*Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for providing me with a review copy in exchange for my honest thoughts.
Publication Date: November 5, 2025
Publisher: Saturday Books
Pages: 416
Genre: Fantasy Romance
Rating: 4/5
Fallen City is the first book in Young’s Fallen City duology. The pacing of this story is slow and even as we follow two separate characters each in a now and before timeline. It took me a while to get firmly gripped into the story but by the halfway point I was throughly enjoying myself.
We follow Luca and Maris as they are dealing with the aftermath of a rebellion as well as the events that led up to it. They are both heirs to important seats of government but are dissatisfied with the current politics and ways of life for the common people living in the Lower City. As they forge a relationship they must keep private the political environment is radically changed by a secret being shared with the inhabitants of the Lower City that will have devastating consequences for everyone. Flash forward to current events and Luca and Maris are separated by different sides of the war and the consequences of their actions.
At first I wasn’t sure how I felt about the back and forth timeline but as the story progressed I appreciated the tension that it added. I also found myself equally annoyed and enthralled by both our main characters at different times of the book. Which was equally reflected in how they saw themselves and the choices they had or hadn’t made. Young also had some of my favorite romantic lines in this book. The way she is able to articulate what it means to love someone so much that they are a part of you was flawless.
The Greco Roman backdrop was incredibly fleshed out even down to small details so I was easily transported to this ancient time period. I’m so intrigued by all the talk of the gods and the gifts they bestow. I’m looking forward to seeing how all the gods are going to come into play in the second book and how they affect the characters and their choices.
The only thing preventing me from giving this book five stars is I wish we had gotten to know the side characters more. The people surrounding them were so interesting and I would have preferred a longer book so we could get their perspectives as well. I’m hoping that since dual timelines are no longer necessary that there will be more room in the next book for extra viewpoints.
I feel so lucky that I already have the second book, Chosen Son (comes out December 15), to read since I’m not ready to let these characters go. I have no clue what I’m in for with the next book but I’m looking forward to finding out.
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