DNF at 70%

Thank you to NetGalley for an arc in exchange for a review.

I’m sorry I can’t finish this. I hardly ever DNF this far into the book but I am so disinterested in finishing this book. I didn’t hate 100% of this book, so I’m going to start with the points I did enjoy.

The setting of the book is very interesting. I loved hearing about the different cultures and religions that the residents of the cities belonged to. The book had so much potential to (even minimally) explain/expand on ANY of these concepts. I also liked certain aspects of the MC and his upbringing. The first three chapters were so promising, and you get a glimpse at how the MC was raised to be a tool for his mother’s machinations. Again, so so so much potential.

Unfortunately, the book drops the ball on all of this. The world-building is so minimal and nothing is explained. I understand that all the nonsense rules are supposed to be symbolic of how convoluted governments of this type are. It just comes across as lazy writing.

The “plot” is non-existent and the MC just goes with whatever happens to him. He is written with the “chosen one rejects his destiny”, but it is taken way too far; the MC doesn’t have any drive to do anything. He always seems to simply be there while things happen around him. It quickly becomes frustrating because he was had so much potential.

I was so excited for this book, but unfortunately it fell very flat for me. I hope this finds readers who will enjoy it.

I requested this one because it might be an upcoming title I would like to review on my Youtube Channel. However, after reading the first several chapters I have determined that this book does not suit my tastes. So I decided to DNF this one.

I don't know what I just read. I'm not being sarcastic: I was both fascinated by The Saint of Bright Doors and thoroughly baffled by it.

The bravura opening, in which Mother-of-Glory, the mother of Fetter, amputates his shadow with a nail, after which he's tethered to the earth only by consciously practiced intention -- otherwise he'd float up and, he fears, endlessly away -- set me up to expect fireworks, and I got them.

Mother-of-Glory raises Fetter to be a magician and an assassin, and off page, he commits any number of practice murders. The end goal is to commit the Five Unforgivables, chiefest of which is patricide. All this in a town, Acusdab, where devil doctors (wizards? wannabe wizards?) practice and where devils, which only Fetter can see, lurk everywhere. Feeder devils cling to the sides of buildings, creeping Fetter and me both out.

Eventually, Fetter has had just about enough and sets out to make himself a non-murderous life in the big city. Luriat has its upside, mainly that Fetter isn't obliged to kill anyone on the daily, but it's also, as Fetter slowly learns, a dystopia. Everyone is classed by race and caste, denoted on their identity card, which also, ominously, bears a haecceity in the form of a number string. Thanks to TSoBD, by the way, for teaching me this word: it means "thisness," or whatever quality makes something or someone unique. That Luriat's government denotes hacceity by means of a number string is almost enough in itself to tell you what you need to know -- and no, I don't think it's meant as a swipe at social security or NHS numbers, though the more I think about it the harder it gets not to read it that way.

Other important features of Luriat:

There's a sectarian war going on. The exact nature of the sects was never entirely clear to me, but both exist in some relation to Fetter's father, the Perfect and Kind, a sobriquet you might find yourself thinking is a little heavy-handed in its irony. Anyway: pogroms, enthusiastically supported by the police. People, generally monks and their more enthusiastic followers, beat other people to death or burn them alive. And if you think the US has a savage and overlarge carceral system, wait till you see Luriat's.

Nobody ever closes a solid door; everyday doors always have a pane of glass, at a minimum, because solid doors that close eventually, unpredictably, turn into bright doors, which don't open and on the other side of which there's only a blank wall. Fetter, needless to say, turns out to have a special relationship to bright doors. The mystery of bright doors is, eventually solved, to the extent that we learn what's behind them, but if we ever get what I might call an origin story for them, I missed it.

I won't say more about Fetter's father, a. because it's complicated and I can only write so long a review, and b. because of the aforementioned bafflement. Also, there are revolutionaries, but I'm not sure what they wanted apart from the overthrow of Luriat's government. The Saint of Bright Doors is imaginative, for sure -- I can't fault Chandrasekera on the ground of creativity -- but ultimately it overloaded me; whenever I thought I might have gotten a grip on the worldbuilding, something new and/or disorienting appeared or happened. What is the secondary character Ulpe going off to do, toward the end of the book? It seems to be a suicide mission (I promise this is barely a spoiler), but what it is or what it aims to accomplish -- if you've figured that out, do let me know.

The tl;dr is that I don't know whether I just read a brilliant book that I'm not smart enough to understand, or an almost-brilliant book, by a smart and talented writer, that doesn't quite cohere. Four stars, for boldness in the attempt.

Thanks to NetGalley for the ARC. Voluntary, honest review, etc.

The Saint of Bright Doors by Vajra Chandrasekera is a remarkable and captivating novel that transports readers into a world filled with mystery, drama, and transcendence. The story is set in the city of Luriat, a place where everything is more than it seems and where divine destinies are commonplace. The narrative revolves around the central character, Fetter, who was raised as a weapon to kill his father and has a troubled past.

One of the most impressive aspects of this novel is the way the author weaves together elements of fantasy, mystery, and existential exploration to create a rich and engaging world. The concept of invisible powers that mock the mortal form and the idea of Bright Doors, portals through which a cold wind blows, are particularly imaginative and add to the mysterious atmosphere of the story.

Fetter's journey from his rural hometown to the city is a central theme of the novel and provides a unique lens through which to examine the idea of identity and purpose. As he navigates the unfamiliar and often bewildering world of Luriat, he discovers more about himself and his place in the world. The author does an excellent job of slowly unraveling the mysteries of Luriat and the supernatural elements of the story, building tension and suspense throughout the book.

The character development of Fetter is another standout aspect of the novel. Throughout the story, he evolves from a weapon with a troubled past to a complex and fully realized character with his own hopes, fears, and desires. His interactions with the other characters, including his therapist and fellow members of a revolutionary cadre, are well-written and add depth to the story.

The Saint of Bright Doors is a thought- provoking and truly imaginative novel that will stay with readers long after they have finished reading it. The themes of identity, purpose, and the interplay between the mundane and the divine are explored with sensitivity and nuance, making this a must- read for fans of speculative fiction.

In conclusion, The Saint of Bright Doors is an impressive and highly recommended novel that will captivate and challenge readers. With its vivid setting, rich characters, and compelling storyline, it is sure to become a classic of the genre.

Firstly the outline and idea for this story is really interesting and unique and I do think it can work well but this was just not for me. The execution didn't work for me, because the book just threw you into this world instead of being intrigued I was just left confused and I could not get engaged in the story because I did not have a clue what was going on. This might just be me and I do think this book will be right for some people, but sadly not me.

Firstly thank you for this opportunity but this book was not for me. I simply did not like it. I disliked the concept. The writing style. The execution. I couldn’t stay engaged in the story. The characters were disconnected.

This is an incredible, challenging, stand-alone fantasy, with a voice that had me captivated from page one! I will fully admit that this book was not what I was expecting. It is very concept-driven and unlike anything I’ve read before.

The story follows Fetter, the son of a messianic cult leader, who is raised by his mother to one day kill his father. As an adult, he escapes his mother’s influence to go live in the city of Luriat, which is famous for its magical doors. In Luriat, Fetter gets mixed up in investigating the mysterious doors, and with a plot against the oppressive religious/governmental forces that rule the city.

If you like excellent prose, fantasy that is ok with you being confused, and compelling examinations of facism, post-colonialism, religious extremism, identity, and fate, then you should absolutely check out The Saint of Bright Doors!

Thanks to Tor Dot Com and NetGalley for the advanced review copy of this book.

This ended up on my DNF shelf after reading over 1/3 of the book and trying several times to pick it back up. I just found Fetter and Mother-of-All-Glory disturbing and disconcerting. I will try again but, honestly I don't think this is something I will ever finish completely. This is very dark, very twisted, and though I'm sure that Fetter finds redemption of some sort it's just not for me. I tried, I like Dark Fantasy, actually, I typically like anything I can get my hands on to read. However, there are a few times that a book finds it's way into my hands or onto my Kindle that I just can't get into no matter how hard I try.

But to be fair - I will say the writing is not bad, the story line is not terrible. The characters are well thought out and for the most part (from what I did read) are fleshed out well.

Soon after he was born, Fetter’s mother cut off his shadow. Ever since then he’s had to focus really hard on gravity to stop himself from floating away. This lightness makes it easy for him to pass unnoticed: perfect for the task his mother has planned for him. She wants him to kill the Perfect and Kind, one of the ten most influential saints in the world and also Fetter’s father. As soon as he is able, Fetter escapes her influence and hides from his destiny in the city of Luriat. There he helps immigrants with their paperwork, attends group therapy, builds relationships, and studies the mysterious bright doors. Until news starts to spread that the Perfect and Kind is coming to town…

Fetter doesn’t seem to have any agency in his own life, content to just let the changing winds sweep him in one direction or another. He takes the opportunities that come to him, but never seems to seek them for himself. There is a clear trauma from his childhood, but no anger. This passivity makes for an interesting character and a reasonably unpredictable plot. As a reader we do not know what the main character wants so how can we predict the decisions he will make?

The setting of this world is simple, with plenty of quirks thrown in to keep things interesting and clearly label it as a fantasy. The most interesting of these quirks is the bright doors. We learn just enough about them to satisfy initial curiosities, whilst still leaving us desperate for more. In fact, much of the novel is like this. It is written with a very close narration style which means that we only see the details that the protagonist is interested in. Fetter has no interest in the complex hierarchies of Luriat or the rituals of his father or the rebellion of his friends. A fairly shallow character, he is only interested in the things which directly affect him. I think that this makes for a realistic world-view and avoids overloading the reader with excess information and world building.

One of the most successful aspects of this book is the plot twist, which was both surprising and unsurprising at the same time. There are hints of it early on if you know what to look for, but I won’t risk any spoilers – you’ll have to read it for yourself!

Really beautifully written and strange in a way that's very captivating and enticing. There were some confusing moments that felt like info flying in too fast, but it was all good.

Thank you to NetGalley and Tordotcom for access to the galley for this book!

"The Saint of Bright Doors" has got a lot going for it. The main character is interesting and has depth. The setting was richly described and felt lived-in. The themes of grappling with destiny, religious cultism, and structural injustice are obviously relevant. However, I had some trouble following plot threads and world building at the start and end of the story. There was a narrative twist I quite enjoyed, but overall, I don't think the story was for me. But if you're looking for non-European fantasy or sci-fi, maybe it could be for you!

I wanted to like this one, but it fell flat for me about 20% of the way through. I loved Fetter's first two chapters, and his lack of shadow and ability to float reminded me of Peter Pan. Unfortunately, I could never fully immerse myself in the world. While the prose itself is good, the plot and world-building didn't reel me in like I hoped it would.

Ok ok I’ll admit it. I am guilty of judging books by their covers, tho not always in a negative way. The saint of bright doors is a perfect example of that. Everything about this cover calls to me, it is utterly stunning, the various colors and the way they contrast & compliment each other is an absolute feast for my eyes. Whoever designed this cover should get mad props because I will literally be buying a copy of this just to own it, it’s that freaking beautiful!!

NOW. That being said, I’m just gonna come right out and say it, I didn’t love this. You basically get thrown into the story and are forced to find your footing as you go along, only I never fully got there. Things just felt disorganized & unrealized, just when I felt like I was on solid ground, it would get pulled out from underneath me and I’d get thrown down some other path that I had to rationalize or make sense of! Very tense. Edge of your seat kinda thing.

The author is not without talent here (in my opinion) but the characterizations & dialogue could have used some help!!!

This was not a bad book, but nor was it a great one either. There were some impressive moments but they were and far between and peppered in during unexpectedly inopportune times. I also really wanted to like these characters and find something to relate to but unfortunately it was just a reach.

This was such an immersive experience I'm having trouble finding words to describe it. I didn't know I had an issue with book series splitting their worldbuilding into multiple books until I finished this and realized what a richly packed story it is in just one book.

Fetter's mother ripped his shadow away from him at birth and raised him to be the perfect weapon to destroy his sainted, all powerful father. He now roams the city of Bright Doors, Luriat, shadowless, unaffected by gravity and attending group meetings with the fellow unchosen.

Chandrasekera writes in a visually immersive, polished and absolutely beautiful voice. This is one of those debuts where the author comes out guns blazing with a consistent, polished narration and I loved every second of it. He's able to evoke feeling without overexplaining and with just a few words gave me heart palpitations and made me genuinely scared in multiple spots. I can't go into detail without spoiling but there were parallels with one of my favorite books (coincidentally from the same publisher) that made me put my kindle down for a moment (in a good way).

I loved Fetter. He was real, relatable and I just fall for any character whose inner monologue gets a little petty on occasion. The worldbuilding was rich and satisfying to learn about and again, I found myself suprised at it being just enough considering it's not part of a series. (Do I need to stop reading series for a bit? Maybe.) It was chock full of interesting and unique concepts and overall a fun time.

That brings me to pacing as the only thing I had issues with. It felt a bit choppy and slow in some places, and left me confused about the stakes. In the end it did get wrapped up and explained so I honestly can't complain much.

If you're like me and love lush worldbuilding and to really get lost in a book, I highly recommend The Saint of Bright Doors.

Thank you to tordotcom and NetGalley for this advanced reader copy.

I absolutely loved The Saint of Bright Doors by Vajra Chandrasekera!
Its was really well written and the story was so unique!
It was such a good fantasy story and I'm definitely really excited to see what the author writes next!
I highly recommend this book!
Thank you for giving me the opportunity to read this book in exchange for an honest review.

Some very interesting concepts in this book…. Fantasy themes with doors and devils! Thank you to #netgalley for the opportunity of an early read

Stunning and unique world building made this a four star read for me.

The image of a city about to topple is one of my favorite fantasy building Tropes and the hook was written beautifully.

I was in rapture with the political plot that reminded me a little of Chakraborty's City Of Brass.

An absolute masterclass in worldbuilding. This book entranced me from page one. I'm obsessed with the author's style, with the way he invites us to visit this very real world. It's surreal and strange, a world that could be ours (they have phones and planes and even the UN) but retains the mystical. I honestly can't put my thoughts together to form a coherent review, as this really was a unique reading experience unlike anything I've read before.

This is one of those books that you pick up on a whim and it knocks your head clean off. It is unable to guess what is coming, as it really is that strange but also wonderful.

The book centres around a young man, born with the unique gift of "floating" and who has his shadow removed by his Mother. It is set in South Asia (I think - sorry if I am wrong) or at least a version of that region of the world, a world that is quite alternate to our own. He is raised to be a killer, with the ultimate goal of killing his Father who had walked out on them. He ends up in the City of Bright Doors and then... well, all manner of magic happens.

If you want a book that challenges all manner of wisdoms, that explores feelings that you may not want too, then this book is for you. Even if you think this is not your type of thing.

This was not the book I was expecting from the first chapter. Chandrasekera sets up a tale of generational retribution and mesmerizing supernatural intrigue. Fetter has been named and raised by his mother for the sole purpose of killing his all-powerful father, a sainted and unkillable religious icon. However, Fetter's life veers off course when he departs for the cosmopolitan city of Luriat and becomes entranced by the mystery of its brightly painted doors that never open and and cause strange physical reactions. What I was anticipating as a high-action revenge thriller, the story reveals itself as a slow-burn political allegory, no less fascinating but not quite as bombastic. Luriat's eldritch dystopian government and endless cycle of plagues and pogroms is a fascinating case study of a world on the brink of revolution, and Fetter serves as a guide and interpreter for the various corners and hierarchies of the city. As enthralling as the story was, I found myself drawn in by some of the details that were given less attention, such as the frightening demons scouring the streets that only Fetter can see. For example, there is a brief interlude after Fetter is tossed in prison during which he encounters and "exorcises" a demon from a person - this was one of favorite parts, wonderfully spine-chilling, but wasn't paid much attention following the end of the subplot.