Dark Metropolis (Dark Metropolis #1)by Jaclyn Dolamore
Publisher: Disney-Hyperion
Release Date: June 17th 2014
Synopsis:
Cabaret meets Cassandra Clare-a haunting magical thriller set in a riveting 1930s-esque world.
Sixteen-year-old Thea Holder's mother is cursed with a spell that's driving her mad, and whenever they touch, Thea is chilled by the magic, too. With no one else to contribute, Thea must make a living for both of them in a sinister city, where danger lurks and greed rules.
Thea spends her nights waitressing at the decadent Telephone Club attending to the glitzy clientele. But when her best friend, Nan, vanishes, Thea is compelled to find her. She meets Freddy, a young, magnetic patron at the club, and he agrees to help her uncover the city's secrets-even while he hides secrets of his own.
Together, they find a whole new side of the city. Unrest is brewing behind closed doors as whispers of a gruesome magic spread. And if they're not careful, the heartless masterminds behind the growing disappearances will be after them, too.
Perfect for fans of Cassandra Clare, this is a chilling thriller with a touch of magic where the dead don't always seem to stay that way.
by Jaclyn Dolamore
One of the first things I think about when I write a book is the music to match! Dark Metropolis is based on 1920s Germany, so I listened to a lot of music from the period as well as music that captures a dark "modernist" sort of atmosphere. Here are 10 songs from the Dark Metropolis playlist. You can check out the songs on my Youtube playlist here!:
1) Kanonensong from The Threepenny Opera by Bertolt Brecht and Kurt Weill
When thinking of music to accompany Dark Metropolis, The Threepenny Opera sprung to mind immediately. This was a German musical that frankly, just SOUNDS like it comes straight out of some smoky 1920s venue. Many of you may know one of its famous tunes "Die Moritat von Mackie Messer" in its American version, "Mack the Knife". I'd heard just a few songs from it myself before writing this book, but I bought the whole album and it's brilliant. It's hard to choose between the dark rollicking "Kanonensong" and some of the other great tunes like "Pirate Jenny" and "Alabama Song".
2) I, Robot by The Alan Parsons Project
"I, Robot", with its eerie choruses on an instrumental backdrop, definitely brings to mind factories and bustling modern streets of a 1920s-30s city.
3) Behm 5-Uhr-Tee Im Strandcafe
An actual recording of a cheerful little foxtrot from 1920s Germany, I can certainly imagine the characters dancing to this very tune! If only Freddy knew how to dance...
4) Sweet Thing/Candidate/Sweet Thing (Reprise) by David Bowie
One of the best David Bowie tracks (split into three songs on the album, but they really have to go together) from 1976, there is such a dark, brooding majesty to this that I feel just has the right mood for the book.
5) Boys Will Be Boys covered by Goldfrapp
This song just *screams* "Cabaret".
6) Fascinating Rhythm by Gershwin
I have a lot of dark, broody music on the playlist for Dark Metropolis, but I think Thea at her heart is a pretty sunny person (even if she doesn't have much chance to show it under circumstances!) and this song makes me think of her because it's so catchy and bouncy. Plus, it's just irresistible! I could listen to it a hundred times. Actually, maybe I have by now, considering how long I've been working on this book...
7) Bittersweet by Roxy Music
All my Facebook friends will know, I am OBSESSED with Roxy Music. My favorite band of all time by miles. So yeah, I try to work their music into a playlist whenever possible. This song has actually made me think "I want to write a dark 1920s book" since the first time I heard it. It's too perfect. As always, Bryan Ferry writes the soundtrack of my imagination.
8) Metropolis by Kraftwerk
It's by Kraftwerk, one of the most artsiest, Germaniest bands ever, and it's called Metropolis. Do I even have to explain why this is here?
9) Isolation by Joy Division
Another piece that just set the dark, modern mood for me.
10) The Original Soundtrack to Fritz Lang's Metropolis, by Gottfried Huppertz
I've actually listened to the entire soundtrack of the 1927 film Metropolis, which is like 2 hours long, quite a few times during the writing of the book. Seriously, half of what makes a movie good is the soundtrack, to me, and Metropolis has a really great one...the themes just feel so iconic.
Jaclyn Dolamore was homeschooled in a hippie sort of way and spent her childhood reading as many books as her skinny nerd-body could lug from the library and playing elaborate pretend games with her sister Kate. She skipped college and spent eight years drudging through retail jobs, developing her thrifty cooking skills and pursuing a lifelong writing dream. She has a passion for history, thrift stores, vintage dresses, David Bowie, drawing, and organic food. She lives with her partner and plot-sounding-board, Dade, and two black tabbies who have ruined her carpeting.
This looks interesting! Thanks for the chance.
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