Review of The Bastard by Inez Kelley

I received a copy of this novel in exchange for an honest review.
This novel really surprised me—in a good way! Inez Kelley has created a mixture of history, science fiction, and romance. I’m a history buff, so I loved the way the novel takes those historical elements and infuses them with a supernatural twist. The concept behind the novel is carefully plotted and unique, and I could not put it down.
The background info was extensive, though, and pretty complicated. I did get a little frustrated keeping up the rules of the Vangeli and the Vachangeli, the Forsaken versus the Righteous, the Scion and the Scionim. However, when I stopped trying to figure it all out and just enjoyed the story, I found likable characters who were both good and bad, realistic yet infamous. There was a strange combination of reverence and filth. It had some moments of deprived debauchery, which bothered me some, but I enjoyed the characters’ backstories. Discovering the “who and what” of the Forsaken was like finding a treat. I tried to guess the identities of these men and what history they carried, and I can’t wait to read the next one!
4 stars