In the world of romantasy fiction, few books manage to seamlessly blend forbidden love, theological intrigue, and a militarized magical system the way Sophie Clark’s Cruel Is the Light does. With its cathedral-shadowed battlefields, demon-fueled politics, and protagonists forged in trauma, this debut novel is a searing addition to the YA fantasy romance genre. It recalls the theological tension of Warrior Nun, the military training of Fourth Wing, and the slow-burn yearning of From Blood and Ash—yet Clark’s voice remains uniquely her own.
With glowing endorsements from authors like Bea Fitzgerald, Vanessa Len, and Emily Thiede, Cruel Is the Light arrives with fanfare, and for good reason. But is it merely a parade of trope-laden spectacle, or does it deliver on the emotional and thematic resonance that readers crave from the best romantasy tales?
Let’s dive into the fire-lit halls of the Vatican, where faith is currency, magic costs your soul, and even love might be an unforgivable sin.
Setting and Worldbuilding: The Vatican as a Fantasy Powerhouse
Sophie Clark’s alternate Europe is centered on the Holy Vatican Empire, a terrifyingly bureaucratic theocracy where exorcists wield blood magic to wage war on demons. Think gothic Rome meets militarized divinity. The Vatican is structured with almost feudal precision: Exorcist Primus at the top, Imperiums Bellum and Politikos below, and a strict class system for exorcists and artificers that fuels tension and hierarchy.
What elevates the setting is its subtle critique of institutional religion and power. The Deathless God—the crucified deity whose blood literally fuels miracles—is not a symbol of hope but one of complicity. The Vatican may have repelled demons for centuries, but it’s also drunk on its own righteousness. Readers who enjoy nuanced moral ambiguity in their worldbuilding (The Poppy War, The Magicians, or The Bone Season) will find Clark’s theological landscape riveting.
Standout elements:
- A six-tier demon classification system (Levels I–VI), with poetic names like Ghouls, Fiends, Nobles, Viscounts, and Dukes.
- Magic powered by blood, specifically through sigils carved into bones—a haunting metaphor for institutional sacrifice.
- A richly defined hierarchy for both exorcists and artificers, including specialization tracks (Brawler, Gunslinger, Ranged, Melee).
- A layered history of divine crucifixion, political decay, and sanctioned demonology that recalls the best of dark academia worldbuilding.
Characters: Wounded Souls and Scorching Chemistry
Selene Alleva: The Butcher of Rome
Selene is one of the most compelling YA heroines of the year. Ruthless, brilliant, and emotionally repressed, she embodies the weight of legacy. Her father, once a master artificer, was executed for treason, and Selene’s rise through the Vatican’s ranks is a complicated rebellion against, and tribute to, his name.
What makes Selene stand out isn’t just her skill with a blade or her command of exorcist magic—it’s her psychological complexity. She’s feared by civilians and colleagues alike, known as the “Macellaia di Roma” (Butcher of Rome), and her arc is one of moral erosion and aching self-denial.
She chooses logic over empathy, strategy over sentiment, until she’s forced to reconsider what—and who—is worth protecting.
Jules Lacroix: The Vatican’s Deadliest Deserter
A soldier from the front lines of the Vatican’s war against the Caspian Federation, Jules is introduced as a boy with scars on his arms and demons in his past—both literal and figurative. When we meet him, he’s barely holding it together: battle-weary, grieving, and reluctant to draw his sword again. But beneath his sarcastic charm and devil-may-care attitude lies a deeper truth: Jules may be more than just a killer. He may be something the Vatican fears.
His banter-laced interactions with Selene are sharp and electric, a perfect foil to her cool control. Their chemistry is undeniable, but so too is their distrust—making every soft moment between them feel like a betrayal of duty.
Supporting Cast
The book’s supporting characters are a gallery of morally ambiguous figures:
- Cesare Alleva (Selene’s uncle and the Imperium Bellum): A mentor figure whose love is sincere but shadowed by political ambition.
- Lucia and Caterina: An exorcist-healer and a gatling-gun wielding brawler, respectively, who oscillate between comic relief and battlefield deadliness.
- Eliot D’Alessandro: Selene’s childhood friend and ex-fiancé, now a dutiful Vatican second who may not be as forgettable as Selene once believed.
Even the demons—especially Baliel, Duke of Briars—are presented with complexity. Baliel is bound by forces that seek to weaponize him, making him as much victim as villain.
Themes: Duty, Identity, and the Cost of Power
Cruel Is the Light excels in its thematic depth. It’s not just a story of love in the trenches or demons versus saints—it’s a meditation on how institutions erase the self in pursuit of divine purpose.
The Burden of Legacy
Selene’s magic is not a gift—it’s a curse tied to her family name. Her sigils are carved into her bones, and every use of her magic devours her soul. Her ascension through the Vatican ranks is as much penance as it is vengeance. This motif—sacrificing the self for legacy—is repeated throughout the novel.
The Weaponization of Faith
God may be deathless, but His worshippers are not. The Vatican is not a place of salvation but of blood-soaked bureaucracy. Their miracle-working is fueled by the blood of bound demons. Clark challenges the reader to consider: What happens when divinity becomes policy?
Love as Rebellion
The romance between Selene and Jules is central, but not saccharine. Every stolen glance, every moment of trust, is a mutiny against their conditioning. Clark doesn’t lean on instalove tropes; instead, she builds longing from shared trauma and mutual respect. When they fall for each other, it feels earned—and doomed.
Pacing and Plot Structure: Epic, Cinematic, and Occasionally Overcrowded
The pacing is largely tight, especially in the first act. The dual POV structure works well—Selene’s chapters are cold, calculated, and intensely internal; Jules’s chapters are raw, chaotic, and emotionally immediate. The shift between Rome’s cold corridors and the blood-soaked trenches of Ostrava provides a dynamic rhythm.
However, in the third act, the book falters slightly. There’s an influx of new characters and subplots, some of which dilute the emotional tension. The transition from Nice back to Rome, while thematically rich, suffers from a slight loss of narrative urgency. Thankfully, the climax re-centers the story with a powerful confrontation between Selene, Jules, and the demon duke.
Structure Highlights:
- Prologue: Told from the POV of the demon Baliel—a chilling, poetic introduction to the novel’s mythos.
- Battle of Ostrava: A standout sequence. Visceral, heartbreaking, and arguably the emotional core of the book.
- Train scenes: Intimate, dialogue-heavy moments between Selene and Jules that develop their bond with elegance.
- The Orphanage Battle: Tense and explosive, with high stakes and a memorable exorcism sequence.
Romance and Heat Level: Slow-Burn, High-Stakes, Low-Heat
This is not a steamy romance—but it is charged with emotional heat. There are no explicit scenes, but tension crackles in every moment of vulnerability. The slow burn is masterfully executed: from antagonistic banter, to forced proximity, to a “fake engagement” subplot (yes, really), the tropes are deliciously familiar yet never predictable.
Cruel Is the Light is more yearning than kissing, more soul-staring than skin-touching—but that doesn’t make it any less intoxicating.
Writing Style: Lyrical, Sharp, and Cinematic
Sophie Clark writes with elegance and precision. Her prose is rich without being overwrought, and her dialogue is particularly strong—snappy, layered with subtext, and often laugh-out-loud funny. The world feels textured, and the action sequences are visual and tactile, reminiscent of Shadowhunters or The Atlas Six.
She also excels at internal monologue. Selene’s voice is especially distinct—cool, distant, yet wounded—and her psychological unraveling is rendered with aching clarity.
Critiques: Where the Light Fails
For all its brilliance, Cruel Is the Light is not flawless. Here are a few areas that could have used a bit more polish:
- Worldbuilding density: The hierarchy and demonology system, while brilliant, may overwhelm casual readers. The early chapters demand a level of investment that not all YA readers may appreciate.
- Selene’s aloofness: While her coldness is thematically justified, it can occasionally alienate the reader. Her arc eventually pays off, but some may find her hard to connect with early on.
- Third-act pacing dip: As mentioned earlier, the post-Nice section briefly loses narrative momentum. Some subplots introduced here feel like setup for a sequel rather than part of a standalone arc.
- Underexplored side characters: Florentina, Eliot, and even Baliel deserved more screen time and depth. Hopefully, if there’s a sequel, we’ll get it.
Comparisons and Similar Reads
If you loved Cruel Is the Light, you’ll likely enjoy:
- This Vicious Grace by Emily Thiede
- Fourth Wing by Rebecca Yarros
- Warrior Nun (Netflix series)
- Only a Monster by Vanessa Len
- Threads That Bind by Kika Hatzopoulou
- An Ember in the Ashes by Sabaa Tahir
- The Bone Season by Samantha Shannon
Final Verdict: A Dark Flame That Refuses to Die
Cruel Is the Light is a blazing debut that marks Sophie Clark as a rising star in romantasy fiction. Its blend of theology, betrayal, longing, and violence is addictive—and deeply satisfying. It’s a story that dares to ask what happens when your god is dead, your duty is a lie, and your soul belongs to your enemy.
For readers who crave intelligent, emotionally charged fantasy with political intrigue and slow-burn romance, this is an unmissable read. It’s a story that cuts as deeply as it burns—and long after the final page, the light still lingers.
Highly recommended.
