Cruel is the light by Sophie Clark
Author Sophie Clark seems to be playing with dangerous metaphysical, spiritual and religious understandings in Cruel is the light. It is the first of a planned duology with the second book picking up on the further story of Selene and Jules. The line between writing about real world religious belief and fantasy is a fine one. When merging both it is possible to overstep that line into misinforming on an important topic and causing distress and confusion. A certain level of distaste and discomfort is acceptable in the fantasy worlds created in fiction but Cruel is the light may have overstepped. This writer therefore would not recommend this book for schools.
Beginning with a detailed map and key, the somewhat daunted reader does not find much relief from a confusing cast of characters and arenas of action. It takes even an intrepid reader quite a while to clear the confusion. On the flyleaf, information about the author states, "Sophie Clark likes to say that she writes fantasy featuring wounded girls with sharp edges, charming boys that fall for them anyway, twisted gods, and other unholy things."
Selene Alleva, a powerful exorcist, trained at the Vatican Academy, is the wounded girl with sharp edges. As the central female protagonist she is the emotional heart of the story. She is brave, strong-willed and powerful. Defying gender rules, she is a finely honed warrior. The possible key to understanding Clark's values is that if Selene decides to vent all her power she risks losing her soul to become a total monster. This is unacceptable - the line at which Clark pulls back her characters. Jules Lacroix (the charming boy) is impossibly handsome and likeable too. An elite soldier, he doesn't know his origins - the only hint is the thorn tattoo that he carries on his body. Of course, the unwanted attraction between the two is inevitable and during this war between demons and humanity Selene and Jules are thrown together. The "twisted gods and other unholy things" that Clark likes to say she writes about is a mixture of demons inhabiting dead bodies, exorcists and other hybrid types of gods, humans, demons and exorcists. Indeed Clark develops a cavalcade of unholy beings. The one that this writer struggles with is the ultimate one in the core of the Vatican.Too much is taken from Christianity and it could be disrespectful. There is the "deathless god" crucified and hidden in the core of the Vatican. He has a son. Crowns, thorns, crucifixes and stigmata come into it. There are the twelve demon dukes - another parallel or possible borrowing. This is uncomfortable territory for a writer and for young, impressionable readers. The author's stance around good and evil, god, demons and humanity is unclear. On returning from the war fields of Europe to Rome, Selene and Jules discover an appalling violation and atrocity in the Cor Cordium (latin phrase translation ="heart of hearts") a room right in the centre of the Vatican. This is where Clark's fiction possibly runs close to sacrilegious...
The characters are well developed. One feels for them. Violence is visceral. Action is cinematic. The enemies to lovers trope works. Betrayals are devastating. Friendships are forged in blood and both characters have to question the validity of all they know and believe in. What wins through in the end?
Cruel is the light is reminiscent of Dan Brown's Angels and demons (2000) in its references to religious and other ancient symbols and its theme of Vatican intrigue. Being a writer of fantasy fiction Clark has permission to allow imagination to run free but in the nuanced space of religion, twisting beliefs needs a careful, considered approach and sensitivity towards a readership from diverse perspectives and cultural contexts.
Cruel is the light 2 is not yet published.
Themes: Demons, Exorcists, The Vatican, Romantasy, Enemies to lovers.
Wendy Jeffrey