ryan Graudin. You can check out an awesome review from Jodie @ Witty & Sarcastic Book Club for some other thoughts about this book. Have you read this one? Let me know your reactions down in the comments!