Fallen City by Adrienne Young ~ a Review

by MK French

Luca Matius plans to carry on the family name and participate in the Forum after his powerful and cruel uncle dies. Maris Casperia, inside the Citadel, expects a lifetime of service to a corrupt city. Their meeting sets off a chain of events that changes everything. A dangerous secret throws the city into chaos, so Luca and Maris try to tip the scales of power. When an execution forces Luca to become the symbol of rebellion, he and Maris are thrown onto opposite sides of a holy war.

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November 2025; Saturday Books; 978-1250794192
audio, ebook, print (416 pages); fantasy

This is Adrienne Young's adult debut, as her previous books are considered YA novels. This is also the first half of a duology. With a Roman influence on the world-building, there's still the lingering evidence of the gods and their powers. The blood of the priestesses contains power, used to impart special properties to otherwise ordinary items, and is a display of wealth and power. The magistrates are more or less selfish, perpetuating the system that keeps them in power. 

The story has two timelines. The past timeline covers Luca and Maris meeting and seeing how the system works, largely to benefit the rich and privileged. The two want to change the system so that more people can benefit, but the other Magistrates upended those plans, and revolution broke out, which is the current timeline. Luca doesn't believe in any of the gods, while Maris still holds faith in them. The two are literally at odds throughout the book: different political factions, beliefs, location, and being gods touched. The two care deeply for one another and try to protect each other, but war is a beast that can't be controlled or contained. The love they have isn't enough to hold back war, and the final third is full of surprises as well as danger. The second half of the duology will have a lot of questions to answer. 

Buy Fallen City at Amazon

Born and raised in New York City, M.K. French started writing stories when very young, dreaming of different worlds and places to visit. She always had an interest in folklore, fairy tales, and the macabre, which has definitely influenced her work. She currently lives in the Midwest with her husband, three young children, and a golden retriever.

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