Hotel Magnifique

Starred review from February 7, 2022
Janine Lafayette, 17, wants better things for her and her 13-year-old sister, Zosa, than Jani’s tannery job’s wages can provide, so she’s elated when the legendary Hotel Magnifique, which changes location daily, appears in a Durc alleyway. Those born with magic, dubbed suminaires, can have difficulty controlling their power, but the hotel’s “blindingly pale” maître, Alastair, has enchanted the building to allow him and the suminaires he employs to safely perform astonishing feats. Invite-only stays at the hotel cost a fortune,
but if Jani and Zosa, who have olive skin, become staff, they can travel the world with the hotel while saving for the future. Zosa secures a job singing, and Jani persuades handsome, mysterious copper-skinned doorman Bel to hire her as a maid, but soon after the teens sign their contracts, Jani realizes that they’re trapped and that nearly everything they’ve heard about the hotel is a lie. Clear and creative worldbuilding, exquisite set pieces, and emotionally complex, intersectionally diverse characters complement the twist-riddled plot of Taylor’s spellbinding debut. The stakes mount in tandem with Jani and Bel’s romantic tension, captivating readers and catapulting the tale to a spectacular, cathartic close. Ages 12–up. Agents: Alexandra Machinist and Hillary Jacobson, ICM Partners.

April 1, 2022
Grades 7-10 The Hotel Magnifique is a luxurious and magical palace that appears only once every 10 years. Invitations are rare, and those who aren't invited must apply for work or live knowing they've missed out. Jani and her little sister, Zosa, have to apply--Zosa as a singer, Jani as household staff. When Zosa is hired but Jani is not, Jani sneaks in with the help of a magician, Bel. The hotel holds many secrets and more magic than the mundane world can handle. As Jani learns about the hotel and its guests, she becomes determined to learn the secrets of ma�tre d'h�tel Alastair's magic and about the contracts that both guests and staff must sign. Are the contracts truly unbreakable? What are the consequences if they are broken? This impressive debut novel is set in a fictional, magical version of France. The level of detail is engrossing, and the sinister touches of the hotel's secrets will keep readers hooked. Recommended for all collections.

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May 1, 2022

Gr 8 Up-The timing couldn't be better. Seventeen-year-old Jani and her younger sister Zosa need to leave their current life when the Hotel Magnifique comes to town. The magical hotel changes locations at midnight allowing guests to experience places all over the world. Jani and Zosa can't afford to be guests, so they apply for jobs instead. Once they are hired they meet Bel, the doorman, who becomes a delightful ally. Jani spends the days cleaning themed guest rooms, experiencing magical dining, and learning the secrets of the hotel, as well as wondering who she can trust. The action draws readers in quickly with entertaining surprises throughout the novel and magic that is fun and unique. Jani eventually learns that her contract is unbreakable which leads her to a mission to save her sister and members of staff from the cruel intentions of others. Taylor has built an enchanting world that draws readers into a believable setting of magic steeped in French culture. While Bel is the most interesting and trusted character, Jani will win readers over with her charm and smarts even though the action and magic upstage her at times. The characters are diverse in skin color and described as olive, tan, and golden and most have dark hair. VERDICT Even those who are not drawn to fantasy will enjoy this fast-paced, magical adventure.-Karen Alexander

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Starred review from February 1, 2022
Every decade or so, Hotel Magnifique appears in the port city of Durc, and a few lucky people get tickets to enter; the rest must find other ways inside. Seventeen-year-old Jani, olive-skinned with brown hair like others in the south of Verdanniere, dreams of a better life for herself and her sister, Zosa. A magnificent newspaper ad printed in bright purple ink announces that Hotel Magnifique--which transports itself to Elsewhere each midnight--is hiring. Zosa's singing voice is sure to get them in the door--why not apply? Upon entering, the sisters quickly realize that the hotel, its owner, and the mysterious doorman, Bel, handsome with his copper skin and brown eyes, have many secrets--and not all of them are good. This is a story brimming with magic, from the suminaires, with their unique magical gifts and infinite lives, to the themed guest rooms that can grow entire forests and orange juice that has you experience your favorite meal all over again. Taylor eloquently builds an immersive, believable world of magic, heavily influenced by French culture and brimming with interesting characters readers will grow to love and care about as they solve the mysteries of the hotel and free themselves from their gilded cage. The complex characters who evolve throughout the story are diverse in skin color, body type, sexual orientation, and financial means. Even those well read in the genre will enjoy some genuine surprises. A wondrous read for anyone searching for a bit of magic. (Fantasy. 12-18)

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