2024/111: The House of Shattered Wings — Aliette de Bodard

2024/111: The House of Shattered Wings — Aliette de Bodard

Every child in the city knew what a conclave meant, and how the previous one had ended—too many people with magical powers, too much pent-up rage and too many grievances. The Houses hadn’t meant to start a war ... [p. 126]

In a Paris devastated by magical war, the great Houses -- many led by one of the Fallen, who were angels but recall nothing of the time before their fall except a lingering sense of loss -- are the only protection against rampaging gangs and general anarchy. Philippe, a former Immortal from Annam (Viet Nam), finds himself connected to Isabelle, one of the Fallen, and effectively imprisoned in House Silver spires, which is established in the ruins of Notre Dame.( Read more... )