And the Lord gave no answer as to why this book was published.

This book started in obscurity, and should have stayed there.

I have only two points in its favour, that I'll get out of the way first:

• This was clearly well researched. At no point was it anachronistic, and there clearly has been a lot of work to make this period accurate down the little details
• There was a lot of creativity in the cruelty from the fallen angels. It wasn't just your basic temptations, or pain for the sake of pain. They saw through to someone's soul and did their best to tear someone down from the inside. So fair play to Buehlman for that.

Now onto the rest of my thoughts...

Admittedly, I didn't pick this book - it was a bookclub pick, and I wasn't interested in the first place. Add on my own hang-ups with religion, I knew I wasn't going to love it. And yet, this book still managed to disappoint and disgust me more than anything I've read in years.

This book was grotesque, and does not have the standard of writing to justify it. I can stomach a lot, and yet the graphic violence, injuries, illness, and assault were just too much together.

There are times it just goes too far, and this isn't me being too squeamish. I get there should be a level of realism, and the setting certainly lends itself to a variety of unpleasant depictions. This book just takes things a step or two further than it really needed to. The two most prominent examples that come to mind are:

• Chapter 6. The plague-ridden woman who, in her dying moments, kisses an already dying Thomas and gives him the plague. 'Marries' him, strips, and then dies on top of him. Just... Why? It didn't feel like a necessary inclusion, and forces them on a journey to a holy statue that felt meandering. I think this part could have been cut from the story, and it would have been all the better for it.
• Thomas's second death. He is given no dignity. The death is brutal, and was very poignant!... until he voids his bowels. Okay, I can still accept that. It is a fact of life - or, well, death I suppose - and this certainly isn't the first time this has happened in the book. That's acceptable. ...and then he ejaculates. Why? Seriously, why? I do not understand why this happened and it just takes away any and all positive aspects of the scene and his death.

This grotesque-ness is paired with constant confusion and frustration.

The POVs... They were just not consistent. The 'camera' or perspective could change multiple times a page with no clear separation. One moment you're following the young girl's thoughts, then it could switch to the knight or priest, and then a random onlooker who we'll never see again. No clear indication that it has changed until something is done or said that doesn't meet expectations.

And the italics aren't any clearer. Sometimes they are the current POVs thoughts, sometimes they're angelic or demonic influences, and sometimes they're memories. These are frequently unclear - especially when they're seemingly having a mental conversation and it isn't clear if it is a) even happening and b) who is even 'speaking'.

The ending and the girl's situation is annoyingly ambiguous. I had been assuming she was a saint, an angel reborn, or a nephilim. These made sense to me. But no, she is the second coming of Jesus?! Absolutely ridiculous, but fine, whatever. Looking back I can see a bunch of parallels that can back this up.

But then in the epilogue, it just confuses things even more. Was she instead only possessed by god/Jesus? Or was she recreated for Thomas to live out a happy ending with his adopted daughter as reward for his penance and sacrifice?

I really dont understand how people enjoy this book. It was an unpleasant experience from start to end, filled with confusion, frustration, and disgust.