In Cruel Is the Light, debut author Sophie Clark unleashes a sweeping fantasy tale that crackles with celestial warfare, aching romance, and the kind of slow-burn suspense that leaves readers breathless. Set in a reimagined Europe where the Vatican commands a brutal war against the demonic realm, this YA fantasy romance captures the genre’s best traits while daring to interrogate its most sacred institutions.
Clark’s novel explores the convergence of forbidden love and institutional control, all while wielding a cinematic, emotionally intelligent narrative voice. This book doesn’t just flirt with darkness—it embraces it, dissecting themes of faith, identity, and resistance from within a world that feels both ancient and startlingly modern.
While readers of Fourth Wing and The Atlas Six will find familiar beats in the military magic and high-stakes politics, Cruel Is the Light stands proudly in its own glowing shadow.
The World Beyond the Altar: Setting the Stage
The world of Cruel Is the Light is one where the divine is not benevolent, but functional—a currency of blood and bone that powers miracles. The Holy Vatican Empire, omnipresent and unforgiving, has ruled for centuries in its war against demons. Yet Sophie Clark doesn’t merely use religion as set dressing. She interrogates it. Faith becomes a system of control, a tool to bind not only the damned, but also the devout.
Key Worldbuilding Features:
- Magic through sigils: Exorcists and artificers channel divine power by carving blood-soaked symbols into flesh or embedding them into weaponry—each spell cast taking a toll on the soul.
- A fractured world order: The Caspian Federation and the Holy Empire are embroiled in war, adding geopolitical urgency to the already fraught battle between angels and demons.
- Demonic taxonomy: Clark offers a carefully designed classification of demons—ranging from Ghouls to Viscounts to Dukes—with each level presenting unique ethical and existential threats.
- The Deathless God: The most provocative element of the lore is the deity Himself—eternally crucified and bleeding, His divine ichor harvested by the Vatican to perform miracles. A chilling symbol of both power and corruption.
It’s a lush, dread-soaked setting that reads like The Da Vinci Code meets Shadowhunters, grounded in theological horror and elevated by fantasy grandeur.
The Heart of the Flame: Selene and Jules
Selene Alleva: Ice and Iron
Selene isn’t your typical YA heroine. She’s not discovering her powers—she’s already at the top of the hierarchy, known throughout the Vatican as the Butcher of Rome. Stoic, surgical, and scarred, Selene’s strength lies not in her combat skills alone, but in her loyalty to a system that once executed her father. Her every move is calculated, a balancing act between legacy and duty.
What makes her so compelling is her internal war: the constant erosion of her humanity as she ascends in an institution that feeds on it. Her character arc is built on a slow crumbling of certainty. She begins as a weapon, and ends as a question.
Jules Lacroix: Ghost of the Frontlines
Jules is a foil in every sense—warm where Selene is cold, chaotic where she is controlled. An orphan raised by the Vatican and forged on bloodied battlefields, Jules is less soldier than survivor. But beneath his sardonic wit and reluctant charm lies a profound weariness. The battlefield has broken him, and the war has not spared his soul.
Yet Jules is no simple tragic hero. He’s part of a much deeper conspiracy—his very existence challenges the foundational truths of the Vatican. The romance that blooms between him and Selene is not only forbidden—it’s heretical.
Their dynamic is built on conflict, mistrust, and undeniable magnetic tension. Their interactions are as much warfare as any demon hunt.
Romance: The Slowest Burn is the Hottest
One of the most satisfying aspects of Cruel Is the Light is its refusal to rush its central romance. Selene and Jules may be forced into a fake engagement to avoid suspicion, but their growing affection simmers beneath layers of suspicion, ideology, and trauma. Their emotional intimacy is born not from lust, but from late-night confessions, battlefield rescues, and shared betrayals.
There’s no heavy steam here—Clark opts for chemistry over carnality. Yet each near-touch or charged silence carries more weight than many full-blown love scenes. The tension is palpable, especially in confined quarters (hello, train compartments) or in moments of vulnerability (the healing scenes post-Ostrava are standouts).
Fans of romance with emotional gravitas—think The Wrath & the Dawn, These Violent Delights, or An Ember in the Ashes—will find this arc immensely satisfying.
Themes: Beneath the Surface
At its core, Cruel Is the Light is a story about institutions—how they mold, break, and manipulate the people within them. But Sophie Clark doesn’t stop at surface-level rebellion. Her themes are subtle, simmering beneath every whispered prayer and spilled drop of divine blood.
Power and Corruption
The Vatican may be the last line of defense against demons, but it’s also the most ruthless machine in the novel. It consumes its soldiers, dictates their marriages, erases their pasts, and punishes even perceived disobedience with excommunication—or worse.
Selene’s journey forces readers to confront the question: Is faith still sacred when it becomes a tool of violence?
Identity and Erasure
Both protagonists struggle with who they are versus who they are expected to be. Selene hides her grief and individuality behind a polished exterior; Jules must deny the truth of his origins just to survive.
The deeper the plot goes, the more the Vatican’s system is revealed to be one of calculated erasure. Names are changed, children are conscripted, and personal agency is considered treason.
Love as a Dangerous Truth
In a world that thrives on obedience, love becomes a radical act. The romance between Selene and Jules isn’t merely subversive—it’s revolutionary. To choose affection over command, truth over blind loyalty, is to risk everything. And in this universe, that risk is not metaphorical. It’s mortal.
Structure and Pacing: Well-Crafted, But Dense
The narrative unfolds across several acts, each with its own distinct tone and momentum:
- Opening Missions in Rome: Full of action, atmosphere, and the slow pairing of the leads.
- The Frontlines of Ostrava: Where the story becomes war literature, rich with moral ambiguity.
- Return to the Vatican and Beyond: A political and emotional chessboard that culminates in revelations and betrayals.
While the pacing is mostly tight, there are moments—particularly in the third act—where the plot’s density threatens to eclipse character development. The political maneuvering, while intriguing, occasionally slows the emotional cadence. Still, the climax regains full velocity and lands with a punch.
Clark’s Prose: Sharp, Atmospheric, and Intimate
Sophie Clark’s writing is cinematic without being overwrought. Her action scenes are meticulously choreographed, her emotional beats deeply felt. Dialogue sparkles, particularly in exchanges between Selene and Jules, which drip with tension and irony.
But where she truly shines is in her worldbuilding through language. The prose is peppered with religious imagery, gothic allusions, and sensory richness that immerses readers completely. Clark knows how to wield language like Selene wields her blessed blade—with grace, precision, and devastating impact.
Critiques and Caveats
Even excellent books have edges that need sanding. Here’s where Cruel Is the Light falls short for some readers:
- Initial emotional distance: Selene’s cold demeanor may make her hard to relate to at first. Some readers may struggle to connect until her interior world is more fully revealed.
- Worldbuilding overload: The hierarchical systems and demon classifications, while impressive, can overwhelm. A glossary or visual chart would benefit readers new to high fantasy.
- Side characters underused: Figures like Eliot, Florentina, and even Lucia could have added deeper texture had they received more development.
None of these flaws derail the story, but they’re worth noting for readers seeking fluid accessibility.
Similar Titles to Explore
For fans looking to explore similar YA fantasy romance books, consider the following:
- Only a Monster by Vanessa Len
- The Shadows Between Us by Tricia Levenseller
- These Violent Delights by Chloe Gong
- Daughter of Smoke and Bone by Laini Taylor
- Divine Rivals by Rebecca Ross
If Sophie Clark continues writing in this universe (and let’s hope she does), she’ll quickly find herself shelved next to these greats.
Final Verdict: A Luminous, Haunting Debut
Cruel Is the Light is the kind of book that carves its sigils into you—subtle at first, but permanent. It balances knife-edge suspense with emotional intelligence, layering each plot twist with theological depth and romantic tension.
It’s not just a story about demons and holy wars—it’s about reclaiming humanity in a system designed to erase it. It’s about love surviving where logic says it shouldn’t. And it’s about choosing to burn brightly, even if the light is cruel.
For romantasy lovers, theology nerds, and slow-burn enthusiasts, Cruel Is the Light is an absolute must-read. Selene and Jules may be soldiers, but their war is one of hearts, history, and haunted truths—and we’ll follow them into the fire.