In a city covered in ice and ruin, a group of magicians face off in a daring game of magical feats to find the next headliner of the Conquering Circus, only to find themselves under the threat of an unseen danger striking behind the scenes.

As each act becomes more and more risky and the number of missing magicians piles up, three are forced to reckon with their secrets before the darkness comes for them next.

The Star: Kallia, a powerful showgirl out to prove she’s the best no matter the cost

The Master: Jack, the enigmatic keeper of the club, and more than one lie told

The Magician: Demarco, the brooding judge with a dark past he can no longer hide

Where Dreams Descend is the startling and romantic first book in Janella Angeles’ debut Kingdom of Cards fantasy duology where magic is both celebrated and feared, and no heart is left unscathed.

Perfect for fans of Dhionelle Clayton’s The Belles, Angeles’ world of the Conquering Circus is full of lush, immersive description that will make their senses come alive. And while The Belles reference the ostentatious belle epoque period, this world has all the sinful luxury of Moulin Rogue, and Phantom of the Opera.

Which brings me to the story, a clever homage to Phantom of the Opera, Kallia is a much more confident Christine-type character having broken free of her magician mentor’s romantic-obsessive hold on her. She recognizes her power and her skill, and is unwilling to diminish herself to make others feel uncomfortable. However, society doesn’t change as easily as one person’s confidence boost. Kallia still faces push-back from the patriarchal judges, and has to walk the line between standing up for herself and not turning them completely against her out of spite.

I particularly enjoyed her first confrontation between her and the judges, including the mayor, as they try to disqualify her for using a man as a prop and that her use of pyrotechnics was intimidating. She immediately pointed out that there’s nothing in the rules against using people as props, women are used as props all the time in magician’s acts, and this was a performance. She is supposed to be doing death-defying stunts, and she’s sorry she intimidated them. It immediately set the stage for the kind of protagonist she is and I loved it.

Demarco, one of the more fair-minded judges and the Raul to Kallia’s Christine is obviously drawn to her despite his better instincts. I liked how his internal conflict was woven together to the larger mystery surrounding the competition’s growing body count and the sabotages against Kallia. It established that he was good albeit conflicted man whose personal problems sometimes blinded him to the big picture. But that he was willing to stand up for what’s right, and not just because he spontaneously realized it out of love for one girl. Plus I loved his dynamic with the reporter, Lottie.

Actually I loved Lottie’s dynamic with everybody. As a reporter she gets on everyone’s nerves with her nosiness, but she was right that there was a bigger cover-up going on, and pushing Kallia and Demarco to stop thinking solely of themselves and that they should help everyone in the competition even if it means exposing the corruption and ruining their own goals.

The mystery surrounding the city’s amnesia of its past, denial of female power, and the club’s fatal “accidents” will leave readers at the edge of their seats. Like I said above, Angeles’ elegant prose draws you into the dark, opulent world of illusions that leaves you constantly guessing character’s words and motivations.

As for Jack, while he’s prominent in the summary, his physical presence is more of a haunting shadow. Perfect for a Phantom and adds to his allure as we only learn about him in the few times Kallia’s guard is let down and she’s sucked back into his verbal seduction/control and through the creepy first-person POV chapters where he’s continuously lurking and manipulating. I’m sure there are readers who will swoon over his obsessive love and hinted tragic past, but I was creeped out by his actions. Also with names like Kallia and Demarco, Jack felt very regular and anticlimactic for the villain of the piece. YMMV.

A lush new fantasy world that will suck you in and leave you gasping.

4 stars