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3.5 AVERAGE
3.5 AVERAGE
Took me a bit to get into it and fully understand what was happening and how things worked. Also the timeframe felt a little wibbly wobbly, but boy howdy, once things picked up they just kept going and I love when that happens.
My original guess to solve the murder mystery was very wrong, and I guessed wrong a bunch more times till I guessed right. I’m definitely interested to see what happens in the next book to answer some questions that didn’t get resolved in this book.
Was it perfect? No. But I definitely enjoyed it.
My original guess to solve the murder mystery was very wrong, and I guessed wrong a bunch more times till I guessed right. I’m definitely interested to see what happens in the next book to answer some questions that didn’t get resolved in this book.
Was it perfect? No. But I definitely enjoyed it.
My interpreted trigger warnings for the book: war, multiple types of PTSD, abusive/neglectful parents, anndddd ritualistic murder. People die.
I enjoyed this read, though there wasn’t too much in the way of humor — it’s a serious read. It is most definitely YA, which I may or may not be “growing too old for” haha. A significant amount of the relationship disharmony create that irksome feeling of “If y’all just TALKED…”
So there are two main characters who have a POV: Roz and Damian. It’s in third person, thank goodness. I’m pretty sick of books that have multiple voices in first person. They knew each other as kids and their paths cross again sometime after Damian returns from the war.
The magic system is mysterious and not a copy-paste of ‘old school’ fantasy, and I enjoyed the Italian flavor of the world as it was displayed so far, though I don’t know enough about Italian culture to say whether the book does any of it justice. The magic is divided by six (previously seven) saints from whom the gifted receive their magic from. Ho hum, people without magic are second class citizens.
They also have pistols and other types of more modern weaponry, which I would date to maybe WWI era? The world built is dark, but at the same time refreshingly not swords and horses. It reminded me of Brian McClellen’s books (Powder Mage, etc), mainly in that it’s a fantasy world set in a less common technological era.
One big unopened box of the book is the war “up north” that sends back traumatized and crippled soldiers. I think the book did a decent job of showing the various facets of PTSD and that it can manifest in any number of ways.
That said, we know very little about the war, and I’m guessing the sphere of narration will increase to include that in the next book. I’m a little concerned that I won’t enjoy the next book as much, where the scope of succeeding books get larger and makes the previous book feel almost discredited in its influence or importance. (Example: the Divergent series). But, that is a potentially unfair assumption and I should shut my mouth now hahaha.
I’ll leave with this: the end of the book had the normal / expected “tidying up” after the climax, but why in the world wasn’t Ros’s mom mentioned??
I enjoyed this read, though there wasn’t too much in the way of humor — it’s a serious read. It is most definitely YA, which I may or may not be “growing too old for” haha. A significant amount of the relationship disharmony create that irksome feeling of “If y’all just TALKED…”
So there are two main characters who have a POV: Roz and Damian. It’s in third person, thank goodness. I’m pretty sick of books that have multiple voices in first person. They knew each other as kids and their paths cross again sometime after Damian returns from the war.
The magic system is mysterious and not a copy-paste of ‘old school’ fantasy, and I enjoyed the Italian flavor of the world as it was displayed so far, though I don’t know enough about Italian culture to say whether the book does any of it justice. The magic is divided by six (previously seven) saints from whom the gifted receive their magic from. Ho hum, people without magic are second class citizens.
They also have pistols and other types of more modern weaponry, which I would date to maybe WWI era? The world built is dark, but at the same time refreshingly not swords and horses. It reminded me of Brian McClellen’s books (Powder Mage, etc), mainly in that it’s a fantasy world set in a less common technological era.
One big unopened box of the book is the war “up north” that sends back traumatized and crippled soldiers. I think the book did a decent job of showing the various facets of PTSD and that it can manifest in any number of ways.
That said, we know very little about the war, and I’m guessing the sphere of narration will increase to include that in the next book. I’m a little concerned that I won’t enjoy the next book as much, where the scope of succeeding books get larger and makes the previous book feel almost discredited in its influence or importance. (Example: the Divergent series). But, that is a potentially unfair assumption and I should shut my mouth now hahaha.
I’ll leave with this: the end of the book had the normal / expected “tidying up” after the climax, but why in the world wasn’t Ros’s mom mentioned??
medium-paced
It was boring… the two main characters are interesting but didn’t have me rooting for them to rekindle their romance, the entire book is them finding clues and evidence for murders they don’t solve, and I guessed the main plot twists by page 70. I definitely think other people should give it a shot, especially if you like a slower pace and an extremely dominant female in your romance books though!
Content Warnings
Graphic: Death, Mental illness, Violence, Blood, Grief, Death of parent, Murder, War
Moderate: Suicide
Meh - it was a bit slow paced and I didn’t find myself latching onto any of the characters. I didn’t care too much about what happened to them or if the romance would continue. I’m not sure why, either. The writing isn’t bad. It’s just missing the emotional attachment aspect, I think. I can’t put my finger on it.
The idea was interesting but just not fully executed, and I think that had a lot to do with the character development.
The idea was interesting but just not fully executed, and I think that had a lot to do with the character development.
I was intrigued by the premise of the book but it fell a little flat for me. Both Roz and Damien came off as too one dimensional and the religious component of the story wasn’t well developed. This story would be essentially the same if there were no saints and it was just ‘rebels against a government that favors magical people over non-magical people’
Damien had a lot of potential with his arc - totally believing in your religion/saints and realizing they maybe aren’t real or ‘watching’? That’s great. I think coming to terms with that could have been interesting but all we got was that he would have been embarrassed to find out he was praying and no one was listening? Little shallow. And Roz could have been a bit more developed too. I’m happy she’s a badass but she was right about everything from the start and didn’t really have to battle with any of her morals? She didn’t kill her lovers dad but big deal.
I do love a man who totally completely simps for his woman though so
Damien had a lot of potential with his arc - totally believing in your religion/saints and realizing they maybe aren’t real or ‘watching’? That’s great. I think coming to terms with that could have been interesting but all we got was that he would have been embarrassed to find out he was praying and no one was listening? Little shallow. And Roz could have been a bit more developed too. I’m happy she’s a badass but she was right about everything from the start and didn’t really have to battle with any of her morals? She didn’t kill her lovers dad but big deal.
I do love a man who totally completely simps for his woman though so
People who hate this book are just mad bc they know they couldn't write a better murder mystery. This book kept me guessing and it kept my interest the whole time!! I am SO EXCITED for the second!!
Once again I have been seduced by a cover, unfortunately Seven Faceless Saints isn’t nearly as badass as the cover art, it’s not gritty, it’s a lesson in ya 101 and I’m very sad.
Roz is a character I like, frustratingly while this book has 2 main characters and narratives, it doesn’t feel equal. You will learn a lot about Damien, his thoughts and feelings etc, but Roz, at least for me, is more likeable, more complex and more interesting and is not used enough. So while I liked Roz, she doesn’t necessarily feel real, her feelings aren’t explored, she isn’t given layers at all. She’s randomly bi, she cares for her ill other then her mother just stops featuring, and while I love a strong woman, Roz is a little too infallible, she’s like a caricature of a strong woman, she has pain but it’s not dwelled on, she gets things done, she takes no bs etc. I craved more vulnerability and exploration from Roz’s POV.
Roz has hardened over the years since her father was killed for being a deserter. She was in a relationship with Damien but when her father was killed and Damien, fighting on the front line, just stopped talking to her (rant to come), it changed her. She has become disillusioned, she is a disciple of Patience, inheriting the gifts of the saint, and yet resents people like father, not touched by the saints, are treated as less and sent to war. Roz is now a rebel (aka a pointless plot), working with people without the Saints gifts to try break the system, she’s also trying to solve the murders of a number of people, including her friends sister, who are not being investigated because they’re treated as if they don’t matter. And this need for justice leads her to put her anger aside and work with Damien.
Roz has just reason to be angry, to be closed off, she’s impulsive but actually always (literally) right so it’s ok, she is blunt and a pretty fun character. Frustratingly Roz’s conflicts are just not explored enough; her conflict between Damien and working with the rebels or her mother who never recovered - she is all anger and lust.
Now there’s Damien, Damien the spineless, passive, self pitying hypocrite, as you can tell, I’m not a big fan, which might be surprising as looking at other reviews Roz seems more unpopular. Damien is described as soft, he’s meant to be nice, righteous and of course, you have sympathy that the war, the trauma he experienced there, his father and his insecurities about being unflavoured by the saints have left a mark on him, an emotional scar in fact. But the boy is written so beaten that it starts to grate the longer the self pity goes on. While Roz is written on the attack near constantly, Damien is on the defence. He had the potential to be an interesting character but he is so one track. It literally takes 2/3 of the book for Damien to realise that while he resented deserters, his father pulling him out of war while others fought and died, is no different. He is desperate not to be sent back to war, which is understandable, because he’s scared, it was horrifying - and yet when talking about Roz’s father who deserted he goes “did you think he was special?”. C’mon dude, you literally got special treatment and you’re defending the set-up and man who sent you there.
If Roz says anything bad about his father, he’s defends him, he says she’s biased to think he’s involved in the murders (because of that time he murdered her father…cough). His father treats him poorly, his father looks down on people, his father lies or avoids questions to his face, Roz even gives him evidence to show what a bad guy he is and he still is in denial. And yes, family relationships, parental love, can be complex but it’s not written complex.
Damien’s naivety played a part in the death of Roz’s father as he reported his absence when he deserted, not only this but he then just never spoke to Roz again, never told her he was safe on the front line fighting, just left her to grieve alone, grieve twice in many ways because she didn’t know he was safe either. I mean it’s an awful situation, what could he said to her, but out of fear he said nothing, her pain be damned. He is still so wrapped up in his own guilt and how bad he feels for hurting and (ironically) deserting Roz, that when the 2 have to work together, it’s all about making HIM feel better for hurting HER. Roz owes him nothing, he aided in destroying her life (whether he meant to or not) and then walked away because he was too cowardly to face her and for years she has been filled with hurt, anger and betrayal, all while caring for her mother who is a shell following the death of her husband. And now Roz has to take care of Damien and his hurt feelings and I genuinely have no idea how a romance comes out of this emotionally one sided couple.
Damien knows Roz is (justifiably) angry, he knows she owes him nothing, and yet he is so wrapped up in needing to be forgiven, needing to unload some of his guilt, needing reassurance and to be close to her, he comes to her, he brings up the past, he holds her hand, he rests his head on her stomach and tries to hug her after telling he reported her father … it’s painfully self involved how much comforts he seeks and needs from someone whose life he helped ruin. Damien’s needs and trauma are just prioritised more and it’s frustrating. An example is after Roz saves Damien from a situation, y’know the guy who avoided her for 4 years and only just revealed he’s the one who basically gave his father the head start to catch and kill her father. Anyway, the guy who doesn’t talk to the girl he loves for years has the audacity, after she risks everything to save him, “if you’re ready to talk, stay. If not, then by all means, go home” - because Damien’s needs matter more. Oh and, from the guy who ghosted her, again, “tell me how often you thought of me”, y’know, stroke my ego and reassure me about how much you wanted me when I threw you away. Another fun example is how in a matter of pages someone Roz loves is killed, when it’s mentioned to Damien ‘the news scarcely registered’, when he then finds Roz she tells him with her voice shaking, that this person was killed and she failed to save them. And yet ‘Dorian didn’t immediately realise who she was talking about and he was too stunned to ask’. And yet, AND YET, “we both know the only person you’ll ever put first is yourself”. This coming from the guy who literally stalked Roz and climbed up her wall to see her taking care of her Mum. This coming from the guy who repeatedly ignored hearing about someone murdered.
To add to this, it never really feels like Roz loves Damien or has missed him. Looking at Damien she can see the ‘her’ before her life was ruined, the girl who loved a boy, had a healthy mother and a doting father. When Roz looks at Damien she can hold onto the past for comfort and safety. And likewise for a Damien when he looks at Roz, a boy before war, innocent and unscarred. It comes over unhealthy and I didn’t feel it all, too much has changed between them, they have changed and all they have is the past (and the past versions of themselves they cling to) and physical attraction (which is referred to randomly at times). Damien even comes across a lot like beyond these factors, he struggles to tolerate Roz, he dislikes her methods (even though he achieved squat bumbling around before she got involved in the case), her strong headed-ness, her beliefs and understandable bitterness on their society. For a guy who talks constantly, he really struggles to listen, he doesn’t listen to Roz’s warnings, he goes into situations unprepared and he hates admitting Roz is right which makes him reckless.
Plot wise, the world building concept with the saints and the disciples is interesting, although it has a lot going on and only vaguely explored. However the story essentially becomes a murder plot which is less engaging and the reveal on the motive, or rather the Saint it relates to, comes out quite early with a reveal that is a little underwhelming. The last 15% of the book picks up, Damien actually stands for something and shows respect for Roz so that’s cute. But really it’s too little too late. The ending has real promise, while other elements are wrapped up too neatly, but I think there are just too many factors to put me off reading more. Ultimately if you like the characters (or at the very least don’t feel inspired to type up a rant) and the romance, this book could be good with potential, it just wasn’t for me.
Thank you Netgalley for the review copy I’m exchange for an honest review.
Roz is a character I like, frustratingly while this book has 2 main characters and narratives, it doesn’t feel equal. You will learn a lot about Damien, his thoughts and feelings etc, but Roz, at least for me, is more likeable, more complex and more interesting and is not used enough. So while I liked Roz, she doesn’t necessarily feel real, her feelings aren’t explored, she isn’t given layers at all. She’s randomly bi, she cares for her ill other then her mother just stops featuring, and while I love a strong woman, Roz is a little too infallible, she’s like a caricature of a strong woman, she has pain but it’s not dwelled on, she gets things done, she takes no bs etc. I craved more vulnerability and exploration from Roz’s POV.
Roz has hardened over the years since her father was killed for being a deserter. She was in a relationship with Damien but when her father was killed and Damien, fighting on the front line, just stopped talking to her (rant to come), it changed her. She has become disillusioned, she is a disciple of Patience, inheriting the gifts of the saint, and yet resents people like father, not touched by the saints, are treated as less and sent to war. Roz is now a rebel (aka a pointless plot), working with people without the Saints gifts to try break the system, she’s also trying to solve the murders of a number of people, including her friends sister, who are not being investigated because they’re treated as if they don’t matter. And this need for justice leads her to put her anger aside and work with Damien.
Roz has just reason to be angry, to be closed off, she’s impulsive but actually always (literally) right so it’s ok, she is blunt and a pretty fun character. Frustratingly Roz’s conflicts are just not explored enough; her conflict between Damien and working with the rebels or her mother who never recovered - she is all anger and lust.
Now there’s Damien, Damien the spineless, passive, self pitying hypocrite, as you can tell, I’m not a big fan, which might be surprising as looking at other reviews Roz seems more unpopular. Damien is described as soft, he’s meant to be nice, righteous and of course, you have sympathy that the war, the trauma he experienced there, his father and his insecurities about being unflavoured by the saints have left a mark on him, an emotional scar in fact. But the boy is written so beaten that it starts to grate the longer the self pity goes on. While Roz is written on the attack near constantly, Damien is on the defence. He had the potential to be an interesting character but he is so one track. It literally takes 2/3 of the book for Damien to realise that while he resented deserters, his father pulling him out of war while others fought and died, is no different. He is desperate not to be sent back to war, which is understandable, because he’s scared, it was horrifying - and yet when talking about Roz’s father who deserted he goes “did you think he was special?”. C’mon dude, you literally got special treatment and you’re defending the set-up and man who sent you there.
If Roz says anything bad about his father, he’s defends him, he says she’s biased to think he’s involved in the murders (because of that time he murdered her father…cough). His father treats him poorly, his father looks down on people, his father lies or avoids questions to his face, Roz even gives him evidence to show what a bad guy he is and he still is in denial. And yes, family relationships, parental love, can be complex but it’s not written complex.
Damien’s naivety played a part in the death of Roz’s father as he reported his absence when he deserted, not only this but he then just never spoke to Roz again, never told her he was safe on the front line fighting, just left her to grieve alone, grieve twice in many ways because she didn’t know he was safe either. I mean it’s an awful situation, what could he said to her, but out of fear he said nothing, her pain be damned. He is still so wrapped up in his own guilt and how bad he feels for hurting and (ironically) deserting Roz, that when the 2 have to work together, it’s all about making HIM feel better for hurting HER. Roz owes him nothing, he aided in destroying her life (whether he meant to or not) and then walked away because he was too cowardly to face her and for years she has been filled with hurt, anger and betrayal, all while caring for her mother who is a shell following the death of her husband. And now Roz has to take care of Damien and his hurt feelings and I genuinely have no idea how a romance comes out of this emotionally one sided couple.
Damien knows Roz is (justifiably) angry, he knows she owes him nothing, and yet he is so wrapped up in needing to be forgiven, needing to unload some of his guilt, needing reassurance and to be close to her, he comes to her, he brings up the past, he holds her hand, he rests his head on her stomach and tries to hug her after telling he reported her father … it’s painfully self involved how much comforts he seeks and needs from someone whose life he helped ruin. Damien’s needs and trauma are just prioritised more and it’s frustrating. An example is after Roz saves Damien from a situation, y’know the guy who avoided her for 4 years and only just revealed he’s the one who basically gave his father the head start to catch and kill her father. Anyway, the guy who doesn’t talk to the girl he loves for years has the audacity, after she risks everything to save him, “if you’re ready to talk, stay. If not, then by all means, go home” - because Damien’s needs matter more. Oh and, from the guy who ghosted her, again, “tell me how often you thought of me”, y’know, stroke my ego and reassure me about how much you wanted me when I threw you away. Another fun example is how in a matter of pages someone Roz loves is killed, when it’s mentioned to Damien ‘the news scarcely registered’, when he then finds Roz she tells him with her voice shaking, that this person was killed and she failed to save them. And yet ‘Dorian didn’t immediately realise who she was talking about and he was too stunned to ask’. And yet, AND YET, “we both know the only person you’ll ever put first is yourself”. This coming from the guy who literally stalked Roz and climbed up her wall to see her taking care of her Mum. This coming from the guy who repeatedly ignored hearing about someone murdered.
To add to this, it never really feels like Roz loves Damien or has missed him. Looking at Damien she can see the ‘her’ before her life was ruined, the girl who loved a boy, had a healthy mother and a doting father. When Roz looks at Damien she can hold onto the past for comfort and safety. And likewise for a Damien when he looks at Roz, a boy before war, innocent and unscarred. It comes over unhealthy and I didn’t feel it all, too much has changed between them, they have changed and all they have is the past (and the past versions of themselves they cling to) and physical attraction (which is referred to randomly at times). Damien even comes across a lot like beyond these factors, he struggles to tolerate Roz, he dislikes her methods (even though he achieved squat bumbling around before she got involved in the case), her strong headed-ness, her beliefs and understandable bitterness on their society. For a guy who talks constantly, he really struggles to listen, he doesn’t listen to Roz’s warnings, he goes into situations unprepared and he hates admitting Roz is right which makes him reckless.
Plot wise, the world building concept with the saints and the disciples is interesting, although it has a lot going on and only vaguely explored. However the story essentially becomes a murder plot which is less engaging and the reveal on the motive, or rather the Saint it relates to, comes out quite early with a reveal that is a little underwhelming. The last 15% of the book picks up, Damien actually stands for something and shows respect for Roz so that’s cute. But really it’s too little too late. The ending has real promise, while other elements are wrapped up too neatly, but I think there are just too many factors to put me off reading more. Ultimately if you like the characters (or at the very least don’t feel inspired to type up a rant) and the romance, this book could be good with potential, it just wasn’t for me.
Thank you Netgalley for the review copy I’m exchange for an honest review.
I really wish I had enjoyed this debut more since it was one of my most anticipated books for the year, but it just didn't do it for me. I could see myself picking up another of her books somewhere down the line to see how her writing grows, but for me, this particular book just didn't reach its full potential that was shining through at times. The first and last 20% were a gripping read for me, but I found myself feeling very disconnected through the middle 60%.