What do you think?
Rate this book
Seven Faceless Saints #1
Seven Faceless Saints
In the city of Ombrazia, saints and their disciples rule with terrifying and unjust power, playing favorites while the unfavored struggle to survive.
After her father’s murder at the hands of the Ombrazian military, Rossana Lacertosa is willing to do whatever it takes to dismantle the corrupt system—tapping into her powers as a disciple of Patience, joining the rebellion, and facing the boy who broke her heart. As the youngest captain in the history of Palazzo security, Damian Venturi is expected to be ruthless and strong, and to serve the saints with unquestioning devotion. But three years spent fighting in a never-ending war have left him with deeper scars than he wants to admit… and a fear of confronting the girl he left behind.
Now a murderer stalks Ombrazia’s citizens. As the body count climbs, the Palazzo is all too happy to look the other way—that is, until a disciple becomes the newest victim. With every lead turning into a dead end, Damian and Roz must team up to find the killer, even if it means digging up buried emotions. As they dive into the underbelly of Ombrazia, the pair will discover something more sinister—and far less holy. With darkness closing in and time running out, will they be able to save the city from an evil so powerful that it threatens to destroy everything in its path?
Discover what’s lurking in the shadows in this dark fantasy debut with a murder-mystery twist, perfect for fans of Leigh Bardugo and Kerri Maniscalco.
After her father’s murder at the hands of the Ombrazian military, Rossana Lacertosa is willing to do whatever it takes to dismantle the corrupt system—tapping into her powers as a disciple of Patience, joining the rebellion, and facing the boy who broke her heart. As the youngest captain in the history of Palazzo security, Damian Venturi is expected to be ruthless and strong, and to serve the saints with unquestioning devotion. But three years spent fighting in a never-ending war have left him with deeper scars than he wants to admit… and a fear of confronting the girl he left behind.
Now a murderer stalks Ombrazia’s citizens. As the body count climbs, the Palazzo is all too happy to look the other way—that is, until a disciple becomes the newest victim. With every lead turning into a dead end, Damian and Roz must team up to find the killer, even if it means digging up buried emotions. As they dive into the underbelly of Ombrazia, the pair will discover something more sinister—and far less holy. With darkness closing in and time running out, will they be able to save the city from an evil so powerful that it threatens to destroy everything in its path?
Discover what’s lurking in the shadows in this dark fantasy debut with a murder-mystery twist, perfect for fans of Leigh Bardugo and Kerri Maniscalco.
400 pages, Hardcover
First published February 7, 2023
422 people are currently reading
30793 people want to read
About the author
M.K. Lobb
6 books506 followersM. K. Lobb is a fantasy writer with a love of all things dark— be it literature, humour, or general aesthetic. She grew up in small-town Canada and now lives by the lake with her partner and their cats. When not reading or writing, she can be found at the gym or contemplating the harsh realities of existence.
Her debut novel, SEVEN FACELESS SAINTS, releases Feb 7, 2023 from Little, Brown. The sequel, DISCIPLES OF CHAOS, is to follow in 2024.
Her debut novel, SEVEN FACELESS SAINTS, releases Feb 7, 2023 from Little, Brown. The sequel, DISCIPLES OF CHAOS, is to follow in 2024.
Ratings & Reviews
Friends & Following
Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!
Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 30 of 1,639 reviews
November 23, 2022
i cant help but get the feeling that this book desperately wants the edgy atmosphere of ‘nevernight,’ but instead manages the vibes of a watered down version of ‘wicked saints.’
which isnt necessarily a fault. the idea of the seven saints is interesting and decently established, the group of rebels fighting against a system of neglect is believable, and the writing is easy to read. all the basics are there. that being said, i kept getting the feeling that the story was trying to be more, but just couldnt quite reach it.
i would be very interested to see how the writing and plot develops across the series, to see if MKL does indeed achieve the full potential of the story. but for right now, i think readers who are intrigued with the concept of holy wars, people chosen by saints to worship them, and rebellion will enjoy this first installment.
thank you, little brown books, for the ARC!
↠ 3.5 stars
which isnt necessarily a fault. the idea of the seven saints is interesting and decently established, the group of rebels fighting against a system of neglect is believable, and the writing is easy to read. all the basics are there. that being said, i kept getting the feeling that the story was trying to be more, but just couldnt quite reach it.
i would be very interested to see how the writing and plot develops across the series, to see if MKL does indeed achieve the full potential of the story. but for right now, i think readers who are intrigued with the concept of holy wars, people chosen by saints to worship them, and rebellion will enjoy this first installment.
thank you, little brown books, for the ARC!
↠ 3.5 stars
January 14, 2023
Uwielbiam tę książkę całym sercem! <3
Want to read
May 6, 2021apparently this has stabby bi girl and soft boy who were childhood friends turned enemies and then become lovers so yeah I NEED THIS
February 5, 2023
Now that we're closer to release day, I thought I would drop a better note in here! I know I always liked when authors made a little post about their book on the Goodreads page.
It's funny that SEVEN FACELESS SAINTS is my debut, because it was the first book I wrote wholly for myself. I guess it's true that if you write what you love, it shows. I love magic, mysteries, romance, and darkness. I love opening up a YA fantasy and at once recognizing the conventions of my favourite genre. SEVEN FACELESS SAINTS is all of these things, so hopefully you love them too.
Mostly, though, this is a book for teen me, and all the other young people who know what it is to feel so bitterly angry at the world. Who let that bitterness permeate everything they do - whether rational or not - because being angry is easier than being sad.
It's also a book for the young people who had the strength to look at the things they were told to think and believe, and decided to forge their own path. I wish I had a whole book to devote solely to that, but alas, this is only a story. Please know that I'm proud of you either way.
Roz is my rage, Damian my regret. They're both a little messy, but so am I.
Thank you so much for reading!
~~~
EDIT: Please remember this is a murder mystery and does include elements of horror. As such, I would highly suggest taking a look at the content warnings on my website. If you read and come across any I have missed, please feel free to reach out to me through my contact form!
It's funny that SEVEN FACELESS SAINTS is my debut, because it was the first book I wrote wholly for myself. I guess it's true that if you write what you love, it shows. I love magic, mysteries, romance, and darkness. I love opening up a YA fantasy and at once recognizing the conventions of my favourite genre. SEVEN FACELESS SAINTS is all of these things, so hopefully you love them too.
Mostly, though, this is a book for teen me, and all the other young people who know what it is to feel so bitterly angry at the world. Who let that bitterness permeate everything they do - whether rational or not - because being angry is easier than being sad.
It's also a book for the young people who had the strength to look at the things they were told to think and believe, and decided to forge their own path. I wish I had a whole book to devote solely to that, but alas, this is only a story. Please know that I'm proud of you either way.
Roz is my rage, Damian my regret. They're both a little messy, but so am I.
Thank you so much for reading!
~~~
EDIT: Please remember this is a murder mystery and does include elements of horror. As such, I would highly suggest taking a look at the content warnings on my website. If you read and come across any I have missed, please feel free to reach out to me through my contact form!
April 4, 2023
Weird book, in that I sort of plodded along, thinking "this is fine" the whole time...Until the lukewarm, underwhelming climax? You can't make the ENTIRE book just amble along!
There's decent action and intrigue in this book, as well as a romance that appealed to me, lover of Men Simping For Their Badass Ladies. However...None of it felt unique or groundbreaking. Recommended for fans of Bardugo, the summary said - and yes, there's Ninth House-esque dark academia feels to the murder mystery, and a very Grishaverse-adjacent magic system (healing magic wielders, metal magic wielders, etc.). Frankly, it read like a knockoff combination of everything Bardugo has written, with less likable characters and tense stakes.
I cared little for Roz or Damian, or anyone in this, really. I enjoyed the aspect of Damian that was submissive to Roz, and how much he simped for her, but his only other dimensions were 1) PTSD from a horrible off-screen war of some sort, I either missed something or whatever, I have no idea what was going on in the book's world LOL, and 2) his staunch faith in the saints, whose respective dominions determine the kinda-elemental powers of the various disciples. Normally I love a character who's been through the emotional wringer, but he read flat for me, and Roz too. I think the book's relatively short length, pacing, and the fact it seems to lean on the possibility of a book two were all responsible for that lack of depth.
For no reason I can really articulate, the climax was so underwhelming. There is a part about sixty percent in where Roz has to save Damsel Damian (yesss), and that to me was more compelling than the revelation of the big bad murderer and stuff. By that point there were only so many suspects, and I just found myself unconcerned with how it wrapped up.
The narrators did well, though!
That's really the summation for me here - the ingredients of a solid fantasy, but both so similar to other series, and so poorly baked that the end result is just kinda alright.
There's decent action and intrigue in this book, as well as a romance that appealed to me, lover of Men Simping For Their Badass Ladies. However...None of it felt unique or groundbreaking. Recommended for fans of Bardugo, the summary said - and yes, there's Ninth House-esque dark academia feels to the murder mystery, and a very Grishaverse-adjacent magic system (healing magic wielders, metal magic wielders, etc.). Frankly, it read like a knockoff combination of everything Bardugo has written, with less likable characters and tense stakes.
I cared little for Roz or Damian, or anyone in this, really. I enjoyed the aspect of Damian that was submissive to Roz, and how much he simped for her, but his only other dimensions were 1) PTSD from a horrible off-screen war of some sort, I either missed something or whatever, I have no idea what was going on in the book's world LOL, and 2) his staunch faith in the saints, whose respective dominions determine the kinda-elemental powers of the various disciples. Normally I love a character who's been through the emotional wringer, but he read flat for me, and Roz too. I think the book's relatively short length, pacing, and the fact it seems to lean on the possibility of a book two were all responsible for that lack of depth.
For no reason I can really articulate, the climax was so underwhelming. There is a part about sixty percent in where Roz has to save Damsel Damian (yesss), and that to me was more compelling than the revelation of the big bad murderer and stuff. By that point there were only so many suspects, and I just found myself unconcerned with how it wrapped up.
The narrators did well, though!
That's really the summation for me here - the ingredients of a solid fantasy, but both so similar to other series, and so poorly baked that the end result is just kinda alright.
December 15, 2022
I only made it 24% into this book when I realized that I had to stop.
This book is nothing like Six of Crows or anything Leigh Bardugo writes. The only thing they seem to share in common is the fact there are factions of magic users that have powers that the 'gods' once had.
The story has a murder mystery like element to it, which I was excited to read... and then I realized that the two ex-lovers were paired up alongside one another and they absolutely had no. chemistry. at. all. Which is sad because you do find out they were a bit of a thing years ago... but then he went to war, and war changed him and his father didn't want her dating his son.
I absolutely dislike her and how she is written. She is too heavy-handed angry all the time and has no likeable qualities. She just started becoming paired with her ex-lover interest and she cannot resist treating him like shit or calling out the fact the didn't do x, y, or z. Everything is a quip to her.
I honestly cannot sit through this story if I m partnered to follow a character like that.
This book is nothing like Six of Crows or anything Leigh Bardugo writes. The only thing they seem to share in common is the fact there are factions of magic users that have powers that the 'gods' once had.
The story has a murder mystery like element to it, which I was excited to read... and then I realized that the two ex-lovers were paired up alongside one another and they absolutely had no. chemistry. at. all. Which is sad because you do find out they were a bit of a thing years ago... but then he went to war, and war changed him and his father didn't want her dating his son.
I absolutely dislike her and how she is written. She is too heavy-handed angry all the time and has no likeable qualities. She just started becoming paired with her ex-lover interest and she cannot resist treating him like shit or calling out the fact the didn't do x, y, or z. Everything is a quip to her.
I honestly cannot sit through this story if I m partnered to follow a character like that.
February 16, 2023
pre-read review:
SHE’S GOT AN ARC FOLKS 🎉
~~~
post-read review:
ARC copy provided in exchange for an honest review. This in no way changes my rating or review.
Not sure how to feel about this one. On one hand, once I properly got into the book, I absolutely flew through it, but on the other, it did take quite a while to understand and become entrenched in the writing.
The characters were interesting but possibly not unique enough to truly become new favourites of mine – though I did love Damian, my little soft demi boy. And Roz was certainly the stabby bi girl that was promised, but I only really started to like and warm to her towards the ending, which was disappointing. However, the world building with the different saints and magic etc was really interesting! While I got nowhere near comprehending which saint was associated with which power, much less which colour, I still enjoyed the new world, and I think the author and this series have definite potential.
I can definitely see how the author will weave the characters and overarching story into something bigger later on in the series, but I did appreciate how this book had it’s own completed storyline as well. I’m glad I read this, though not sure I’ll continue the series. Nonetheless, I thank the author, publisher and TBR & Beyond Tours for the review opportunity :).
~~~
post-read review:
ARC copy provided in exchange for an honest review. This in no way changes my rating or review.
Not sure how to feel about this one. On one hand, once I properly got into the book, I absolutely flew through it, but on the other, it did take quite a while to understand and become entrenched in the writing.
The characters were interesting but possibly not unique enough to truly become new favourites of mine – though I did love Damian, my little soft demi boy. And Roz was certainly the stabby bi girl that was promised, but I only really started to like and warm to her towards the ending, which was disappointing. However, the world building with the different saints and magic etc was really interesting! While I got nowhere near comprehending which saint was associated with which power, much less which colour, I still enjoyed the new world, and I think the author and this series have definite potential.
I can definitely see how the author will weave the characters and overarching story into something bigger later on in the series, but I did appreciate how this book had it’s own completed storyline as well. I’m glad I read this, though not sure I’ll continue the series. Nonetheless, I thank the author, publisher and TBR & Beyond Tours for the review opportunity :).
November 4, 2022
2/5
Unfortunately, this book was a mess. I think my main issue with it is that it has a very odd writing style, that reads as very surface level. I struggled in connecting with both of the MCs. I definitely liked Damien the most, I found Roz to be extremely annoying. The plot took far too long for my liking to develop, and I feel like the plot twists were quite obvious and typical of YA fantasies. The romance also fell flat. I wish we had gotten a true best friends to lovers to enemies to strangers to lovers romance as promised, but unfortunately, everything regarding the romantic arc was underdeveloped and had no real feeling or depth to it. I’m so sad I didn’t enjoy this, but the writing style and basic plot did not interest me at all.
Unfortunately, this book was a mess. I think my main issue with it is that it has a very odd writing style, that reads as very surface level. I struggled in connecting with both of the MCs. I definitely liked Damien the most, I found Roz to be extremely annoying. The plot took far too long for my liking to develop, and I feel like the plot twists were quite obvious and typical of YA fantasies. The romance also fell flat. I wish we had gotten a true best friends to lovers to enemies to strangers to lovers romance as promised, but unfortunately, everything regarding the romantic arc was underdeveloped and had no real feeling or depth to it. I’m so sad I didn’t enjoy this, but the writing style and basic plot did not interest me at all.
March 26, 2024
I have received this ARC from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.
Seven Faceless Saints is the first chaotic book within the series. From the very first chapter, I was completely hooked and just wanted to know more. Whether it was about the characters, the worldbuilding, or just the overall mystery - I just wanted more.
The only downside of that is actually always wanting more and never being satisfied. Mostly when it comes to the saints because they all seem so freaking interesting. I'm definitely hoping we learn more about them, or maybe even one more, in the next book.
Other than that, I loved the murder mystery, sassy comments, and the entire cast of characters. Yes, even the evil ones because we always need a good villain every now and then. As for who the murderer was, well, that was pretty easy to spot on before the big reveal. I still have no complaints about that because I just really enjoyed this book. So much that I have the physical copy and audiobook as well.
In the end, I definitely need my hands on the next book because I just want to know what is going to happen next.
Seven Faceless Saints is the first chaotic book within the series. From the very first chapter, I was completely hooked and just wanted to know more. Whether it was about the characters, the worldbuilding, or just the overall mystery - I just wanted more.
The only downside of that is actually always wanting more and never being satisfied. Mostly when it comes to the saints because they all seem so freaking interesting. I'm definitely hoping we learn more about them, or maybe even one more, in the next book.
Other than that, I loved the murder mystery, sassy comments, and the entire cast of characters. Yes, even the evil ones because we always need a good villain every now and then. As for who the murderer was, well, that was pretty easy to spot on before the big reveal. I still have no complaints about that because I just really enjoyed this book. So much that I have the physical copy and audiobook as well.
In the end, I definitely need my hands on the next book because I just want to know what is going to happen next.
February 23, 2023
"She was holier than any saint. If she let him, he might just make her his new religion." damian venturi the man that you are
gente la cantidad de frases que dice este wacho que marque... lo amo
me encantó el libro, capa capitulo me mantenía atrapada y queriendo ver más, el world building me pareció bueno (todavía hay muchas cosas que explicar pero yo creo que esta bueno para un inicio, sobre todo para no sobrecargar al lector) los personajes me parecieron geniales y ame las dinámicas que la autora creo, ya sea entre los dos protagonistas o ellos con sus amigos, me da muchas vibes que en el segundo va a ser tremendo found family.. love that for me
el romance?? 10/10, en tropes para que entiendan: amigos de la infancia, segunda oportunidad, enemies to lovers, guardia/rebelde, ella es la que quiere quemar todo el mundo y el es el diplomático tranquilo
amo cuando hacen a la protagonista principal la demente, si reina mata a todos VENGATE DESTRUI EL GOBIERNO QUEMA TODOOOOOOOOOO SLAAAAY
me gusto mucho damian como personaje, leer lo traumado que está de la guerra y toda la angustia y culpa que lleva me rompió el alma, ver como siempre trata de ver lo mejor en personas (que incluso no lo merecen), el amor que le tiene a roz nonono yo mataría por vos damian VOS DECIME Y LO HAGO
en fin, para ser una novela debut yo creo que fue bastante buena, es medio predecible? si, yo saqué el primer plot twist bastante rápido (es bastante obvio si tenes un poco de calle leyendo libros) y si bien hay uno al final que no reveló todavía estoy 99,9% segura que ya se lo que pasó... i mean no es un mal plot y realmente me gustaría que haga ESO pero bueno tendré que ver en el futuro
gente la cantidad de frases que dice este wacho que marque... lo amo
me encantó el libro, capa capitulo me mantenía atrapada y queriendo ver más, el world building me pareció bueno (todavía hay muchas cosas que explicar pero yo creo que esta bueno para un inicio, sobre todo para no sobrecargar al lector) los personajes me parecieron geniales y ame las dinámicas que la autora creo, ya sea entre los dos protagonistas o ellos con sus amigos, me da muchas vibes que en el segundo va a ser tremendo found family.. love that for me
el romance?? 10/10, en tropes para que entiendan: amigos de la infancia, segunda oportunidad, enemies to lovers, guardia/rebelde, ella es la que quiere quemar todo el mundo y el es el diplomático tranquilo
amo cuando hacen a la protagonista principal la demente, si reina mata a todos VENGATE DESTRUI EL GOBIERNO QUEMA TODOOOOOOOOOO SLAAAAY
me gusto mucho damian como personaje, leer lo traumado que está de la guerra y toda la angustia y culpa que lleva me rompió el alma, ver como siempre trata de ver lo mejor en personas (que incluso no lo merecen), el amor que le tiene a roz nonono yo mataría por vos damian VOS DECIME Y LO HAGO
en fin, para ser una novela debut yo creo que fue bastante buena, es medio predecible? si, yo saqué el primer plot twist bastante rápido (es bastante obvio si tenes un poco de calle leyendo libros) y si bien hay uno al final que no reveló todavía estoy 99,9% segura que ya se lo que pasó... i mean no es un mal plot y realmente me gustaría que haga ESO pero bueno tendré que ver en el futuro
August 4, 2023
4,75⭐️
TO BYŁO ABSOLUTNIE PRZEGENIALNE
fantazy, wątek kryminalny i romans w jednym? yes, please!
kocham roz i damiana, kocham ich relację (bo była serio świetnie napisana), kocham ten klimat (ta inspiracja włochami… i’m in love), kocham ten giga plot twist na końcu i kocham to zakończenie (mój mózg po epilogu: 🤯). kocham tą książkę.
megaaa czekam na drugi tom (można przyspieszyć tą premierę?) i na kolejne książki autorki, bo po tym jakże genialnym debiucie może być tylko lepiej.
KOCHAM TO I BŁAGAM CZYTAJCIE TO
TO BYŁO ABSOLUTNIE PRZEGENIALNE
fantazy, wątek kryminalny i romans w jednym? yes, please!
kocham roz i damiana, kocham ich relację (bo była serio świetnie napisana), kocham ten klimat (ta inspiracja włochami… i’m in love), kocham ten giga plot twist na końcu i kocham to zakończenie (mój mózg po epilogu: 🤯). kocham tą książkę.
megaaa czekam na drugi tom (można przyspieszyć tą premierę?) i na kolejne książki autorki, bo po tym jakże genialnym debiucie może być tylko lepiej.
KOCHAM TO I BŁAGAM CZYTAJCIE TO
May 5, 2021
first 🥰
May 5, 2021
This book is such a thrilling, evocative, romantic dream. M.K.'s line-level writing is gorgeous and thoughtful, her plot is twisty and page-turning, and the world she's created is so immersive and eerie. ALSO Roz and Damian are the perfect pair (stabby girl + soft boy!!!) and I would give my life for them! I cannot wait to hold my finished, published copy and for the rest of the world to read this story!
October 16, 2023
Nie podobało mi się. Książka jest nudnawa, często pretensjonalna, z Roz, która jest absolutnie nie do zniesienia. Nie potrafiła mnie niczym zainteresować. Na pewno nie będę czytać dalej, ale doceniam, że połączono kryminał z fantasy i mam nadzieję na więcej powieści tego typu, choć oczywiście lepszych
June 6, 2023
I couldn’t even finish this one. You have two people dealing with their own trauma, but the way Roz deals with it is to be an absolute b**** to Damian and not even acknowledge his right to his own trauma. I would get it if I thought it was supposed to be written that way, but I have the feeling I’m supposed to feel sorry for Roz and think all her actions completely justifiable. Instead she just came off as an incredibly self-centred person.
I will caveat this with, I didn’t make it to the end, so maybe Roz does come to realize that she’s being a b**** towards Damian. I just couldn’t wade through all my annoyance at her to get to that potential part.
I will caveat this with, I didn’t make it to the end, so maybe Roz does come to realize that she’s being a b**** towards Damian. I just couldn’t wade through all my annoyance at her to get to that potential part.
May 5, 2021
listen y'all i'm a contemporary YA reader almost exclusively but SEVEN FACELESS SAINTS gripped me from beginning to end. roz and damian's voices are so vastly different from one another and feel so freakishly real. idk how m.k. does it. and their romance is 🔥🔥🔥 also i'm a little too obsessed with the villain but i'll keep my mouth shut about that bc we hate a spoiler
THIS BOOK IS ABOUT TO BLOW ALL Y'ALL AWAY AND I CAN'T WAIT
THIS BOOK IS ABOUT TO BLOW ALL Y'ALL AWAY AND I CAN'T WAIT
May 28, 2023
Oh, I see how it is. I'm just supposed to finish reading this and be okay. Wow, alright, well joke's on you because I am NOT okay and y'all need this book on your TBR. So much dark goodness with a murder mystery, magical saints, a touch of rebellion, and a romance to die for.
Second Read: It's changed quite a bit since the first time I read an early draft yet it somehow got that much better and it can actually have 6 stars instead.
Second Read: It's changed quite a bit since the first time I read an early draft yet it somehow got that much better and it can actually have 6 stars instead.
March 9, 2023
Thank you Little, Brown and Netgalley for giving me access to this eARC!
Seven Faceless Saints is the story of Roz and Damian, two characters that live in a world with a broken system, where children have to go to war, and the ones without powers suffer the struggles while the disciples (the ones with powers) live comfortably.
This book had a chokehold on me since the very first page. I love how the writing makes the story both fast-paced and very easy to understand everything that's going on, while also explaining how the whole world works in like, the first 8% of the book. I found very refreshing the way everything is set up, how you get to know the details of their lives very fast, reserving only some details for the rest of the book. It goes straight to the mystery, we don't have to wait to long before we get involved in a web of lies and secrets to find out what's going on.
The world itself and how the magic works is something I found very interesting. I really wanted the story to show more about what the other disciples with different powers could do, but I'm sure that's something we'll be getting in the second book!
Now, the characters. I adore them. I adore how Damian lives and breathes for Roz, and how Roz is the tough one in the relationship. I love how their traumas are treated in the story, and how they are never diminished by anyone in the story. I love their love! Their relationship is so unique, but also so pure, coming from their childhood. I love how this is a friends to lovers to people who hate each other to allies to ?!?!?!? because their dynamics are always changing. That, for me, made their relationship even more believable. I also liked how Damian's faith was challenged all the way through the story, it's just fair after everything he had gone through.
If you are looking for a fantasy with some political and religious elements, a revolution, and great main characters that carry heavy loads on their backs (and hearts), I really recommend this book!
PS: Roz is bisexual. A bisexual main character? EXTRA POINTS
Seven Faceless Saints is the story of Roz and Damian, two characters that live in a world with a broken system, where children have to go to war, and the ones without powers suffer the struggles while the disciples (the ones with powers) live comfortably.
This book had a chokehold on me since the very first page. I love how the writing makes the story both fast-paced and very easy to understand everything that's going on, while also explaining how the whole world works in like, the first 8% of the book. I found very refreshing the way everything is set up, how you get to know the details of their lives very fast, reserving only some details for the rest of the book. It goes straight to the mystery, we don't have to wait to long before we get involved in a web of lies and secrets to find out what's going on.
The world itself and how the magic works is something I found very interesting. I really wanted the story to show more about what the other disciples with different powers could do, but I'm sure that's something we'll be getting in the second book!
Now, the characters. I adore them. I adore how Damian lives and breathes for Roz, and how Roz is the tough one in the relationship. I love how their traumas are treated in the story, and how they are never diminished by anyone in the story. I love their love! Their relationship is so unique, but also so pure, coming from their childhood. I love how this is a friends to lovers to people who hate each other to allies to ?!?!?!? because their dynamics are always changing. That, for me, made their relationship even more believable. I also liked how Damian's faith was challenged all the way through the story, it's just fair after everything he had gone through.
If you are looking for a fantasy with some political and religious elements, a revolution, and great main characters that carry heavy loads on their backs (and hearts), I really recommend this book!
PS: Roz is bisexual. A bisexual main character? EXTRA POINTS
December 11, 2024
Une fantasy originale et addictive qui m’a bien happée jusqu’à la dernière page. C’était parfois un peu lent mais dans l’ensemble j’ai bien accroché aux personnages et à l’intrigue ainsi qu’à l’univers. Je suis contente d’avoir le tome 2 dans ma PAL comme ça j’enchaîne DIRECT huhu
October 3, 2022
This was super good. It's been a long time since I was this invested in a fantasy story. If you like the enemies to lovers trope this could definitely be for you.
We follow Roz and Damian as a series of murders start appearing in their city of Ombrazia. There's some forbidden romance and of course, a rebellion thrown in the mix. I do think that this book was trying to do too much sometimes. I thought the war talk was interesting but I won't lie it got to be a little tedious. I'm having a hard time comparing this title to any others, and I really think that's a good thing since most YA has felt the same in the last few years. This book was refreshing and kept me on the edge of my seat. I appreciate that I wasn't able to guess the whodunnit on my own; usually with mysteries I can guess who the villain was pretty easily and with this one I didn't.
Overall, I'm grateful to the publishers and think that this could be a great series because the ENDING was not something I saw coming! I'm sad I have to wait for another year or so!
We follow Roz and Damian as a series of murders start appearing in their city of Ombrazia. There's some forbidden romance and of course, a rebellion thrown in the mix. I do think that this book was trying to do too much sometimes. I thought the war talk was interesting but I won't lie it got to be a little tedious. I'm having a hard time comparing this title to any others, and I really think that's a good thing since most YA has felt the same in the last few years. This book was refreshing and kept me on the edge of my seat. I appreciate that I wasn't able to guess the whodunnit on my own; usually with mysteries I can guess who the villain was pretty easily and with this one I didn't.
Overall, I'm grateful to the publishers and think that this could be a great series because the ENDING was not something I saw coming! I'm sad I have to wait for another year or so!
June 2, 2024
3.75 ⭐️
Friends to lovers to enemies back to lovers.... oh how it never gets old! I'm sure fans of Helnik will eat this one up, especially with the similar dynamic: Rossana is a hard-headed magic wielder with a grudge against Damian, her softhearted ex-lover who's been stationed as a guard and conditioned to follow orders before he can think too hard about what he really believes in.
I was under the impression that Seven Faceless Saints was primarily a fantasy, but I'd go as far to say this is romantasy or even a romance with a background plot of fantasy. I really enjoyed reading from both main leads, and while the mystery surrounding the murders near the Palazzo didn't strike me as particularly unique, I had a pretty fun time with this book. It was nicely written, and the dynamic between Roz and Damian entertained me to no end, especially with how badly they yearned for each other while trying to bury the feelings in entirely opposite ways. I love when men are lovesick and pathetic for strong bisexual women.... Damian you will always be famous in my eyes 🙏
Friends to lovers to enemies back to lovers.... oh how it never gets old! I'm sure fans of Helnik will eat this one up, especially with the similar dynamic: Rossana is a hard-headed magic wielder with a grudge against Damian, her softhearted ex-lover who's been stationed as a guard and conditioned to follow orders before he can think too hard about what he really believes in.
I was under the impression that Seven Faceless Saints was primarily a fantasy, but I'd go as far to say this is romantasy or even a romance with a background plot of fantasy. I really enjoyed reading from both main leads, and while the mystery surrounding the murders near the Palazzo didn't strike me as particularly unique, I had a pretty fun time with this book. It was nicely written, and the dynamic between Roz and Damian entertained me to no end, especially with how badly they yearned for each other while trying to bury the feelings in entirely opposite ways. I love when men are lovesick and pathetic for strong bisexual women.... Damian you will always be famous in my eyes 🙏
September 29, 2024
Mille grazie alla Fanucci Editore per avermi fornito una copia di questo libro!
2.75
Purtroppo questo libro non mi è piaciuto come speravo: la trama era davvero interessante (niente di davvero innovativo, ma comunque con delle belle premesse), ma lo stile dell'autrice ha un po' abbassato l'hype
Come detto prima, seppur non troppo nuova o particolare, avevo molte aspettative per la storia di base, soprattutto per il worldbuilding: in un mondo dai richiami veneziani in piena guerra, le persone si dividono principalmente in soldati costretti ad andare al fronte o a ricoprire cariche dello stato o in discepoli, persone che sono state scelte da uno dei 5 dei principali per aiutare il popolo con i poteri da loro donatigli. Gli dei inizialmente erano però 6, ma dopo uno dei suoi attacchi, Chaos è stato sconfitto e lasciato nel dimenticatoio, e i suoi discepoli esiliati - o almeno così credono ad Ombrazia
Again, le aspettative erano alte, poteva davvero essere una svolta, anche considerato il background dei protagonisti: Roz è la figlia di un disertore, ha passato la sua infanzia ad odiare la guerra e i soldati che hanno costretto suo padre ad andare al fronte, per poi odiarli ancora di più dopo che suo padre ha cercato di scappare dall'esercito ed è stato ucciso e, ciliegina sulla torta, ha poi scoperto di essere una discepola di uno di quei dei che non hanno mai risposto alle sue preghiere. Damian invece è il figlio dello spietato generale dell'esercito e unico nella sua famiglia a non essere diventato un discepolo, per questo è finito a combattere al fronte, lontano da tutto e da tutti e come unici compagni solo la morte e i ricordi della vita di prima che gli sembra tanto lontana. Mentre lei diventa apatica e aumenta lo spessore della sua corazza, l'anima di lui si svuota e si perde nonostante resti fedele alle regole dell'esercito che sono l'unica cosa che lo ha accompagnato per tutta la vita
A tutto questo va aggiunto il fatto che Roz e Damian inizialmente erano una coppia, ma dopo la partenza di lui e la morte del padre di lei, ovviamente i rapporti si sono troncati e le loro strade divise, finché non si sono trovati costretti a dover lavorare insieme per scoprire chi c'è dietro alle morti misteriose che stanno avvenendo ad Ombrazia
Un friends to lovers to enemies to reluctant allies to lovers again?? Io purtroppo ADORO queste vicende
Peccato che, come detto prima, lo stile di scrittura non ha reso giustizia all'incredibile potenziale che questa storia poteva avere
Partiamo col fatto che in generale il tutto mi è sembrato molto veloce: è vero che il libro è sulle 320 pagine, ma gli avvenimenti si susseguivano in una maniera così veloce, a volte avvenendo nella stessa giornata se non due gironi di fila, che diventava un po' difficile far sedentare tutto quello che accadeva nella mente del lettore. Sembrava che il tutto si fosse risolto in qualcosa come 3 giorni, il pacing era davvero troppo frettoloso per permettere di godersi davvero quello che stava accadendo, nonostante certe scene fossero anche descritte molto bene (altre purtroppo no, e mancava qualche descrizione degli ambienti in più che avrebbe sicuro fatto capire meglio che ci si trovava in una città che doveva ricordare Venezia).
Il mio più grande problema però è stato il poco realismo di quando si passava da un pov all'altro: sia Roz che Damian, infatti, hanno i loro pov e generalmente si alternano i capitoli. Sarebbe stata una maniera ottima di mostrare al meglio i loro caratteri diversi e soprattutto le loro realtà opposte, e vedere magari anche come potevano funzionare insieme. Purtroppo però così non è stato, principalmente perché questa differenza quasi non si è sentita, o almeno non in maniera evidente: i pov erano infatti troppo "continui". Quello che pensava Roz nel suo capitolo veniva poi pensato e/o rivisitato da Damian nel capitolo successivo. L'autrice ha portato vanti la trama in maniera lineare per arrivare dove voleva arrivare, ma così facendo ha sacrificato un altro aspetto per me comunque importante in una storia: non era realistico. È improbabile che il pensiero che ho avuto io venga poi ripreso e continuato, seguendo quasi la stessa lunghezza d'onda, da un'altra persona che chiaramente non è nella mia testa - e soprattutto considerando quanto apparentemente opposti i protagonisti erano, questo sviluppo sbagliato della narrazione ha distrutto quello che poteva dare un delineamento maggiore e migliore dei loro caratteri, e farli apprezzare di più al pubblico. Seppur interessanti e giustificabili nel modo di fare che avevano sviluppato a causa delle loro esperienze, Roz e Damian erano in alcuni punti un po' piatti, prevedibili ma allo stesso tempo impossibili da decifrare davvero. Mancava qualcosa che li facesse diventare a 360 gradi e non quasi stereotipati e fissi nei loro ideali "di base"
Seppur sia abbastanza interessata a sapere come finirà la storia (si tratta di una dilogia), ammetto che sono comunque rimasta, purtroppo, un po' delusa da questo libro, e da un metodo di scrittura che invece di appassionarmi ad una storia promettente, mi ha un po' distrutto l'esperienza.
Non è un libro da buttare, ma lo stile di scrittura non gli rende proprio giustizia. Spero che nel prossimo migliori.
2.75
Purtroppo questo libro non mi è piaciuto come speravo: la trama era davvero interessante (niente di davvero innovativo, ma comunque con delle belle premesse), ma lo stile dell'autrice ha un po' abbassato l'hype
Come detto prima, seppur non troppo nuova o particolare, avevo molte aspettative per la storia di base, soprattutto per il worldbuilding: in un mondo dai richiami veneziani in piena guerra, le persone si dividono principalmente in soldati costretti ad andare al fronte o a ricoprire cariche dello stato o in discepoli, persone che sono state scelte da uno dei 5 dei principali per aiutare il popolo con i poteri da loro donatigli. Gli dei inizialmente erano però 6, ma dopo uno dei suoi attacchi, Chaos è stato sconfitto e lasciato nel dimenticatoio, e i suoi discepoli esiliati - o almeno così credono ad Ombrazia
Again, le aspettative erano alte, poteva davvero essere una svolta, anche considerato il background dei protagonisti: Roz è la figlia di un disertore, ha passato la sua infanzia ad odiare la guerra e i soldati che hanno costretto suo padre ad andare al fronte, per poi odiarli ancora di più dopo che suo padre ha cercato di scappare dall'esercito ed è stato ucciso e, ciliegina sulla torta, ha poi scoperto di essere una discepola di uno di quei dei che non hanno mai risposto alle sue preghiere. Damian invece è il figlio dello spietato generale dell'esercito e unico nella sua famiglia a non essere diventato un discepolo, per questo è finito a combattere al fronte, lontano da tutto e da tutti e come unici compagni solo la morte e i ricordi della vita di prima che gli sembra tanto lontana. Mentre lei diventa apatica e aumenta lo spessore della sua corazza, l'anima di lui si svuota e si perde nonostante resti fedele alle regole dell'esercito che sono l'unica cosa che lo ha accompagnato per tutta la vita
A tutto questo va aggiunto il fatto che Roz e Damian inizialmente erano una coppia, ma dopo la partenza di lui e la morte del padre di lei, ovviamente i rapporti si sono troncati e le loro strade divise, finché non si sono trovati costretti a dover lavorare insieme per scoprire chi c'è dietro alle morti misteriose che stanno avvenendo ad Ombrazia
Un friends to lovers to enemies to reluctant allies to lovers again?? Io purtroppo ADORO queste vicende
Peccato che, come detto prima, lo stile di scrittura non ha reso giustizia all'incredibile potenziale che questa storia poteva avere
Partiamo col fatto che in generale il tutto mi è sembrato molto veloce: è vero che il libro è sulle 320 pagine, ma gli avvenimenti si susseguivano in una maniera così veloce, a volte avvenendo nella stessa giornata se non due gironi di fila, che diventava un po' difficile far sedentare tutto quello che accadeva nella mente del lettore. Sembrava che il tutto si fosse risolto in qualcosa come 3 giorni, il pacing era davvero troppo frettoloso per permettere di godersi davvero quello che stava accadendo, nonostante certe scene fossero anche descritte molto bene (altre purtroppo no, e mancava qualche descrizione degli ambienti in più che avrebbe sicuro fatto capire meglio che ci si trovava in una città che doveva ricordare Venezia).
Il mio più grande problema però è stato il poco realismo di quando si passava da un pov all'altro: sia Roz che Damian, infatti, hanno i loro pov e generalmente si alternano i capitoli. Sarebbe stata una maniera ottima di mostrare al meglio i loro caratteri diversi e soprattutto le loro realtà opposte, e vedere magari anche come potevano funzionare insieme. Purtroppo però così non è stato, principalmente perché questa differenza quasi non si è sentita, o almeno non in maniera evidente: i pov erano infatti troppo "continui". Quello che pensava Roz nel suo capitolo veniva poi pensato e/o rivisitato da Damian nel capitolo successivo. L'autrice ha portato vanti la trama in maniera lineare per arrivare dove voleva arrivare, ma così facendo ha sacrificato un altro aspetto per me comunque importante in una storia: non era realistico. È improbabile che il pensiero che ho avuto io venga poi ripreso e continuato, seguendo quasi la stessa lunghezza d'onda, da un'altra persona che chiaramente non è nella mia testa - e soprattutto considerando quanto apparentemente opposti i protagonisti erano, questo sviluppo sbagliato della narrazione ha distrutto quello che poteva dare un delineamento maggiore e migliore dei loro caratteri, e farli apprezzare di più al pubblico. Seppur interessanti e giustificabili nel modo di fare che avevano sviluppato a causa delle loro esperienze, Roz e Damian erano in alcuni punti un po' piatti, prevedibili ma allo stesso tempo impossibili da decifrare davvero. Mancava qualcosa che li facesse diventare a 360 gradi e non quasi stereotipati e fissi nei loro ideali "di base"
Seppur sia abbastanza interessata a sapere come finirà la storia (si tratta di una dilogia), ammetto che sono comunque rimasta, purtroppo, un po' delusa da questo libro, e da un metodo di scrittura che invece di appassionarmi ad una storia promettente, mi ha un po' distrutto l'esperienza.
Non è un libro da buttare, ma lo stile di scrittura non gli rende proprio giustizia. Spero che nel prossimo migliori.
March 5, 2023
If SEVEN FACELESS SAINTS started off as an adult novel and the author was advised to age the characters down to YA because the book would do better there, I would not be surprised. From the erratic application of ages (the characters seem to range in age from 16 to 19, I had an ARC so I hope that was smoothed out by the time it was published, and I mean a single character, not the cast of charaters ranged), to the cadence of their language, to how the characters viewed life, this just was not a YA novel and these were not teenage characters. I know people will argue, “oh they’ve been through a lot and they’re just really mature because they were forced to be adults at much younger ages.” No. A teenage mind put through trauma is still a teenage mind. Between the jobs these characters held (although not uncommon for YA authors to put teenagers in positions they would never, ever hold), how they processed the world around them, how they spoke about their youth, how they referenced each other, and how logical they seemed to act, it all points to these characters not actually being teenagers, but older characters given younger ages. Whether it’s because these were originally older characters that were aged down, or the author doesn’t really have a grasp of the YA voice, I don’t know.
There’s next to no character development for either Damien or Roz. Damian’s a weiner for most of the book, finally snapping at the end. Roz was just static. She didn’t change at all. I guess she might have moved a millimeter by the end of the book, but that’s a stretch. She was just a standoffish, unlikable character for most of the book. On top of that, she didn’t have any skin in the story. Damian, at least, was propelled by his desire to not go back to war, so that incentivized him to solve the murders. If he didn’t, he was getting deployed again. Roz was just along for the ride. She was shoehorned into Damian’s story because what YA novel doesn’t need a complicated love interest? But she served no actual function. She was never at any real risk of anything untoward happening to her. The murders were immaterial to her except for the fact that she kept shoving herself into the investigation. She just had no reason to be there.
The rebel subplot was so far away from anything going on in the primary plot that I think the author forgot about it for a chunk of the story. Because the way it just like OH YEAH THIS IS GOING ON TOO at the end made it feel very superficial. It felt like this rebel thing had to happen in order to beef up the story, but it just wasn’t very well-developed and despite half the book being in Roz’s POV and she’s supposed to be really involved in the whole thing, there’s just not a whole lot about it in the story. The entire thing is a plot device to bring the story to its necessary conclusion.
The world itself was eh. Solidly mediocre. I appreciated the Italian-ness of it, but that’s about it. I didn’t find it particularly good or unique or engaging.
Overall, there just wasn’t a whole lot to really like about SEVEN FACELESS SAINTS. It doesn’t really do anything unique, the world is nothing to write home about, the characters are lackluster at best, the plot struggles to keep track of itself. The author, at least, could string a sentence together, but they weren’t very engaging sentences. I have been struggling with YA fantasy for YEARS at this point, considering myself in a reading rut for that genre. I’ve just recently come to realize it’s me. For some stupid reason I keep picking up these bland, basic, European-centric YA fantasy novels thinking they’re going to be something different when they’re just carbon copies of each other, playing off the same tropes, the same types of characters, the same worlds. Time for me to get off the continent.
1.5
I received a copy of this book from the publisher in exchange for an honest review.
There’s next to no character development for either Damien or Roz. Damian’s a weiner for most of the book, finally snapping at the end. Roz was just static. She didn’t change at all. I guess she might have moved a millimeter by the end of the book, but that’s a stretch. She was just a standoffish, unlikable character for most of the book. On top of that, she didn’t have any skin in the story. Damian, at least, was propelled by his desire to not go back to war, so that incentivized him to solve the murders. If he didn’t, he was getting deployed again. Roz was just along for the ride. She was shoehorned into Damian’s story because what YA novel doesn’t need a complicated love interest? But she served no actual function. She was never at any real risk of anything untoward happening to her. The murders were immaterial to her except for the fact that she kept shoving herself into the investigation. She just had no reason to be there.
The rebel subplot was so far away from anything going on in the primary plot that I think the author forgot about it for a chunk of the story. Because the way it just like OH YEAH THIS IS GOING ON TOO at the end made it feel very superficial. It felt like this rebel thing had to happen in order to beef up the story, but it just wasn’t very well-developed and despite half the book being in Roz’s POV and she’s supposed to be really involved in the whole thing, there’s just not a whole lot about it in the story. The entire thing is a plot device to bring the story to its necessary conclusion.
The world itself was eh. Solidly mediocre. I appreciated the Italian-ness of it, but that’s about it. I didn’t find it particularly good or unique or engaging.
Overall, there just wasn’t a whole lot to really like about SEVEN FACELESS SAINTS. It doesn’t really do anything unique, the world is nothing to write home about, the characters are lackluster at best, the plot struggles to keep track of itself. The author, at least, could string a sentence together, but they weren’t very engaging sentences. I have been struggling with YA fantasy for YEARS at this point, considering myself in a reading rut for that genre. I’ve just recently come to realize it’s me. For some stupid reason I keep picking up these bland, basic, European-centric YA fantasy novels thinking they’re going to be something different when they’re just carbon copies of each other, playing off the same tropes, the same types of characters, the same worlds. Time for me to get off the continent.
1.5
I received a copy of this book from the publisher in exchange for an honest review.
March 22, 2024
The world was my favorite part of this book. The various saints and the virtues they stand for, along with their disciples that have some cool abilities. I have to say that I think I align with Patience most, but I'd take any powers and be happy. What I didn't love was that we didn't get to learn much about the other saints and what they can do, so I'm really hoping there's more about it in the sequel.
The murder mystery part was interesting, but the reveal was anti-climactic for me. Mostly because It was still fun to see Roz and Damian investigating and how they started to remember the attraction they once had.
I thought the story was well paced and overall entertaining. I'll be waiting for the sequel to see what happens to our characters.
The murder mystery part was interesting, but the reveal was anti-climactic for me. Mostly because It was still fun to see Roz and Damian investigating and how they started to remember the attraction they once had.
I thought the story was well paced and overall entertaining. I'll be waiting for the sequel to see what happens to our characters.
February 25, 2023
4.5, review will be posted later :)
May 22, 2023
Kompletnie minęłam się z moimi oczekiwaniami. Przewidziałam w jaką stronę może to iść i dlatego uważam, że przewidziane przeze mnie zakończenie jest dobre i otwiera nam możliwość na większy potencjał niż w pierwszej książce. Chce więcej krwi i flaków…
July 24, 2023
Niestety DNF w połowie...
Jest mi strasznie smutno i przepraszam od razu wydawnictwo, ale po prostu nie byłam w stanie doczytać do końca.
Liczyłam na coś mrocznego, wartkiego, krwawego, z wątkiem takiej a'la włoskiej świątyni czy zakonu, a dostałam... No cóż, historię wyzutą z wszelkich emocji i jakiegokolwiek tempa akcji, która dla mnie była po prostu okropnie nudna😓 Bohaterowie też nie mieli żadnych ciekawych cech i nie zapałałam do nich sympatią.
Przez dwa tygodnie próbowałam dać tej książce szansę, ale w sytuacji, gdy w ciągu siedmiu dni przebrnęłam przez dosłownie ledwo 30 stron - no niestety, ale nie chcę się dalej męczyć.
Jest mi strasznie smutno i przepraszam od razu wydawnictwo, ale po prostu nie byłam w stanie doczytać do końca.
Liczyłam na coś mrocznego, wartkiego, krwawego, z wątkiem takiej a'la włoskiej świątyni czy zakonu, a dostałam... No cóż, historię wyzutą z wszelkich emocji i jakiegokolwiek tempa akcji, która dla mnie była po prostu okropnie nudna😓 Bohaterowie też nie mieli żadnych ciekawych cech i nie zapałałam do nich sympatią.
Przez dwa tygodnie próbowałam dać tej książce szansę, ale w sytuacji, gdy w ciągu siedmiu dni przebrnęłam przez dosłownie ledwo 30 stron - no niestety, ale nie chcę się dalej męczyć.
May 27, 2023
well I hated that
dnf
March 2, 2023This just wasn’t amazing to begin with so when they started dating halfway through the book I was like “okay guess I’m done”
May 7, 2024
4.25⭐️
La surprise que j’attendais (du coup c’est plus une surprise ? 😂)
L’histoire a su me capter dès le 1er chapitre ! Dans un univers assez sombre teinté de résonances italiennes, on explore différentes castes de disciples qui descendent de Saints. Certains sont dotés de pouvoirs et d’autres non, créant un énorme écart social et engendrant beaucoup d’inégalités qui sont adressées dans le récit.
L’enquête sur les meurtres m’a beaucoup plu ! Étant friande de ce genre d’intrigue, j’étais curieuse de trouver le coupable face à tous ces mystères. Le jeu d’illusions m’a complètement perdu et brouille les pistes habilement même si certains retournements de situation sont prévisibles.
Malgré les révélations bien amenées, j’aurais aimé plus de rythme dans les rebondissements et la découverte de nouveaux éléments. Aussi, les pouvoirs des disciples ne sont pas suffisamment développés à mon gout, créant un manque sur tout l’aspect magique du roman. On ne voit qu'à peine les aptitudes de Roz et j’espère que ce sera un sujet pour la suite.
Grâce au double point de vue on appréhende aussi bien Roz que Damian, deux perso très différents l’un de l’autre autant dans leur relation quant aux Saints que dans leur psychologie. Roz est une badass tête brulée qui a fini par m’attendrir. Damian m’a touché par sa vulnérabilité alors qu’il tente de contenir son trauma de retour du front en gardant une face stoïque.
Quant à la romance, elle avait tout pour me plaire : seconde chance, amour d’enfance to enemies to lovers avec un soupçon de trahison précédente au récit. J’ai pas mal annoté et surligné de phrases qui ont conquis mon coeur (surtout du pdv de Damian petit coeur). Que ce soit la tension, l’angst, la culpabilité, etc, il y a de quoi souffrir mais surtout de se réjouir hihi.
La surprise que j’attendais (du coup c’est plus une surprise ? 😂)
L’histoire a su me capter dès le 1er chapitre ! Dans un univers assez sombre teinté de résonances italiennes, on explore différentes castes de disciples qui descendent de Saints. Certains sont dotés de pouvoirs et d’autres non, créant un énorme écart social et engendrant beaucoup d’inégalités qui sont adressées dans le récit.
L’enquête sur les meurtres m’a beaucoup plu ! Étant friande de ce genre d’intrigue, j’étais curieuse de trouver le coupable face à tous ces mystères. Le jeu d’illusions m’a complètement perdu et brouille les pistes habilement même si certains retournements de situation sont prévisibles.
Malgré les révélations bien amenées, j’aurais aimé plus de rythme dans les rebondissements et la découverte de nouveaux éléments. Aussi, les pouvoirs des disciples ne sont pas suffisamment développés à mon gout, créant un manque sur tout l’aspect magique du roman. On ne voit qu'à peine les aptitudes de Roz et j’espère que ce sera un sujet pour la suite.
Grâce au double point de vue on appréhende aussi bien Roz que Damian, deux perso très différents l’un de l’autre autant dans leur relation quant aux Saints que dans leur psychologie. Roz est une badass tête brulée qui a fini par m’attendrir. Damian m’a touché par sa vulnérabilité alors qu’il tente de contenir son trauma de retour du front en gardant une face stoïque.
Quant à la romance, elle avait tout pour me plaire : seconde chance, amour d’enfance to enemies to lovers avec un soupçon de trahison précédente au récit. J’ai pas mal annoté et surligné de phrases qui ont conquis mon coeur (surtout du pdv de Damian petit coeur). Que ce soit la tension, l’angst, la culpabilité, etc, il y a de quoi souffrir mais surtout de se réjouir hihi.
Displaying 1 - 30 of 1,639 reviews