Book Review: The Secret Market of the Dead

[theliteraryadventures]

TITLE: The Secret Market of the Dead
BY: Giovanni De Feo
RELEASES: July 8, 2025 by S&S/Saga Press
GENRE: Gothic, Historical Fiction, Fantasy
AGE RANGE: Adult
RATING: 2 out 5
SYNOPSIS: An Italian-inspired gothic historical fantasy debut in which a young woman competing with her twin brother to inherit the family forge finds her power in the nocturnal world that lurks beneath her own.

Just beyond the waking edges of Lucerìa, an 18th-century town in the kingdom of Naples, lies the an enigmatic fiefdom governed by seven immortals and fueled by Moira, the power to reshape one’s destiny.

On this porous border separating Day from Night, Oriana spends her time fantasizing about becoming a smith in her father’s forge and eavesdropping on whispered tales of beasts and men who roam the nocturnal realm. But in the Night, these stories come alive, as Oriana saw for herself after she inadvertently trespassed into the Secret Market of the Dead, where vendors hawk Moira to those desperate enough to accept its immeasurably steep price.

Years later, when her father chooses her twin brother to succeed him, Oriana challenges her sibling to a series of trials to determine the forge’s true heir. But as the twins’ fierce competition escalates, with the town and her own family set firmly against her, Oriana realizes that to break free from the stifling confines of Day, she must once again embrace the Night—and, as always, everything comes with a cost.



REVIEW: Though I loved the idea of a historical fantasy set in Italy, it was not the story I expected, and it ended up not being for me.



The story revolves around Oriana, the heroine. At 8, she stumbles upon the Night Market. There, she encounters a supernatural creature that poses a challenge. At 14, she struggles with her role in a society that oppresses women. My issue with this book centered on her age. I aged her up in my head to make her seem older.

I struggled to relate to her character. Her age did not match the maturity I thought she should have based on her actions. This made it hard for me to immerse myself in the story, despite its intriguing premise and setting.

Oriana’s greatest wish is to work as an apprentice at her father’s smithy with her twin, Oriano. But this is not allowed for women. I was disappointed that the book only showed the Night Market briefly. It was a fun setting! Most of the story was about Oriana challenging her brother for the smithy, which I thought was a bit boring. I found reading about Oriana’s life so tedious because everyone was so cruel to her.


Some readers may value Oriana’s struggles. They show the harsh reality of societal oppression in that era. Her life story highlights gender inequality and shows resilience. The limited scenes at the Night Market enhance its mystique. This makes it a more captivating and unforgettable part of the story.


The book does a great job discussing gender inequality and resilience. Yet, some readers might not enjoy the narrow focus on the Night Market as much.