bookheaven | The Sacrificers, Vol. 1 (Reply)

The Sacrificers, Vol. 1 by Rick Remender

My rating: 3 of 5 stars

I struggled to rate this one a 3.5 for me but I rounded down but maybe I shouldn't have. It's a grimdark setting and I've been losing my taste for this. The back cover is covered with accolades so it's a me thing I'm sure. I didn't find it beautiful. I didn't find the art that beautiful either, intriguing yes, beautiful, not really.

The titular Sacrificers are children so there's your content warning: child abuse, child sacrifice, kidnapping, gore.

Families of the realm have to give up a child, their Sacrificer to keep the gods happy. THe story opens with Pigeon (if he has a name I don't remember, but his race look like humanoid pigeons) being beat by his father the day before he's taken away for sacrifice and the point of view bounces between three main contingents, Pigeon, Soluna who is the daughter of the Sun and Moon gods and all pov of all the gods.

It is time for the yearly sacrifice which renews the gods and ensures a good year for the people. Pigeon is resigned to his fate, assuming he'll die. He meets another sacrificer, a young woman who believes in her role, relishes it and tries to assure the rest of them that it will be all right. Soluna on the other hand is entirely affluent and spoiled, saying often that she always gets what she wants.

And she forces that at the festival of the gods, putting her on a collision course with the sacrifices and what is really going on with the gods. It's creepy. I don't particularly like seeing young people gas lighted and harmed.

The story, however is well paced and well told. Would I read more? Well I got this from the library so if they had more then yes. If I had to buy it, then probably not.

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