Hi, fiction lover! I have a not-so-secret secret. Marie Lu is one of my all-time favorite authors. So, when her adult debut novel was announced, I could have fainted, but luckily I held it together. Red City by Marie Lu is “a dark and deadly contemporary fantasy of magical warfare, star-crossed ambition, and the pursuit of perfection at any cost, set in a glittering alternate Los Angeles.” And it’s coming to us on October 14, 2025!
I have loved Marie Lu’s books since reading Legend, and being able to witness her adult debut is a dream. She wrote that this book was her hardest to write, and the snippets she shared on her Instagram were gorgeous. Since we’re following the characters Sam and Ari, I’m wondering if the novel will be a dual POV. We all know that Marie Lu is the absolute queen of dual POV, and I’ll be ecstatic if she makes that choice.
The story is set in the 90s and early 2000s, and Marie Lu highlights two main themes: money and friendship. I can’t wait to see how it plays out, especially the power that money holds and the loss and complications of a friendship.
Getting Into Red City by Marie Lu
Courtesy of Marie Lu’s website, here is the blurb for Red City!
Alchemy is the hidden art of transformation. An exclusive power wielded by crime syndicates that market it to the world’s elites in the form of sand, a drug that enhances those who take it into a more perfect version of themselves: more beautiful, more charismatic, simply more.
Among the gleaming skyscrapers and rolling foothills of Angel City, alchemy is controlled by two rival syndicates. For years, Grand Central and Lumines have been balanced on a razor’s edge between polite negotiation and outright violence. But when two childhood friends step into that delicate equation, the city—and the paths of their lives—will be irrevocably transformed.
The daughter of a poor single mother, Sam would do anything to claw her way into the ranks of Grand Central in search of a better life. Plucked away from his family as a boy to become a Lumines apprentice, Ari is one of the syndicates’ brightest rising stars. Once, they might have loved each other. But as the two alchemists face off across opposite sides of an ever-escalating conflict, ambition becomes power, loyalty becomes lies, and no transformation may be perfect enough for them both to survive the coming war.
We’re getting some major Romeo and Juliet vibes with the rival syndicates in Los Angeles. I’m super excited to see what Marie Lu does with the alchemy in her world. With The Young Elites, I was very impressed with the magic system and world building, so I have no doubt that Red City will deliver on those two fronts. I’m very interested to see 90s kids duke it out for more sand. Though I’m sure there’ll be tons more complications than that, being that it’s a drug.
Since sand is so highly desired, I’m interested to see just how much power Grand Central and Lumines hold in this world. Are they mentioned on late-night shows? Do people bring comedy into the mix about how they might be buried by one of these syndicates? Most importantly, what are the key differences between these two syndicates? I’m sure they each hold a different view on how to use alchemy. On the alchemy note, Marie Lu lists the five branches of alchemy study here. It’s pulling me back into something like what Leigh Bardugo did in the Grishaverse!
I am ready to experience Sam’s “clawing” into the life that she wants for herself. I’m eager to see how the two main characters clash, as Ari has his whole (dangerous?) future lined up for him. Maybe we can see a bit of Winter Young in his character? And Sam is already reminding me a bit of June. Once, they might have loved each other—this line definitely stands out to me. And of course, the word “war,” which suggests that Marie Lu might lean into some of the themes in Legend.
What Are Your Reader Predictions?
Alright, tell me, as I’m very curious! What are your reader predictions for Red City by Marie Lu? Who do you think will win in this battle, Sam or Ari? Or will there even be a winner?
Power always has a price is right on the cover, so we can expect some darker undertones in terms of what the characters choose. Red City by Marie Lu is her adult debut, so she made it clear in all of her posts about it that it’s not fit for younger readers. So, if you have a younger reader, it’s important to tell them to sit this one out. As someone who discovered Marie Lu just as he was entering adulthood, I’m super excited to see where she takes this story—and to see how she’s going to steer this dark fantasy. I think I’ll be surprised. Because The Young Elites is already quite dark, and it was a struggle to read at times. But perhaps Red City might leave me in even more need of a rom-com to read afterwards.
Are you a fan of dark fantasy? Although it can be heavier, I love the way it makes you think. Because these stories mirror what is already happening in our world.
Did you enjoy this article about Marie Lu’s adult debut? I’m still in shock. Red City by Marie Lu is going to change me, I just know it. Follow me on my blog for more things writing and literature!