For starters, I enjoyed this book, and I will definitely read the sequel. However, for a storyline that revolves around one group of people being treated worse than another, I felt it fell a little flat. There are disciples that are imbued with magic by their saints, and they rule with might and fear. The unfavored live in dirt and filth, at the mercy of Palazzo security, themselves amongst the unfavored. Rosanna, an unwilling disciple, fights with the rebellion, set on overthrowing the magical government. Damian, leader of Palazzo security, is trying to solve a string of murders that take him out into the streets. After the murder of Rosanna’s father at the hands of Damian’s father, the former lovers must reconcile their 3 years of separation and the people they have become.
It’s difficult to understand the connection between the saints and their lore and the magical ability of their disciples. The disciples are said to have a blessed life, but the story doesn’t really explain very many benefits beyond housing and access to magical devices. They are treated almost as slaves to their magic. The unfavored are more clearly developed. The hardships of their lives that drive them to rebellion are tangible. While the story itself takes place in a short period of time, it feels slow and sometimes clunky between events.
I was surprised by the ending and skimmed back through to see what clues the author dropped along the way. It reads like a standalone novel, but it also sets up the sequel. I recommend this book to fans of The Luminaries and The Whispering Dark.