I was absolutely consumed by this book. The political intrigue, the crumbling empire, the world building was so well done I felt like was there with the characters.

Using a dual timeline played this story out to perfection, building the tension and anticipation and making me anxious to reach the end.

To say I love this book is an understatement.

Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for granting me free access to the advanced digital copy of this book. A 4 star rating from me. Loved the plot and the storytelling and relatable, likable characters. Loved every single second reading it.

This is the kind of tragic love story I will always fall for. I absolutely devoured this book. So hear me out.

The Fallen City is set in a Greco-Roman–inspired world and follows the story of two protagonists: Maris, the daughter of a powerful Magistrate, and Luca, a legionary adopted by his uncle, also a Magistrate. Though they come from rival families, both belong to the privileged elite that rules over the city of Isara. It’s a class of wealthy and influential politicians who largely ignore the needs of the masses living in the Lower City. Maris and Luca fall in love (a forbidden romance ofc) and inspired by their mentors, a Philosopher and a Priestess, begin to dream of a more just and equitable future for their city. But their idealism is soon tested, as they are swept into a chain of events that spark a rebellion, ultimately placing them on opposite sides of a devastating civil war.

The book is written from two perspectives, Luca’s and Maris’s, and is set across two timelines: one before the rebellion, showing how the two protagonists first met, fell in love, and everything that led up to the civil war; another during the war itself, when Maris is in the city while Luca serves in the army besieging its walls. It’s a bold and somewhat controversial narrative choice that may not appeal to everyone. However, I believe this structure is one of the book’s greatest strengths, especially for readers who enjoy a specific kind of love story: doomed romances where love is tangled with pain, filled with yearning and longing. This dual-timeline format allows us to witness the tragic consequences from the very beginning. The pining is perfectly executed, even without a traditional slow-burn dynamic. Luca and Maris fall in love quickly, but from the outset, we understand that their love is destined to bring suffering.

While love is certainly the central theme and the driving force of the narrative, the novel also explores other subjects such as power, war, social justice. What actions are justified when fighting to destroy an unjust system? Is it ever right to fight violence with more violence? These are timeless questions in human history, and I think the book addresses them effectively, not just through the two main characters, but also through the supporting cast. The novel also touches on themes of religion and destiny, though in my opinion those elements were a bit weaker, and the speculative aspects might be confusing for some readers.

The worldbuilding is relatively limited. The entire story is essentially confined to a single city, which lives in isolation and has no allies. It once conquered another city, but beyond that, we know very little about the broader world. I suppose that this is inspired by the system of independent Greek city-states, and that makes sense. It didn’t prevent me from enjoying the book, because I don’t see this novel as an epic fantasy. And that’s exactly how I’d recommend approaching it; not as a sweeping epic exploring a Greco-Roman world, but as a tightly focused story set in a closed environment, one that engages with universal themes while drawing heavily from classical influences.

This is the first book in a duology, and while it stands on its own as a compelling read, it doesn’t provide all the answers. It ends on a cliffhanger, and with the stakes already high in this book, they are sure to rise even further in the next installment. I’m so glad I had the chance to read this as an ARC already in July. It was a fantastic experience, as the romance in this book is right up my alley. I highly recommend it, even though I do see some elements that could not work for everyone. Still, it should work if you enjoy doomed, Romeo and Juliet-style love stories. Fans of books like Divine Rivals will likely be completely enchanted by this novel.

Fallen City was one of my most anticipated reads of the year. I was overjoyed to receive an ARC, and I immediately started reading it.
Fallen City was my first Adrienne Young novel, but certainly not the last.
I will start with my favorite part of the novel:
The writing.
The writing was beautiful. Haunting, poetical.
Without it, the novel would have felt too simple and boring.
This story is not action-packed. It’s character-centered, and frankly, the characters hardly do anything in the novel.
I loved the two timelines in which the story is told. Before and Now. This and the beautiful writing make the novel interesting to me.
In the Now timeline, we are in the final days of the civil war. We know some characters' fate. Luca and Maris have a deeper connection.
In the Before timeline, we get to know what happened that led to the Civil War.

I had a few issues with the novel. That's why it's not a 5-star read.
First of all, the world-building. The world felt very vague. We barely know how the city works, which is very important, if the whole plot is set in a city.
The themes of the novel were all important: the rift between the wealthy and the poor, the corruption, the responsibility of scientists and inventors, and the price of progress, but I felt the author barely scraped the surface.
And that's why I felt the reasons for a civil war were not explained enough.

The romance felt like insta-love. It was developing too quickly for my taste, but the beautifully writing and the Now timeline improved it a lot.

The ending hints at an exciting sequel. I’m looking forward to it!

I have read every book that Adrienne Young has written, and so I was initially very excited for this book. However this was probably her weakest yet, and this is coming from someone who has followed her writing since her debut, Fable. This one however just lacked spark. It was extremely slow moving with very little action. I didn't feel attached to the characters and the dual timeline was very confusing.

Young knows how to captivate a reader, a romantasy that does ist so well , from beginning to end.
rich and immersive like all of youngs books, although i love a fast paced books this books builds up the tempo making you want to read quicker just to see what comes next.

I'm a big fan of Adrienne Young. I love her writing and her brilliant way of telling stories. This book is a bit different from the other works of hers that I've read and while it's a high quality book with interesting characters and excellent writing, I just wasn't super invested in the story. I don't like too much politics in the books I read, and I think that was the problem here: I felt like the plot was very much centered around politics and relations and I think that's why I didn't connect fully with the book. However don't let this review discourage you from reading this book! It's an excellently written story!

This was my first Adrienne Young book and I really enjoyed it! A bit confusing at times with the dual POVs and alternating timelines, but I was hooked by the halfway point and invested in the characters and plot. I will definitely be continuing the duology.

Thank you NetGalley for the ARC. My first book by Adrienne Young (I have been keeping Fable as a treat for a depressed mood? I have not JUST started reading fantasy). I had the feeling that worldbuilding would be unique, but the most prominent feature would always be how the author told the story and I was right. Writing was the richest element. I liked that each chapter is told by maris or luca's point of view and I unite their story together in my mind. Introduction was fast, I was hooked from the start, with the vivid expression of Luca's inner turmoil. Pace of the book was a bit slow but consistent. Overall, a master's work.