Author: Kristin Cashore
Publisher: Penguin Group
Why I read it/how I found it: It's the companion novel to Graceling.
Description:
It is not a peaceful time in the Dells. In King City, the young King Nash is clinging to the throne, while rebel lords in the north and south build armies to unseat him. War is coming. And the mountains and forest are filled with spies and thieves. This is where Fire lives, a girl whose beauty is impossibly irresistible and who can control the minds of everyone around her.
Review:
I really enjoyed this concept of the "monster" beings. In Fire every species has their monsters, ones with brightly colored hair and extremely beautiful, who can manipulate others around them. They then reproduce with other creatures of their same species and pass on the monster gene. Fire is the last of the human monsters. Her emotional struggle with her father, Archer, and her own identity is very interesting. In this book there is one character from the companion novel Graceling. Unfortunately, this tie-in came out way too forced to me. The side of it had nothing to do with Fire or the characters around her, it was just a plug to call Fire a companion novel rather than a separate book on its own. I also felt a lack of action at the end of the book, but it was bearable to get through even without it.
Other information: A third companion novel, tentatively titled Bitterblue is in the process of being written. Kristin Cashore's website is here.
Hi Jenna, Nice to meet you. Looking forward to the Crusade! Thanks for stopping by my blog and leaving a comment. I have not been very active this summer blogwise.....
ReplyDeleteEnjoyed your review.
A journey is fun, but its even better when you have people along side you.
ReplyDeleteWhy do you think so many Fantasy groups exist in this Writers Campaign? Lots of adventure in fantasy.
But in any regard, I hope I can be of some assistance in relieving some of the effort it takes to tackle the fields of writing and publishing.
I'm curious about this "creative writing" business, though... I dont know about you, but I've found it very difficult to find creative writing courses in colleges. It's as if it were always hiding away from me. Are you enrolled in one?
It'd be nice to have a creative-writing spie on m team, because I'd like to know what goes on in those classrooms.
Godspeed Jenna!
I agree with you about the awkward tie-in. It could have been a lot stronger. What I liked best about Fire was the flow of language. You're right, it wasn't particularly insane with action towards the end, but it did all come together. I loved the pretty words so much, I didn't care how slow the story got. :) I love it when that happens.
ReplyDeleteI can hear your disappointment in this review. A lesson fo all us would-be authors, I think!
ReplyDeleteI agree with Juliemybird - the "flow of language" was great! I came over from your YA group in the campaign. Nice to meet you!
ReplyDeleteHm, didn't read Fire, but I DID read Graceling. Thanks for the review...maybe I'll add it to my list?
ReplyDeleteFire is actually a prequel rather than a sequel to Cashore's break-out début Graceling, however in my opinion it is the better of the two. Written with more character depth, story realization, and better plot pacing; I enjoyed Fire a lot more than Graceling. Fire is a female monster from the Dells whose burden is too be too beautiful.
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