 Hey guys it's Liana and I'm here today to talk about The Wicked Saints by Emily A. Duncan. This is a fabulous and gorgeous special edition from Owlcrate that I wish I wanted to keep. This book was garbage. Everything I'm reading lately seems like it's garbage and I don't know why this is happening. Like every anticipated release this year seems to be letting me down. But so you're here for this book specifically. If you haven't heard of this then you missed the incredible, like credit work credits do, publisher did a great job promoting this book. And the hype it got, the advanced reviews it got, I was hyped. Based on this cover you should be able to gather the tone of it. And if this doesn't tell you enough then the naked book Let Them Fear Her should be a pretty fabulous clue that this is meant to be perceived as a stabby and dark and grim and bloody kind of fantasy story. I knew going into it as YA but I was still expecting albeit perhaps a little bit toned down Mia Corvair 2.0. I mean we've got the church type of thing going on. We have Let Them Fear Her and there is her on the spine looking all devilish and from the premise. Let's go ahead and read the premise because I'm frankly struggling to describe and summarize the plot so let's see what they tell us. Some stories are so beautiful, so brutal, that they claw at your heart and refuse to let go. Welcome to the world of wicked saints, an epic, passionate novel that you won't soon forget. Prepare to, oh not cat, anyway, a girl named Nadia who hears the whispers of the gods inside her head. That's not true, they talk to her. Four long conversations. A prince surrounded by desperate suitors and deadly assassins. Not, I mean technically kind of true but that's not how I would describe it. And a monster hidden behind pale tortured eyes and a smile that cuts like a knife. Yeah, he definitely tortured lots of that. The paths of these three characters become entwined during a century's long war filled with sinners and saints, magic and mystery and a star-crossed romance that threatens to tip the scales between dark and light forever. So based on that you would, I would think that's going to be three POVs or it's going to be omniscient. It's two POVs, Nadia and the Prince and Monster Fellow. It's really his story, but he doesn't get a POV. That's just, yep, that's what we've got. There are a lot of Slavic sounding names and words here that I'm not going to try to pronounce. So I will say Nadia, the Prince, and the Darkling. Because that's who Monster Boy is, slash Kylo Ren. His name is Mal blah blah blah blah blah so you could call him Mal. Yeah, I think you may be catching some subtle hints that there is a bit of plagiarism going on here. So yeah, this book was terrible. It was like actual, actual garbage. So why the writing itself, the prose, was juvenile at best. The conversations were like, they would have been childish before a modern setting and this is meant to be like a very like earthen Slavic, dark, bloody kind of setting. And I'm not buying it when, like, there's literally a part that I sticky-noted in my other copy because I have two copies. I hate my life. Nadia goes, thanks for saving my life and all. That's kind of the style of the prose. But yeah, just look at these, doesn't this look beautiful? Like, don't you just want to write these? Anyway, and then let them fear her. By the end of this video, you will see why it's so hilarious that the cover of the book says that like, it's just the biggest joke in the world to me that the book says that. But anyway, let's just kind of go through the plot. And then as we come across the things that annoyed me, we'll delve into them. I can't really think of how to structure this. And I'm sure that I will veer away from this structure, like as loose as it is. But let's, let's do that. So the book opens with Nadia, oh yeah, spoilers. I think I don't need to explain this is going to be filled with spoilers because I'm just going beginning to end and going to yell at the, about the things that I say yell, I'm going to gripe about the things that were gripe worthy, which was something on every page. So the book opens with Nadia being in this monastery where she lives, where she's been training her whole life. But what we get in the first chapter, before we know anything about her, is that she's peeling potatoes. I'm not kidding. That's literally kind of like a big part of the first chapter. She thinks about how she's peeling potatoes. She talks about how she's peeling potatoes. She complains about peeling potatoes. She is afraid of being buried under an avalanche of peeled potatoes. Like this is a, it would be like, the joke would get really old, even if it was funny and it wasn't funny to begin with. So I was like, I get, we're in a sort of Slavic Eastern European kind of thing here where y'all eat a lot of potatoes. Like I get it. And so there's like warning bells that go off in the monastery. And she's like, ah, who, what am I, a mere novice with a knife for peeling potatoes supposed to do about this threat or this crisis? So her country has been at war with this neighboring country, for God knows how long, and it's sort of like a faith-based war, because her country does this thing of communing with the gods to get access to magic. So they're the whole leader than that ones. And the other country, they use blood magic to achieve the same results. We don't know all of that in the beginning. All we know she's at this monastery and they're under attack because that enemy country is attacking. What am I going to do? So later on, way later, you find out that she's been training her whole life, not only in how to use her magic and her magic is better than anybody else's because she can commune with all the gods, not just one. So she's like the specialist special. She's been training not only how to use said magic, but how to use it in a combat environment, in a combat way to fight. She's like a weapon, basically, for the country. That's what she's been training her whole life for. So when she reacts this way to attack, like that she would freak out because maybe she goes gone untested, like, okay, fine. But to be like, what am I going to do to me, just a novice, like that's inherently disingenuous. And if this was someone else's perspective, I'd be like, okay, this is her perspective. So she knows she's been training her whole life for this. So if her internal monologue had been like, I've been training for this, but like, oh, shit, the reality of it is a little overwhelming. What am I going to do? I would buy it. But no, she's like me a novice with a potato peeling knife. What am I going to do? And then the one character that I gave a shit about throughout this entire book dies like in the first chapter. So that should tell you something. He's like her childhood friend, and he sacrifices himself so that to like be a distraction so she can get away. And I mean, like, what a shitty friend. Like, she's apparently the specialist special with all the powers. So like, you just let your friend die basically and he gives her like a magic necklace. And then she's like, you're dead. And the person attacking the monastery is the prince, you know, the prince from the three main characters. And she like sees him and he sees her and then she gets the fuck out of there. And her power of communing with the gods and therefore using their magic, like it's like schizophrenic rotary phone, like she can hear them in her head talking. And when she wants to use their power, she has like prayer beads, and there's a bead for each God. And she just like scrolls through her Rolodex till she finds the God that she wants and is like, yo, what up? It's Nadia. I need your powers. And then like, if they're like in the mood, then they'll let her use their powers is how that works. And she is so angry and self righteous and xenophobically like racist against the other country because of how they use blood magic instead. And that's, that's wrong. So she's on the run. And she encounters this like other group. And among that group is the Darkling. I mean, Mal, I mean Kylo Ren, I mean that guy, and like two other characters that are entirely irrelevant to the plot, but they're also there and kind of vaguely diverse. But again, since their characters are entirely irrelevant and could be taken out of the story and it would make a zero difference. I'm not going to really talk about them beyond this right now. So they kind of join forces and and she's like, why should I trust you? And why should I trust you blah, blah, blah, blah, but they get attacked and he helps her escape. And so there's these creatures called vultures. And I don't mean the birds, like they're like a magical met blood mage super monster. And I thought they were from yet a third country, but they're actually from her enemy country. They're just like another thing over there. And they extra extra use blood magic. And they are the ultimate enemy in theory, I guess. And she realizes that when he helps her fight off some vultures, he actually is one himself, but he's like, clawed his way back, pun intended, to a more human form. But that's why he looks all like gaunt and sallow and gray and, you know, brooding. The brooding comes with it, I think. And he's very tortured and you know, even though like from the get go, he's sort of like creepy to her and like alarming and scary and quite villainous looking like within a page. She's already like, but he's hot though. And like when they end up having physical contact because of like fighting someone off or rescuing each other, she's like, I don't want to like go because he's like hot, but he's the enemy. So like, I can't because my gods will be angry. But they decided to be a good idea to go to the capital and assassinate the king and end this war. And that's their plan now. Meantime, the prince who failed to get her when he attacked the monastery and was like, she got away. Damn it. He gets a letter from good old dad, the king. And he's like, come back to the capital because we're throwing a big like bachelor party, like where we're going to find you a consort to marry. So it's like Cinderella, I think. Anyway, he's like, we haven't had one of these in the centuries for years, not sure how long, but he's like, we don't really do this anymore. There must be like an ulterior motive, like my dad's up to something. And he's always been jealous of my blood major abilities because I'm way better at it than he is. So I'm suspicious, but I'm going to go home anyway. So he's an alcoholic who is extremely good at using blood magic, but goes home because he's an idiot. So he goes home. Dad very much does seem to be up to something. But he's like, got to figure it out. So he visits some witch lady and the witch lady spouts all kinds of nonsense prophecy where it sounds like nonsense. And he's meanwhile still getting drunk. And that's his situation. Oh, by the way, the way the blood magic works, I'm going to explain it as best as I can, but don't have a lot to go on. So basically, they have spell books. And the spell books, I don't know if they're made of magic paper or regular paper, and it's just what you write on it. But so basically, each of these blood mage people walks around with their own spell book wherein they've written different spells, and then to use them, they like rip out a page and like bleed on it, and then use it. Like it's kind of like a coupon book, like vouchers, and like they rip out a voucher as needed. But if they run out, well, then they're shit out of luck, unless they can find some more paper. But it seems to me there's something particular about the books. If that was explained, I missed it and I don't give a shit. But as they find like a stash of spell books, and like grab them. But I think it's just because they already have spells written in them. Like I don't get why they can't just write some new ones, because they were the ones that wrote them themselves. So really, you just need paper. But like why paper? Like why can't you write it like on the ground in dirt, or like write it with your blood? Like I don't know the answer to that question. And I don't care that much. But that's how it works. They have books with paper with spells on them that they rip out and bleed on and do magic things. And according to Nadia and her part of the world, that is wrong. You should talk to gods instead and ask them if you can use them and then they let you or not. But no one else other than Nadia can talk to all of them. She's special. So because there's this big ball thing, competition, bachelor choosing of woman thing, this is a great opportunity for Nadia and and vulture Kylo Ren to infiltrate the castle. Because as we all know, when you're hosting a large event like this, you tend to have less security, because there's no reason to check your guests. Like it's a perfect time to cut down on the guard. Oh wait, is that not how that works? Oh, are you saying it should be difficult, more difficult than usual perhaps to get in? Well, not in this story. They decide this. And in terms of getting papers to prove their fake identities, getting clothes, so they look royal, making the journey where presumably they're at war. So I would imagine there's like at least some small groups of armed forces around. But that all gets skipped over. And we get to the castle where they got in and there's like a spell that Nadia does to disguise herself so the prince won't recognize her. And they she also puts a spell on Kylo Ren so that only someone who's not an enemy will be able to see him. Yeah, that is the most contrived thing I've ever heard. Sorry, all this tea is making me thirsty. They get there and Nadia manages to piss off one of the other royal ladies or like other ladies in the competition who challenges her to a duel to the death. And Nadia is like, what did I get myself into? And then Kylo Ren explains that this is a duel to the death. And she's having many, many feelings for Kylo Ren. And then when she has this duel, and she has to like hide the way she uses magic so they can't tell that she's from the other country, but she kind of wins but doesn't want to kill the girl. So then Kylo Ren steps in and kills her. And she's like, how dare you that's wrong. Even though she's in my enemy country and I should want them all dead, but that's wrong. And he's like that was to the death and they would have been suspicious of you if she hadn't died. So you're welcome. And she's like, he's so evil, but he's so hot. I have so many feelings. And like he just looks like a broken boy, but he's evil. And like, it's very subtle, but she thinks about that a lot. Meantime, the prince who actually killed her best friend and she saw him do it. And it's also her enemy country. She thinks he's kind of nice because she meets him at the castle. She's like, we should kill the king, but we should let him live. He seems fine. Like he should be the next king. I like him. And I was like, this makes no sense whatsoever. She has all of this like mixed feelings about Kylo Ren, just because he's theoretically geopolitically from the enemy side. But he himself has done nothing but help her escape and help her out. But she's like conflicted. But Prince guy who actually killed her best friend from childhood and is also geopolitically her enemy, unable to mage person. She's like, he seems nice. We should let him live. Okay. But remember y'all, let them fear her. That duel is like a really small plot point and everything is fine again. But like dad, the king is definitely like up to something. And so they're like on the case. Prince is also on the case. And so like, there's some like apocalyptic levels of wanting to invoke some kind of crazy magic that I swear I don't understand the big climax of the book. I'm like, I don't know what happened and I really don't care. But it turns out that Vulture man who Nadia is like super has the hots for who she's like from page to page been like, he's a monster, but he's just a broken boy. But he's so monstrous. But really he's just a boy. And do I love him? But he's a monster. What does it mean if I love a monster? My heart is in a million pieces. And my heart is now shattered into a million pieces. And if I love a monster, I don't think my heart can take it, it will break into a million pieces. And like, it's, it's very subtle. And we're just going to pause for a moment because I did stick keynote something, which again, I don't do very often. While she is debating whether or not she should trust Kylo Ren, I'm just going to read this passage to you and then we can unpack her thought process on it. He'd never struck her as the power hungry type. I mean, remember the part where he suggested they assassinate the king? Yeah, that's not power hungry. But anyway, she wondered if that was just another facet of him he was hiding, if he had so perfected the image he wanted her to see that she didn't actually know him at all. Or if the ideal isn't the desire to save a dying kingdom, if that was the truth of him. Except he was picking at his cuticles, their rim around the nail on his index finger filling with blood as he tore too far. He winced and stuck his finger in his mouth to stop the bleeding. She didn't think a power hungry monster king would have anxiety and play childhood games on the floor of his own grim palace. Aw, I mean, he seems like very sinister and evil. But I mean, you wouldn't bite your nails and pick your cuticles if you're evil, right? Yeah, he's fine. Everything is fine. Because evil people, they don't bite their nails. All the yikes to that. That's if it would have been contrived AF if he had like, saved a puppy from a burning building. But at least that, I'd be like, that does seem like evidence that he is not evil that he is doing selfless nice things, saving puppies and things. But he is picking at his cuticle. So he's not evil. Yeah. Shortly thereafter, like, you find out that he's actually the prince's cousin. And he decided like the only way you become the king of the vultures is by killing the previous king of the vultures. So this Kylo Ren dude decided that he wanted to see if he could do it. That's literally when he tells her why he did it. He's like, I wanted to see if I could. So he killed the previous vulture when he was pretty young and became the next one. And then like, wasn't chill with it and like, kind of left. And then the vultures have been trying to get him back. And now it turns out that he's actually pro the king's plan to like, set into motion this crazy spell of some kind to like, get all the magics. And there's like a barrier of magic that they put around the capital. So Nadia can't like radio her gods anymore because of interference. But she discovers that the power is actually within her that she can use her magic without her rotary dial that she doesn't need to hear or talk to the gods. She can do it herself. So like Dorothy, she had the power all along. And I think that makes her actually schizophrenic, but whatever. I still don't know what her power is, but she can use it now without the gods. But she's very conflicted again about that because she's like, the gods will be mad if they find out I'm using the power without them. And I don't know why we care because I thought we only needed them so you could use the power. But whatever. And then it turns out again, like vulture boy, who she's like very much in love with, you know, the monster, that he's actually part of this evil plot plan. So I don't know exactly why he decided to like pretend hatch this plan to assassinate the king. Like, I don't know how that helped him in his goal to actually enact this magic that he told the king about, but he did. And I mean, along the way he fell in love with Nadia, I guess, because he says all the classic broody boy things of like, my life is pain and you're the only good thing in it. And like, I'm a monster, like, you shouldn't love me. And like, this can never work. But God, do I need you? And I wanted to die. So then he goes like full vulture at the end and like flies off in his evil. Nadia is like, I love that monster. Meanwhile, the prince needed to like die for this spell to work. But that happens off screen. And so he does get killed, but also resurrected. And now he has like moths and stars power. And I don't know how or why, but he's not dead. But he needed to die for the spell, but he's not dead, but he did die. And there are many moths and many stars around him now is where he's at. His dad is dead, because Nadia does use her powers to kill the king. And is sad that vulture boy is gone like full dark side, like Kylo Ren. And yeah, that's where the book ends. So basically, throughout the story, Nadia is just kind of a passenger going along with everything, making pretty much no decisions of her own whatsoever, not really using her powers. She's basically a side character in her own POV. It's really monster boy story, followed by the princess story. And then she's like also there. So let them fear her for sure, fear her uselessness. Yeah, that was I mean, it's a it's a bloody book, because people are constantly bleeding to do the magic. So they're constantly cutting themselves and bleeding all over the place to do the magic thing. And she's very still mad about it. And she's constantly saying that they're blasphemous and that they're heretics. And she's very against it and very like narrow minded about it and xenophobic. And that never gets challenged. And I'm pretty sure she's schizophrenic. And I don't know what happened. All I know is that it was gross. The prose was horrible and childish. And that book was not expected, but let them fear her. Let them fear her. So I think that pretty much does it. Like, I don't there's like nothing else to say it was just like a massive what the fuck. Like I don't understand why people like this book. Like even the Alina Darkling shippers out there who like always wanted that to happen. The see the thing is the Darkling actually seems like a complicated and a layered character that you'd be fascinated by monster boy is just like, you know, brooding TM. That's it. And again, Alina, if the cover of Shadow and Bone said let them fear her, that would be more appropriate because Alina is pretty powerful. She's much more fearsome than Nadia over here. So Alina and the Darkling, I never shipped that. But I could understand shipping that this I could also I don't really ship Kylo Ren and Rey. But again, there's like some I will admit there's some tension there. Like there's some chemistry there. But also like, you know, he's fucking crazy pants over there. So the people who like super ship that. This is this reads like fanfiction. So if you would like a very nice edition of fanfiction, then here you go. This is for you. Ralo Darkling Alina, whose name is Mal, which is just ironic to me, because I do like now I'm a total Malina shipper. If y'all don't know what I'm talking about, just read the Grisha trilogy. It's way better than this book. And then you'll understand all my references. So yeah, that's that's Wicked Saints. I don't recommend it. But you know, live your life, you want to read it, be my guest. I post videos on Saturdays. So like and subscribe. Let me know your thoughts. And I'll see you next Saturday. Bye.