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kaje_harper 's review for:
Wicked Gentlemen
by Ginn Hale
Once, long ago, the fallen angels who had chosen to rule in hell as demons changed their minds. They ascended to the human world and accepted an offer from the Inquisition to wash them clean of sin and begin again. And so they rose, terrible and beautiful, with powers and strengths beyond the merely human, and were cleansed with holy silver and fire... it was not a great success.
Their ancestors now coexist with humans in an uneasy relationship. The Prodigals are almost human, except for their black nails and light-sensitive eyes, their teeth and ears and diluted, variable powers. And except for their rights, which are almost nonexistent. Most live in a dark ghetto below the city, while those who live among humans are often despised and sometimes victimized. Any small step out of line can mean a trip to the halls of the Inquisition, where there is no compassion, precious little justice, and infinite amounts of cold, dispassionate, fanatical persecution.
Belimai Sykes is a Prodigal, once broken under the torture of the inquisition, but still with a few skills and powers of his own. Captain William Harper is a member of the Inquisition, who seeks out Balimai for help with a series of murders related to the abduction of his half-sister.
At first glance these two seem like unlikely allies, let alone lovers. But Harper's reasons for joining the Inquisition are not what you might expect, and in the course of the investigation both men find they have things in common, even if at first they are little more than an overexposure to violence, the tendency to use drink to forget, and a passion for other men. Later it becomes more complicated.
This book is written in three sections, the first in Belimai's first person voice, the second in Harper's deep third POV, and an ending with Belimai again. Both styles are satisfying, although I particularly enjoy Belimai's voice. These are both fascinating characters, slowly revealed throughout the story. The world-building is wonderful, creating a Dickensian City with fantasy elements, layered and textured and complete. Enough detail is given to make the situation clear, and yet never too much so the narrative flows unimpeded. There is a deep sense of frustration and anger at the abuse of power and the lack of justice within the upper echelons of both City and Inquisition. The romance is muted and slow to develop, but rich and real by the end.
Their ancestors now coexist with humans in an uneasy relationship. The Prodigals are almost human, except for their black nails and light-sensitive eyes, their teeth and ears and diluted, variable powers. And except for their rights, which are almost nonexistent. Most live in a dark ghetto below the city, while those who live among humans are often despised and sometimes victimized. Any small step out of line can mean a trip to the halls of the Inquisition, where there is no compassion, precious little justice, and infinite amounts of cold, dispassionate, fanatical persecution.
Belimai Sykes is a Prodigal, once broken under the torture of the inquisition, but still with a few skills and powers of his own. Captain William Harper is a member of the Inquisition, who seeks out Balimai for help with a series of murders related to the abduction of his half-sister.
At first glance these two seem like unlikely allies, let alone lovers. But Harper's reasons for joining the Inquisition are not what you might expect, and in the course of the investigation both men find they have things in common, even if at first they are little more than an overexposure to violence, the tendency to use drink to forget, and a passion for other men. Later it becomes more complicated.
This book is written in three sections, the first in Belimai's first person voice, the second in Harper's deep third POV, and an ending with Belimai again. Both styles are satisfying, although I particularly enjoy Belimai's voice. These are both fascinating characters, slowly revealed throughout the story. The world-building is wonderful, creating a Dickensian City with fantasy elements, layered and textured and complete. Enough detail is given to make the situation clear, and yet never too much so the narrative flows unimpeded. There is a deep sense of frustration and anger at the abuse of power and the lack of justice within the upper echelons of both City and Inquisition. The romance is muted and slow to develop, but rich and real by the end.