The instant New York Times-bestselling first instalment of a gothic, dark and bloody YA fantasy series Something Dark and Holy by Emily A. Duncan, which is definitely dark and has something holy in it. Rest assured that Wicked Saints will keep you on edge with intriguing blood magic, dark yet so divine power and a star-crossed romance.
“We’re all monsters. Some of us just hide it better than others.”
- Emily A. Duncan, Wicked Saints, p. 233
(picture coming soon)
Title: Wicked Saints
Series: Something Dark and Holy (#1)
Genre: YA Fantasy
Author: Emily A. Duncan
Publish Date: 2nd April 2019
Pages: 385
Personal Rating: 6/10
“Well, that was fun.” His face fell as he picked up on the energy in the room. “Maybe not fun?”
- Emily A. Duncan, Wicked Saints, p. 234
Bloody, bloodier, Wicked Saints.
From this day on I will think differently of a thin paper cut on my finger that draws blood. I will also have another opinion on tearing out pages of books, and of course I’ll have a whole new other perspective on the generic term “blood magic”.
The amount of blood that flowed in Wicked Saints is really remarkable and makes me question the human anatomy and blood household, except, the blood mages are in fact blood tanks then forget what you just read.
“Oh, like how you cut your arm open and bleed over everything? Very subtle.”
- Emily A. Duncan, Wicked Saints, p. 154
Summary
A girl who can speak to gods must save her people without destroying herself.
A prince in danger must decide who to trust.
A boy with a monstrous secret waits in the wings.
Together, they must assassinate the king and stop the war.
In a centuries-long war where beauty and brutality meet, their three paths entwine in a shadowy world of spilled blood and mysterious saints, where a forbidden romance threatens to tip the scales between dark and light. Wicked Saints is the thrilling start to Emily A. Duncan’s devastatingly Gothic Something Dark and Holy trilogy..
3 Reasons Why
Before I’ll list my three reasons why you should read this book, I have to put sort of a disclaimer on this book. If you’re not a big fan of a lot of bloody stuff going on and are not so fond of reading about people who cut themselves for sport, then you probably shouldn’t pick up this book. Wicked Saints is nothing for people who have a slight problem with abuse, self-harm, cruelty and blood.
For all the others – those blood-thirsty, morally questionable folks like me out there – here are the three reasons why you should read this book (though I rated it with only six out of ten).
Morally dubious main cast
Potential for intriguing and addictive otps/ romance
Wit
Even if the book is really, really bloody and dark (which I have about zero problem with) I have to give it to Emily A Duncan. She certainly is creative and has a blooming imagination.
“Saves me? Yes, I’m clearly trying not to die here, but I don’t think the witch is going to help.”
- Emily A. Duncan, Wicked Saints, p. 195
Content
Set in a Slavic-inspired world (which seems like a trend lately in the YA fantasy genre) Wicked Saints starts off with a succeeded opening, straight plunging us into the midst of a holy, century-long war between two kingdoms. And just like that high popped out of nowhere, it vanished into that nowhere, leaving chapter after chapter with stretching content that was neither gripping nor did it bother me at all. After a promising start Wicked Saints just didn’t deliver.
I was just happy when the action started to pick up again in the second half of the book, making me forget how tedious the first half was that could have been more fast-paced and concentrated on the gist.
“Your Highness, I was just coming to wake you,” Ostyia called. He blinked at the pair of soldiers who were crashing through the hall past her, shouting something about the end of the world. “I’m going back to bed,” he said.
- Emily A. Duncan, Wicked Saints, p. 48
Written in the third person POV from Nadezdha Lapteva and Serefin Melenki we gladly get a lot of variation in the conception of those two characters, and in the chapters told from Serefin’s perspective we get all the humour and wit that enrich this novel.
One of the buttress of Wicked Saints is the concept of magic that is displayed. The idea behind the blood magic and the gods that whisper in Nadya’s head is unique and contributes great elements in Emily A. Duncan’s book. I fell in love with it. Honestly, that’s the coolest shit I’ve read about blood magic; slicing open one’s hand, tearing out a blood page, smearing one’s blood on to it and off we go!
Duncan’s prose has great potential but hasn’t been exploited fully at this point. Passages could have been written more vividly, more lavish, and although the plot on a whole is amazing, the plot twists definitely need to be improved and edited. At the end of the book there are plot twists of plot twists and I really lost track of basically everything. I didn’t know anymore who though what exactly, and I was left rather flustered by all the revelations and lies and the too hard tried plot twists and whut…! For a short time I dread the bachelor trope but fortunately I was spared. Otherwise I would have defected with this book for good.
“I’ve spoken to Pelageya and the Crimson Vulture, and I have to admit I felt safer at the front.”
- Emily A. Duncan, Wicked Saints, p. 193
Honest Words
Bloody hell. That’s what this book is.
Wicked Saints is a novel rich in magic, darkness, intriguing and witty characters, and a good opening to the Something Dark and Holy Trilogy. Nevertheless Duncan’s prose and her plotting can improve and do better – I’m sure of that.
Or at least I’m betting on it since I definitely will purchase the second instalment Ruthless Gods. You’d better not disappoint me, Miss Duncan, and provide that Serefin stuff for me otherwise I see red (yes, I chose this word on purpose since the book is all about spilling blood).
Not alone, then? “No,” Velyos responded. “Not quite.”
- Emily A. Duncan, Wicked Saints, p. 358
Aside from town names, surnames and sentences in a language I’m sure not even Goodle Translate can detect (and consequently made a great job in not helping at all, thanks, you little piece of garbage), I also struggled with the pronunciation of the main cast’s names. Serefin Meleski was still in my ranfe but Chelvyanik Sterevyani? Do you honestly expect me to say this out loud in beautiful and nonchalant way? I hope not.
Among the Pages (Spoiler Alert)
As always here’s the spoiler disclaimer so don’t read this section of my review if you care about reading a book unspoilt. In any other cases – your call.
The Ending
The ending. That ending. That thing that ended in a massive shed of blood (shocker), several plot twists that made my head spin, deaths, resurrections and – well, what was that? – a cliffhanger. “To be continued, and I don’t fucking care if you’re flustered and don’t know what exactly happened” – that’s what the ending screamed.
“Oh, is this how it goes? I’m murdered and everyone has orders to kill me on sight? Just to rub it in?”
- Emily A. Duncan, Wicked Saints, p. 352
So here I am. At a loss with this book, not really knowing what to make of it. But definitely sure that I got things messed up, and have no idea how many times Malachiasz changed mind, opinion and faces. Also I wondered if Serefin was actually high while he was tortured. But, hey, you have to see it the positive way, Serefin didn’t die (well, technically he did but he survived death, erm…, yes that sounds wrong) and now he has new buddies aka moths and can cast stars.
So, now I have to fight off my father’s magic – the likes of which I do not understand – with my own I also do not understand.
- Emily A. Duncan, Wicked Saints, p. 360
All I can say is, I’m curious about the next instalment.
Nadezdha Lapteva
The official personification of the WhatsApp group chat of the gods. That’s what she was. And she’s definitely the girl with the bad taste in men. Or rather, the taste in bad men?
“Dazzle the monsters, Nadya. You’ve already charmed the worst of the lot; the rest should be easy.” - Emily A. Duncan, Wicked Saints, p. 241
Although she performed quite well throughout the whole book and sure as hell has interesting and frightening powers, she’s not on the top of my favourite characters of this book. (Ostyia is actually above her.) And that’s because of one particular reason: The way she falls for Malachiasz, not just once, not just twice, but probably four times.
Their romance might appear as a slow-burn, but, frankly, I reckon it’s rather a fast-burnt to nothing romance. So, there’s that. However, I don’t mind. There might be another dude around the corner, waiting.
Serefin Meleski
The royal with the decent name. And that’s about all that’s decent about him.
“Ostyia, I’m heartless, but I’m not cruel. I can manage fine enough with a blade in my hand.”
- Emily A. Duncan, Wicked Saints, p. 29
Just so we are all on the same page, I am completely head over heels crushing on Serefin Meleski, and not just because he’s half-blind, has such an incredibly hot name (and fortunately one to pronunciate in a manner that is acceptable, and, duh, obviously with a Russian accent, you fool), is a savage blood mage, and fulfills all the requirements to be part of the handsome, dark-haired dudes with a moral misorientation squad. Ok, just so we are all on the same page. He’s also precious, self-ironic and cynic. And I dig that – very.
“Father,” he called radiantly. “I don’t know which I’m more offended by, that you murdered me, or that you used my death for your own gains – if I died. Did I die? It’s all very unclear. But, I’m here now! While I applaud the imagination required to get so much from my death, really, I do – I had no idea I was so important and everyone likes to feel special – I’m hurt that I don’t get to reap any of the rewards from it. Because, you know, I’m apparently dead.”
- Emily A. Duncan, Wicked Saints, p. 359
But most importantly he’s that dude, y’know?
As High Prince of Travania and one of the strongest blood mages, he’s perpetually and big-league tearing pages out of his spell book, slicing his skin open with daggers, razors sewed into his sleeves or anything else sharp and point, and he needs blood but there is none of said things and his nails are unfortunately too short to penetrate skin, he’s not sorry enough to bite himself in the arm.
“Your Highness looks unwell,” Pelageya noted. “Your Highness has been in a perpetual state of ‘unwell’ since he returned to Tranavia,” Serefin muttered.
- Emily A. Duncan, Wicked Saints, p. 299
Moreover he’s constantly moaning and fretting to be murdered by his own father, who actually does exactly that, and if his daddy issues aren’t enough he has also drinking issues, but not because he drinks himself into oblivion (well, that too) but because he actively updates his list of his worst hangovers. Briefly, he’s a guy with dramatic background – and I am down for it.
Malachiasz Czechowicz
The monster with a name one struggles to pronounce correctly who has no consistency and now has wings. And probably more beautiful hair than I ever had and will.
Once there was a boy who destroyed what little there was remaining because it wasn’t enough.
- Emily A. Duncan, Wicked Saints, p. 381
Interesting tattoos (or so) we’ll certainly get the origin of at some point, weird mask (or so), great locks, and definitely bipolar disorder to the point Malachiasz goes nuts and spreads wings. Cheer up!
Blood Magic
All I’m saying is: What freaking crucial and fundamental problem do Travanians struggle with that makes them slice open their skin as if it was checking the time?
Don’t get me wrong, it’s freaking impressive how they so savagely and badass cut their hands, slamming bloodied palms onto whatever surface they can get, that being paper, windows, walls, floors, skin, and basically everything else they smear their blood on. But it’s just me who thinks having razors sewed into the sleeves of your coat is a little over the top?
No of course not. Because, ah, yes, it only crosses the line of “what the actual hell am I reading here” when the peculiar Vultures get involved. I mean, they wear uncanny face masks, are crazy ass creatures I still don’t understand how they were created in the first place, and no, nied, no, nein, they don’t have bones of collagen but iron, bitch. Uh-uh.
Short, it is a bloody mess, let me tell you that. If there is one thing in abundance in this novel then it is…
He smiles too much, she thought.
- Emily A. Duncan, Wicked Saints, p. 64
No. Not Malachiasz smiles. Well, maybe that too, but no. It’s BLOOD.
Doesn’t matter what, doesn’t matter how – blood is everywhere in Wicked Saints. The word is probably more used than conjunctions like “and” and “like”, I’m serious.
From a bleeding nose, bloody tears, dripping wounds from lying on a pile of shards, cuts from razors (which are sewed into the sleeves of a coat – you’re right, I’m still not over that), cuts from daggers, cuts from pointy and sharp objects, bites (yes, I’m looking at you, Serefin), bashing each other’s head open, substance in their bodies, substitute of ink, substitute of alcohol, that thing that fills a lake or the rain – it is always bloody. No chance it’s something else. Just forget it – straight forward – cast that bitch away. It’s blood.
And while I really enjoyed the way blood mages summon their magic and that it was realistic writing from Duncan’s side – blood and bone, there is so much abuse and violence and blood in this book like in no other I’ve read so far.
“Historically speaking, multiple people will die tonight.” “Historically speaking, it probably won’t be me.”
- Emily A. Duncan, Wicked Saints, p. 244
This book is so dark. And it’s unsettlingly alluring.
My Playlist
I’ll spare you the usual bragging and self-appreciation sentences for once and just get it straight: You can find my Something Dark and Holy playlist here on Spotify – the playlist will be updated throughout the course the series so makes sure to follow or save it – or don’t. I couldn’t care less. (I also do have playlist for other books so maybe check that out, too? Or not. You know, I couldn’t care less and shit. Be my guest.)
Something Dark and Holy Playlist
Maren Morris – Kingdom of One
Sabina Ddumba – I Cry
Bishop Briggs – Hi-Lo (Hollow)
Koda – New Blood
CLAVVS – Echo
Niki Black – Hallelujah
Moncrieff – Symptoms – Acoustic
A$AP Rocky – Too Many Gods
Deathbyromy – Don’t Fall For Monsters
Ruelle – The World We Made
Dana and the Wolf – Lie To Me
JJ – I Don’t Owe You Anything
BRIDGE – Parallel
Deathbyromy – Shadow
Matt Maeson – The Hearse
Snow Ghosts – And The World Was Gone
Mind Bath – Scorpio
Mitski – Bag of Bones
Robert DeLong – First Person On Earth
Unlike Pluto – Western Love
8 Graves – OK
Boy Epic – Scars
Matt Maeson – Unconditional
Sam Tinnesz – Hold Me Up
“Serefin,” he said, his voice choked. “Oh, don’t sound so surprised,” Serefin said. “As if you care.”
- Emily A. Duncan, Wicked Saints, p. 359
Final Words
If you see anytime soon someone walking across the street with an old, leather-bound book attached to a belt around the hips, wearing a spiked mask and perpetually tearing out pages and crumbling them in the hand – don’t worry, it’s just me.
Further, I’m probably going to make about ten book marks matching the book cover or book content so if you want one too, don’t look for that into my direction. Do it yourself, you, moron. I’m not doing everything for free, bruh.
The second instalment of the Something Dark and Holy Trilogy by Emily A. Duncan, Ruthless Gods, is released on 7th April 2020 (so long, partner), and we already got the cover reveal. News flash: It’s even bloodier than the one of the first book. So, we can all grab the closest smooth object and bury our faces in it and scream a good, long minute. I tell you, folks, it’s going to be much a bloodier mess than Wicked Saints, and I foretell you Serefin and Nadya are going to be a thing.
Until then, see ya. – And please, don’t mimicked anything you read in Wicked Saints. Just – no. Don’t.
“There are casks of wine in the cellar,” Kacper offered. Serefin gave a quick nod. “Perfect. I want to be blind drunk before the night is out.”
- Emily A. Duncan, Wicked Saints, p. 31
Read my 3-star review of Wicked Saints by Emily A. Duncan on Goodreads and follow me there to check out the books I've read and which are on my to-do list.
“I’ll be dead, so I don’t really care what will happen to my father,” Serefin countered.
- Emily A. Duncan, Wicked Saints, p. 246
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