Audio Review: Hotel Magnifique by Emily J. Taylor

Hotel Magnifique by Emily J. Taylor
Narrator: Suzy Jackson, Simon Hedger
Published by Listening Library, Razorbill on 2022-04-05
Age Range: 12+
Length: 400 pages
Length: 10 hours and 38 minutes
Listening Speed: 2.25x
Reviewing Audiobook, Hardcover from Library, My Book Shelf
Rating:
Reading Challenges: 2025 Audiobook Challenge, 2025 Beat the Backlist, 2025 Cover Lovers, 2025 Library Love

Decadent and darkly enchanting, this lavish YA fantasy debut follows seventeen-year-old Jani as she uncovers the deeply disturbing secrets of the legendary Hotel Magnifique.

All her life, Jani has dreamed of Elsewhere. Just barely scraping by with her job at a tannery, she’s resigned to a dreary life in the port town of Durc, caring for her younger sister Zosa. That is, until the Hotel Magnifique comes to town.

The hotel is legendary not only for its whimsical enchantments, but also for its ability to travel—appearing in a different destination every morning. While Jani and Zosa can’t afford the exorbitant costs of a guest’s stay, they can interview to join the staff, and are soon whisked away on the greatest adventure of their lives. But once inside, Jani quickly discovers their contracts are unbreakable and that beneath the marvelous glamour, the hotel is hiding dangerous secrets.

With the vexingly handsome doorman Bel as her only ally, Jani embarks on a mission to unravel the mystery of the magic at the heart of the hotel and free Zosa—and the other staff—from the cruelty of the ruthless maître d’hôtel. To succeed, she’ll have to risk everything she loves, but failure would mean a fate far worse than never returning home.

Hotel Magnifique by Emily J. Taylor is a YA fantasy about a magical hotel that whisks you away to Elsewhere. Jani has spent her life dreaming of escaping away to Elsewhere. She’s barely scraping by working at a tannery in Durc, caring for her younger sister when the Hotel comes to town. While Jani and Zosa can’t afford to be guests of the hotel, they interview for jobs. But the contracts are more than they appear. Under the glitz and glamour, a danger lurks.

Jani is a fun character. She’s an older sister turned caregiver who is just trying to give her sister a better life. She took them from their home and moved to Durc in the hopes of finding better work. But none was to be had. Now they live in a boarding house that is falling apart with not much hope of leaving until the hotel arrives. Her sister wants to sing, and Jani is convinced she can get on as a maid. The salary the hotel is offering is more than Jani makes in a year. She’s excited at the prospect of seeing the world and then taking her sister home. But the contracts are more than they appear. They are signed in blood and unbreakable. Jani is given a two week tryout, while Zosa is signed on as a chanteuse. At least they will be together, or so Jani believes.

This magical elements of this story reminded me of Caraval in the best ways. We have this fantastical hotel with a mysterious maitre’d. His magic seems powerful with ever changing hotel rooms, candlelight that is attracted to guests, and amazing shows. But not all is as it seems. The workers have been stripped of their memories, and they seem sallow and pale, frightened. The plot revolves around this mystery as Jani works with Bel, whose magic moves the hotel every night at midnight, to uncover the truth and save her sister.

Overall, I really enjoyed Hotel Magnifique. Jani’s stubbornness to get to her sister is her saving grace. She is enthralled by the magic, but also leery of it. I loved the friendships she forms with other workers, Beatrice and Bel especially. The magic is woven throughout the story adding to the mystery. If you are a fan of YA fantasy, I highly recommend it.

Audiobook Note: I opted to listen to an audio copy of this book from my local library, and I’m glad I did. I was struggling to get into the story reading on my own, but the narrator breathed life into it. I enjoyed how she gave a unique voice to each character.

Related Posts