A Review of City of Iron and Ivy: Not the Romantasy You're Expecting

3 days ago
4 min read

Author: Thomas Kent West

Publisher: Forever (Grand Central Publishing)

Rating: 3.5★

Content Warnings: self-worth and body image struggles, manipulative relationship, grief over a missing family member.

A historical fantasy with a lot going for it, but a few things holding it back

I picked up City of Iron and Ivy expecting a dark, atmospheric romantasy set in Victorian London, and while I did get the atmosphere, the romantasy part was pretty much nowhere to be found. If you go in with that expectation, just know upfront: this is not that.

The story follows Elswyth, a young woman pushed into London society to find a husband, who is more focused on uncovering what happened to her missing sister and trying to solve a string of Jack the Ripper-style murders. On paper, that's a premise I'm completely here for.

If you can let go of the romantasy label, there's a lot to love here. But if the romance is why you're picking this up, you'll be disappointed.

Book Review at a Glance

Rating: 3.5★

What it's about: A historical fantasy set in Victorian London following Elswyth, a young woman thrust into society to find a husband, who is really more focused on finding her missing sister and solving a string of Jack the Ripper-style murders, all set in a world with floromancy magic woven into everyday life.

Why it didn't fully work for me: Elswyth felt passive at times, the romance was not earned or plot-driving enough to justify the romantasy label, a key plot thread involving Venus Forscythe didn't resolve satisfyingly, and Elswyth showed no real character growth by the end.

What I loved: The floromancy magic system, the class-based worldbuilding, and the richly drawn side characters.

Good for readers who enjoy: Murder mysteries set in Victorian England, magic systems with real consequences, and determined heroines.

What I loved

The magic system is genuinely one of the best parts of the book. This is Victorian London with floromancy woven into everyday life, and Thomas Kent West puts real thought into how that would actually work across different social classes. Seeing how the wealthy use it versus how the poor use it was fascinating, and I appreciated that there's a real cost to using it. It's not unlimited power. It takes a toll on your body, and that made it feel so much more grounded and interesting.

Elswyth herself was a character I genuinely enjoyed spending time with. She loves her sister fiercely, she has a strong moral compass, she's smart and not the least bit ashamed of it, and she is so determined. She's the kind of heroine you're rooting for from the first chapter.

The side characters were also a highlight for me. Percival and Kehinde especially. Every character felt like a full person with their own wants, history, and motivations. Nobody felt like they were just there to serve the plot.

What didn't work for me

My biggest frustration was Elswyth feeling passive at times. There were stretches where she wasn't out investigating the murders or chasing down leads about her sister or even attending the social events she was supposedly there for. It just felt like the story stalled, and I kept waiting for her to do something.

The character growth, or lack of it, also bothered me. Elswyth has a scar on her face and spends the entire book feeling ugly and unlovable. By the final page, she still feels that way. That's a real missed opportunity. I wanted to see her move through that, even a little.

There's also a plot thread around a character named Venus Forscythe that never really resolved in a satisfying way. Her motivations felt murky throughout, and the ending left that whole storyline without the closure it needed.

And finally, I wanted more lore about the elder gods. What was there intrigued me, but it felt like we only got a glimpse of something that deserved a lot more page time.

About that romance

I want to spend a little time on this because if you are picking this up expecting a romantasy, you will be disappointed. There is a hint of romance between Elswyth and a character named Silas, but it never feels earned or passionate.

⚠️ Spoiler Warning: The following contains details about how the romance resolves.

By the end, there's a reason for that. Without spoiling too much, we find out Silas had ulterior motives for getting close to Elswyth, and his arc ends in a way that is more tragic than romantic. It's not a bad storyline on its own, but it is absolutely not the plot-driving romance that romantasy readers are looking for. It also does real damage to Elswyth's already fragile sense of self-worth, which made the lack of character growth by the end sting even more.

If the romance is a big part of why you're interested in this book, just know going in that it is a very small piece of the story and it does not end in a satisfying place.

Final thoughts

Overall, 3.5 stars. The world building and magic system are genuinely impressive, and Elswyth is an easy character to care about. But the pacing issues, the lack of character growth, the unresolved plot threads, and the romantasy marketing that doesn't match the actual book kept me from loving it.

If you enjoy murder mysteries set in Victorian England, floromancy magic with real stakes, and a smart and determined heroine, this one is worth picking up. Just go in knowing what it actually is.

Thank you to Forever (Grand Central Publishing) for an eARC via Netgalley in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are my own.

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