Member Reviews
Filled with a wintery landscape and lush writing, WICKED SAINTS paints a vivid picture of a world inhabited by mysterious gods where a centuries-long war brings together the lives of three unlikely allies. It is a world of clerics and blood mages, of assassinations and forbidden romance.
Emily A. Duncan creates such an exciting new world to escape to. Set in a fantasy landscape that takes inspiration from Russian and Polish folklore with a decidedly medieval feel, where monasteries and palaces tower and war rages, readers with feel the cold swept winds and the fiery sting of a blade.
“The girl, the monster, and the prince.”
Told through the dual points-of-view of Nadezhda, the girl who can speak to the gods and Serefin, the prince who walks a dangerous line between life and death, WICKED SAINTS has so many twists and turns with morally grey characterization and theological musings, readers will lose themselves in this read. The monstrous-boy who threatens all Nadezhda believes in will have readers swooning and worrying if their heart is about to be ripped out. Nothing is as it seems and I loved it.
In the End
WICKED SAINTS is an exciting start to the Something Dark and Holy series where two different types of magic, one divinely inspire and one that uses blood, set the stage for a war that neither outcome nor either one’s victory is the ending. Breathing, multifaceted characters and morally grey areas make it a standout and enticing read.
This book. I was intrigued since I first heard of it and honestly? It did not disappoint.
The world was well built, the characters complex.
And the magic system was amazing!
The contrast between Nadyas divine powers and the unholy blood magic was well done, yet you could see some parallels, hints that the magic must have had the same origin.
In the beginning, the story reminded me an awful lot of the Grisha trilogy by Leigh Bardugo. Not a bad thing for me, since I loved those books, but Nadya felt like Alina sometimes. And Malachiasz could definitely be the Darkling 2.0
The universe itself seems to be based on Russian culture (not that I am an expert, but the names are strongly suggesting it as well as the whole cult around Saints), and here comes my first problem with this book: The names. It's little trouble for me, because I have a faint idea how to pronounce the names. But anyone without an Eastern European / Slavic / Russian background might be lost there. A pronounciation guide would have come handy, but maybe the finished copies have that?
Then, all the Saints and Gods. I loved that each chapter gave you a little blurb of background history for them, but over all, I wished that we got at least an index of the Gods and their powers, since I found myself struggling with that when they were mentioned in Nadyas perspective and when she called on them to get their powers.
Seriously, those were my main issues with the book - aside from the formatting sometimes, which I will blame on the eARC for now (hoping that the finished copies will have proper spacing). Because occasionally, the paragraphs weren't clearly indicated when there was a little skip and it wasn't instantly clear for me that an amount of time (usually 30 minutes to 5 hours) had passed between the two paragraphs.
Now more onto the plot and the writing itself.
The pacing wasn't off (bless) and the story was easy to follow.
By giving the reader two perspectives, one of the "holy" and one of the "unholy" side, you got a nice insight - and in the end, maybe those two aren't so different as once thought?
But, listen: the story isn't something completely new. The plot feels familiar, though the setting saved that for me. It is an enjoyable story, especially if you like Leigh Bardugo's Grishaverse.
SPOILER INCOMING
But we have an unlikely heroine, who falls for the bad guy (aka her enemy) and should have killed him when she first got the chance. Ohhhhh but her feelings! -insert dramatic sigh- Her feelings betray her beliefs and she betrays her gods to save him.
Even when he clearly betrayed her, she believes in the good inside of him and STILL lets that guy live. Why? Dude, if I were you, I had collected all the red flags dropped on your journey together and stabbed him with those. But apparently, that guy was immortal unless you killed him in a specific way? Not too sure on that aspect, though, so don't credit me on that.
Nadya, I hope in the sequel(s) you get the guts to kill him. If not, I'll gladly take the job and kill Malachiasz aka Darkling 2.0 (oh. And he's related to the High Prince. and the most evil being you could imagine.)
Despite me trashing the romance (as I almost always do), I couldn't put the book down and read the last third in one sitting. And I fully enjoyed the book, because Blood Magic is just too intriguing and this had a whole new take to it!
So - if you don't mind a bit of gore (I've seen worse in books, so most of you should be fine) and like the Darkling, chances are that you will love this book.
I gave it 75 / 100 or a solid 4 /5 Goodreads rating!
Wicked Saints was a darker YA fantasy than most, but so interesting. We get to read from Nadya’s and Serefin’s POV. I love it when stories do this, especially when characters are so different like they are in this story! It makes this so interesting and I didn’t want to put this book down. I won’t talk too much about who and what we follow, because Isabelle just did!
Wicked Saints is the first book in the trilogy and it doesn’t disappoint. There is plenty of world building and character development and I really enjoyed this unique story. Nadya is the last cleric and stands behind the gods for magic. Serefin is the crown prince and doesn’t believe in gods. They use blood magic instead. I loved all the different aspects of magic use. Learning how it worked and their beliefs behind it made it very interesting.
Because of the two POVs we got to see how the characters’ beliefs developed during this story. Nadya starts to learn that her people aren’t always right and Serefin starts doubting everything his father is doing. While interacting with each other and others they meet along the way, a whole new world kind of opens up. I loved this aspect of the story.
Wicked Saints is definitely a book I would recommend. It has a good plot, great world building, interesting characters, lots of action and some very interesting plot twists. I’m rather sad I have to wait so long to read the sequel!
“If you fall to him the war will be lost. You have to live, Nadya.”
I’m going to be really honest with you all; I feel like Wicked Saints is the book of my heart. From the lyrical writing, to the cold atmosphere, to the beautiful themes, to the characters that I’d already be willing to give my life for; this book just felt like it was written for me. This debut fantasy, all about blood magic and a cleric who can speak to all the gods (be still, my wishful D&D heart), blew me and my expectations out of the water.
The author very much pulls from Russian and Polish inspiration and we get to see two countries, the Russian inspired Kalyazin, and the Polish inspired Tranavia. There is also the desert lands of Akola, which we meet a few characters from, but I think the land will be explored much more in later books! But we quickly see how differently the first two places view religion, and how both nations are willing to do whatever it takes in the name of their beliefs. These two countries are warring, and the author never shies away from that, but they are also beautifully woven together to create such an immersive and captivating world and setting.
“Cannons only meant one thing: blood magic. And blood magic meant Tranavians.”
But this tale starts out with a girl who has lived and hidden within the protection of a monastery’s walls her entire life. She has a power unlike any other, and it is her people’s hope to not only restore the faith of the gods, but bring them back into power. Yet, there are people who are willing to do anything to make sure the gods and their religion(s) stay silenced forever. And one night, the girl’s monastery is brutally attacked, and she and her friend barely escape with their lives, while everyone else stayed back to ensure they could run away. Yet, the war commander prince notices that this girl is not among the dead. The girl, desperate to live and to not have the gods be silenced, is willing to do anything it takes to live. Even if that means getting help from a powerful rebel mage, who is harboring many secrets of his own.
“The girl, the monster, and the prince…”
➽ Nadya – The cleric who can speak to all of the gods.
➽ Malachiasz – A blood mage, who believes he is a monster.
➽ Serefin – Bisexual icon. Also, a blood mage prince of one of the most powerful realms in this world, but the king is trying to ensure that no one can contest his power, while also wanting to use his son as a martial pawn. He also has a visual impairment and is unable to see out of one of his eyes.
And all three of these characters? As morally grey as they come. And they all equally stole my heart. Okay, maybe I have a little bit of a soft spot for Serefin, but I can’t help it, okay? But there is more disability and sexual representation with some of the side characters, and many characters of color. I am truly in love with all the side characters, and I can’t wait to see them develop even more, but Ostyia was easily my favorite and the author confirmed she is a tiny murder lesbian, and I’ve never read anything so perfect in all my life.
Okay, I’m going to spend a little more time talking about Nadya because I truly was obsessed with how the author crafted religion and the saints in this book. First off, I’m Catholic, so you know that I fuck hard with saints, anyways. But, on the opposite end of the spectrum, I have played probably over a hundred D&D campaigns in my life, and I swear to all the gods that I have probably rolled a cleric at least 50 of those campaigns. Seriously, teenage Melanie (and her Pathfinder loving friends) was obsessed with Sarenrae. But reading a book about a cleric who could speak to ALL the gods, and harness their powers if they allowed it? I am quaking. Also, the banter between Nadya and all the different gods, all of whom have very different personalities, was probably my favorite element of the entire book.
Again, this is a very dark book and I implore you to read my trigger and content warnings listed down below if you are on the fence if you are in the right headspace or not. But one of the major magic systems in this book is blood magic, where people will use their own blood (most of the time, freshly cut) and merge it with pages of a spell book to be able to wield their prepared spells and harness their magic. I loved this. I loved this so much. It is something that I feel you see so much in D&D and videogames, but never in literature and I really think it was expertly done and completely made the book for me.
I feel like I should talk about the romance, since I see many early reviewers not loving it as much as I seemed to. I always thought Nadya was the star of this book, regardless of who she was developing feelings for. I mean, you all know I always fall in love with the one the main character doesn’t pick, so there is that, but I still loved the romance in this book. Also, I kind of hinted a bit about this in the character breakdowns, but when Serefin was following the king’s wishes to find a marriage? I was invested, friends. Too invested, probably. But during all the situations, the angst almost killed me, in the best way possible, and I can’t wait to see where the author takes everything in book two. It was the perfect slow burn feeling, while giving us so many breadcrumbs that all tasted delicious.
Overall, this book just had too many things in my personal wheelhouse for me not to completely fall in love with it. I mean, I originally heard this pitched as “a gothic Joan of Arc” and I knew from that moment my life was going to be changed. I think Emily A. Duncan has really crafted such a unique story, and such a beautiful debut and start of a series. I can’t wait to see what comes next, especially because the end of this book truly slayed me and every emotion I have ever had.
Thank you, Macmillan, for giving me an ARC of this book in exchange for an honest review.
HE HAD LIED, HE WAS A MONSTER, BUT STILL SHE CARED.
I became interested in this book mainly because of its paradoxical title. As a lover of words, I found it very clever. Moreover, trusted reviewers were spreading much hype on social media, so I became all the more curious. Sadly, I was a bit disappointed.
Wicked Saints is about two kingdoms, Kalyazin and Tranavia. They have been at war for a century because of differences in theology. The Kalyazi are devout believers in a pantheon of gods, while the Tranavians are practically atheists who value human agency above all else. Nadya, the heroine, is the last cleric of Kalyazin. Before her birth, her kingdom didn’t have any holy magician for around 30 years, thanks to the heretics (blood mages) of Tranavia. One day, Serefin, the Tranavian High Prince, invades Nadya’s monastery, killing her loved ones and forcing her to flee to the snowy mountains. There, she meets Malachiasz, a boy with so many dangerous secrets. Little does she know that he might be the key to ending the war for good.
While reading, my first impression was that the plot was reminiscent of Avatar: the Last Airbender. Here are the most glaring similarities:
1. Kalyazi, Tranavia, and Akola = Air Nomads, the Fire Nation, and the Water Tribe respectively
2. Nadya = Aang (both of them were Chosen Ones who lived in elevated locations)
3. Serefin = Zuko (both of them were literally scarred princes with bad fathers)
4. Parijahan and Rashid = Katara and Sokka respectively (both heterosexual pairs were loyal sidekicks)
I honestly didn’t want to compare the author’s debut novel to the Avatar series since I knew that doing so would diminish my enjoyment. Nonetheless, my brain kept on making the connections; I constantly imagined the protagonists as Avatar characters. As a result, I couldn’t shake off my jadedness until I discovered original plot points in the second half of the book. Thankfully, the given comparisons won’t matter to readers who aren’t familiar with Aang and his world of elemental powers. I didn’t put Malachiasz on the list because he was similar to someone from a different series: the Darkling from the Grisha trilogy. Hmm…before I forget, Nadya also reminded me of Percy Jackson in that her powers also came from mythical gods. Gah, I should stop making comparisons! Hahaha.
My second problem was the abundance of graphic descriptions. Since two of the three MCs were mages who required blood to cast spells, there were many scenes in which they cut their arms, fingers, and palms with razors sewn into their long-sleeved outfits. I was particularly perturbed when one of the protagonists was placed on a platform full of glass shards. It was difficult to imagine all the blood that flowed from the numerous cuts on his/her back. You can call me a squeamish reader, but you need to understand that such descriptions might trigger self-harm, especially among those with mental health issues. It probably wouldn’t hurt if the author didn’t explicitly mention the act of cutting whenever the characters performed magic. After all, as blood mages, the act was already implied.
My last complaint was that the penultimate part of the book seemed fragmented. The missing pieces made it challenging to comprehend the sudden change in Nadya and Malachiasz’s relationship. To be fair, I read an advance copy, so perhaps I can be enlightened when I check out the final edition. Still, as someone who has been blogging for two years, I know that it’s rare for ARCs to be this confusing. It would be a shame if the omission of details turned out to be deliberate.
Looking at the glass half-full, the book didn’t suffer from slow pacing or uneventfulness. It might have been because Nadya and her friends were always plotting something and executing their plans without delay. With that said, there was a perfect balance between showing and telling. Furthermore, I enjoyed the Russian setting/vibe of the story even though some of the names and terms were hard to pronounce. Come to think of it, the similarities I detected weren’t necessarily detrimental since they enabled me to comprehend the complex world quickly.
Overall, Wicked Saints is a fast-paced fantasy with lots of familiar faces. The sense of déjà vu that I had was predominantly negative, but it might be positive for readers who intentionally look for books that remind them of their favorite fictional characters. If you plan to read this novel someday, be sure not to dwell on its bloody content.
I received a digital arc in exchange for an honest review thanks to Netgalley and St. Martin Press.
I’m trying to read more of everything in this 2019. I heard about this book because of Reagan of PeruseProject you tube channel had it in her 2019 books to read. When I saw that Netgalley had for the grab I couldn’t help but to request and oh boy it was quiet a read.
This book has been quite difficult for me to read, I have a love and hate, no hate is a too strong word maybe a love and frustration relationship with it.
Why Love? I loved everything about this world the politics, the magic system, the relationship between Nadya and the gods. Kuddos to the author that was one of the must original thing that I have ever read.
The author did a wonderful job building this world and bringing it to life and for that she have my most utter respect
Why frustration? After all this world building the characters felt a little flat for me except from Malachiasz because he intrigued me from the first moment he appeared and there was some substance to his character, and I’m not the type of reader who falls for the torture soul but Mal was interesting and dark and complex which I couldn’t resist but the other characters, including Nadya didn’t quite make totally to care for them, and after building such a complex and gritty world I expected more in the their development as characters.
Also the pace, it started with a bang and then it got so slow and when I thought I was going to give up reading in that moment something happened and BOOM I was hooked up again, there’s a lot of twist and turns but sometimes it got a little slow for me and I had to struggle in some parts.
I can see why people compare this to the grisha world but I don’t think the tone is the same so I don’t think you should go read this book thinking this is similar because is not.
So my real punctuation for this book is 3.75, I liked it and I would definitely read the sequel hoping the author will improve in those areas. This is a solid debut novel hopefully we will see more development in her sophomore release.
Wicked Saints was one of my most anticipated reads of 2019. It has a lot of elements I love such as: political intrigue, magic, princes, and an evil figure. But, after reading Wicked Saints, I was left feeling like there was a void that wasn’t wholly satisfied. Was Wicked Saints amazing? No. Was it horrible? No. It is more just okay. I am rating this as a three because I found the beginning and ending interesting, but towards the middle it got very slow. Plus, I had a really hard time connecting with the characters. I am curious what will happen in the sequel.
Wicked Saints by Emily A. Duncan is a phenomenal read! Gods, magic, plus a century long war adds up to one addictive read. Add in a troubled boyo with icy blue eyes and you have a new book boyfriend. While there are some similarities between Wicked Saints and a few other fantasy reads, it still adds a fresh take on the morally gray character. Twists and turns abound and Duncan will keep you guessing till the very end. I cannot wait to see how this series progresses.
So, where has this book been all my life? Longtime listeners know that there’s nothing I love more in this world than a villain love interest and, let me tell you, Wicked Saints delivers in spades.
I don’t want to go too far into the story without giving spoilers but I will say that Wicked Saints flips tropes on their head a bit with that particular dynamic. Whereas in most stories, it’s the villain pursuing the heroine and attempting to seduce her into the dark, Wicked Saints casts Nadya, our raised-in-religious-isolation heroine, as the one with more agency in the romance. And Nadya’s response to rapidly escalating red flags from her love interest? She’s just more into it! Which, you know…relatable!
The author has mentioned online that she views this book as a bit of a response to the Grisha Trilogy by Leigh Bardugo, which is evident throughout the story. We can see it not just in morally dubious love interest category but also in a richly layered and obviously researched Eastern European setting and, most interestingly to me, nuanced exploration of religion and faith.
While I may have some persistent nitpicks with lack of clarity on character motivations and some odd pacing, I think those issues are balanced out by the complex and layered magic system and worldbuilding that feels one of a kind. I’m also a sucker for blood magic, which Wicked Saints takes to the point of serious health concern and clear hygienic safety issues. More disgusting blood magic in YA will be my platform for my upcoming 2020 campaign–thank you in advance for your donations and support!!
It’s an exciting debut from Emily A. Duncan and I’m already vibrating in anticipation for the sequel.
And a big thank you from Macmillan/Wednesday Books for the early copy to review!
I'd seen rave reviews for this book throughout the blogosphere, and that, along with a gorgeous cover and riveting description, had me requesting this book from NetGalley.
Did this book live up to the hype? Well...mostly. This is a captivating dark fantasy that weaves the elements of religion, magic, and politics into a thought-provoking storyline. Many reviews stated the beginning is a slower pace - something I agree with - but the brisk pace and shocking reveals at the end make up for it. Yes, the pace takes off - but I'd guessed the shocking reveals early in the book, so maybe it's my fault I was a tad underwhelmed.
The three primary characters exist in the fluctuating areas of gray between good and bad - and that's my favorite type of character. Each are wonderfully flawed, possess traits to love and hate, and are ruthless, driven, and distrustful at certain points. They all believe they're doing the right thing. Supporting characters are loyal, well-developed, and occasionally humorous. Stellar characterization.
Wicked Saints is a brutal, bloody, dark fantasy set in a world rich in history and lore. It's very well-written, and if you're not into YA, give this book a try, because it's easily a crossover.
I received a complimentary copy of this book from the publisher through NetGalley. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.
*I voluntarily read and reviewed an ARC of this book. All thoughts and opinions are my own. *
cw/tw: self-harm (blood magic), alcohol abuse/addiction
I went into this book already halfway in love with the characters thanks to the months of gushing and dialogue teasers I had seen on Twitter. I won't lie to you all, I was so worried I would be disappointed-- like I was overhyping. So, I went into it cautiously.
Well, caution and hesitation didn't last long because these characters wouldn't accept less than my full attention and affection.
Is it different than I originally thought it would be like? Totally, but I was so down for this story.
Let me start with talking about the main characters who gripped my heart. Friends, I love morally grey characters-- ones who feel real instead of archetypes. They all have their own problems, their own darkness, and goals for improving the world.
Nadya is a spitfire and I adore her. I love how she was struggling with her faith. I'm not religious at all, but there was a time I did try, so seeing how she had doubts felt very real. She's knows her own mind though, even with the gods talking to her. She's strong, willing to bend and learn, and her dialogue is fantastic. As much as I like Nadya, I really feel like she gets lost. I love her scenes with Malachiasz, but the more I think about it, the more I worry that most of her chapters revolve around him. I think this will change though as she grows through the series. She has a lot of space to grow, to fully believe in herself and her gift, and I'm excited to see how she matures.
Serefin might be my favorite main character... maybe. He's so done with politics and the war and he just doesn't know exactly who he is or how to be himself. He has expectations thrown at him and his parents are pretty horrible to him. His friendship with his two guards Ostyia and Kacper is what allows him to just... be. They are like a family and their scenes are so comfortable.
Then we have Malachiasz. It is hard NOT to like him. He's... he's quiet and loud at the same time. Devious, witty, and a monster, but broken. For more of the book he was my favorite character -- I mean, he was my favorite before I even started the book. I was surprised that we don't get a chapter from his perspective. I hope we get more from him in the sequel.
Before I move on to more thoughts on the actual plot, let me also mention the side characters. They are awesome and we actually learn more about them. They seem pretty flushed out and important, allowing us to grow fond of them as well. I think with a cast with this many great characters the most difficult thing for me is that I want them all to get more dialogue, more page-time, more... everything. I do hope we get more from these side characters :)
As for the romance... I feel like it went a bit too fast for me. It is an enemies-to-lovers trope, but I wasn't truly convinced Nadya hated him enough or for long enough. At the same time, I totally love them. They are my JAM. I have no idea what will happen with them now, but I'd be lying if I said I didn't want them to work as a couple.
Okay, storywise... look, I was hooked by this book from page one. I didn't want to stop reading. I needed to know everything! And the magic systems!! Magic from the 'gods' magic from blood-- but done with blood on spell pages? This book felt so new and fresh to me. Yeah, probably won't to those of you who have played DND, but I haven't, I've just read the handbooks.
The writing here is on point and things flowed so well.
Although, I will admit there were times I stepped back and went 'that's it?'. There isn't a ton of action on page and some things could feel a bit anti-climatic. Yet? I'm giving this book 5 stars?
YES! Because I don't see how events could have been done differently without feeling too cliche. I will say the ending felt... weird? it really seemed out of left field, but I mean... that might just be me. I swear for the last like 15-20% I was going "Wha... what?! Wait... no... WHAT?!" So, yes there is a bit of a cliffhanger.
So, I love this book, but I'm not calling it a favorite... yet. AS the series goes, I might call it a favorite, we will see. It is THAT close. I definitely recommend this one to people who play DND, like deeper fantasy novels, and don't need constant action in their books.
I very much am looking forward to the next book in the series.
This book was one of my most anticipated books of 2019, but thankfully I was given the opportunity to be a part of this books blog tour! So thank you for considering me and giving me the opportunity to read and review this book ahead of release date!
I loved this world, it was like nothing I have ever read before, it was so dark and gritty I loved it! I really want to read more about this world, so I am very excited for the next book even though it is set to release in 2020 *sigh* I have to wait awhile before I get to read it.
Moreover, I absolutely loved the characters... and I mean all the characters, which is weird and unusual for me because typically in any book there is always the one character you hate for some reason. but in this book, there was none. I loved how complex and intricate each of these characters were and they all served their purposes and were each individually important to the main story line.
The heroine in this book was strong willed and I love how she stood for her own beliefs even though there were people telling her not to, she did not back down, she stood her ground.
I absolutely loved the magic system, it was so unique. There were people who were blood mage's, they would use their own blood and a book to create their spells. Wow that did not make sense, but honestly this magic system is like none I have ever read and is so different as well.
There are two characters who I rooted for in the beginning of the book but by the middle or maybe even about 30% in I was rooting for the heroine with someone else... and honestly I hate love triangles so thankfully this is not that, there is no hints of a love triangle at all, I just thought the heroine being with this other character in the beginning was where the author was heading. But I am pleasantly surprised and extremely happy in the direction the author took with the heroine's love interest!
I really don't want to spoil the book so I'm just going to say that one fo the characters and I will not say who but they reminded me a lot of Kylo Ren from Star Wars. And I am a die hard Kylo Ren fan so you can imagine how much I adore this character.
I absolutely adored this fantastical world that Emily A. Duncan created, it is so unique and different, I absolutely loved it! I am so excited for the second book in this series and hopefully we do not have to wait too long for it!
Actual Rating: 3.5 stars
Wicked Saints is a Russian-inspired YA fantasy that is very interesting thematically and will probably appeal to fans of the Grisha Trilogy by Leigh Bardugo. As a debut author, Emily Duncan is one to watch. While this book wasn't perfect and perhaps tried to do too much, I see a lot of potential for future growth.
In terms of major themes, Wicked Saints has a lot to say about religion and faith 1) in terms of how they intersect with politics and warfare and 2) in terms of the difference between personal religious experience and what one has been taught to believe. Nadya has been raised in monastaries as a cleric chosen by the gods to wield their power in a long-running religious war agains heretical blood-mages. There is a rich mythology for the pantheon of gods and great discussions of faith, lack of faith, and personal religious journeys. I think we could stand to have more of that in YA, although by the end of the book I was wishing that things were left a little more ambiguous [ rather than pushing the idea that the gods are probably just magical beings on another plane. (hide spoiler)] I think there was a lot of potential for a more nuanced conversation and it just didn't quite get there.
Structurally, I think this book was trying to do too much and that detracted from portions of really strong storytelling. For instance, we get a few scenes with political intrigue and a magical duel and I was thinking yes! Give me more of this! But instead it moved onto something else rather than really developing things. That was an issue I had throughout. Honestly, I think the story could have started about 1/3 of the way into the book and would have been stronger for it with more space to elaborate on the great ideas that the author has. Instead, we spend most of the first 50% just introducing characters and moving them from place to place, with most of the interesting action and development happening in the latter half of the book.
So overall, I really like what the author is trying to do here and I think there are some brilliant bits, but it didn't quite come together the way I hoped. But, I am very interested to see how things go as her writing craft continues to develop. I think a lot of people are going to be very into this and fans of the Darkling just might find a new favorite character! I received a review copy of this book via NetGalley. All opinions are my own.
WOW!! Something Dark and Holy is the perfect title for this series. Wicked Saints was a phenomenal read! I am still a bit lost for words for how this ended...the epilogue killed me. Emily has such a fantastic debut novel that is dark, sweet and full of humor. From start to finish I turned each page wanting more.
Nadya is the first cleric in over 30 years. She communes with the gods and is supposed to use her magic to fight against heretics of Tranavia. She is a strong willed girl. I enjoyed Nadya as a character. She had her ups and downs, but she was very much a smart, capable and powerful girl. She had her moments of being bullied by the gods but I loved seeing her grow into her own throughout the story. Being raised in the monastery she didn't get to experience much so I loved the whole traveling portion and her getting the chance to see new things. Nadya is definitely snarky with her comments and doesn't tend to take crap from people. I enjoyed her immensely.
Malachiasz is one of Tranavia's Vultures. He's on the run from his people and is looking for a way to stop the war. Let me just say he had me SHOOK the entire story. I loved and hated him all at once. He was a very straight forward guy that talked in riddles. He always had this edge and darkness to him. I loved seeing him become vulnerable. His mind was twisted and the games he played made me sad. He was willing to save his country at all cost even if it meant giving himself up. I loved him!
The romance was swoon-worthy! I just loved me some Nadya and Malachiasz. They were the cutest little concoction of a couple. He was dark and edgy. She was sweet and snarky. Their little moments of kissing just made my heart warm. I adored them and I have high hopes for them in the coming books *fingers crossed*
Serefin is the High Prince of Tranavia and one of the strongest blood mages. I hated him at first because he had such a twisted way about him. It wasn't until he went home to play prince that I began to like him. He truly shocked me as a character. He plays this strong and tough guy, but he's scared out of his mind of his father. I enjoyed Serefin and his development throughout the story.
The King, Izak, was a twisted man. He sucked as father, a husband and a ruler to his people. He felt inferior and tried to make himself become more. I'm glad he got the ending he deserved!
The war between Kalyazin and Tranavia just seems to idiotic! I cannot understand how they allowed themselves to fight for so long. Nonetheless over gods that aren't gods.
The gods that communed with Nadya all seem to irritate me. I did enjoy that they each had their own personality. Marzenya and Veceslav seemed to be the two who communed more often with her. Marzenya pissed me off when it got to the half-way point. She was so pushy and demanding. Granted she had a great reason.
The Black Vulture ... words cannot express my emotions ... just why?!?! Insanity!!!
That ending...I'm still crying over it...like whyyyyyyyyy!!! I need the sequel NOW!
Any story that starts off with the herione battling a mountain of potatoes and then battling for her life against magic enemies as she flees her mountain home in the snow, and that's all in the forest chapter, you know it's going to be a great read. What a beautiful written epic fantasy, full of creative world-building, magic, suspense, intrigue, and romance. It's got a little bit of everything. Not only is there one complex emotionally developed character, but they're are three in this story. The author does an amazing job of weaning the three storylines of these characters together to create a wonderful story. What's even better is that this is just the first off the series of what I know will be a huge hit for years to come.
**I received a free copy of this book via NetGalley and am voluntarily leaving a review.**
Disclaimer: I received a free copy of this book and chose to review it. This in no way impacts my opinion.
Disclaimer 2: This book has blood magic, self-harm, lots of violence, and an off-handed conversation about said self-harm in the course of its 400 pages. Please practice self-care before, during, and after reading this book.
What the actual eff. Why is this getting such good reviews. Ignoring the fact that I was bored by 10% into this book, and probably wouldn't have finished if Dani and I hadn't been reading it together, after like 55%, I mostly just anger read this one.
The characters are boring, the plot feels reminiscent of literally hundreds of YA books before it (Dani and I were counting off specific points and lines that are basically the same as others we have read), and the "morally grey" aspects made me want to tear my hair out. I have read a couple reviews on here that talk about how Nadya doesn't have a lot of agency in this book - even in her POVs she is reduced to a side character. Once I saw it articulated, I agreed. I do hope that in the rest of the trilogy she is given the opportunity to grow; however, I will not find out because I'm not reading the rest of this.
You have to continuously wait for things to happen in this. It goes from one Big Point to nothing for like another 100 pages until you get to another Big Point, etc. etc. The fact that the characters find out they have been lied to and then so easily trust other people is ridiculous. The "halo" aspect of Nadya's character.... frustrates me to no end. So much of this just ANGERED me because I have no problem with books that use tropes, plot ideas, etc. from other books - but only if they do them well.
I am no longer going to be reading any "enemies to lovers" books that glorify tactics used in abusive relationships as "romantic" and "sexy." I read somewhere online that the test you should do is to imagine it is Peter Pettigrew (specifically the actor from the movies) doing these "hateful" things and see if they are still ~sexy~. If it isn't sexy if Peter Pettigrew does it, then it isn't sexy at all. I'm over villains and generally bad people who get a pass because they are attractive. No thank you!
Just read the Grisha trilogy instead.
4.5
Thank you to NetGalley, St. Martin's Press, and Emily A. Duncan for the opportunity to read Wicked Saints in exchange for an honest review.
Holy war: you have Kalyazin and Tranavia, two warring countries. Kalyazin once had cleric, those who can speak directly to the gods and ask for their power. Years ago, all the clerics were wiped out. But another is born: Nadezhda (Nadya) Lapteva. Tranavia doesnt want the gods power to return to their lend, so this cleric is a threat that must be eliminated. The Tranavian King wants to become a god himself, but he desires blood. How can a man become a god when the presence of other gods is so overbearing?
With the absence of the gods in Tranavia, the country is taking a bloody and twisted turn for the worse. Enter Prince Serefin Maleski, a powerful blood mage. His goals seem odd at first. He's been fighting on the front against Kalyazin for years. If he can kill the last cleric, perhaps his country can finally end the war in victory.
Nadya escapes Serefin's clutches only to encounter a Vulture (strange blood creatures of Tranavia) who has defected from his kind: Malachiasz Czechowicz. While untrusting at first, Nadya and Malachiasz form a plan to infiltrate Tranavia and destroy their kind, finding a strangely unexpected ally within.
This book has it all. There's magic. There's blood and death. There's romance and gods and war. There's somewhat expected but totally not expected plot twists that drive the reader crazy!
I wasn't expecting to like this book as much as I did, and I can't help but ache for some of these characters. As a reader, I switch sides way too often for my own good. Who's reliable? Who's not? A great start to a fantasy series for a young adult audience that I would recommend to any fantasy lover that wants a dash of everything in one book!
Any book that is labeled for fans of Leigh Bardugo has a lot to live up to. I typically try not to get too hype when I see things like that, because as you know all too often they end up falling short. Well, my friends, I'm oh so happy to report that was not the case with Wicked Saints!
This book sucked me in from the very beginning, with magic, war, Gods, courtly shenanigans and compelling characters this was an unrelenting page-turner. Not for the faint of heart, there is (SO MUCH) bloodshed and betrayal, zealots and monsters, ZEALOUS MONSTERS...all alongside unlikely friendships, rebellion and romance. I'm officially hooked. I already pre-ordered a signed copy. I don't know how I'll possibly survive the wait for the next book....especially after that EXPLOSIVE ending.
Also, let it be said now, I'm team Malachiasz fo life.
We follow Nadya's and Serefin's POVs in this YA fantasy. Nadya is a cleric from Kalyazin (a Russian inspired country) and Serefin is the crown prince and a powerful blood mage from Tranavia (a Polish inspired country). Malachiasz is another main character but he doesn't get his own POV, he's pretty mysterious at the start of the novel but you'll learn more about him along the way.
Kalyazin and Tranavia have been at war for decades, Kalyazin is very religious and believe the Tranavians are heretics. The Tranavians have denounced the gods and use blood magic. This war about religion is very much the main plot and raises very interesting questions. All characters think they are on the 'right' side of the war but slowly grow to see the other side of the war as well.
The story has been compared to the Grisha trilogy and I can definitely see the comparison, Emily even mentions and thanks Leigh Bardugo in her acknowledgments. I think part of the comparison lies in the fact that both fantasies have a country inspired by Russia, there is a Darkling type of person, and the overall feel of the story is somewhat similar. Although I do think Wicked Saints is a bit darker!
I think the story flows quite well, there is a good balance between action and character development and I just flew through the story. This was such an addictive read and I didn't want to but the book down. I loved every twist we got and you can already tell there will be more revealed in the next installment. The world will probably be expanded in the next two books as well.All in all, I really liked the plot, we got court-intrigue, a little competition element, some good fight scenes, great plot twists and good world building. I can't wait for the sequel, especially after the epilogue!
Like I said, there are basically three main characters, Nadya, Serefin, and Malachiasz. But I do have to say it felt like Nadya was our main main character so to say. Parijahan, Rashid, Ostyia, and Kacper are our most important secondary characters.
Parijahan and Rashid are Akolan, a country bordering both Kalyazin and Tranavia and they travel with Nadya. I really enjoyed reading about them and getting to know more about their backstory. They are both wonderful and I hope to read a lot more about them. Ostyia and Kacper are part of Serefin's guard basically and they are his best friends. I feel like we got to know them a little bit less but I did like them as well. Especially Ostyia was a great character. Hopefully we'll learn more about them in the sequel.
Malachiasz is very mysterious and I don't want to say to much about him. You will get to know him more and more but you have to discover him for yourself. I thought he was very intriguing and I enjoyed reading about him. It took me a while to decide whether I trusted him. He challenges Nadya's beliefs and that was probably what I liked most about him.
Serefin is such a wonderful character, he's bisexual and has a visual impairment. He is the crown prince and a very powerful blood mage. I thought the whole 'blood mage' thing was super interesting, I haven't read that much about them yet so it was super cool to discover all that. Because our first POV is from Nadya, I immediately disliked Serefin but he definitely wiggled his way into my heart.
And then we have Nadya, arguably the most important character of all. She's a cleric and that's something else I never read about. I didn't even know it was a thing until this book, shame on me haha. Part of why I enjoyed this book so much was probably because I hadn't read about clerics and blood mages before.
But back to Nadya, she really got on my nerves from time to time. She is super strict in her beliefs and the way she feels about the Tranavians, the heretics. And it fits the story super well and she slowly gets to see not everything is black and white. But at times I did get super frustrated by her attitude haha. I did love her development, she really starts to trust in herself and she comes in to her power. It's going to be great reading more about this super powerful young lady!
Let’s talk about hyped books for a moment. Have you ever read a book that had been built up to you for months? I feel like going into books with such high expectations will leave you disappointed almost every time. Wicked Saints has been EVERYWHERE for months, and it sounds incredible. Who doesn’t love a dark, gothic read? Unfortunately, for me, Wicked Saints fell just short.
Let me explain. The overall premise is fantastic. The landscape of the story is magical, deep and dark. The characters were intriguing to me from chapter one, and the plot picked up immediately – at no point over the course of the novel was I bored. I honestly think that all of the bones for an incredible read are here and I desperately hope that the rest of the series builds on those bones and turns into something incredible.
What fell short for me in Wicked Saints was execution. The whole book was this massive build up to the ending. Throughout, there were things that weren’t well explained but I kept telling myself “This will all be explained at the end, in the big scene the book is clearly building toward.” The issue? Nothing was explained. There was this big reveal at the end of the novel that surprised me, and then the book sort of just…ended – leaving me frustrated, confused, and wanting answers.
To me, there is a difference between a cliffhanger, and an unfinished ending. The ending to Wicked Saints felt unfinished to me because there was just so much information that I felt was needed to understand what happened, and I was provided none of it. It was frustrating and changed what might have been a four star read, to a definite three star read for me.
All in all, I desperately want answers. Duncan is definitely a talented author, writing a world that I really want to know more about. Hopefully in the next two books the story she is trying to tell becomes clearer and her readers are given the information they need to make sense of it.