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The Faithful Dark
Not yet published
Expected 19 Feb 26'A twisty and beguiling gothic fantasy, lyrically written and tightly plotted . . . with one of my favourite villain-slash-anti-heroes of all time. You will be entranced by Baumer's darkly magical tale' AVA REID, #1 NYT bestselling author of A Study in Drowning
This is the city of miracles, but not everything miraculous is good.
In a holy walled city where sin and sanctity are revealed through touch, Csilla - a girl born without a soul - is worth little to the Church that raised her. But when a series of murders corrodes the faithful magic that keep the city safe, the Church elders see a use for her she can assassinate their prime suspect, a heretic with divine heritage, without risking the stain of sin.
The heretic, however, makes Csilla a clear his name by helping him catch the real killer, and he'll use his angelic gifts to grant her very own soul. Meanwhile, ruthless Ilan, desperate to earn back his position as Church Inquisitor, sees the case as his chance at he'll bring in the murderer - or, failing that, Csilla and the heretic - and regain his title.
But as the death toll rises, and their hunt pits them against the all-powerful and callous Faith, Csilla finds herself torn. Will her salvation come at the cost of everything she believes in?
This is the city of miracles, but not everything miraculous is good.
In a holy walled city where sin and sanctity are revealed through touch, Csilla - a girl born without a soul - is worth little to the Church that raised her. But when a series of murders corrodes the faithful magic that keep the city safe, the Church elders see a use for her she can assassinate their prime suspect, a heretic with divine heritage, without risking the stain of sin.
The heretic, however, makes Csilla a clear his name by helping him catch the real killer, and he'll use his angelic gifts to grant her very own soul. Meanwhile, ruthless Ilan, desperate to earn back his position as Church Inquisitor, sees the case as his chance at he'll bring in the murderer - or, failing that, Csilla and the heretic - and regain his title.
But as the death toll rises, and their hunt pits them against the all-powerful and callous Faith, Csilla finds herself torn. Will her salvation come at the cost of everything she believes in?
Kindle Edition
First published April 2, 2024
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2032 people want to read
About the author
Cate Baumer
3 books54 followersCate Baumer (she/her) is a fantasy writer who lived half her life in Japan but currently resides in the heart of Appalachia, a setting that inspires her work. When not writing, she can be found exploring the woods on horseback, putting her degree in art history to use at museums and antique shops, or searching for the perfect cup of coffee.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 101 reviews
July 6, 2024
"Queer gothic fantasy with an ace healer, transmasc priest, and chaotic bisexual angel hunting a serial killer in fantasy Vatican" hi yes I'll take 10 pls
Rtc!
HIGHLIGHTS
~what if sin could be seen?
~brace yourself for some holy torture
~giving souls to the soulless is Very Complicated (who woulda thought)
~never trust the rich
~if the statue stops weeping, it’s time to panic
The Faithful Dark was originally pitched to me as ‘Queer gothic fantasy with an ace healer, transmasc priest, and chaotic bisexual angel hunting a serial killer in fantasy Vatican’, and while that’s not perfectly accurate – Mihály is what we might call a nephil, a mortal descendant of angels, not an actual angel himself – it gives you a pretty good idea of what to expect.
The worldbuilding looks simple, but Baumer follows through on the implications and ramifications of every detail in a majorly satisfying way. This is a setting where the existence of souls is an objective fact, not a belief, and where holy relics can display exactly how much sin – aka shadow – a person is carrying around. Consecrated objects actually glow with the blessings said over them. Asten takes the place of God, and is referred to as They, which I like very much; we have a woman messiah-type figure called Arany, whose holy statue weeps gold even in the current day. Silgard, the city which is the main setting of the book, is the centre of the faith, literally built and blessed by the celestial.
Dropped into the middle of this is Csilla, a young woman with no soul at all, who has been raised by the Church (which tonally is very reminiscent of Medieval-esque Catholicism) and works tending the sick and elderly.
Csilla is a sweetheart; some readers might even find her too saintly (although I didn’t). The one thing about her that niggles at me is how no one seems very interested in how she can exist without having a soul; shouldn’t she be a major theological/spiritual question mark for the Church? Why has no one tried running any experiments (with various relics) or written some huge thesis reconciling her existence with that of God? No one is at all curious or concerned??? Even Mihály, the heretic from the blurb who offers to try and give Csilla a soul of her own, doesn’t seem to question how or why Csilla doesn’t already have one. I found this extremely weird.
The hunt for the serial killer spiralled out into a much bigger plotline that was INFINITELY more interesting than a simple find-the-serial-killer story; the ‘real’ plot was concerned with one of the biggest theological issues in this world, and I was surprised that I actually kind of understood where the bad guys were coming from (although I disagree with their ultimate conclusion). It was very clever and sneaky and all tied up with sin and angels and redeeming humanity, and I loved it.
Read the rest at Every Book a Doorway!
Rtc!
HIGHLIGHTS
~what if sin could be seen?
~brace yourself for some holy torture
~giving souls to the soulless is Very Complicated (who woulda thought)
~never trust the rich
~if the statue stops weeping, it’s time to panic
The Faithful Dark was originally pitched to me as ‘Queer gothic fantasy with an ace healer, transmasc priest, and chaotic bisexual angel hunting a serial killer in fantasy Vatican’, and while that’s not perfectly accurate – Mihály is what we might call a nephil, a mortal descendant of angels, not an actual angel himself – it gives you a pretty good idea of what to expect.
The worldbuilding looks simple, but Baumer follows through on the implications and ramifications of every detail in a majorly satisfying way. This is a setting where the existence of souls is an objective fact, not a belief, and where holy relics can display exactly how much sin – aka shadow – a person is carrying around. Consecrated objects actually glow with the blessings said over them. Asten takes the place of God, and is referred to as They, which I like very much; we have a woman messiah-type figure called Arany, whose holy statue weeps gold even in the current day. Silgard, the city which is the main setting of the book, is the centre of the faith, literally built and blessed by the celestial.
There had been a time when the streets glowed with the divinity of those who walked on them, every footstep a benediction. Saints and angels had made this city on a river the locus of the faith, nestled safely in the center of the territories of the Immaculate Union, and built walls of stone inlaid with prayers to last until the material world fell to dust.
Dropped into the middle of this is Csilla, a young woman with no soul at all, who has been raised by the Church (which tonally is very reminiscent of Medieval-esque Catholicism) and works tending the sick and elderly.
Csilla is a sweetheart; some readers might even find her too saintly (although I didn’t). The one thing about her that niggles at me is how no one seems very interested in how she can exist without having a soul; shouldn’t she be a major theological/spiritual question mark for the Church? Why has no one tried running any experiments (with various relics) or written some huge thesis reconciling her existence with that of God? No one is at all curious or concerned??? Even Mihály, the heretic from the blurb who offers to try and give Csilla a soul of her own, doesn’t seem to question how or why Csilla doesn’t already have one. I found this extremely weird.
Anyone can see you’re raw, lighting yourself on fire to keep strangers warm.”
The hunt for the serial killer spiralled out into a much bigger plotline that was INFINITELY more interesting than a simple find-the-serial-killer story; the ‘real’ plot was concerned with one of the biggest theological issues in this world, and I was surprised that I actually kind of understood where the bad guys were coming from (although I disagree with their ultimate conclusion). It was very clever and sneaky and all tied up with sin and angels and redeeming humanity, and I loved it.
Read the rest at Every Book a Doorway!
July 15, 2025
♾️/ 5 ⭐️
「 ✦ 𝐒𝐲𝐧𝐨𝐩𝐬𝐢𝐬 ✦ 」In a walled city where holiness is sacred and sin is seen through touch, Csilla—born without a soul—is little more than a tool to the Church that raised her. When a string of murders threatens the magical purity that protects the city, the Church sends her to kill a heretic with divine blood, believing she can’t be tainted by sin. But the heretic offers her something the Church never could—a soul of her own, in return for her help catching the true killer. As they dive deeper into the truth, hunted by a vengeful inquisitor and shadowed by the Church’s secrets, Csilla must decide if a soul is worth betraying the only world she’s ever known.
𝑷𝒖𝒃𝒍𝒊𝒔𝒉𝒊𝒏𝒈 𝒅𝒂𝒕𝒆 : February 19th , 2026
⋆.˚✮ 𝑻𝒉𝒐𝒖𝒈𝒉𝒕𝒔 ✮˚.⋆ I am IMPRESSED.The world was lush, the writing was magic, and the characters—don’t even get me started. I cried, I gasped, I highlighted a hundred lines. I don’t even know how to move on. My heart belongs to this story now. New favorite, forever. This book had the slowest of slow burn , and I am not complaining because it’s MUCH better than insta love! I Adored the gothic atmosphere ! And the hint of a love triangle(Well not exactly) Wow! I loved Mihaly but in the end I found myself simping over Ilan 🤭Csilla was the perfect FMC. I completely connected with each of the characters! The plot was engaging and well written.
𐔌 . ⋮ 𝐂ɦα𝗋α𝖼𝗍𝖾𝗋𝗌 .ᐟ ֹ ₊ ꒱
⋮ ⋆˚࿔ 𝐂𝐬𝐢𝐥𝐥𝐚 ⋆ 𝜗𝜚˚⋆
What a great FMC!!! Like I’m literally so tired of FMCs cursing and being like “I’m not like the other girls” and black cat energy , we need more FMCs like Csilla with a soft personality! I have to say that this girl is LITERALLY so generous, like no matter whatever someone has done to her , she had a forgiving personality and is so soft hearted 😍
⋮ ⋆˚࿔ 𝐌𝐢𝐡𝐚𝐥𝐲 ⋆ 𝜗𝜚˚⋆
MY SHAYLA😭 Okay I know HE WAS A RED FLAG but still bro was madly in love. I defend him WTH MY LIFE. Do I think he deserved more? Yes. Do I think he should’ve end up with Csilla? No. It was really cute seeing them together in those scenes and I fully support this duo , but I think she’ll be better off with Ilan
⋮ ⋆˚࿔ 𝐈𝐥𝐚𝐧 ⋆ 𝜗𝜚˚⋆
He’s literally SO FINE 😏 If I had known that he was the love interest , I would have rooted for him from the start. While he was a little grumpy, but still I loved to see his possessive side . Also I officially declare him as my new book boyfriend 🤭 Absolutely Cannot wait for the next book to come out and we get to know more of their love story❤️
𐔌 . ⋮ 𝑻𝒉𝒆𝒎𝒆𝒔 .ᐟ ֹ ₊ ꒱
• Slowest slow burn of all time
• Chaotic angel x Sunshine x grumpy
• Full on gothic fantasy vibes
• Queer Cast
• Murder mystery + much bigger plotline
• Enemies to lovers ( Kinda)
⋆.˚✮ 𝑶𝒗𝒆𝒓𝒂𝒍𝒍 ✮˚. I’m absolutely fangirling over this book , I can’t wait for this book to be published and I’m sure I’ll be the first one to run to get a physical copy of this book 😍 Thank you NetGalley, Hodder & Stoughton and Cate Baumer for providing me with an ARC in exchange for my honest review !
「 ✦ 𝐒𝐲𝐧𝐨𝐩𝐬𝐢𝐬 ✦ 」In a walled city where holiness is sacred and sin is seen through touch, Csilla—born without a soul—is little more than a tool to the Church that raised her. When a string of murders threatens the magical purity that protects the city, the Church sends her to kill a heretic with divine blood, believing she can’t be tainted by sin. But the heretic offers her something the Church never could—a soul of her own, in return for her help catching the true killer. As they dive deeper into the truth, hunted by a vengeful inquisitor and shadowed by the Church’s secrets, Csilla must decide if a soul is worth betraying the only world she’s ever known.
𝑷𝒖𝒃𝒍𝒊𝒔𝒉𝒊𝒏𝒈 𝒅𝒂𝒕𝒆 : February 19th , 2026
⋆.˚✮ 𝑻𝒉𝒐𝒖𝒈𝒉𝒕𝒔 ✮˚.⋆ I am IMPRESSED.The world was lush, the writing was magic, and the characters—don’t even get me started. I cried, I gasped, I highlighted a hundred lines. I don’t even know how to move on. My heart belongs to this story now. New favorite, forever. This book had the slowest of slow burn , and I am not complaining because it’s MUCH better than insta love! I Adored the gothic atmosphere ! And the hint of a love triangle(Well not exactly) Wow! I loved Mihaly but in the end I found myself simping over Ilan 🤭Csilla was the perfect FMC. I completely connected with each of the characters! The plot was engaging and well written.
𐔌 . ⋮ 𝐂ɦα𝗋α𝖼𝗍𝖾𝗋𝗌 .ᐟ ֹ ₊ ꒱
⋮ ⋆˚࿔ 𝐂𝐬𝐢𝐥𝐥𝐚 ⋆ 𝜗𝜚˚⋆
What a great FMC!!! Like I’m literally so tired of FMCs cursing and being like “I’m not like the other girls” and black cat energy , we need more FMCs like Csilla with a soft personality! I have to say that this girl is LITERALLY so generous, like no matter whatever someone has done to her , she had a forgiving personality and is so soft hearted 😍
⋮ ⋆˚࿔ 𝐌𝐢𝐡𝐚𝐥𝐲 ⋆ 𝜗𝜚˚⋆
MY SHAYLA😭 Okay I know HE WAS A RED FLAG but still bro was madly in love. I defend him WTH MY LIFE. Do I think he deserved more? Yes. Do I think he should’ve end up with Csilla? No. It was really cute seeing them together in those scenes and I fully support this duo , but I think she’ll be better off with Ilan
⋮ ⋆˚࿔ 𝐈𝐥𝐚𝐧 ⋆ 𝜗𝜚˚⋆
He’s literally SO FINE 😏 If I had known that he was the love interest , I would have rooted for him from the start. While he was a little grumpy, but still I loved to see his possessive side . Also I officially declare him as my new book boyfriend 🤭 Absolutely Cannot wait for the next book to come out and we get to know more of their love story❤️
𐔌 . ⋮ 𝑻𝒉𝒆𝒎𝒆𝒔 .ᐟ ֹ ₊ ꒱
• Slowest slow burn of all time
• Chaotic angel x Sunshine x grumpy
• Full on gothic fantasy vibes
• Queer Cast
• Murder mystery + much bigger plotline
• Enemies to lovers ( Kinda)
⋆.˚✮ 𝑶𝒗𝒆𝒓𝒂𝒍𝒍 ✮˚. I’m absolutely fangirling over this book , I can’t wait for this book to be published and I’m sure I’ll be the first one to run to get a physical copy of this book 😍 Thank you NetGalley, Hodder & Stoughton and Cate Baumer for providing me with an ARC in exchange for my honest review !
July 6, 2025
Atmosphere for dayssss and omg, can Cate write some good old fashioned ✨pining✨
April 6, 2024
This is absolutely one of my favorite reads of the year. If you want a book that is like listening to Hozier's Take me to Church - this is it!
Tropes:
- All queer cast
- YEARNING
- Jack the Ripper murder mystery vibes
- Weird Feelings Triangle (MMF)
- The Slowest of slow burns
- Religion but make it dark and corrupted
- Cat Lady FMC without a soul but with all the kindness
- Gothic vibessss, Atmospheric
- Murder Mystery
- Fantasy Victorian setting
- So much manipulation
The world depicted in "The Faithful Dark" is a captivating blend of Victorian-era aesthetics and supernatural elements, with a religious system that wields significant power over the inhabitants. This is a Victorian-esque world in which there are demons and angels and saints. Long ago, demons were banished from the cities and angels vanished. The Church monitors the state of everyone's souls and tends to their flock with an iron fist. Pain and coin can banish corruption on souls. Either works for them. And there is deep corruption in the church, hidden just under the surface. The city, vividly described, serves as a compelling backdrop for the characters' moral dilemmas and personal struggles. It is dark and moody and gothic and I ADORED it.
At the heart of the story lies a complex web of mystery, fantasy, and political intrigue. The protagonists navigate a world rife with corruption and hidden agendas in their theocratic society. The narrative unfolds as Csilla, a soulless young woman, is coerced by the Church to eliminate a perceived threat, only to find herself embroiled in a deeper conspiracy. They manipulate her and when she eventually declines - they remove her from the church entirely. It is particularly traumatic for her given that she's devoted her life to them and her only support system is within their walls.
It's no secret that I like intensely complex characters. I love when authors can write realistic characters are incredibly imperfect, but still make me care deeply about them. The characters are the true strength of the story, each flawed yet incredibly compelling in their own right. The characters in this are quite diverse. Csilla, with her kind heart and desire to help others despite her perceived inferiority, undergoes significant growth throughout. Mihaly, the divine-touched heretic, grapples with his own selfishness and grief, while Ilan, the former Inquisitor, struggles with his devotion to the Church and his unexpected connections to Csilla and Mihaly.
They are AMAZING. Csilla is hard not to love. She collects stray cats, she is kind and has a soft heart, which is certainly a challenge in this flawed and corrupt world. Mihaly is arguably the most flawed, despite his touch of divinity. He is selfish and manipulative and does some pretty terrible experiments. But he has a soft heart hidden deep and everything he does is for love and to assuage his grief. He has an incredible character arc. Ilan is a former Inquisitor who has completely devoted himself to the Church and takes his responsibility to create pain to save souls very seriously. He has several aspects that are surprising and I adore his grumpy to Csilla's sunshine. I especially love watching all three of them interact; it's like watching Csilla herd some feral cats who hate (???) one another and I loved every second of it.
Their interactions are dynamic and multifaceted, showcasing a range of emotions and flaws. Despite that, these characters are easy to root for, their arcs and relationships evolving in ways both surprising and satisfying.
Seriously, read this book. It is exceptional and I adore it so, so much.
Thanks to the author and R&R Booktours. This review is based on a complimentary pre-released copy and it is voluntary.
Tropes:
- All queer cast
- YEARNING
- Jack the Ripper murder mystery vibes
- Weird Feelings Triangle (MMF)
- The Slowest of slow burns
- Religion but make it dark and corrupted
- Cat Lady FMC without a soul but with all the kindness
- Gothic vibessss, Atmospheric
- Murder Mystery
- Fantasy Victorian setting
- So much manipulation
The world depicted in "The Faithful Dark" is a captivating blend of Victorian-era aesthetics and supernatural elements, with a religious system that wields significant power over the inhabitants. This is a Victorian-esque world in which there are demons and angels and saints. Long ago, demons were banished from the cities and angels vanished. The Church monitors the state of everyone's souls and tends to their flock with an iron fist. Pain and coin can banish corruption on souls. Either works for them. And there is deep corruption in the church, hidden just under the surface. The city, vividly described, serves as a compelling backdrop for the characters' moral dilemmas and personal struggles. It is dark and moody and gothic and I ADORED it.
At the heart of the story lies a complex web of mystery, fantasy, and political intrigue. The protagonists navigate a world rife with corruption and hidden agendas in their theocratic society. The narrative unfolds as Csilla, a soulless young woman, is coerced by the Church to eliminate a perceived threat, only to find herself embroiled in a deeper conspiracy. They manipulate her and when she eventually declines - they remove her from the church entirely. It is particularly traumatic for her given that she's devoted her life to them and her only support system is within their walls.
It's no secret that I like intensely complex characters. I love when authors can write realistic characters are incredibly imperfect, but still make me care deeply about them. The characters are the true strength of the story, each flawed yet incredibly compelling in their own right. The characters in this are quite diverse. Csilla, with her kind heart and desire to help others despite her perceived inferiority, undergoes significant growth throughout. Mihaly, the divine-touched heretic, grapples with his own selfishness and grief, while Ilan, the former Inquisitor, struggles with his devotion to the Church and his unexpected connections to Csilla and Mihaly.
They are AMAZING. Csilla is hard not to love. She collects stray cats, she is kind and has a soft heart, which is certainly a challenge in this flawed and corrupt world. Mihaly is arguably the most flawed, despite his touch of divinity. He is selfish and manipulative and does some pretty terrible experiments. But he has a soft heart hidden deep and everything he does is for love and to assuage his grief. He has an incredible character arc. Ilan is a former Inquisitor who has completely devoted himself to the Church and takes his responsibility to create pain to save souls very seriously. He has several aspects that are surprising and I adore his grumpy to Csilla's sunshine. I especially love watching all three of them interact; it's like watching Csilla herd some feral cats who hate (???) one another and I loved every second of it.
Their interactions are dynamic and multifaceted, showcasing a range of emotions and flaws. Despite that, these characters are easy to root for, their arcs and relationships evolving in ways both surprising and satisfying.
Seriously, read this book. It is exceptional and I adore it so, so much.
Thanks to the author and R&R Booktours. This review is based on a complimentary pre-released copy and it is voluntary.
July 13, 2025
*I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.*
The Review
Likes
- Ilan. He is a former High Inquisitor, but the church lost their faith in him. Csilla is a soulless girl which received the same fate as Ilan. They immediately connected with eachother.
I love his grumpy villain vibes and I'm glad that 'cause of him Csilla isn't making the wrong choices. He made her remember how being her own self is important and beautiful.
Also his loyalty is admirable, even though that means that he is acting violent.
- I was glad to see that Csilla, the protagonist of this story was a gentle and soft girl, which couldn't hurt a fly. The most recent books seem to feature woman with strong bodies and minds, which is compelling too, but not what I'm looking for on the long-run. There is something intriguing with a protagonist who is so kind and never sins in a world so full of terrors (especially since a serial killer is on the run in her town). No matter how often Csilla faced rejection in life as she won't get accepted for being soulless she still is determined to save her fate by finding the serial killer herself.
(Though I was disappointed to see how easily she sided with Mihály instead of Ilan, even though Mihály is delusional and dangerous).
- I prefer slow-burn over anything, so I was happy to see that the romance between Csilla and Ilan was slow, but still in a steady pace.
- The magic in this book was really thought-through. There were so many things that were explained and one could see that the author really tried to make it realistic while reading. It also helped me feeling like being part of this story while reading. For instance, Mihály was divine and researched souls. This character introduced to the readers how souls truly work in this world. Ilan, the former High Inquisitor teaches us how fast a soul can be blackend (when it's full of sins) and how a device helps finding out. He also showed how corrupt and cruel the police is: Torturing (often innocent) people to get a confession out of them. This really added to the dark world which was promised to the reader.
- The torture scene near the end? Tension. I felt so tense watching it, though I believe the characters felt even more tense, after all I was lucky to not be part of all of this.
(I also have the feeling that it made the situation worse that it was with a cane and not a normal whip)
Dislikes
Extremely slow start. (Takes about 40% in to get actually interesting). In general, the pacing felt off the whole time while reading. Even though there were enjoyable moments while I read, I never felt like there was truly anything impactful. Like there was no climax in the story. I'm aware that this is a duology series, but each single book still needs its climax and I honestly didn't find one. Maybe there was one and I just didn't notice, but not noticing means it wasn't great enough to really call it a climax.
So, a pacing that is off and no climax. This book still felt like a draft that needed to fix a few things to make the reading flow more bearable and actually interesting to read about. I felt myself often bored 'cause a lot of things repeated itself (not just storywise but also wordwise) and 'cause a lot of stuff was included that wasn't really part of the plot later on. Don't get me wrong, there was definitely a story to be told and there were moments that were important later on, but just as I mentioned above, there were also lots of things that weren't interesting to the reader as it wasn't really necessary to include.
- Izir Mihály ('cause of him we got that boring journey outside Silgard)
+ even though he acted like a saint, I always had this iffy feeling about him (especially when he touched Csilla weirdly, WITHOUT permission, which she even says herself that it isn't really comfortable)
- A while, the book felt like it was trying to solve some murder mystery, but the vibe wasn't there to begin with. It was like: ‘Hey, let's find the murderer, but we don't actually know how, but you could help us...right?’ for a very long time. I get it that it wouldn't be interesting if they have a lead and find the murderer immediately, but having no lead at all and working with magic (which by the way, thanks to Mihály, made me feel like I was watching some weird sacrificial ritual) won't really advance the plot. Overall, the plot always felt very shaky as if it was about to come to a halt only for it to move forward at the last possible minute.
- Most characters were one- or two-dimensional but never really three-dimensional (though Csilla is three-dimensional since she is the protagonist and we actually read her thoughts all the time and know her full backstory). There is definitely still room to get to know the characters better in the last installment of the series, I just think it's a bit scarce.
Final thoughts
Thank you NetGalley and Hodder & Stoughton for the advanced reader copy of The Faithful Dark by Cate Baumer!
I will probably be not there to read The Ruthless Light, the second and last installment of the series as I wasn't able to enjoy this story so far enough to actually be looking forward to the end of this story. My low rating is due to me having expected something entirely different when I read the blurb. It's on me, as I tend to always feel intrigued when I read that it's about some spiritual/mythical beings. After all, my favourite manga is about angels and demons as well, making me feel even more drawn in into stories that feature this.
I might not have liked this book, but that doesn't mean that it's awful. So far, I see people really enjoying this book from other reviews and I don't want to discourage anyone with my review to read it as well. Just be prepared that it's slow, not just in the pacing but also the romance. If a dark fantasy with a touch of gothic and mysterious atmosphere is making you feel intrigued as well as political tension, magic, religious faith and spiritual beings then this book might appeal you.
I also included a content warning on StoryGraph, which could be helpful by choosing if this book suits one or not.
StoryGraph review + content warnings
Started the book: 12. July 2025
Finished the book: 13. July 2025
Wrote the review: 13. July 2025
The Review
Likes
- Ilan. He is a former High Inquisitor, but the church lost their faith in him. Csilla is a soulless girl which received the same fate as Ilan. They immediately connected with eachother.
I love his grumpy villain vibes and I'm glad that 'cause of him Csilla isn't making the wrong choices. He made her remember how being her own self is important and beautiful.
Also his loyalty is admirable, even though that means that he is acting violent.
- I was glad to see that Csilla, the protagonist of this story was a gentle and soft girl, which couldn't hurt a fly. The most recent books seem to feature woman with strong bodies and minds, which is compelling too, but not what I'm looking for on the long-run. There is something intriguing with a protagonist who is so kind and never sins in a world so full of terrors (especially since a serial killer is on the run in her town). No matter how often Csilla faced rejection in life as she won't get accepted for being soulless she still is determined to save her fate by finding the serial killer herself.
(Though I was disappointed to see how easily she sided with Mihály instead of Ilan, even though Mihály is delusional and dangerous).
- I prefer slow-burn over anything, so I was happy to see that the romance between Csilla and Ilan was slow, but still in a steady pace.
- The magic in this book was really thought-through. There were so many things that were explained and one could see that the author really tried to make it realistic while reading. It also helped me feeling like being part of this story while reading. For instance, Mihály was divine and researched souls. This character introduced to the readers how souls truly work in this world. Ilan, the former High Inquisitor teaches us how fast a soul can be blackend (when it's full of sins) and how a device helps finding out. He also showed how corrupt and cruel the police is: Torturing (often innocent) people to get a confession out of them. This really added to the dark world which was promised to the reader.
- The torture scene near the end? Tension. I felt so tense watching it, though I believe the characters felt even more tense, after all I was lucky to not be part of all of this.
(I also have the feeling that it made the situation worse that it was with a cane and not a normal whip)
Dislikes
Extremely slow start. (Takes about 40% in to get actually interesting). In general, the pacing felt off the whole time while reading. Even though there were enjoyable moments while I read, I never felt like there was truly anything impactful. Like there was no climax in the story. I'm aware that this is a duology series, but each single book still needs its climax and I honestly didn't find one. Maybe there was one and I just didn't notice, but not noticing means it wasn't great enough to really call it a climax.
So, a pacing that is off and no climax. This book still felt like a draft that needed to fix a few things to make the reading flow more bearable and actually interesting to read about. I felt myself often bored 'cause a lot of things repeated itself (not just storywise but also wordwise) and 'cause a lot of stuff was included that wasn't really part of the plot later on. Don't get me wrong, there was definitely a story to be told and there were moments that were important later on, but just as I mentioned above, there were also lots of things that weren't interesting to the reader as it wasn't really necessary to include.
- Izir Mihály ('cause of him we got that boring journey outside Silgard)
+ even though he acted like a saint, I always had this iffy feeling about him (especially when he touched Csilla weirdly, WITHOUT permission, which she even says herself that it isn't really comfortable)
- A while, the book felt like it was trying to solve some murder mystery, but the vibe wasn't there to begin with. It was like: ‘Hey, let's find the murderer, but we don't actually know how, but you could help us...right?’ for a very long time. I get it that it wouldn't be interesting if they have a lead and find the murderer immediately, but having no lead at all and working with magic (which by the way, thanks to Mihály, made me feel like I was watching some weird sacrificial ritual) won't really advance the plot. Overall, the plot always felt very shaky as if it was about to come to a halt only for it to move forward at the last possible minute.
- Most characters were one- or two-dimensional but never really three-dimensional (though Csilla is three-dimensional since she is the protagonist and we actually read her thoughts all the time and know her full backstory). There is definitely still room to get to know the characters better in the last installment of the series, I just think it's a bit scarce.
Final thoughts
Thank you NetGalley and Hodder & Stoughton for the advanced reader copy of The Faithful Dark by Cate Baumer!
I will probably be not there to read The Ruthless Light, the second and last installment of the series as I wasn't able to enjoy this story so far enough to actually be looking forward to the end of this story. My low rating is due to me having expected something entirely different when I read the blurb. It's on me, as I tend to always feel intrigued when I read that it's about some spiritual/mythical beings. After all, my favourite manga is about angels and demons as well, making me feel even more drawn in into stories that feature this.
I might not have liked this book, but that doesn't mean that it's awful. So far, I see people really enjoying this book from other reviews and I don't want to discourage anyone with my review to read it as well. Just be prepared that it's slow, not just in the pacing but also the romance. If a dark fantasy with a touch of gothic and mysterious atmosphere is making you feel intrigued as well as political tension, magic, religious faith and spiritual beings then this book might appeal you.
I also included a content warning on StoryGraph, which could be helpful by choosing if this book suits one or not.
StoryGraph review + content warnings
Started the book: 12. July 2025
Finished the book: 13. July 2025
Wrote the review: 13. July 2025
August 15, 2025
Thank you so much Hodder & Stoughton | Hodderscape Books for the arc!
„But this was the city of miracles, and not everything miraculous was good.“
- Fictional Vatican setting
- Corrupted religious leaders
- Murder Mystery
- Demon possession
- Shadow invocations
What I liked:
The three characters together: a divine-touched heretic, a soulless woman and a Inquisitor fallen from grace. Everyone had their own agenda and morals, and it was so entertaining to witness them working together while struggling with their suspicions, feelings and hate for each other.
Special shout-out for Ilan, my favorite character!
„If he died gasping the fucking angel's name he was going to forgo his blessed eternity to haunt him.“
What I didn’t like:
The religion was quite complex and went a bit over my head. Demons, angels, saints, children with divine powers, an absent god, a holy war … A lot had happened in the past and I never really figured the belief system out. Maybe some kind of glossary would have helped me.
Writing style: 3,5/5
Characters: 4,5/5
Story & Plot: 4/5
Vibes: 4/5
„But this was the city of miracles, and not everything miraculous was good.“
- Fictional Vatican setting
- Corrupted religious leaders
- Murder Mystery
- Demon possession
- Shadow invocations
What I liked:
The three characters together: a divine-touched heretic, a soulless woman and a Inquisitor fallen from grace. Everyone had their own agenda and morals, and it was so entertaining to witness them working together while struggling with their suspicions, feelings and hate for each other.
Special shout-out for Ilan, my favorite character!
„If he died gasping the fucking angel's name he was going to forgo his blessed eternity to haunt him.“
What I didn’t like:
The religion was quite complex and went a bit over my head. Demons, angels, saints, children with divine powers, an absent god, a holy war … A lot had happened in the past and I never really figured the belief system out. Maybe some kind of glossary would have helped me.
Writing style: 3,5/5
Characters: 4,5/5
Story & Plot: 4/5
Vibes: 4/5
July 30, 2025
4⭐️
The Faithful Dark kicks off the Brilliant Soul Duology by interweaving faith, morality, and murder mystery into a gripping tale, set in a beautifully crafted world. The start especially has definite Hunchback of Notre Dame vibes which I just loved! It has an intriguing plot, exploring themes of faith, redemption, and the blurred lines between good and evil.
The story is set in the holy city of Silgard, abandoned by its god and angels and now plagued by a serial killer leaving behind eerie, symbol-marked corpses. With the Church unwilling to confront the possibility of an escaped demon, a soulless ex-ward of the Church, a demoted Inquisitor, and a divine heretic form an uneasy alliance to uncover the truth.
I struggled at first to connect with Csilla, whose naivety felt a bit flat early on, though the reasoning for her actions do become clearer. Likewise it took me a good chunk of the book for my interest in Mihály to pick up. Ilan however had me hooked immediately! I pictured him as Claude Frollo at the start but his character quickly evolves into something so much more complex and multi layered. He absolutely makes the book for me and I’m looking forward to seeing what the second book has in store for him!
Overall it is a great, slow-burn fantasy with strong atmosphere and depth. With thanks to Hodder & Stoughton and NetGalley for the ARC!
The Faithful Dark kicks off the Brilliant Soul Duology by interweaving faith, morality, and murder mystery into a gripping tale, set in a beautifully crafted world. The start especially has definite Hunchback of Notre Dame vibes which I just loved! It has an intriguing plot, exploring themes of faith, redemption, and the blurred lines between good and evil.
The story is set in the holy city of Silgard, abandoned by its god and angels and now plagued by a serial killer leaving behind eerie, symbol-marked corpses. With the Church unwilling to confront the possibility of an escaped demon, a soulless ex-ward of the Church, a demoted Inquisitor, and a divine heretic form an uneasy alliance to uncover the truth.
I struggled at first to connect with Csilla, whose naivety felt a bit flat early on, though the reasoning for her actions do become clearer. Likewise it took me a good chunk of the book for my interest in Mihály to pick up. Ilan however had me hooked immediately! I pictured him as Claude Frollo at the start but his character quickly evolves into something so much more complex and multi layered. He absolutely makes the book for me and I’m looking forward to seeing what the second book has in store for him!
Overall it is a great, slow-burn fantasy with strong atmosphere and depth. With thanks to Hodder & Stoughton and NetGalley for the ARC!
June 22, 2024
This book solidified Cate as an insta-buy author for me. Never have I been more devastated that there's not More Book for me to consume. Any word on a sequel? Tomorrow, maybe? This afternoon?
March 10, 2024
This book literally has everything I love; deeply flawed but likable characters, beautiful prose and wonderful world-building. It felt like torture having to put it down when having to do work or chores or just ANYTHING that was not reading this book - an instant favourite!
April 4, 2024
I didn’t manage to finish this before it actually came out because I have a garbage attention span but it was EXCELLENT and ENGAGING and will be your next fantasy obsession if I have anything to say about it
December 24, 2023
I absolutely love this book, it invented the word "ATMOSPHERE"
featured
June 25, 2024https://www.tumblr.com/aspeccharacter...
Csilla from The Faithful Dark is asexual!
Csilla from The Faithful Dark is asexual!
December 4, 2025
My thanks to Hodder & Stoughton and NetGalley for a free DRC of “The Fateful Dark” by Cate Baumer.
What an amazing Dark Fantasy start of a Duology full of magic, with some murder mystery and political elements.
An almost perfect reading experience.
Set in a vivid world of angels and demons where sin and virtue can be made visible, this first volume focuses on a Fantasy version of Vatican.
While there some aspects reminiscent of the Catholicism, it was refreshing to have a queer normative world with the character’s queerness being viewed as natural.
When I started reading I was reminded a bit of Umberto Eco’s “The Name of The Rose”, but make it Fantasy, queer and much more accessible.
The world and the magic were so fascinating, but it was the main character, Csilla, a mercy worker, what we would call today a volunteer caregiver. Her innocence, bright kindness and faith reminded me of a much younger version of myself. She was such an intriguing character to witness.
Her development was so much more satisfying for being gradual and being filed with mistakes, despite or maybe due to her kind nature.
There are two other main characters and one of them is the reason I can’t give the book full five stars.
Depending on the type of reader you are, there is one aspect that I see as an issue, without which this novel would have been perfect for me, but might not bother other readers.
Some very minor spoilers ahead.
When angels were among humans, they had descendants. Their descendants, after so many generations called Izir only hold some divine powers.
One such Izir, Mihaly was the embodiment of a combination of narcissism, vanity and overlarge ego. I really appreciated the author for showing how such a person can see their selfishness as a gift to others, not as the burden it can become.
The inquisitor, Ilan is where I had the most doubts.
While “The Faithful Dark” is a fantasy, Ilan’s role is exactly what you would expect: fanaticism and a lust for violence and cruelty.
So can I believe that such a person deserves redemption or can change their views? Or should I believe that I person who lives and breathes by torturing others can have a “kind” side?
As a character he was so well done, but I wish he would have had any other role in the church except inquisitor so I could buy into his spark of goodness.
My hope is that there will be no romance in the concluding novel. Violence towards a partner should not be forgiven or accepted under any circumstance.
What an amazing Dark Fantasy start of a Duology full of magic, with some murder mystery and political elements.
An almost perfect reading experience.
Set in a vivid world of angels and demons where sin and virtue can be made visible, this first volume focuses on a Fantasy version of Vatican.
While there some aspects reminiscent of the Catholicism, it was refreshing to have a queer normative world with the character’s queerness being viewed as natural.
When I started reading I was reminded a bit of Umberto Eco’s “The Name of The Rose”, but make it Fantasy, queer and much more accessible.
The world and the magic were so fascinating, but it was the main character, Csilla, a mercy worker, what we would call today a volunteer caregiver. Her innocence, bright kindness and faith reminded me of a much younger version of myself. She was such an intriguing character to witness.
Her development was so much more satisfying for being gradual and being filed with mistakes, despite or maybe due to her kind nature.
There are two other main characters and one of them is the reason I can’t give the book full five stars.
Depending on the type of reader you are, there is one aspect that I see as an issue, without which this novel would have been perfect for me, but might not bother other readers.
Some very minor spoilers ahead.
When angels were among humans, they had descendants. Their descendants, after so many generations called Izir only hold some divine powers.
One such Izir, Mihaly was the embodiment of a combination of narcissism, vanity and overlarge ego. I really appreciated the author for showing how such a person can see their selfishness as a gift to others, not as the burden it can become.
The inquisitor, Ilan is where I had the most doubts.
While “The Faithful Dark” is a fantasy, Ilan’s role is exactly what you would expect: fanaticism and a lust for violence and cruelty.
So can I believe that such a person deserves redemption or can change their views? Or should I believe that I person who lives and breathes by torturing others can have a “kind” side?
As a character he was so well done, but I wish he would have had any other role in the church except inquisitor so I could buy into his spark of goodness.
My hope is that there will be no romance in the concluding novel. Violence towards a partner should not be forgiven or accepted under any circumstance.
Want to read
March 25, 2024In a holy city where sins and blessings can be revealed through consecrated touch, Csilla - born without a soul - is worthless to the Church that raised her. But when a series of murders corrodes the magic that keeps the city safe, the Church elders see a use for her flaw: she can assassinate their prime suspect, a heretic with divine heritage, without the stain of sin.
This is honestly one of the coolest concepts I've ever read
This is honestly one of the coolest concepts I've ever read
August 6, 2025
The Faithful Dark is an interesting, beautifully gothic novel set in a world where God (Asten) and his angels once walked but then abandoned humanity, leaving behind their bloodlines (the Izir) and their faithful. The world appears to be queer-normative and one of the main characters is transgender. The church is dominant and entwined with the secular government, and a fall from grace within the church condemns the fallen to a lifetime of being shunned. Miracles are a given, and war is constant, both against nations that have broken away from the Immaculate Union, and the threat of demons.
Written in third person dual-alternating POV, the POV characters are Csilla and Ilan.
All our protagonist Csilla wants is to belong to the church. A foundling raised within its walls, she longs to be accepted and to give her vows. She works with the sisters of Mercy tending to the people of the sacred city Silgard. Lacking a soul, she is unable to be consecrated and the relics used by the church to suss out the sinful have no effect on her.
Ilan is the Inquisitor for the church, a high-ranking official who heads Judgment and is responsible for punishing those who stray. Ilan is a trans man - his background briefly given - and suffers no stigma. Ilan is desperately working to resolve the unholy murders occurring within the city, with each act eroding both the power of the church and his own authority.
Csilla and Ilan become embroiled by the murders and a charismatic Izir named Mihaly, and the three of them strike up an uneasy alliance to solve them. Their internal motivations are not aligned, and conflicts arise, mostly centering on Mihaly’s plans for Csilla and Ilan’s unease.
The prose is accessible and easy to read, and the pacing was relatively quick. I didn’t feel like I was struggling to get through the book, but also didn’t feel like I was flying through it. The character arcs are relatively well-fleshed out: Csilla loses some of her naivety as she progresses and experiences the world outside of the church, and has a dramatic if somewhat obscurely done reveal at the end; Ilan remains more stagnant but I enjoyed his POV chapters more than Csilla’s - they have a nice murder-mystery procedural feel to them at times.
The story is relatively well-balanced between world-building and plot, and I enjoyed the feel of the world very much. Gothic, crumbling, arcane, with a sense of distrust lurking around the corner. It reminded me of Rachel Gillig’s the Knight and the Moth in terms of the feel of the world and the religious structures. This is not romance driven and I greatly enjoyed its reliance on plot over character drama to advance the storyline. There is some tension but not enough to even term it a romantic subplot.
I did not expect the end and I enjoyed the reveals and twists the author crafted. I am interested to see where the story goes and will definitely read subsequent entries.
Written in third person dual-alternating POV, the POV characters are Csilla and Ilan.
All our protagonist Csilla wants is to belong to the church. A foundling raised within its walls, she longs to be accepted and to give her vows. She works with the sisters of Mercy tending to the people of the sacred city Silgard. Lacking a soul, she is unable to be consecrated and the relics used by the church to suss out the sinful have no effect on her.
Ilan is the Inquisitor for the church, a high-ranking official who heads Judgment and is responsible for punishing those who stray. Ilan is a trans man - his background briefly given - and suffers no stigma. Ilan is desperately working to resolve the unholy murders occurring within the city, with each act eroding both the power of the church and his own authority.
Csilla and Ilan become embroiled by the murders and a charismatic Izir named Mihaly, and the three of them strike up an uneasy alliance to solve them. Their internal motivations are not aligned, and conflicts arise, mostly centering on Mihaly’s plans for Csilla and Ilan’s unease.
The prose is accessible and easy to read, and the pacing was relatively quick. I didn’t feel like I was struggling to get through the book, but also didn’t feel like I was flying through it. The character arcs are relatively well-fleshed out: Csilla loses some of her naivety as she progresses and experiences the world outside of the church, and has a dramatic if somewhat obscurely done reveal at the end; Ilan remains more stagnant but I enjoyed his POV chapters more than Csilla’s - they have a nice murder-mystery procedural feel to them at times.
The story is relatively well-balanced between world-building and plot, and I enjoyed the feel of the world very much. Gothic, crumbling, arcane, with a sense of distrust lurking around the corner. It reminded me of Rachel Gillig’s the Knight and the Moth in terms of the feel of the world and the religious structures. This is not romance driven and I greatly enjoyed its reliance on plot over character drama to advance the storyline. There is some tension but not enough to even term it a romantic subplot.
I did not expect the end and I enjoyed the reveals and twists the author crafted. I am interested to see where the story goes and will definitely read subsequent entries.
December 23, 2025
The Faithful Dark is a dark fantasy story that explores themes of faith and injustice in a world stuck in a precarious balance between angels and demons. I absolutely loved the world this takes place in, it has a really intriguing magic and belief system that just had me enthralled all the way. It’s definitely inspired by Christian/Abrahamic notions of angels and demons and builds on that wonderfully. The world-building is conveyed to the reader in small chunks as the story progresses, which does make it a bit hard to get into at first, but also avoids odious lore dumping and helps the setting feel much more real and lived-in. Also everyone had Hungarian names and I think they even use Hungarian name-order (surname first, given name second) but I don’t there’s too much influence from Hungarian folklore & culture besides that?
The characters fit the world they inhabit perfectly. If you’re looking for a book with likeable characters, this might not be the one for you, because all three of our protagonists are complicated people, whose motivations and actions are often of questionable morality. They were still very interesting to read about and I’m eager to find out where their journeys will take them in the sequel.
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Many thanks to Hodder & Stoughton for the ARC!
The characters fit the world they inhabit perfectly. If you’re looking for a book with likeable characters, this might not be the one for you, because all three of our protagonists are complicated people, whose motivations and actions are often of questionable morality. They were still very interesting to read about and I’m eager to find out where their journeys will take them in the sequel.
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Many thanks to Hodder & Stoughton for the ARC!
October 11, 2025
3.5 stars rounded up to 4
The blurb gave me big ‘Between Two Fires’ vibes; wasn’t quite it, but close. The gothic imagery and cast of characters had a similar aesthetic, I just needed more of both. Road trip with a priest and angel to find someone a soul could have easily been 5 stars. Great LGBTQIA+ rep though!
I did enjoy the book’s take on morals and how souls (or not having them) comes into play. Very thought provoking for a fantasy book. The pacing seems to be this books biggest issue. Besides like the first 5% setting up the plot, the story drug for me until like 50% when it’s kicked into high gear. It almost seems like we were on a side quest for the first part of the book (the ‘side quest’ was a lead in to highlight the book’s main theme but I found it kind of meandering). There is some top tier pining from the romance but I need a little more (the theme for this book: more). Hopefully the sequel gives us that. The last 15-20% made this 4 stars instead of 3, wish the whole book was this gripping.
I am still very interested in reading the sequel to see how the story wraps up but based on the pacing issues I’m wondering if this needed to be two books.
Thank you to NetGalley and the author/publisher for an early copy of this title in exchange for a fair and honest review.
The blurb gave me big ‘Between Two Fires’ vibes; wasn’t quite it, but close. The gothic imagery and cast of characters had a similar aesthetic, I just needed more of both. Road trip with a priest and angel to find someone a soul could have easily been 5 stars. Great LGBTQIA+ rep though!
I did enjoy the book’s take on morals and how souls (or not having them) comes into play. Very thought provoking for a fantasy book. The pacing seems to be this books biggest issue. Besides like the first 5% setting up the plot, the story drug for me until like 50% when it’s kicked into high gear. It almost seems like we were on a side quest for the first part of the book (the ‘side quest’ was a lead in to highlight the book’s main theme but I found it kind of meandering). There is some top tier pining from the romance but I need a little more (the theme for this book: more). Hopefully the sequel gives us that. The last 15-20% made this 4 stars instead of 3, wish the whole book was this gripping.
I am still very interested in reading the sequel to see how the story wraps up but based on the pacing issues I’m wondering if this needed to be two books.
Thank you to NetGalley and the author/publisher for an early copy of this title in exchange for a fair and honest review.
May 8, 2024
This is a fascinating and phenomenal book.
It’s very dark, set in an alternative Vatican City where Catholicism has been further twisted to control and brutally punish its followers in the name of cleansing them of sin.
The three main characters Csilla, Mihaly and llan are each rich and deep characters with complex motives and flaws. I love the dynamic that builds between them and the web of motives that bind them together despite their often widely disparate views and beliefs. The emotional intimacy that builds in three directions is so visceral, with attraction between Csilla & Mihaly, Csilla & Ilan, Ilan & Mihaly all flowing back and forth and overlapping.
I can’t wait to read the sequel and find out how it ends.
Rep: 3 main characters - Ilan: bi/pan transmasc, Csilla: asexual f, Mihaly: chaotic bi/pan m. QPR vibes/triangle of everyone has feelings (MMF) with non sexual intimacy and the slowest slow burn. Characters’ orientations aren’t labeled on page, author has specified their orientations in promotional material and it’s visible in their actions on page.
It’s very dark, set in an alternative Vatican City where Catholicism has been further twisted to control and brutally punish its followers in the name of cleansing them of sin.
The three main characters Csilla, Mihaly and llan are each rich and deep characters with complex motives and flaws. I love the dynamic that builds between them and the web of motives that bind them together despite their often widely disparate views and beliefs. The emotional intimacy that builds in three directions is so visceral, with attraction between Csilla & Mihaly, Csilla & Ilan, Ilan & Mihaly all flowing back and forth and overlapping.
I can’t wait to read the sequel and find out how it ends.
Rep: 3 main characters - Ilan: bi/pan transmasc, Csilla: asexual f, Mihaly: chaotic bi/pan m. QPR vibes/triangle of everyone has feelings (MMF) with non sexual intimacy and the slowest slow burn. Characters’ orientations aren’t labeled on page, author has specified their orientations in promotional material and it’s visible in their actions on page.
June 5, 2024
4.5 stars
I’ve sat on this review for a couple of days, but the more I try and think of something meaningful and review-y to say I simply… can’t. All I have is praise.
Cate did an amazing job of writing an incredible immersive and atmospheric novel. The prose is absolutely phenomenal, the story is gripping and well thought out, the characters are interesting and lovable. I think my only (and very slight) issue is with the representation.
I love the representation in the novel with transmasc and queer characters, however i didn’t catch on to the fact that they were trans/queer until about halfway through. That’s probably just a me issue, though, because once I got it, everything clicked.
Regardless, I loved this book and I’m going to go buy a copy of it now. I wait for the second one with bated breath.
Thank you to Cate Baumer for providing me with an ARC of this novel in exchange for an honest review.
I’ve sat on this review for a couple of days, but the more I try and think of something meaningful and review-y to say I simply… can’t. All I have is praise.
Cate did an amazing job of writing an incredible immersive and atmospheric novel. The prose is absolutely phenomenal, the story is gripping and well thought out, the characters are interesting and lovable. I think my only (and very slight) issue is with the representation.
I love the representation in the novel with transmasc and queer characters, however i didn’t catch on to the fact that they were trans/queer until about halfway through. That’s probably just a me issue, though, because once I got it, everything clicked.
Regardless, I loved this book and I’m going to go buy a copy of it now. I wait for the second one with bated breath.
Thank you to Cate Baumer for providing me with an ARC of this novel in exchange for an honest review.
April 17, 2024
Fuck the church, even if they have fierce aesthetics ~4.5-4.75
July 12, 2025
I’m actually obsessed with this book! If I could give it infinity stars, I would!
The Faithful Dark is a dark, gothic fantasy set in a holy city where touch reveals sin. Soulless Csilla is seen as worthless until the Church orders her to assassinate a heretic with divine heritage, accused of murders threatening the city’s magic. But the heretic offers her a deal: help him catch the real killer and he’ll give her a soul. Joining them is Ilan, a fallen Inquisitor desperate to reclaim his title by any means necessary, and together they hunt a murderer whose trail leads to secrets that could shake the Faith itself.
The characters are so complex and fascinating! I love when authors make characters feel like real people, flaws and all, and Cate Baumer absolutely nailed it. Csilla and Ilan have such distinct voices, and the character development is phenomenal. There’s kind of a love triangle (but also not really, it’s complicated) and I was eating it up! And the slow burn and yearning? Perfection! It’s like Baumer wrapped up everything I love into one book!
The worldbuilding is incredible. In this world, souls can blacken with sin and only pain or coin can banish the corruption on a soul, which is such a brilliant concept. Add in a murder mystery that becomes so much more, vanished angels, banished demons, saints, and a dark and corrupted religion, and you have this masterpiece of a book! The gothic atmosphere is immaculate and the setting, a fantasy Vatican, is such a delight to be in.
Plus, the writing is so beautifully lyrical. If there were any flaws I didn't notice them, I was completely swept away. I binged most of the book in a day because I just couldn’t put it down! The ending actually made me cry, and I’ve only cried while reading maybe two other books in my life. The Faithful Dark made me feel so many things which is exactly what a book is supposed to do.
Some bonus amazing things: an all-queer cast (asexual healer, transmasc priest, bisexual angel descendant), political intrigue, fantastic plot twists, and so much depth in every character. I’m basically in love with everyone despite their many flaws!
Honestly, this whole book is a piece of art. It gave me The Knight and the Moth vibes, but darker, moodier, and with a slower slow burn. I absolutely adored it!
Thank you to NetGalley and Hodder & Stoughton for the ARC in exchange for an honest review. Found a new favorite book!
The Faithful Dark is a dark, gothic fantasy set in a holy city where touch reveals sin. Soulless Csilla is seen as worthless until the Church orders her to assassinate a heretic with divine heritage, accused of murders threatening the city’s magic. But the heretic offers her a deal: help him catch the real killer and he’ll give her a soul. Joining them is Ilan, a fallen Inquisitor desperate to reclaim his title by any means necessary, and together they hunt a murderer whose trail leads to secrets that could shake the Faith itself.
The characters are so complex and fascinating! I love when authors make characters feel like real people, flaws and all, and Cate Baumer absolutely nailed it. Csilla and Ilan have such distinct voices, and the character development is phenomenal. There’s kind of a love triangle (but also not really, it’s complicated) and I was eating it up! And the slow burn and yearning? Perfection! It’s like Baumer wrapped up everything I love into one book!
The worldbuilding is incredible. In this world, souls can blacken with sin and only pain or coin can banish the corruption on a soul, which is such a brilliant concept. Add in a murder mystery that becomes so much more, vanished angels, banished demons, saints, and a dark and corrupted religion, and you have this masterpiece of a book! The gothic atmosphere is immaculate and the setting, a fantasy Vatican, is such a delight to be in.
Plus, the writing is so beautifully lyrical. If there were any flaws I didn't notice them, I was completely swept away. I binged most of the book in a day because I just couldn’t put it down! The ending actually made me cry, and I’ve only cried while reading maybe two other books in my life. The Faithful Dark made me feel so many things which is exactly what a book is supposed to do.
Some bonus amazing things: an all-queer cast (asexual healer, transmasc priest, bisexual angel descendant), political intrigue, fantastic plot twists, and so much depth in every character. I’m basically in love with everyone despite their many flaws!
Honestly, this whole book is a piece of art. It gave me The Knight and the Moth vibes, but darker, moodier, and with a slower slow burn. I absolutely adored it!
Thank you to NetGalley and Hodder & Stoughton for the ARC in exchange for an honest review. Found a new favorite book!
November 22, 2025
A unique and gothic fantasy with dark religious themes, queer rep, murder mystery, and an extremely slow burn. Our three main characters, Csilla (a girl with no soul), Ilan (a trans priest who left his wealthy upbringing for the church), and Mihaly (an Izir, someone with divine heritage - except the church thinks this one is a heretic) become unlikely allies in saving their city from a demonic force murdering its citizens.
Csilla is assigned by the church to kill Mihaly for his heresy, because it won’t leave a mark on her (lack of a) soul. But when they meet, she can’t bring herself to kill him. They talk, he charms her, and makes her an offer to help them both: prove that he’s innocent by teaming up to find the real killer, and he’ll work his magic to give her a soul. But this is absolutely a case where nobody is what they seem and everything you think you know will be unraveled by the end.
The prose is beautiful and the characters are so human and flawed that I felt instantly connected to them. I especially loved Csilla and felt seen by her, her deep empathy for everyone around her, the sense that she’s constantly carrying the world on her shoulders. My heart broke for her over and over throughout the story and her unending compassion for those hurting her made it ache that much more.
This story also brought up so many questions about what a soul is and what it means to have one, while seamlessly critiquing the power imbalance and corruption of the church. It’s a powerful reflection on religious guilt and the lengths we will go to in order to feel “good” or “pure”.
I can’t wait to see what’s in store for these characters and would love to see if anyone makes a comeback in the next book. Thanks to NetGalley & Mobius Books for the eARC in exchange for an honest review!
Csilla is assigned by the church to kill Mihaly for his heresy, because it won’t leave a mark on her (lack of a) soul. But when they meet, she can’t bring herself to kill him. They talk, he charms her, and makes her an offer to help them both: prove that he’s innocent by teaming up to find the real killer, and he’ll work his magic to give her a soul. But this is absolutely a case where nobody is what they seem and everything you think you know will be unraveled by the end.
The prose is beautiful and the characters are so human and flawed that I felt instantly connected to them. I especially loved Csilla and felt seen by her, her deep empathy for everyone around her, the sense that she’s constantly carrying the world on her shoulders. My heart broke for her over and over throughout the story and her unending compassion for those hurting her made it ache that much more.
This story also brought up so many questions about what a soul is and what it means to have one, while seamlessly critiquing the power imbalance and corruption of the church. It’s a powerful reflection on religious guilt and the lengths we will go to in order to feel “good” or “pure”.
I can’t wait to see what’s in store for these characters and would love to see if anyone makes a comeback in the next book. Thanks to NetGalley & Mobius Books for the eARC in exchange for an honest review!
Read
October 2, 2024The Faithful Dark was one of the books in my SPFBO 10 batch, and my runner-up to my semi-finalist pick.
Hoo boy, where to start with this one? The Faithful Dark was one of the books I picked for myself when we did our own sorting. Based on the blurb I thought yes, this is absolutely up my alley. And the others graciously let me have it, although now I wonder if that was the right decision. But how should I have known that The Faithful Dark would trip me up so hard?
Okay, so as a starter, I’m letting the cat out of the bag. This book is full of Hungarian names and words used as names, mixed with some Slavic ones. I really should have seen this coming with one of the protagonists called Csilla, but I honestly didn’t. It was such a surreal experience that it took me a long time to get over it and not to take me out of the story. But some of the decisions also confused me – why keep the Hungarian spelling for some and not for others? What’s the logic behind the naming? For example, we have some angels mentioned named Arany and Ezüst (gold and silver in Hungarian), but we also have Layol (I think? Anyway, definitely not Hungarian), and then we have the god named Asten (pretty close to the Hungarian word, Isten). Why is one of the protagonists, an Izir (a descendant of an angel and a human, also not Hungarian), got a Hungarian name, but not the other POV character, Ilan? And yes, I know I’m nitpicking, but I guess this book just got unlucky for getting me as a judge.
But on to more important things. The premise of The Faithful Dark is interesting. We have Csilla, a girl who works in the Church, where she wants to belong so badly. She grew up as an orphan, and all she ever wanted was to care for others and to have a soul. Because, you see, she is the only one in Silgard not to have one. A peculiarity that baffles everyone, although not as much as to give her any attention. In this world people’s souls have two sides – one for brilliance and one for shadow and it’s one’s job to keep it as close to brilliance as possible. Only those who are pure can live in Silgard – or those who are rich enough to pay for purifying their souls. It’s the Church’s job to keep the faith alive until Asten one day would return. Until then, the Incarnate runs the show, who is the only one Asten speaks to directly. There are different factions within the Church, and one is led by the High Inquisitor, Ilan. It’s his job to find sin and purify people. More times than not, with torture. Everyone has to have skills.
We meet these characters as Ilan is desperate to solve a series of murders that has the Church in a tight spot. Not speaking of the seal’s weakness as people start to turn from the Church and look for answers elsewhere – namely at the Izir’s preaching. Tamás is the descendant of an angel, and thus he is considered divine. The Church also thinks him a heretic and wants to get rid of him. Using Csilla, that sets off events and leads to a broader plot altogether.
I really struggled to get into the book for a long time. Around the 40% mark, I wasn’t even sure I’d get past 50%. That said, I read 70% of the book in one sitting, because somewhere around the 45% mark something clicked and I got invested in finding out some answers. But something still kept me from loving this book. The characters are flawed, if not particularly likable, the writing is clean, although the prose wasn’t always to my taste. But some things just weren’t logical. Ilan shares some information with Csilla early on which is absolutely out of character, there is a reveal toward the end that they should have seen because they had all the information but were way too fucking trusting, even Ilan who should have known better. And there is that it’s marketed as queer although I have no idea why. There is only one instance where Tamás the Izir kisses the cheek/corner of the mouth of Ilan which comes totally out of the blue and out of character.
Out of the three main characters (although only Csilla and Ilan got their own POV chapters), it was Ilan who grew on me the most which surprised even me, seeing as I didn’t like him much to begin with. But I think he is the only one close to a relatable human being. He is loyal to a fault, he has faith, he tries his best to serve the Church he loves even if through violence. But he also has interesting depths. Csilla is too good and kind which is nice, but I never believed for a second that she’ll be able to solve the mystery, not even with Mihály in tow. Not until Ilan got into the picture. And even then, Csilla remains pretty much useless.
Mihály is a much more interesting character. Not an angel but not fully human either. He is a manipulative and selfish bastard who uses everyone to his own ends, and it’s hard to believe he wants the good of the people. Not very surprising that naive Csilla doesn’t see through him, though I liked that she was never entirely comfortable with him. But then she also had her own reasons to put up with him.
I’m bringing this review to an end, because it’s already too long. I liked the setting and the general idea behind the story. A medieval-like world where the Church is the ruler and faith is a central part of life. The characters are certainly complex as is the plot, but it felt like the author bit more than she could chew. The murder mystery is not particularly interesting – or rather, it’s not explored much as the focus is on the characters way more than it should be. Which is a problem, because I never really could connect with them. The Faithful Dark is certainly one of the most interesting books in my batch, and it has a lot going for it, but I think not unlike Csilla, I was missing a soul.
Hoo boy, where to start with this one? The Faithful Dark was one of the books I picked for myself when we did our own sorting. Based on the blurb I thought yes, this is absolutely up my alley. And the others graciously let me have it, although now I wonder if that was the right decision. But how should I have known that The Faithful Dark would trip me up so hard?
Okay, so as a starter, I’m letting the cat out of the bag. This book is full of Hungarian names and words used as names, mixed with some Slavic ones. I really should have seen this coming with one of the protagonists called Csilla, but I honestly didn’t. It was such a surreal experience that it took me a long time to get over it and not to take me out of the story. But some of the decisions also confused me – why keep the Hungarian spelling for some and not for others? What’s the logic behind the naming? For example, we have some angels mentioned named Arany and Ezüst (gold and silver in Hungarian), but we also have Layol (I think? Anyway, definitely not Hungarian), and then we have the god named Asten (pretty close to the Hungarian word, Isten). Why is one of the protagonists, an Izir (a descendant of an angel and a human, also not Hungarian), got a Hungarian name, but not the other POV character, Ilan? And yes, I know I’m nitpicking, but I guess this book just got unlucky for getting me as a judge.
But on to more important things. The premise of The Faithful Dark is interesting. We have Csilla, a girl who works in the Church, where she wants to belong so badly. She grew up as an orphan, and all she ever wanted was to care for others and to have a soul. Because, you see, she is the only one in Silgard not to have one. A peculiarity that baffles everyone, although not as much as to give her any attention. In this world people’s souls have two sides – one for brilliance and one for shadow and it’s one’s job to keep it as close to brilliance as possible. Only those who are pure can live in Silgard – or those who are rich enough to pay for purifying their souls. It’s the Church’s job to keep the faith alive until Asten one day would return. Until then, the Incarnate runs the show, who is the only one Asten speaks to directly. There are different factions within the Church, and one is led by the High Inquisitor, Ilan. It’s his job to find sin and purify people. More times than not, with torture. Everyone has to have skills.
We meet these characters as Ilan is desperate to solve a series of murders that has the Church in a tight spot. Not speaking of the seal’s weakness as people start to turn from the Church and look for answers elsewhere – namely at the Izir’s preaching. Tamás is the descendant of an angel, and thus he is considered divine. The Church also thinks him a heretic and wants to get rid of him. Using Csilla, that sets off events and leads to a broader plot altogether.
I really struggled to get into the book for a long time. Around the 40% mark, I wasn’t even sure I’d get past 50%. That said, I read 70% of the book in one sitting, because somewhere around the 45% mark something clicked and I got invested in finding out some answers. But something still kept me from loving this book. The characters are flawed, if not particularly likable, the writing is clean, although the prose wasn’t always to my taste. But some things just weren’t logical. Ilan shares some information with Csilla early on which is absolutely out of character, there is a reveal toward the end that they should have seen because they had all the information but were way too fucking trusting, even Ilan who should have known better. And there is that it’s marketed as queer although I have no idea why. There is only one instance where Tamás the Izir kisses the cheek/corner of the mouth of Ilan which comes totally out of the blue and out of character.
Out of the three main characters (although only Csilla and Ilan got their own POV chapters), it was Ilan who grew on me the most which surprised even me, seeing as I didn’t like him much to begin with. But I think he is the only one close to a relatable human being. He is loyal to a fault, he has faith, he tries his best to serve the Church he loves even if through violence. But he also has interesting depths. Csilla is too good and kind which is nice, but I never believed for a second that she’ll be able to solve the mystery, not even with Mihály in tow. Not until Ilan got into the picture. And even then, Csilla remains pretty much useless.
Mihály is a much more interesting character. Not an angel but not fully human either. He is a manipulative and selfish bastard who uses everyone to his own ends, and it’s hard to believe he wants the good of the people. Not very surprising that naive Csilla doesn’t see through him, though I liked that she was never entirely comfortable with him. But then she also had her own reasons to put up with him.
I’m bringing this review to an end, because it’s already too long. I liked the setting and the general idea behind the story. A medieval-like world where the Church is the ruler and faith is a central part of life. The characters are certainly complex as is the plot, but it felt like the author bit more than she could chew. The murder mystery is not particularly interesting – or rather, it’s not explored much as the focus is on the characters way more than it should be. Which is a problem, because I never really could connect with them. The Faithful Dark is certainly one of the most interesting books in my batch, and it has a lot going for it, but I think not unlike Csilla, I was missing a soul.
Review of advance copy received from Netgalley
The Faithful Dark by Cate Baumer marks the beginning of a compelling series that explores faith, demons, angels, and corruption within a queer-normative fantasy gothic world, all wrapped up in a murder mystery.
I want to start my review by saying that in the end, I loved this book. But it didn’t start out that way.
I found the learning curve to this new world STEEP. New faith, new hierarchy, new rules and laws and very little explanation. This isn’t a story that holds your hand. It has extensive lore, and you’re thrown in the deep end and just expected to keep up.
Admittedly, I found this tricky and confusing (and I say this as someone who adores lore and backstory and always wants more, more, more!). And because of this, I did find the first half of The Faithful Dark difficult to enjoy. Perhaps I would have given up if it hadn’t been an arc from the lovely folks at Netgalley, but in the end, I did persevere.
I’m so glad I did.
This story is rich and inspired. Ambitious to craft a murder mystery set inside a deeply religious fantasy setting, but Baumer did it masterfully. Her characters are fully formed, alongside a fleshed-out faith, set amidst a wholly designed and nuanced world.
Read my full review on the Treat Your Geek website.
I want to start my review by saying that in the end, I loved this book. But it didn’t start out that way.
I found the learning curve to this new world STEEP. New faith, new hierarchy, new rules and laws and very little explanation. This isn’t a story that holds your hand. It has extensive lore, and you’re thrown in the deep end and just expected to keep up.
Admittedly, I found this tricky and confusing (and I say this as someone who adores lore and backstory and always wants more, more, more!). And because of this, I did find the first half of The Faithful Dark difficult to enjoy. Perhaps I would have given up if it hadn’t been an arc from the lovely folks at Netgalley, but in the end, I did persevere.
I’m so glad I did.
This story is rich and inspired. Ambitious to craft a murder mystery set inside a deeply religious fantasy setting, but Baumer did it masterfully. Her characters are fully formed, alongside a fleshed-out faith, set amidst a wholly designed and nuanced world.
Read my full review on the Treat Your Geek website.
July 12, 2025
3.5 Stars.
I really enjoyed this book, it had a very well-developed world and religion. The characters were also very complex and interesting, especially when they interacted with each other. It was also nice to see a real slow-burn romance for once. Typically when books claim to be "slow-burn," the characters pine for three chapters then kiss, but that was not the case here. The atmosphere was very vivid and the writing was excellent.
I will say that for the first half, this book was a little hard to follow/get into. I was a bit confused at what was going on and what needed to be done, but around 40% it started to clear up. There was also some confusion throughout surrounding what the characters were doing, and certain descriptions felt a little convoluted.
This book subverted my initial expectations in a good way and I can't wait to read the sequel!
Thank you NetGalley and the publisher for providing me with this copy.
I really enjoyed this book, it had a very well-developed world and religion. The characters were also very complex and interesting, especially when they interacted with each other. It was also nice to see a real slow-burn romance for once. Typically when books claim to be "slow-burn," the characters pine for three chapters then kiss, but that was not the case here. The atmosphere was very vivid and the writing was excellent.
I will say that for the first half, this book was a little hard to follow/get into. I was a bit confused at what was going on and what needed to be done, but around 40% it started to clear up. There was also some confusion throughout surrounding what the characters were doing, and certain descriptions felt a little convoluted.
This book subverted my initial expectations in a good way and I can't wait to read the sequel!
Thank you NetGalley and the publisher for providing me with this copy.
Want to read
July 7, 2025I have never wanted a physical ARC of a book so badly I'm obsessed with this cover.
July 19, 2025
This book is an examination of faith and belief. What happens when your deities disappear and you need to rebuild in a world where darkness is on all sides? And what is the politics of salvation?
The book follows three PoV, each looking for a way to save the church from false prophets (This in a world where divine magic actually exists, even if it is low key). As the story progresses each confront old ideas and new expectations. Though this is a stand alone, the ending is open enough to allow a follow up (I would happily get it just to see how the author resolves it).
The book follows three PoV, each looking for a way to save the church from false prophets (This in a world where divine magic actually exists, even if it is low key). As the story progresses each confront old ideas and new expectations. Though this is a stand alone, the ending is open enough to allow a follow up (I would happily get it just to see how the author resolves it).
July 8, 2025
This was my second time reading The Faithful Dark, and somehow I loved it even more than the first. I originally picked it up during its indie release, and now, with the upcoming traditional publication, I was thrilled to revisit the story. I can happily say it more than holds up. I devoured it in a single day and had an absolutely fantastic time. Again.
First of all, let me say that the premise of this story is compelling all on its own. Csilla is a healer born without a soul – someone the Church she serves considers worthless. But when a series of murders shakes her city, the very institution that deems her unworthy sends her on a mission: to kill the suspected heretic, since a soulless girl like her can’t risk sin. I believe the blurb alone is enough to spark the interest of many readers.
What stood out to me was how the book weaves together institutional religion – portrayed as a cold, violent, and unyielding machine – with the flawed individuals simply trying to survive within it. Csilla, though cast aside for lacking a soul, remains gentle, kind, and quietly brave. I adored her. I wish we saw more fantasy heroines like her – soft doesn’t mean weak, and this book understands that perfectly.
The other two leads are just as well-drawn. Mihály, the heretic, is a divine-touched man fighting to clear his name. Then there’s Ilan – a disgraced former inquisitor who once upheld the very Church that’s now turned its back on him. All three characters are shaped by their relationship to faith, and that tension drives the book in compelling ways. That said, as much as I loved all the characters, I have to admit – my heart 100% belongs to Ilan. I’m a sucker for grumpy men with religious trauma, and he absolutely delivers (!!!).
As the protagonists’ paths intertwine, what begins as a shared mission evolves into a slow, aching emotional triangle. The romance is extremely slow burn – but it’s so full of yearning and unresolved tension! Cate Baumer writes touch, silence, and eye contact with the intensity of a romantic epic. A simple brush of skin feels like the height of intimacy.
On top of all that, the murder mystery plot is solid and keeps the story moving, while the worldbuilding truly shines. It's simple yet incredibly effective: imagine the Vatican crossed with Victorian London. The result is a gothic atmosphere that’s immersive, haunting, and wholly original.
The Faithful Dark is what I’d call "quiet fantasy": rich in feeling, full of slow-burning tension, layered with religious trauma, and set in a beautifully normalized LGBTQ+ world. The characters are complex, the stakes are both internal and external, and the emotional depth is stunning. If you love yearning, grief, faith, and softness wrapped in gothic shadows, this book is for you.
I’m so happy it’s getting a traditional release. Cate Baumer deserves all the readers.
Thank you NetGalley and Hodder & Stoughton for providing me with an ARC in exchange for my honest review.
_______________
Beautifully written "quiet" gothic fantasy with plenty of religious trauma and fantastic, complex characters. I look forward to the sequel.
First of all, let me say that the premise of this story is compelling all on its own. Csilla is a healer born without a soul – someone the Church she serves considers worthless. But when a series of murders shakes her city, the very institution that deems her unworthy sends her on a mission: to kill the suspected heretic, since a soulless girl like her can’t risk sin. I believe the blurb alone is enough to spark the interest of many readers.
What stood out to me was how the book weaves together institutional religion – portrayed as a cold, violent, and unyielding machine – with the flawed individuals simply trying to survive within it. Csilla, though cast aside for lacking a soul, remains gentle, kind, and quietly brave. I adored her. I wish we saw more fantasy heroines like her – soft doesn’t mean weak, and this book understands that perfectly.
The other two leads are just as well-drawn. Mihály, the heretic, is a divine-touched man fighting to clear his name. Then there’s Ilan – a disgraced former inquisitor who once upheld the very Church that’s now turned its back on him. All three characters are shaped by their relationship to faith, and that tension drives the book in compelling ways. That said, as much as I loved all the characters, I have to admit – my heart 100% belongs to Ilan. I’m a sucker for grumpy men with religious trauma, and he absolutely delivers (!!!).
As the protagonists’ paths intertwine, what begins as a shared mission evolves into a slow, aching emotional triangle. The romance is extremely slow burn – but it’s so full of yearning and unresolved tension! Cate Baumer writes touch, silence, and eye contact with the intensity of a romantic epic. A simple brush of skin feels like the height of intimacy.
On top of all that, the murder mystery plot is solid and keeps the story moving, while the worldbuilding truly shines. It's simple yet incredibly effective: imagine the Vatican crossed with Victorian London. The result is a gothic atmosphere that’s immersive, haunting, and wholly original.
The Faithful Dark is what I’d call "quiet fantasy": rich in feeling, full of slow-burning tension, layered with religious trauma, and set in a beautifully normalized LGBTQ+ world. The characters are complex, the stakes are both internal and external, and the emotional depth is stunning. If you love yearning, grief, faith, and softness wrapped in gothic shadows, this book is for you.
I’m so happy it’s getting a traditional release. Cate Baumer deserves all the readers.
Thank you NetGalley and Hodder & Stoughton for providing me with an ARC in exchange for my honest review.
_______________
Beautifully written "quiet" gothic fantasy with plenty of religious trauma and fantastic, complex characters. I look forward to the sequel.
April 5, 2024
Applause, applause, applause… I am officially obsessed with this book! It has everything I love; gothic atmosphere, murder, enemies to lovers, and a queer cast.
Ace Csilia, raised by the church, is an orphan who has no soul. She’s never been useful to them until now. She’s called upon to assassinate the heretic Mihaly they believe is cause for a series of murders. But upon meeting him she has doubts of his involvement, and along with recently demoted transmasc inquisitor Ilan, they hunt the killer together. While she seeks to uncover the true villain, she learns her salvation will come at a cost.
The characters are all beautifully complex and they each took a piece of my heart. Csilia is pure magic and has such a good spirit. Mihaly, while gruesome. is a divine human who only wants to bring back his love who died. And Ilan, a masochist, has a sensitivity to him, even if it’s buried deep. They’re an unlikely trio in this story of religious corruption.
The often terrifying world building was so vivid and the exploration of moral dilemma was exquisite. The mix of fantasy, mystery, and slow burn romance was truly haunting. It was such an intense read and pained me to have to put it down at the end.
Thank you Cate Baumer and RR Book Tours for the ARC and the opportunity to be on this tour.
Ace Csilia, raised by the church, is an orphan who has no soul. She’s never been useful to them until now. She’s called upon to assassinate the heretic Mihaly they believe is cause for a series of murders. But upon meeting him she has doubts of his involvement, and along with recently demoted transmasc inquisitor Ilan, they hunt the killer together. While she seeks to uncover the true villain, she learns her salvation will come at a cost.
The characters are all beautifully complex and they each took a piece of my heart. Csilia is pure magic and has such a good spirit. Mihaly, while gruesome. is a divine human who only wants to bring back his love who died. And Ilan, a masochist, has a sensitivity to him, even if it’s buried deep. They’re an unlikely trio in this story of religious corruption.
The often terrifying world building was so vivid and the exploration of moral dilemma was exquisite. The mix of fantasy, mystery, and slow burn romance was truly haunting. It was such an intense read and pained me to have to put it down at the end.
Thank you Cate Baumer and RR Book Tours for the ARC and the opportunity to be on this tour.
August 9, 2025
4.5 ⭐️
The Faithful dark
This story takes place in a holy walled city where sin and sanctity are revealed through touch, Csilla - a girl born without a soul - is worth little to the Church that raised her. But when a series of murders corrodes the faithful magic that keep the city safe, the Church elders see a use for her she can assassinate their prime suspect, a heretic with divine heritage, without risking the stain of sin.
Content Notes
- Religiously sanctioned torture
- violence (no identity-based or sexual violence)
- animal death
- character death
- alcohol and substance abuse.
„The Faithful dark“ has a beautiful lyrical style of writing,it has gothic dark atmosphere, murder mystery throughout the whole story, Vatican vibes, one of the slowest burn I’ve ever read and yearning.
Honestly, at the beginning it was a little bit hard to get into the book, it took me some time to grasp the plot but when I did I was enthralled by the whole plot.
You get the POV of Csilla, girl without a soul and Ilan, Inquisitor of the Church.
I would recommend this book to someone who wanted a dark, mystic fantasy story with really unique story concept.
I can’t wait to continue this story 🙈
Thank you NetGalley, Cate Baumer and Hodderscape for providing me with an ARC of this book
The Faithful dark
This story takes place in a holy walled city where sin and sanctity are revealed through touch, Csilla - a girl born without a soul - is worth little to the Church that raised her. But when a series of murders corrodes the faithful magic that keep the city safe, the Church elders see a use for her she can assassinate their prime suspect, a heretic with divine heritage, without risking the stain of sin.
Content Notes
- Religiously sanctioned torture
- violence (no identity-based or sexual violence)
- animal death
- character death
- alcohol and substance abuse.
„The Faithful dark“ has a beautiful lyrical style of writing,it has gothic dark atmosphere, murder mystery throughout the whole story, Vatican vibes, one of the slowest burn I’ve ever read and yearning.
Honestly, at the beginning it was a little bit hard to get into the book, it took me some time to grasp the plot but when I did I was enthralled by the whole plot.
You get the POV of Csilla, girl without a soul and Ilan, Inquisitor of the Church.
I would recommend this book to someone who wanted a dark, mystic fantasy story with really unique story concept.
I can’t wait to continue this story 🙈
Thank you NetGalley, Cate Baumer and Hodderscape for providing me with an ARC of this book
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