Content levels
Trigger warnings
Protagonist archetypes
Tropes
Synopsis
Lucien is very sick with cancer and struggles with his parents' worry every day. But each night, through a magical gift from his father, his mind is transported to an enchanting city, Bellezza, a parallel city to Venice of our world. In Bellezza, Lucien discovers that he is a Stravagante, a rare person able to travel through worlds while sleeping. Befriended by a local girl and protected by an older Stravagante, Lucien uncovers a plot to murder the city's beloved ruler, the Duchessa. But to save the Duchessa and the city Lucien risks his only chance to return home to family and his real life.
Is City of Masks appropriate for my child?
Suitable for most readers 10 and up.
A boy with terminal cancer finds escape and purpose in a magical parallel Venice where he must stop an assassination plot. The book sensitively handles serious illness while offering hope and adventure; mild peril and emotional weight around mortality.
What to know going in
This book has mild violence, no sexual content, and clean language. Content notes include death, chronic illness, and terminal illness.
Who'll love this
Readers who love portal fantasies will be captivated by Lucien's magical journey to a Venice-like world where he becomes a hero with the power to travel between realms.