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A review by sweetsxrrxw
The Six Deaths of the Saint by Alix E. Harrow
dark
emotional
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.25
i usually never pick up dark fantasy books because they're simply not my cup of tea. however, over a year ago, one of my twitter mutuals made a thread about short books she liked and since i trust her taste, i added this one to my tbr and it has been shelved until today.
in short, i think it's a great book and, because its length, maybe the best thing to do is just dive in blindly. if you're anything like me, you probably won't care much about the medieval setting and the war plot... but i promise it's worth it to keep on reading.
it was mind-blowing to realize, alongside the main character, how she was stuck in a time-loop and that she was the little girl, the devil and the saint. it genuinely has to be one of the best plots i've ever read.
maybe it's a bit of a cliché but i'd be lying if i said i did not enjoy the few romantic crumbles i got 😭 because wdym the mc had nightmares on the daily and could have accidentally killed gwynne every night while dreaming but he never batted an eye because he knew she would never hurt him 💔💔
and of course, it was interesting to see the prince's growth and how that impacted the relationship the mc had with him. she would literally kill anyone to be appreciated by someone who is beloved and respected by so many people. while he eventually becomes king, emperor, and then god, she slowly realizes that relationship is straight up abusive. he does not love her and doesn't care if she gets hurt, as long as she's okay enough to be of use. she keeps looking back at all the mistakes she has made, at all the valuable details she has overlooked and thinks she can't do anything about it. until she finally has the chance to do so.
sure, maybe altogether it's just a tale as old as time: what you really desire and what you keep fighting for might not always be what's best for you. maybe sometimes, in order to end the loop, you must choose the tragic path you have once despised so much. but the way the author wrote all of this story just makes it all so fresh and surprising.
in short, i think it's a great book and, because its length, maybe the best thing to do is just dive in blindly. if you're anything like me, you probably won't care much about the medieval setting and the war plot... but i promise it's worth it to keep on reading.
maybe it's a bit of a cliché but i'd be lying if i said i did not enjoy the few romantic crumbles i got 😭 because wdym the mc had nightmares on the daily and could have accidentally killed gwynne every night while dreaming but he never batted an eye because he knew she would never hurt him 💔💔
and of course, it was interesting to see the prince's growth and how that impacted the relationship the mc had with him. she would literally kill anyone to be appreciated by someone who is beloved and respected by so many people. while he eventually becomes king, emperor, and then god, she slowly realizes that relationship is straight up abusive. he does not love her and doesn't care if she gets hurt, as long as she's okay enough to be of use. she keeps looking back at all the mistakes she has made, at all the valuable details she has overlooked and thinks she can't do anything about it. until she finally has the chance to do so.
sure, maybe altogether it's just a tale as old as time: what you really desire and what you keep fighting for might not always be what's best for you. maybe sometimes, in order to end the loop, you must choose the tragic path you have once despised so much. but the way the author wrote all of this story just makes it all so fresh and surprising.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Death, Violence, Murder, and War
Moderate: Blood and Injury/Injury detail
Minor: Child abuse