Review: The Brilliance of Stars by J’nell Ciesielski

 The Brilliance of Stars

by J’nell Ciesielski

About the Book

Amid the chaos of the Great War, two master assassins risk it all for love.

Washington DC, 1914. Ivy Olwen knows how to survive on the streets without two coins to rub together. But when she finds herself whisked into a secret society that seeks to maintain the balance of good and evil in the world, she can’t believe there’s more to life than just surviving. In the hollowed and historied halls of Talon, she learns European languages and ballroom dancing, as well as demolition and sharpshooting–in short, everything a spy and assassin will need to survive in the field.

The first day Jack Vale meets Ivy, he knows she is not to be underestimated. The second day, he knows his heart will belong to no one else. Between sparring bouts and constellation gazing, Jack takes Ivy under his wing, and the two form a bond that soon turns to love.

While the rest of the world tumbles into war, the two embark on an official mission to take down a madman who has left a trail of blood and murder across Russia. Little do they know the unfathomable peril waiting in the wings of a chaotic Europe.

When Jack and Ivy are thrust into encounters each more terrifying than the last, Ivy must determine how far she will go to save the man she loves. Equal parts historical fiction and adventure novel, Ciesielski’s epic tale of espionage and romance will leave readers both enchanted and thrilled.

My Thoughts

J’nell Ciesielski is known for her war-time novels filled with adventure and romance. Her latest novel offers both in spades.

I have mixed feelings about this one. Ciesielski is a very talented writer and that is on display in this book. Her heroines are always brave and smart, and her heroes are always swoony and gallant. That is the case with this novel, and I love that part. And anytime you read a book by J’nell Ciesielski, you can see what painstaking research has gone into her writing. I appreciate all of these things.

What wasn’t my favorite was the amount of violence in the book. Yes, it is a war novel and violence is to be expected. But it felt like the majority of the book was Ivy and Jack facing off against spies and assassins, resulting in much bloodshed. Again, I realize this is to be expected in a war-time, spy thriller novel, I just wish there had been a bit more to break up all the fighting.

A positive for me was the incorporation of folklore and legends as Ivy and Jack trek across WWI Europe in search of an elusive entity. From Russia’s fabled Ice Queen, to Transylvania’s Dracula, the inclusion of these classic fables was a lovely touch to the story.

The Brilliance of Stars is a thrilling novel with a sweeping romance. If you love war fiction with plenty of spies and mayhem, then this might be the book for you.

I received a complimentary copy of this book from Thomas Nelson through NetGalley. All opinions expressed are my own.