I wanted so badly to like Fallen City, but it did not work for me. Sometimes I wonder if it’s a book or an author since I’ve had a hit and miss relationship with Young in the past, but this was so promising. Keep reading this book review of Fallen City for my full thoughts.
Summary
In the great walled city of Isara, political turmoil ignites a rebellion one hundred years in the making. But when a legionnaire falls in love with a Magistrate’s daughter, their love will threaten the fate of the city and the will of the gods.
Luca Matius has one purpose—to carry on the family name, maintaining its presence in the Forum once his powerful and cruel uncle dies. But his noviceship with the city’s Philosopher places him in the middle of a catastrophe that will alter the destiny of his people.
Maris Casperia was raised amidst the strategic maneuvers of the Citadel’s inner workings, and she knows what her future holds—a lifetime of service to a corrupt city. But her years of serving as a novice to the last Priestess who possesses the stolen magic of the Old War has made her envision a different kind of future for the city. When she meets Luca, a fated chain of events is set into motion that will divinely entangle their lives.
As a secret comes to light and throws the city into chaos, Luca and Maris hatch a plot to create a calculated alliance that could tip the scales of power. But when an execution forces Luca to become the symbol of rebellion, he and Maris are thrown onto opposite sides of a holy war. As their fates diverge, they learn they are at the center of a story the gods are writing. And even if they can find their way back to each other, there may be nothing left.
Review
(Disclaimer: I received this book from the publisher. This has not impacted my review which is unbiased and honest.)
Was it fated in the stars that Fallen City wasn’t for me? Firstly, I am not a huge fan of Roman inspirations in fantasy. This isn’t necessarily a dealbreaker from the get go, but I felt that Fallen City bare bones do not escape this. There wasn’t enough of the world which transported me away from that skeleton. The premise is so intriguing – a war and rebellion in the making – with their history of love. It’s supposed to be this swoony story grounded in a fantasy setting of war and the ways in which no one escapes. But for me, the before and after chapters spelled a quick death. Without the establishing of the world or the characters, I found this incredibly confusing and undercutting.
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When we don’t have a good sense of who people are, seeing them before and after doesn’t make as much of an impact. The pacing and the length of the chapters also threw me for a loop. It made the initial reading experience one that felt unnecessarily confusing. If we had a chunk of the ‘before’ and then a mid section that was ‘after’ then maybe that would have alleviated it. After some time, like most dual timelines, we do get a hang of it, but until then it just makes the experience lacking. Fallen City had such a good premise that ended up losing me on the execution unfortunately. That being said, if you love Roman inspired fantasy and don’t mind this initial phase of confusion, then this could be for you! Find Fallen City on Goodreads, Storygraph, Amazon, Bookshop. org, Blackwells, & Libro. fm.