This was quite the book. I'm agog that I got the chance to review it, but I'm especially glad that I did because this was amazing! This is a stellar debut that really sinks its teeth into you and doesn't let go. The world-building is amazing, the POV characters are both distinctively different (which is refreshing), the twists are breakneck and thorough. All in all, this is an amazing story and I highly recommend it to everyone - 2019 is the year of the wicked saint!

YA fantasy books have always been my muse. I wanted something dark, hypnotic and savage. I got that and more with this book. The romance was thrown in and only added to the fire that was this book. I was a fan of the Elites series by Marie Lu and I wanted a female character that was even been than Adelina.

Wicked Saints is wicked good! A dark and enthralling tale that all Leigh Bardugo fans should read.

What I loved🖤🖤🖤:
1. Duo POV from two people on the opposite sides of a hundred-year war.
2. The world-building and intricately created magic system with a mythology of gods.
3. Nadya is a cleric who is blessed by the gods...but during her travels realizes that her world isn’t black and white and what she’s been taught isn’t necessarily true. She is constantly reevaluating her beliefs and her purpose.
4. Serefin is a high prince and a powerful blood mage...he knows his father is up to something, he just doesn’t know what. He slowly grew on me, rather like mold.
5. The twists...I’m still reeling in the best way. The last three chapters blew my mind. Definitely set up for sequels that I can’t wait to devour.

If you’re looking for dark, compelling, and beautifully written fantasy, look no further than Wicked Saints.

This book is so richly written that it draws the reader into a whole new world! I appreciated that it was in a different area than most books of a similar genre. the action just kept coming and I didn't want to put it down. I cannot wait for more!

Hi yes I'm here to talk to you about how Emily Duncan ripped my heart out and stuffed it down my throat with a single book. I was a total wreck after finishing this book in the middle of the night, because I have zero chill and had to know how it ended. And how did it end? Amazingly. I would kill for the second book. This is one of those instances where you read the first book of a new author and just know they will be a best selling, chart topping, instant buy author for the rest of your life. Plus, she plays D&D and loves villains. Can we be best friends Emily? Anyway, I know why you're all here so onto the real review. 

Wicked Saints is stated as a thrilling read but let me explain for a second that when you read thrilling you're probably thinking lots of action and a good climax. No, I'm talking heart stopping plot twists over and over and over again so by the time you think your little heart can't possibly take anymore monsters and gods and slow burn romance you are left with your heart in your stomach. The world building of the story alone is something I want to just wrap around me and study and enjoy for a long time. At the beginning of each chapter we get a section from a book within Nadya's world called the Codex of the Divine. You might be tempted to skip these little juicy morsels of info but DO NOT. They are very important and I also would love a little novella of all the actual saints listed together. 

The story itself is very dark and foreboding. I went in knowing this was about war between two countries called Kalyazin and Tranavia and it really hits home on all the morally gray or dark areas of what someone is willing to do for their country. The first book until the very end is dual POV (the ending adds one more POV) between Nadya and Serefin who is a prince and blood mage of her enemy country. It's hard to say who was my favorite as they all hold a special place in my heart but I think ultimately I love Malachiasz most. Malachiasz is also from Tranavia but is accompanied by two outside individuals that are from a third country that typically stays neutral to the war. Malachiasz is unlike anyone I have ever read. He's dark, haunted and driven. (That is ALL I'm going to say.) He meets Nadya when she is on the run in the beginning of the book which leaves you for nearly the rest of the story doubting and wondering if you should trust him. This story is based around gods, magic and the power of oneself. I loved the debates Nadya would have with other characters or even herself as she is trying to navigate a world on the cusp of something. (Again, vague review is vague bc spoilers.) Overall I loved all the dark grittiness of the story and all the characters, they had amazing structure and personalities. 

Since I believe the story is best unfolded as you are reading that's all I'm going to talk about. I highly recommend everyone talk a look at Wicked Saints, you won't be disappointed. Also Emily has rounded up all the amazing fan art for the story on her website and I love all of it!

Content warning: Self harm (blood mages have to use their blood for magic so... it's gonna happen.)

This book is dark, mysterious, unforgiving, and perfectly written. I cannot express just how bloody murderous these main characters are. Told from different views and different sides of very different cultures one gets to see just what is happening in each of their heads. It makes the story that much more intriguing. Enemies to lovers. Enemies to friends. Magical powers given and taken, growth, culture, belief. This book has it all while still being cohesive.

If you are looking for a happily ever after story this is not that. But if you want a compelling read that is so unforgiving in its darkness that you cannot help but fall in love with it then this is the book for you.

I’m going to keep this review v short bc I wasn’t into the story at all and skimmed tf out of it. c:

Things I Liked:
✨- the mc can have conversations with gods! It was so cool because we have a young religious figure just,,,,,chilling with her gods. They have personalities, like charming little friends! It brought a smile to my disillusioned face.

✨- You could feel the effort put into being dark and brutal. The imagery tried to drag my disinterested self to the most horrific, bloody, gruesome scene ever. & you know what! I’ll bet a lot of people will be properly horrified and it’ll be fine.

✨- Everyone is a flawed character! I firmly believe that everyone in this book is mad. Which, combined with the religious theme, was deeply romantic. Lord Byron and Leigh Bardugo, this one’s for youuuuuu

✨- there are alliances! You know how much I love alliances in general.

Things I Wasn’t Into:
✨-for such a fast-paced story, it felt infuriatingly leisurely.

✨-The characters were significantly flat. I felt a constant sense of déjà vu. It’s my least favorite feeling.

✨-The plot wasn’t there for me. I didn’t care if any of these people lived happily. They are free to live however they happen to live.

✨-the aesthetic felt like it was trying to be profound and brutal,,,,,,,,,,but it was accidently cheesy horror film. Which can be a nice aesthetic! But not if it’s accidently like that.

✨- It reminded me of And I Darken. Radu is my least favorite boy in this world bc he’s disloyal and refuses to understand his sister’s weird brand of nurturing.

In the end, this wasn’t for me, but pls note that fantasy is my #1 love/hate relationship. I either obsess ( The Captive Prince series) or I'm bored af.

TW: self-harm, abuse

An ARC was provided by Netgalley in exchange for a fair and honest review.

Ohhhhhh my goodness. I read the first two chapters, put the book down to do things, came back to it later in the week, and spend the day glued to my screen.

Wicked Saints is a book you want to preorder so you can read it the day it comes out.

There seems to be a wave right now of dark YA fantasies where the characters are deciding the fates of their kingdoms—and I'm here for it. All of it. Wicked Saints is on that vein, full of delicious dialogue, characters, and interactions that—woof. Friends, this book is *good*, and I'm so upset I have to wait to read book 2!

From what I understand, this is a Joan of Arc (re?)telling, but not knowing anything about her didn't make the story any less understandable. Emily Duncan's writing is clear and concise, captivating in its simplicity. This is one of the few stories I've read in recent years where I *really* didn't know what was going to happen, beyond a few points—for instance, that the two POV characters would have to meet, at some point—and the twists and turns left me on the edge of my seat. There is love, betrayal that hurts (A LOT, EMILY, IT HURT A LOT), enemies-to-lovers romance that isn't the center of the book but is still steamy as all hell, internal struggles over right and wrong (and whether that's ultimately what matters), and relationships I hope blossom into incredible friendships.

I love the way so many topics are treated in this book—war, religion and faith, duty, love of country being the big things. The characters grapple with how each of these things affect their interactions with each other, both verbally and internally, which adds richness to already complicated characters. No one in simple in this book, and everyone is forced to examine their complicity in great and terrible things in realistic, heart-wrenching ways.

Some books with multiple POVs has me invested in one story more than the other, but I was deeply into both POV characters, their struggles and relationships. Their stories unfold in fascinating way with interesting consequences, and watching the two of them navigate the political landscape of a desolate, war-torn country posed questions each had to grapple with. Each one of their actions had consequences they had to learn to deal with. Nadya is fierce and wonderful, and the way she grapples with her faith becomes so complex in a great way. For the first few chapters, Serefin seems like a brilliant but very alcoholic prince but then shit happens and all I want to do is hug my mage bby. Don't get me started on the Darkin—I mean, Malachiasz. I have too many spoiler-y thoughts.

Things got... weird, towards the end, in ways I wish I could explain but would spoil everything. I wasn't lost in the sense of no longer enjoying the book, but rather, I'm looking forward to the way Books 2 and 3 explore what was introduced and fully explain what's going on. Because it's... weird. I'm here for it.

Anyway, everyone keeps saying "for fans of Leigh Bardugo," and I'm here to say: for fans of Leigh Bardugo, only darker and with more violence and blood. Very much an upper YA. Very much recommended!!

By far the best YA novel I’ve had the pleasure of reading in over a year! Dark and enchanting and positively perfect...

This books literally breathes hope back into the YA genre and the only disappointment is that I’ve turned the last page and a sequel has yet to exist.

Fans of The Grisha series, Nevernight, and Evelyn Skye will likely enjoy this as well.

This was a delicious dark treat. I really had no expectations, even though I’d seen so many good things. I’ve found my tastes are usually far different than many readers’.

This was reminiscent of the Darkling and Alina in so many ways. The entire story gave off Grisha vibes. And that’s not a bad thing. I loved the magic portrayed here. And the idea of the gods and saints.

The book is intense. Lots of action and political schemes. This all mixed in with different types of magic...sometimes it could get confusing. As the story goes on, the things that seem clear aren’t. There’s a good amount of twists and turns among the schemes, so you’re never sure who to trust.

The best part of this, however, is that the guy you’re supposed to hate, Serefin the Prince, was actually someone you were rooting for. He had a volatile relationship with his father, to say the least. And so, while he is initially seen as an antagonist, you begin to like him and hope he lives. And Nadya is likable. From her doubts about all she’s every believed to her will to make things right, she’s someone I actually enjoyed—the opposite of Alina in the Grisha series. As for Malachiasz—he was untrustworthy. But then he’d seem honest about what he was after. He was the hardest to read, and yet I loved him.

The story is action-packed, but the last 20% or so was insanely intense. I couldn’t put it down. I had to find out who was responsible for what plot and why.

This was fantastic. I truly loved it. I think had it been a little easier to understand in the beginning, I’d have given it the full five stars.

This book is unlike everything I have ever read before and left me speechless from page one. Absolutely stunning and marvelous Wicked Saints is going to get under your skin and stay there long after you finish it. Emily A. Duncan masterfully blended Russian and Polish aspects to create a culturally rich world, with characters that you can't help but love.

Kalyazin and Tranavia have been at war for over a century. Where Kalyazin has its divine magic from their Gods, Tranavia has blood magic and blood mages. Neither country can see eye to eye, but it is clear on how to end this war: Kill the Tranavian King. Nadya, the last known cleric in Kalyazin, is living a peaceful life at a monastery when it is attacked by blood mages who are on the hunt for the cleric. Serefin, the prince of Tranavia and a general of the Tranavian army leads this attack, but Nadya manages to escape his grasp. But quickly Serefin is called home to Tranavia with his best guards Ostyia and Kacper, to follow the tradition of finding a wife. Nadya teams up with Parijahan and Rashid two Akolan refugees and Malachiasz who Nadya's sworn enemy. Deciding on who to trust the two groups must find a way to save their kingdoms before it is too late.

My love for these characters just continues to grow. I have a lot to talk about with each character, so I am going to break it down by character rather then making one huge paragraph.

Nadya - I liked Nadya from page one. She is fierce and determined and all she wanted to do was end this war even if it meant sacrificing her life in the process. Duncan did an amazing job of portraying Nadya's growth through out the novel. Nadya goes from being the naive cleric that lived in the monastery to a girl who no long understands the extent of her powers and struggling to embrace them to a complete bad ass. She also has to learn to trust her new partner Malachiasz, a Tranvanian rebel of sorts. But is trusting Malachiasz a smart idea?

Serefin - I think by default I wanted to hate Serefin because he is from Tranavia and he is hunting Nadya. But under his rocky exterior Serefin is really just a Prince who is horribly misunderstood and looking to belong. His dedication to his friends and his country and admirable and he wants to end this holy war just as bad. He copes with the help of alcohol and it isn't immediately addressed in the novel but it is clear to see that Serefin is the alcoholic prince that is referred to in the summary.

Malachiasz - I am head over heels in love with Malachiasz. The beautiful boy from Tranavia said he wants to war to end. But are his intentions as pure as he makes them seem? His characterization is so complex that if I try to explain it I will end up spoiling a huge chunk of the story. But trust me, you are going to quickly fall in love with him.

All the minor characters in Wicked Saints are as amazingly done as the main characters. Duncan didn't spare of description and I felt as if I knew all of her characters pretty well.

The romance between Nadya and Malachiasz was a slow burn and tentative to begin with. There was several parts of Wicked Saints where I kept thinking: "When are they going to kiss?!" It is worth the wait my friends. So worth it. Considering the alliances made and certain events of the novel, I can see a love triangle happening. But I am so down for this because my love for all three of these main characters is huge.

The last 100 pages or so of this book was nonstop action and things that changed the plot in irreparable ways. Once you thought you knew something, suddenly it was changed. Even the most beautiful faces have different sides. The ending of Wicked Saints left me speechless and rethinking everything I read. The betrayal and the heart break and the pain. The epilogue shattered my heart into a million pieces, and I will admit: I cried.

Wicked Saints is 100% unique and thrilling and had me memorized from page one. Emily Duncan's writing is both beautiful and haunting and it is going to leave you wanting more. She crafted a beautiful story that is both timeless and going to be loved by so so so many. I hope my review does this book at least an ounce of justice, because it deserves the highest of praises.

Ohhhh, boy. This was a brutal, brutal read. And I do mean that in the best possible way. This book is bloody and spares no one's innocence. I must strongly advise/caution that, as the author has mentioned, this book deals with a lot of cutting and other topics that aren't appropriate for all readers.

Nadya is a cleric - a person who is able to commune with the gods. When the monastery she lives at comes under attack by the heretics who use blood magic, she flees. A war has been raging for decades and Nadya becomes determined to be the one who ends up. When she meets people who can help her achieve this end, she joins up with them and begins a journey into enemy land that will change everything.

I really enjoyed this book. Nadya and the other characters are wonderfully realistic. They have tangible hopes, dreams, and worries. They have flaws and other issues. The book is sometimes a little fast-paced (I found myself lost a few times and had to go back and re-read a scene or 5 because I had no clue how we arrived at where we did), but it's not a bad thing. While there is a romance, it's well-fleshed out and takes its time. A few plot points disappear in the course of the story, but since this is the first book in a trilogy, I have hope that they'll be addressed in next book.

I love the influence that eastern Europe/Russia has had on literature lately, but I found myself desperately wishing for a glossary of terms. As one does, I had forgotten what words meant and, being a semi-lazy person, instead of attempting to figure them out or go back and find where the word was introduced, I simply guessed what they meant and moved on with life - this definitely isn't the best approach but, again, Lazy. Also, while it may spoil things, a list of characters and who's on what side would have been helpful as well.

Overall, this was a great read that completely captured my attention. If you like your fantasy a little dark and manipulative, definitely check this book out when it comes out in 2019.

Why is it that YA authors are obsessed with competitions? Is the genre still shaking off its debt to The Hunger Games? Is it some kind of weird subliminal obsession with beauty pageants? Are people still traumatized from student council elections? I can't figure it out, especially because, more often than not, it's so unnecessary. And bad.

Wicked Saints has one of those unnecessary competitions. But it also kind of...stops having one midway through. The main character, Nadya, gets to dress up pretty and stay in a nice apartment, and then the plotline gets discarded. Like many of its other plotlines, there's nominally an excuse for this abrupt about-face, but it mostly seems like the author got really excited and wanted to try every YA trope all at once.

Emily A. Duncan is so clearly a debut author that I kept trying to find things that I liked. The imagery is excellent. The Vultures in particular are a triumph of twisted imagination. With iron nails and iron teeth and masks that hide their bloody tears, they are worthy nightmares given flesh. Adding to their malevolent aura is their devotion to advancing their blood magic craft. They experiment on prisoners of war, but also on their own, using ever-new and increasingly violent techniques to bind acolytes to their order.

The larger context for this order, a magical Russia and Poland, is good but thin. There's too much good writing with an Eastern European and/or Russian setting for Wicked Saints to rely on intermittent and surface-level setting description (see: the Grisha trilogy, the Winternight trilogy, and the And I Darken trilogy), and I hope Duncan pushes the envelope harder on her descriptions and sense of place in the next books.

More than sense of place, not enough time is spent on setup and orientation. The magic system never feels fully fleshed, whether that’s blood magic or the religious magic Nadya wields. There are twenty gods with unique powers and unique relationships with Nadya. Some love her, some resent her, and some are entirely silent. This dissent within the pantheon would be more interesting if we had a sense of the gods' personalities, but Duncan doesn't seem to have a good understanding of whether the gods are remote or intimate, casual or formal, profound or petty. Rather than developing them, she seems to think that the absence of explanation imbues them with mystery. But ignorance and mystery are very different. Mystery invokes awe. Ignorance only leads to confusion. And I mostly spent my time struggling to remember which god did what, and whether they were on speaking terms with Nadya, not feeling awed.

Duncan doesn't really earn most of her emotional beats, not just the divine ones. Only about a third of the way through does Nadya decide that what she wants is as important as what the gods want—but the conflict of her desire vs. her obligation barely registers before this point, and there is little consequence either way. Nadya also does something early on that, by the standards of her faith, is profoundly blasphemous. Yet the gods do nothing. Consequences give decisions weight; the absence of consequence makes the entire setting seem insubstantial.

It’s also unfortunate that the few consequences the characters do face are not handled very well. Handed an admittedly significant setback, Nadya wakes from unconsciousness bloody and bruised and then does something that ruined her character for me. She gets up and shrieks "it's not fair!" at the walls.

I burst out laughing.

Sure, in the hero's journey, the hero has to hit their personal nadir. They might weep or rage, they might momentarily give up. But I never want them to sound like a preteen deprived of a chance to stay up past 9 PM. Nadya grew up in an austere monastery during a multi-generational war that her country is losing. "Fair" should not be in her vocabulary.

She then proceeds to become even more foolish, trusting someone not once but multiple times who proves himself to be untrustworthy. And every time, I'm supposed to believe that her heart is broken and her world is ending. I get that she's naive, having been raised in an isolated monastery, but there's always a fine line between naive and stupid and she hops it like jump rope.

But Nadya isn't the only problem. None of our heroes really do anything. They have extremely vague plans, never act on them, and then seem surprised when others set things into motion. When characters are only ever reacting, never acting, they lose both a sense of urgency and agency. The book as a whole also loses a coherent theme: I honestly could not tell you what this book was capital-A About in any larger sense, other than dark.

This was not as dark as I had hoped. Sure, it's bloody, but that's not what makes a book dark. True darkness comes from an emotional core, one that taps into the feelings that everyone would be ashamed or afraid to admit they have. Or, it has to look directly at the suffering of others, at the consequences of evil and suffering, and not flinch. Darkness depends on vulnerability. This book isn't raw enough to be truly dark.

While most clerics speak to their patron, Nadya, speaks to the entire pantheon. With their power and blessings in hand, Nadya seeks to end the war between the holy and the heretics. When carefully laid plans are torn asunder, Nadya is forced to align herself with a group of rebels led by enigmatic blood mage, Malachiasz. Together, they seek to assassinate a king, but even darker things linger beyond the gaze of the gods...

A exquisitely visceral tale of blood mages, holy warriors, and political intrigue, WICKED SAINTS will delight fans of Leigh Bardugo, and Holly Black.

I’d seen mention of this book float around my circles for MONTHS, so I was delighted when I finally was able to peer into this mysterious new world that so many were fond of.

The world-building and creativity is excellent. I was consistently reminded of the notorious blood mages of the Dragon Age franchise, as well as the method of spell-casting used in Dungeons and Dragons. It allowed a sense of true power, while also limiting the characters in effective ways. Every good cleric needs a long rest now and again.

I had a hard time getting a read on Nadya and Malachiasz. I would have liked to have seen more of this evil villain Malachiasz early on versus simply taking Nadya’s word for it. Whereas with the third lead, the alcoholic prince Serefin, I understood immediately. I felt as though I learned the most about this world and story through his POV.

As for Malachiasz, I couldn’t quite grasp him as a character until THE REVEAL in later chapters. I saw the bits and pieces, but it wasn’t until then that I *got* it. But the reveal was satisfying, and I look forward to seeing the full scope of his arc throughout the trilogy. 
Duncan is clearly a talented author, and this is an impressive debut. I look forward to reading the rest of the series.

Wicked Saints is dark and brutal, glittering and blood soaked. It will make you question everything you know. It will make you fall in love with monsters in plain sight. I think if you have ever loved a villain, you will become utterly absorbed by Wicked Saints. But it's more than monsters, blood magic, and heresy. There's forbidden love, friendship in unlikely places, and a journey of self-discovery that will change all you think you know about this world.

Fantasy is one of my favorite genres, but dark fantasy is slowly becoming one of my favorite. While I know it's not for everyone, if you were ever craving more grit, high stakes with the world order in the balance, and a forbidden love that might just be unholy, then Wicked Saints is definitely for you. It's a book that places you smack dab in the middle of a war that has waged for years. Wicked Saints is about desperation, saving our country, and sacrifice.

This book started out strong, even to the point of making me tear up in the first chapter. However, the middle was super slow for me. I felt like I never had a strong connection with any of the characters, this played a part in hindering my enjoyment of the book. Also, there were a ton of unanswered questions about the world.
With this being said, I still think it will be a well received book, it just wasn’t for me.

Huge thanks to St. Martin's Press and Wednesday Books for sending this one my way. This is one of my most anticipated books of 2019 and I might have screamed when it landed in my in-box. I expect this book will be huge. I can absolutely see people going crazy over it, especially fans of the Grisha series. Which, yep, that's me.


I loved the world and the magic system and the monster boy. Speaking of the monster boy... This book reads like a love letter to the Darkling, and I'm totally on-board for that. I just wish the story didn't feel so familiar. Yes, the magic system is unique, and I really enjoy how Nadya accesses her powers and communes with her Saints, but, at times, the story started to feel somewhat derivative. And by somewhat, I mean a lot. The parallels... If this series ends the same, I'm gonna be mad, y'all.


But, back to the beginning. The first scene is action-packed and still manages to introduce the characters and give a good feel for their personalities. I was totally hooked. I wanted that pace to continue, but, alas, things slowed down. Don't get me wrong. There are a few more action-y moments, but they're interspersed with some down time.


So the middle sags a bit. It does build toward something. However, the thing we are promised does not materialize on the page, which, not going to lie, was disappointing. Then there were unlikely alliances that seemed way too easy, cemented by a pivotal character who feels very cliche. The pacing at the end picks up speed a lot, so much so that I'm still not entirely sure about everything that happened. There were a few stream-of-consciousness sections that I legit skimmed. Sorry. I kind of got what the author was going for, but there wasn't enough on the page to really make sense of it.


Mostly, I think my biggest complaint was that I didn't feel immersed in the story or the characters. We're told stuff, but not really shown that much. The author just sort of skims the surface and there were plenty of moments when I wanted to see things fleshed out better. That said, there's plenty of room for more development in the next installment. Yes, I will be reading it. I'm curious to see where this goes. Some of my favorite series started off slow for me, so I'm giving this one the benefit of the doubt.

If you're a fan of Leigh Bardugo and/or Holly Black, then this is a book for you. That isn't to say Emily A. Duncan doesn't make a name for herself because she is—I'm sure this is going to be a best-selling novel. Imagine the Grishaverse except darker, more gruesome and more bloody.

WOW. That's all I can say. Honestly, this book sweeps you off your feet into an action, intricate journey. You'll devour this book so fast that as soon as you reach the last page you regret reading it so quickly because when is the next one out??

Wicked Saints is about magic. But another interesting aspect is that you never really know who is right and wrong, should you trust a certain character or not....


Expect the unexpected.

I really wanted to like this. I'd heard such good things. The concept was brilliant. I liked the first few chapters. But then it devolved into instalove on one side, and politics we weren't told enough about to follow on the other. I read it to 52% and then skimmed through the rest, I'm afraid. I didn't hate it, I'll recommend it to other readers, but it's not one of the better ones I've read.


Receiving an ARC did not affect my review in any way.

I’ve desperately wanted to read this book ever since I saw the blurb on Goodreads. Unfortunately, as with most things that are over-anticipated, it was a bit of a let-down. On the bright side… that is an absolutely epic series title.

I suspect that a bit of my disappointment has to do with the setting. Wicked Saints is, essentially, set in a fantasy version of Eastern Europe: the land of Kalyazin serves as a thinly-disguised Russia, while their enemy – the neighbouring country of Travania – is basically Poland. (There’s also Akola, aka India, but it only exists on the sidelines).

Sound familiar? Yeah, I thought so too. Russia has always been an INCREDIBLY popular location for fantasy worlds. I am, of course, mostly thinking of Leigh Bardugo’s fabulous Grisha Trilogy. I could forgive the setting for Duncan’s book being a bit cliché if there was awesome worldbuilding behind it. Not so. The first half of the book took place in snow-covered forests – well-described, but typical stuff; in the second half, the action shifts to the main court of Tranavia. This didn’t even have the benefit of being well described. It was very hard to visualise the actual physical backdrop to the characters’ actions. What did the buildings look like? The clothing? The people? Beyond a passing reference to onion domes, I have no idea.

Luckily, the characters were a lot more interesting. At least… the main ones were. Nadezhda Leptova – known as Nadya – is a Kalyazi cleric; this means she was given the ability to commune directly with the gods. They’ll do almost anything she asks for, as long as she prays nicely. She’s the only cleric to have existed in Kalyazin for a long, long, time. Nadya is actually something of a state secret – she grew up secretly in a mountain monastery, and Kalyazin is planning to deploy her against the Travanians to turn the tide of the century-long holy war. Tranavians are blood mages, heretics who don’t acknowledge the power of Kalyazin’s gods, and the two countries have been battling to impose their beliefs on the other.

Nadya was mostly a good heroine. I thought she trusted a bit too easily, but then again she did grow up in an isolated monastery, no matter how viciously she’s been trained. So I cut her some slack. When her monastery is attacked, she flees and comes across three other people: two Akolans named Parijahan and Rashid, and – more intriguingly – a defected Tranavian named Malachiasz. As an ex-Vulture, a member of an elite blood mage corps who’ve had their powers tortured into them, she doesn’t trust Malachiasz as far as she can throw him. But she needs his help to sneak into the Tranavian court so she can assassinate the king and hopefully bring peace.

Conveniently, the king’s only son Serefin Meleski is being forced to hold a bride-hunt, giving Nadya the perfect disguise to slip into the court. Serefin was an awesome character. He’s the warrior-general High Prince of Tranavia, whose job it is to hunt Nadya down and who was responsible for the attack on the monastery. He’s spent his whole life on the front line; he has no desire for a bride, but his father – jealous of the son whose power is outstripping his own – has ordered it. So Serefin uses alcohol to self-medicate. He was by far the funniest character in the book, with a droll sense of humour I really appreciated.

Malachiasz’s character was a bit too enigmatic for me to fully get behind. He was all over the place – awkward and anxious one moment, icy and reserved the next. I couldn’t quite attribute this to a deliberate choice on the author’s part, because his personality felt somewhat unpolished. Hopefully this will clear itself up in the next book. Fellow fantasy author Roshani Chokshi compared him to the Darkling, which I have to say felt like a huge stretch. The Darkling’s power and personality absolutely barrels off the pages and slams into readers with the force of a truck. In fact, everyone’s personalities in the Grisha Trilogy does that. Here, nearly everybody except Serefin and Nadya felt like either clichés (the mad prophetess in the tower) or cardboard cut-outs (Parijahan and Rashid). There was just simply nothing behind them.

On a related note, while I don’t really have any objections to the development of the romance between Malachiasz and Nadya, Serefin’s sudden bout of lust was astounding. He calls what’s essentially a random girl with two prior appearances ‘the only person in the court he trusted’! It was incredible, and completely out of character.

The writing was pretty good, just tried a bit too hard to be atmospheric. Like ‘her scream was blood and nightmares and teeth’… that sort of thing. Sadly I didn’t become as immersed in it as I was hoping I’d be.
While this was a somewhat raw book, and definitely felt like the debut novel it is, I anticipate a lot of my issues resolving themselves in the sequels. I’ll certainly be reading them! To end on something which I found pretty amusing… a constant refrain throughout the book is the phrase ‘blood and bone.’ After that massive blow-up between Tomi Adeyemi and Nora Roberts, that made me laugh.