Publisher due date: 19th February 2026
The Faithful Dark is a New Adult (NA) dark fantasy with heavy religious overtones. It follows the stories of Csilla, a former church orphan born without a soul, and Ilan, the church High Inquisitor who enjoys torturing confessions out of the general public. Between them, they team up with an angelic being to hunt a serial killing demon who is loose in their Vatican-inspired city.
I found the book competently written but mediocre and predictable. I have no strong dislike of anything in particular, making the review difficult to write. It has all the correct elements of a decent novel but I wasn’t impressed or drawn in by anything.
For example, the characters have distinct personalities which are consistent but lack nuance, making them slightly caricatured. It’s not enough for it to be off putting but I didn’t find myself warming to any of them. Csilla is pious and rather bland. Ilan is justice personified, violent because of religious decree and passionate about it due to a belief that he is redeeming people. The angel is conflicted and tortured. None of them are interesting enough but they have believable backstories to justify their temperaments.
In the same vein, the demons are exactly who you expect them to be. I would have liked a twist. I would have liked to have been wrong about at least one of them. If the book makes someone seem suspicious, that’s because they are. Please subvert my expectations at least once!
The constant religious descriptions merge into one. The imagery did provide me with plenty of information to get a vivid idea of the different settings and it was all competently delivered. However, like the characters, the settings were exactly as expected. The cathedral is cold and vast, the slums are grubby and worn, the aristocratic houses are opulent and excessive. None of this is bad but it could have been elevated by something unexpected, a few details that hint perhaps there’s more to the places than it seems. The characters themselves are the same – Csilla angelic, Ilan stern, the angel beautiful. Something to mar our supposed saintly trio would have been welcomed. There is a bit of an attempt at a love triangle but no romance. I can’t decide if I’d like some or not.
Despite the setting and murders, this book has a faintly cosy vibe. All that predictability makes it an easy read that may appeal to some. That said, perhaps the lack of investment on my part helped make the threats feel less genuine.
The ending doesn’t close neatly, leaving room for a sequel due in 2027. It’s not a cop out though, as the city is saved and the immediate threat eliminated. If I was bored, I might try the next one but I think it’s unlikely I’ll seek it out.
This review feels like it’s damning but truthfully, it’s not a bad book. It’s satisfying enough albeit underwhelming. Younger readers may have less exacting standards and I do think that people who like to re-read the same book may be reassured by the dependability.
Overall, it’s a book. I don’t regret reading it. I don’t love or hate it.
| Criteria | Scores | Our Score |
| Artistic Achievement | 1 – 5 | 3 |
| Pacing | 1 – 5 | 3 |
| Characters | 1 – 5 | 3 |
| Writing Style | 1 – 5 | 3 |
| Originality | 1 – 5 | 3 |
Written By: ivetafox
Favourite Game – Long Live the Queen || Favourite Film – Sweeney Todd || Favourite Book – Wuthering Heights
About: Ivy is a disabled, autistic writer from the UK, passionate about inclusive gaming. When not reviewing, she can be found writing short stories and micro fiction or reading the latest gothic novel.
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