Wicked Saints
Ratings54
Average rating3.4
Ugh, nog een boek dat ik beter niet had uitgelezen.In plaats daarvan heb ik me er doorheen geworsteld, ondanks dat niets me aantrok aan de personages, die zowel flets als onorigineel waren, en gans hun verhaal me geen moer kon schelen.Het vrouwelijk hoofdpersonage was een enorme zaag (het aantal keer ze verzuchte dat iets niet eerlijk was, jeetje) en haar wispelturigheid over haar gevoelens was zo repetitief en totaal ongeloofwaardig. Ondanks haar interessante krachten, deed ze eigenlijk weinig, anders dan een hulpmiddel zijn bij het opzetten van de twee mannelijke personages , wiens namen, trouwens, voor mij al verklapten wat de grote plottwist ging zijn, die me uiteindelijk ook helemaal niks deed: Mal = kwaadaardig; Serefin = engel = goed/beter.De andere personages waren nog fletser en vloeiden allemaal in elkaar over, de ene met een nog moeilijkere naam dan de andere.De wereld en magie hadden wel een aantal coole concepten, maar er was bitter weinig basis, opbouw of enige vorm van motivering, zoals bijvoorbeeld het ontstaan van de oorlog. Kortom, voor mij een onvolledig, ongefundeerd, gehaast en saai verhaal, dat een beetje te veel naar [b:The Grisha Trilogy 27280362 The Grisha Trilogy (The Shadow and Bone Trilogy, #1-3) Leigh Bardugo https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1445967108l/27280362.SX50.jpg 47335535] heeft gekeken.
what can i say other than it's just a bunch of popular YA books mixed together
stayed up til 10 AM (aka ten til 11 AM) reading this lmao. i literally don't know what i'm supposed to do now. go to bed?? nahhh not after that. fuck lmao i screwed over my sleep schedule for this and if it was below a five star i'd be rioting. worth it ig.
DNF at 57%
I just could not get into this. Maybe I am too old for this style of YA fantasy, but I found the characters beyond insufferable. Especially the protagonist.
Fast passed, utterly riveting, couldn't put it down. This was such a fun read. On to the next one.
I am devastated. I don't even think I'll be able to pick up Ruthless Gods before having processed the last three chapters of this book and it's epilogue.
I've never felt so betrayed by a character as I've been by Malachiasz. I kinda want to think I felt like Nadya when reading those last chapters.
It was like I saw it coming, but I also didn't want to believe it, CAUSE I HAD FAITH. I had faith in him and now here we are. I'd be crying, but I much rather scream at the book to let that fristration out.
That's it. I have nothing left to say. I just need to get rid of the book hangover this is giving me to pick up Ruthless Gods.
When I first picked up this book I had a hard time getting invested in the story. You are immediately thrown into action with vague references to clerics and princes and power- which made it hard to sympathize with the protagonist at first. The book does progress nicely and the characters develop into more complex individuals, allowing me to become eventually invested in their stories. I will say, I thought that this was going to follow the typical YA novel “troubled boy and innocent girl are paired together to save the world” plot- and while it does to some degree, there were definitely plot twists that left me reeling.
This book was so hard for me to get through, I don't know if it was because I was listening to it on audible but it was so meh and not at all the must read that people have made it out to be.
I really wanted to like it, but I just couldn't care less for the characters or the plot in general. :c
Loved this!
I loved the dark atmosphere the three wonderfully flawed characters and the heartbreak and hope we are left with in the end. I cannot wait for Ruthless Gods!
This review can also be found on my site Behind the Pages: Wicked Saints
Nadya is the last of the Kalyazin clerics. Gifted with the ability to speak with her Gods and ask them for their holy power. She is a powerful divine magic user, the first to be able to speak with multiple Gods. Serefin is the High Prince of Tranavia. A powerful blood mage bent on winning the war against the Kalyazin's and eradicating their beliefs forever. Malachiasz is a powerful, but broken boy. One who is running away from a dark filled with monsters. Each of them will be linked to the utter destruction or salvation of their people.
Blood. Death. Vicious magic. Wicked Saints is a force to be reckoned with, it will pull you into its harsh embrace and refuse to let you go. Each character has such a strong belief in what they do and how to create a better world. With so many conflicting viewpoints and emotions, this is a roller coaster of action as they each try to fulfill their desires. In each of their perfect worlds, the other culture is eradicated.
The conflicts, the divided beliefs, the nonstop tension throughout this novel was so captivating! There was never a dull moment, never a change in pace from start to finish. I loved every bit of this book. From the explosive beginning to the earth shattering end. And the magic systems were so clever. One required the use of your blood, while the other depended on blind devotion.
I have so many questions that I need to be answered! Emily A. Duncan leaves you on a high point at the end, and you'll crave the next installment of Something Dark and Holy. I certainly do!
Setting: a fancy restaurant
At Rise: a Woman sits trying to catch the attention of a well dressed waiter without being too demanding or rude
WAITER
Yes, Madame, how can I help you?
WOMAN
I just—I think there's been a mistake. You see, I ordered Wicked Saints, and I received . . . this.
[gestures to the book with obvious distaste]
WAITER
As you can see, Madame, it says Wicked Saints right there on the cover.
WOMAN
I know. I know! It's just—it was described as “devastatingly Gothic?” And—just, there's no transgression against the natural order, let alone a price to pay for it. No subversion of the romantic paradigm? There's no Edenic state of bliss to return to! Where's the atonement? Maybe you could say Nadya has forbidden knowledge being able to talk to all the gods, but that's just a thing she can do. There's no price for any of this. Do you see what I'm saying? And if these are what passing for Byronic heroes, these days, well, I shudder to think of the state of poor Lord Byron's corpse.
WAITER
I'm sorry it did not meet madame's expectations.
WOMAN
It's hardly your fault that the copywriter apparently confused Gothic with Slavic. Although the wordbuilding is so slapdash that it seems quite the insult to say so. The Slavic countries have such a wonderful rich history and are so often ignored by the fantasy genre. It's such a shame that this is the representation they get. Shaking a few Eastern European names over a generic, underdeveloped fantasy land doesn't really season the pierogi—if you will excuse my turn of phrase.
WAITER
Of course, madame.
WOMAN
And now there's an underdeveloped romance, and the female lead loses all her agency as soon as the love interest shows up. And I just—it's too much. I can't do it.
WAITER
You have our deepest apologies. Allow me to remove this and to fetch a menu so that you may choose something more to your taste.
WOMAN
Oh. Thank you. That would be wonderful.
Even with the difficult names I thoroughly loved this dark, magical fantasy. The writing was done very well and was easy to follow. I am definitely reading the next in this series.
Initial Thoughts: This book took me a bit to get into, but once I did I found it highly enjoyable and I really loved how the three characters stories intersected. Wicked Saints has Russian inspirations and as such, it was hard to get adjusted to the names at first. I was listening to the audiobook, which I think helped but it was still hard to remember who was who. The “magic” in this book was fascinating between the blood and the spellbooks and I really hope we can explore this further in future books. One thing this book had that really irked me was the epigraphs at the beginning of each chapter. I do not think they were at all necessary to the story and at times made the story more confusing (part of this could be because I was listening to the audiobook, but I think the audiobook is what helped with the names). I definitely will be continuing this trilogy but I am apprehensive since I think there is a huge risk of this trilogy falling short and turning very disappointing.
3.5 stars
I was really excited about this book as soon as I heard about it. I loved the blurb, and the cover is fantastic.
A girl who talks to the Gods is the only hope of stopping the war with the godless Tranavia. That should be enough to get you to read the book.
I was very conflicted in rating this one. I really enjoyed it, but I hate the good girl meets bad boy trope. Everything else was great, but that was a major downer for me. That being said, I still plan to continue the series because there is so much that didn't get resolved.
I received a copy from Net Galley. All thoughts and opinions are 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.
TW: Self harm, Parental abuse
This book was already on many bloggers' most anticipated lists because the author seems to have been famous on tumblr and all her followers have been with her on her journey of completing her debut novel. So, even though I wasn't one of them, learning that this book has some sort of Grisha Trilogy vibes, especially a romance between the heroine and (possibly) villain that we never got in the trilogy, I was very intrigued to read it. And I have to say, despite being very bloody and dark for my tastes, it's a compelling new fantasy world with fascinating characters who impressed me a lot.
This is a story of war, politics and religion - with a whole lot of blood involved. While we all have read many fantasy novels with kingdoms fighting each other and the female MC is destined to save her kingdom, I personally have never read a book whose foundation is a holy war and all the characters are very deeply religious in their own way. The author uses the conversations between the characters and their monologues to give us both the perspectives of the religious god fearing Kalyazin and the heretical blood magic using Tranavians - and the beauty of the writing is that we as readers see our loyalties shifting between both the sides until we are unsure who is worthy of our support. Emily is greatly skilled at writing action packed, violent and bloody sequences because I didn't feel turned off by them. The pacing can feel off at times, because it starts off with a great action sequence which then follows into a slower paced journey. However, the interactions between the characters, the political intrigue and the spectacular climax make up for any other issues.
Nadya is a very sheltered girl when we meet her in the beginning. She only knows that her power to wield magic by communicating with the pantheon of gods has made her a target and she needs to survive to save Kalyazin in the war. However, as she meets the rebel gang and especially the Tranavian blood mage Malachiasz, she starts questioning her own devotion to her gods and her hatred towards the enemy kingdom, if she is ruthless enough to follow the gods' orders and if they truly have the best intentions for her kingdom. She also fights her attraction to Malachiasz every step of the way, because he is the epitome of the monsters who were created to kill someone like her. I absolutely loved their push and pull, the constant tug between light and darkness, how they felt drawn towards each other despite knowing that it probably wouldn't end well for either of them. I can't wait to see what more the author has in store for them in the future.
Serefin is a very powerful blood mage and the High Prince of Tranavia, a general of the army who has seen too many horrors at a very young age and tries to drown his sorrows in alcohol. Being at war for too long has made him realize that it is destroying his country and he just wants to find a better way for his people. However, conspiracies abound back at the palace and he is constantly on the lookout for who is coming for him. I wanted to hate him because the book starts with him trying to kill Nadya but as the story progressed, I realized he was only doing what he thought was best and he wasn't the bad guy after all. His character arc is marred by betrayals at every step and I'm even more excited to know where the author takes his story next. The book also some excellent side characters in Rashid, Parijahan, Ostyia and Kacper who are loyal and steadfast and I definitely don't think the main characters would be so strong or survive their circumstances without these friends by their sides. I wish to see more of them in the sequel and hopefully, we'll get to know more of their backstories too.
Overall, this is a very strong debut and I highly recommend it if you don't mind your fantasy novels to be quite bloody and gory and violent. As promoted, it will definitely appeal to Leigh Bardugo fans with its Russian and Polish inspired world building and the Alina/Darkling vibes. This book also given me one of those ships whom I would die for with my whole heart and it'll probably only end in tears for me but I won't have it any other way. Such a great start to a series and I can't believe I have to wait for more than an year for the next one... Why do these books torture us so 😭😭😭