The third novel in the Stravaganza series marks the last of the originally signed trilogy for Mary Hoffman, and while the series continued successfully after City of Flowers, this third novel remains triumphant in its character and world driven storytelling over the sequels.
From the blurb;
'Sky stepped out into the sunshine, blinking, still holding the bottle, and a black man, robed like the others, took him by the arm and whispered, 'God be praised, is has found you!'
'Sky is about to discover that he is a Stravagante, somebody who, with the help of a talisman, can travel in time and space to the parallel world of Talia. Sky must beware though, for in the City of Flowers much that appears beautiful is deadly and the city is a nest of feuding rivalries where a man will think nothing of sliding a knife between another's ribs. As tempers are inflamed and battles boil over between the rival di Chimici and Nucci families, Sky and his fellow Stravaganti must do all they can to avoid further bloodshed.'
For her third novel into this exciting world Hoffman does not bother to settle the reader into the new environment but launches both the reader and Sky into the desperate power struggle consuming the city at a dazzlingly fast pace.
Sky is a level headed character we quickly fall in love with, racing into the cause and swiftly gaining his footing in this complex world.
Unlike the previous books Sky finds he is not so alone in his struggle to find a balance between his reality and the world of the past. Georgia slips between the worlds with Sky, soon becoming a fast friend, and helping to guide him through the balance that was so hard won for herself.
This bond between characters strengthens City of Flowers into a powerful third novel, bringing with it more enticement for the real world of our characters and a greater level of desire for the enchanting world of Talia.
As ever Hoffman shines in her craftsmanship of the historical universe of her parallel Italy and shows of great talent and skill in her development of her beloved characters.
We Give City Of Flowers Four Stars
ISBN - 978-0-7475-9571-7 Cover Price - £6.99 First published in Great Britain in 2005 by Bloomsbury Publishing Plc