Shadows of the White City by Jocelyn Green – Bethany House Review

Hello my lovely friends. The cover reveal for Playgrounds and Black Markers is THIS COMING SUNDAYS. And I’m so excited. I cannot wait to show it to you all. I got the author copy and it’s everything I dreamed it would be. For now, to hold you over, here’s a little review of a Shadows of the White City. And I procrastinated this review way to long because I didn’t love it. XD

The one thing Sylvie Townsend wants most is what she feared she was destined never to have–a family of her own. But taking in Polish immigrant Rose Dabrowski to raise and love quells those fears–until seventeen-year-old Rose goes missing at the World’s Fair, and Sylvie’s world unravels.

Brushed off by the authorities, Sylvie turns to her boarder, Kristof Bartok, for help. He is Rose’s violin instructor and the concertmaster for the Columbian Exposition Orchestra, and his language skills are vital to helping Sylvie navigate the immigrant communities where their search leads.

From the glittering architecture of the fair to the dark houses of Chicago’s poorest neighborhoods, they’re taken on a search that points to Rose’s long-lost family. Is Sylvie willing to let the girl go? And as Kristof and Sylvie grow closer, can she reconcile her craving for control with her yearning to belong? 

The Characters:

I had some major issues with the characters. I didn’t connect with them at all. Rose especially felt VERY underdeveloped, and I felt like the development that she did have was very unrealistic. Being raised by a loving person will never result in you suddenly changing your mind about who they are to you when you turn a certain age. It felt very forced for the sake of the story, and I felt that it could have been worked to be a much better premise.

That being said, Kristof was a wonderful fellow. I appreciated his gentlemanliness, his kindness and determination, and drive, and that he wasn’t a shallow blok.

The Plot.

The plot was good. It was a little slow-paced for me, and I didn’t really understand everything that was going on. The settings, however, were beautiful. I loved the fairgrounds vibes and the boarding house. It did remind me of another book I read, let me think which one it was… To Steal a Heart. They reminded me of The Bleeker Street Inquiry Agency. But To Steal A Heart (by Jen Turano) is much more worth your time.

The Content.

There was some gambling, some drinking, some smoking. Kristof’s brother gets into drugs, but it’s not viewed as a positive thing. There wasn’t really any violence. Kristof got punched in the nose. Rose gets “kidnapped” but nothing improper happens. There are a few kisses off screen. I didn’t read the very last chapter so I don’t know if there is more kissing in that chapter.
Rose is a rebellious brat of a child, hiding in the skin of a proper caring young lady, so I didn’t really like her actions and attitude. That’s not really a content issue if you know to respect your elders and family.

Also, the blurb makes it sound like there is a lot more plot revolving around Sylvie and Kristof and there is not. It’s enough to be sweet, but not nearly the drive or main plot of the story.

In Summary.

I didn’t like this one all that much. It did remind me of the Gaylord Opryland Resort in Nashville, which I was able to visit in 2019 and I really did enjoy that aspect. I will not be reading this book again tho. Thank you to the author and publisher for a free copy. A positive review was not required and all opinions of Shadows of the White City are my own.

Sometimes I wonder if I’m better off not procrastinating bad reviews and getting it off my plate so I don’t have to worry about it for so long. XD

You can read more of my reviews here.