Half City

I’ll admit, I rolled my eyes at first when Viv’s opening monologue complained about her ‘emotionally unavailable barista boyfriend’—another millennial fantasy protagonist, I thought. But within twenty minutes, I was hooked. Golden’s writing has this razor-sharp ability to make the mundane feel mythic, and the narration sells it. Harvey’s delivery of Viv’s internal rants (*‘I didn’t *choose* to be a hero, I just forgot to duck’*) had me laughing out loud on my commute, while Hamilton’s performance as the infuriatingly competent love interest, Elias, is so smooth it’s almost unfair. Their chemistry in the dialogue-heavy scenes is electric, especially in the academy’s combat training sequences, where the audio production layers in subtle sound effects—clashing steel, grunts, the *thwip* of a dagger embedding in wood—that make the fights visceral. That said, the pacing isn’t perfect. The middle act drags slightly as Viv navigates the academy’s politics, and a few side characters (looking at you, snarky roommate) feel underdeveloped. But the payoff is worth it: the final act delivers a heist-like climax where Viv’s street smarts and Elias’s magic collide in a way that feels both earned and explosively fun. My only real critique? At 16+ hours, the runtime tests your bladder if you’re binge-listening. Still, for fans of *The Magicians*’ gritty realism or *Killing Eve*’s toxic-but-compelling dynamics, *Half City* is a standout. Just maybe don’t start it before bed—you’ll lose sleep.