I received a free copy of this book in exchange for a fair and honest review. All opinions are my own.
A city faces upheaval as a woman seeks revolution and the man who loves her seeks her out in author Cody R. Whaley’s “The Spirited City: Lux.”
THE SYNOPSIS
Lux is a city of wonders.
Its gleaming spires rise in proud silhouettes while airships drift like slow dreams between them. Gears turn, furnaces burn hot, and the city hums with a promise of the brightest tomorrow.
Progress is worshiped. Dissent is erased. And behind all the manufactured splendor, the city’s heart begins to rot.
Ava Emily Heartwood has always believed Lux could be better. Brilliant and restless, she spends her days designing marvels for a city that seems determined to ignore its own cracks. When rumors swirl of a clandestine revolution buried under the streets, Ava follows them, convinced that real change can only begin from below.
When she disappears into that hidden world, her partner—Julian Avers—is pulled into the bedlam she leaves behind. As chaos ignites in the streets, Julian’s search draws him into the city’s forbidden underbelly. There, fractured loyalties fester, forgotten science stirs, and awe-inspiring wonders give shape to the ancient world beneath the surface.
Tensions rise. The city teeters on the edge of war. Ava and Julian are pulled onto separate paths, their love stretched thin by fear and the crushing weight of impossible choices.
THE REVIEW
Right away, readers are treated to a novel that is rich with world-building. The atmosphere and detail the author brings to this city create an immersive experience, like stepping into a steampunk fantasy that meets a gas-lamp-style world. The reader is immediately treated to powerful myth-building as well, delving into the city’s power structure, both physically and politically, and highlighting the complex systems that have sparked this idea of revolution in the minds of so many people, including one of the protagonists.
At the heart of this narrative is a powerful thematic exploration of absolute power, corruption, and why we need a world that is imperfect, along with the beauty found in our world’s flaws and the strong connection between the two protagonists. The love they share, and the challenges their diverging paths put on it, hook readers and keep them invested in their journey as the fight for the city grows.
THE VERDICT
Compelling, entertaining, and mesmerizing, Author Cody Whaley’s “The Spirited City: Lux” is a must-read romance, fantasy-meets-steampunk, gaslamp novel. The story delivers shocking twists and turns readers will not see coming, and the emotional weight of the two protagonists and their journey elevates the powerful imagery and rich atmosphere the author infuses into their writing, making this novel shine. If you haven’t yet, please be sure to grab your copy today!
Rating: 10/10
ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Cody Whaley is a fantasy author based in Las Vegas, Nevada. He writes immersive, character-driven stories with layered mythologies and a focus on grief, longing, and found family. His work explores the complexities of human connection. He spent 15 years in the music industry as a composer, producer, and engineer, shaping story through sound and lyric. That foundation in narrative craft led him to fiction, where he now crafts expansive worlds and emotionally grounded fantasy.
https://www.instagram.com/crwhaley.books
Leave a Reply