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A review by thenovelmaura
Seven Faceless Saints by M.K. Lobb
dark
mysterious
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.0
Thank you so much to the NOVL for sending me an ARC of this book in exchange for an honest review! This is a tough review to write, because there are elements of this book that I really enjoyed and ones that just didn't work for me. On the positive side of things, the mystery plotline and the gothic/horror elements were intriguing and kept me turning pages. The pacing was good, and while I did guess the murderer before the grand reveal, I still enjoyed how all of the clues started stacking up throughout the story. I also appreciated the LGBTQIA+ rep from the main characters; Roz is bisexual and Damian is demiromantic (and this doesn't even include some of the minor characters).
On a more negative note, I wish the magic system had been explored more, especially since it was the foundation of their economy and the root of their societal rebellion. A key message of the book is that religious beliefs and faith are bad, which I'm not against, per se, but I don't think this discussion was done very well or with any finesse (cue Roz bludgeoning Damian over the head with a club that says "your faith is a lie" on it).
My main issue was that Roz and Damian's interactions contained so much angst that it detracted from everything else. There was a ton of yearning that alternated with "she hates me/I hate him so I shouldn't be thinking this" and almost every chapter ended with a bit of flowery prose about the love or the hate. I think some readers will love this, especially those who are drawn to the childhood sweethearts trope, but it was just too much for me and I wasn't fully convinced by their insistence that this was some grand romance. This debut has a lot of potential and some really good qualities; overall it wasn't the best fit for me!
On a more negative note, I wish the magic system had been explored more, especially since it was the foundation of their economy and the root of their societal rebellion. A key message of the book is that religious beliefs and faith are bad, which I'm not against, per se, but I don't think this discussion was done very well or with any finesse (cue Roz bludgeoning Damian over the head with a club that says "your faith is a lie" on it).
My main issue was that Roz and Damian's interactions contained so much angst that it detracted from everything else. There was a ton of yearning that alternated with "she hates me/I hate him so I shouldn't be thinking this" and almost every chapter ended with a bit of flowery prose about the love or the hate. I think some readers will love this, especially those who are drawn to the childhood sweethearts trope, but it was just too much for me and I wasn't fully convinced by their insistence that this was some grand romance. This debut has a lot of potential and some really good qualities; overall it wasn't the best fit for me!
Content Warnings
Graphic: Blood, Violence, and Death
Moderate: War, Alcoholism, and Sexual content
Minor: Self harm
PTSD, see author website for full list of content warnings