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Sophie Clark talks Cruel is the Light and her 2025 TBR list
Cruel is the Light is a high-stakes adventure with a star-crossed forbidden love at its heart.
Cruel is the Light is the debut epic fantasy from Sophie Clark, blending together centuries old bloodthirsty war between humanity and demons and the forbidden love that could change the course of history. We were thrilled to be able to speak to Sophie about the first title in the epic duology.
Hi Sophie! We’re so excited to have you on the site today to celebrate the release of your debut novel, Cruel is the Light. For readers just hearing about the book, how would you best describe it to them?
Thanks for having me! Cruel is the Light is a high-stakes adventure with a star-crossed forbidden love at its heart. Selene Alleva is a high-ranking exorcist running from a dark family legacy, and orphan Jules Lacroix is a foot soldier unrivalled on the battlefield. After meeting during an unprecedented demon attack, they strike an uneasy alliance. To avoid suspicion Jules poses as Selene’s estranged fiancé and they return to Rome in search of answers. What they find suggests a terrible conspiracy at the heart of the Vatican, and threatens everything Selene holds dear. Unable to ignore their growing feelings, the two must make an impossible choice between love and duty.
Can you tell us a little about your inspirations behind the book?
Cruel is the Light came from so many fragments of inspiration I couldn’t hope to answer this question in full. Rome was definitely one of them. This book is a love letter to the city—and to the empire that was. This is embodied by Selene who has a fierce desire to protect Rome and her people. But other inspirations, among many, include the lush, decadent Renaissance-era Italy of The Borgias, and the dark and gritty anime and manga like Trinity Blood and Chrono Crusade that I grew up watching.
What has your journey from inspiration to publication looked like?
I loved writing Cruel so much that I finished it in about eight months and finished it just in time for Pitch Wars, which I entered with all my fingers and toes crossed. I was lucky enough to get into the program’s final class and was mentored by Emily Thiede and Lauren Blackwood, who are both incredible authors. After three months of polishing Cruel with them, I approached agents with the finished dish. It wasn’t long before my agent, Josh, pricked up his ears and asked to read it, and he offered to represent me just a few days later. It was a very exciting time as Adams Literary had always been my first choice agency. It was only a couple of weeks later that we went on submission, which is where your agent sends your manuscript out to publishers. I was lucky; my amazing UK editor fell in love very quickly so I didn’t have to wait long to learn Cruel’s fate. Of course as soon as I met the Penguin team I was onboard! And the rest is history.
Cruel is the Light is filled with so many epic and memorable scenes. Is there one you particularly enjoyed writing?
The answer to this question very much depends on my mood! I love writing action scenes and I never get tired of the romance—be it the high-tension first meeting, the push-and-pull as the characters get to know each other, or the first moment they admit that maybe, just maybe, they like that person! The moments where Selene and Jules are alone together on the train, the drinking game scene, and the fountain scene were all so fun to write.
2025 is looking like another very exciting year for new releases! Are there any you’re especially excited to pick up?
I’m excited for so many it’s hard to keep track of them all. Off the top of my head, a couple I’m excited for are Medievally Blonde by Cait Jacobs, Of Flames and Fury by Mikayla Bridge, and The Knight and the Moth by Rachel Gillig.
Finally, are you currently working on anything new and if so, is there anything you can share with us about it?
I’m working on the sequel to Cruel is the Light! Without risking giving too much away I can say that the sequel picks up soon after where Cruel leaves off. In the sequel you’ll learn more about two characters everyone asks me about; you’ll get more Sparrow; more Lucia and Caterina and their irreverent humour; more Vatican splendour; more beautiful and terrifying demons; more Rome. But most important of all: you’ll get more Jules being hopelessly in love with Selene, and Selene never once acknowledging to anyone—not even herself—that she fell first. (And he fell harder!)
Cruel is the Light is available to buy now, here.