Seven Faceless Saints – M.K. Lobb
- Genre: Young adult fantasy
- Content Warning: various types of violence (shooting, poisoning, beheading), graphic descriptions of blood/bodies, death of parents/ friends/ siblings, a parent depicted with memory loss/confusion, PTSD and flashbacks, descriptions of war, prejudice, religious intolerance, hallucinations, paranoia, alcoholism, and mentions of self-harm.
- Release Date: February 7, 2023
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In the city of Ombrazia, saints and their disciples rule with terrifying and unjust power, playing favorites while the unfavored struggle to survive.
After her father’s murder at the hands of the Ombrazian military, Rossana Lacertosa is willing to do whatever it takes to dismantle the corrupt system—tapping into her powers as a disciple of Patience, joining the rebellion, and facing the boy who broke her heart. As the youngest captain in the history of Palazzo security, Damian Venturi is expected to be ruthless and strong, and to serve the saints with unquestioning devotion. But three years spent fighting in a never-ending war have left him with deeper scars than he wants to admit… and a fear of confronting the girl he left behind.
Now a murderer stalks Ombrazia’s citizens. As the body count climbs, the Palazzo is all too happy to look the other way—that is, until a disciple becomes the newest victim. With every lead turning into a dead end, Damian and Roz must team up to find the killer, even if it means digging up buried emotions. As they dive into the underbelly of Ombrazia, the pair will discover something more sinister—and far less holy. With darkness closing in and time running out, will they be able to save the city from an evil so powerful that it threatens to destroy everything in its path?
Discover what’s lurking in the shadows in this dark fantasy debut with a murder-mystery twist, perfect for fans of Leigh Bardugo and Kerri Maniscalco.
ARC copy provided in exchange for an honest review. This in no way changes my rating or review.
Not sure how to feel about this one. On one hand, once I properly got into the book, I absolutely flew through it, but on the other, it did take quite a while to understand and become entrenched in the writing.
The characters were interesting but possibly not unique enough to truly become new favourites of mine – though I did love Damian, my little soft demi boy. And Roz was certainly the stabby bi girl that was promised, but I only really started to like and warm to her towards the ending, which was disappointing. However, the world building with the different saints and magic etc was really interesting! While I got nowhere near comprehending which saint was associated with which power, much less which colour, I still enjoyed the new world, and I think the author and this series have definite potential.
I can definitely see how the author will weave the characters and overarching story into something bigger later on in the series, but I did appreciate how this book had it’s own completed storyline as well. I’m glad I read this, though not sure I’ll continue the series. Nonetheless, I thank the author, publisher and TBR & Beyond Tours for the review opportunity :).
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M. K. Lobb is a fantasy writer with a love of all things dark—be it literature, humour, or general aesthetic. She grew up in small-town Ontario and studied political science at both the University of Western Ontario and the University of Ottawa. She now lives by the lake with her partner and their cats. When not reading or writing, she can be found at the gym or contemplating the harsh realities of existence.
Her debut novel SEVEN FACELESS SAINTS will be published February 7, 2023 by Little, Brown (Hachette). The sequel, DISCIPLES OF CHAOS, will follow in early 2024. M. K. is represented by Claire Friedman at InkWell Management.
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