Fire by Kristin Cashore Published by Penguin on 2009-10-05
Pages: 528
Goodreads
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. Exquisitely romantic, this companion to the highly praised Graceling has an entirely new cast of characters, save for one person who plays a pivotal role in both books. You don't need to have read Graceling to love Fire. But if you haven't, you'll be dying to read it next. This edition includes an article by and an interview with Kristin Cashore, as well as a sneak peek at her next book, Bitterblue!
My Thoughts:
I’ll admit, I was a bit hesitant about this book. Graceling was one of my favorites of the year and although I was excited about this book I was a bit leery because it was a prequel. I don’t always like those, especially when the only character that appears in both is not one that I like. I was very pleasantly surprised. I enjoyed Fire as much, if not more, than Graceling.
Fire is set in the land neighboring that in Graceling. There are no gracelings in the Dell and Dellian people have never heard of them. What the Dell does have is “monsters.” These are animals and/or people that are similar to “regular” animals/people except for their color and beauty. A monster kitten may be emerald green or fuschia. The smaller monsters don’t pose much of a threat but larger ones are predators. They can manipulate a person’s mind to make them walk willingly to die. Monster people can control the minds of others with their beauty and their own mind. Fire is a monster female with flame red hair. She knows what she is and what she is capable of. At 18, all she wants is to be “normal.” She has no desire to control and does not seek the reaction that her appearance brings. However, her kingdom is in a time of great turmoil and her “special” abilities may be just what are needed. She fights against her past, perceptions, and her feelings in order to find what is right for her. See is a character that I could relate to and admire at the same time. The other characters in the novel are also strong and capture your interest.
Cashore is a beautiful storyteller. I love how well you get to know the main characters in her books. They are not perfect and we see the imperfections. I also like that nothing is as it seems. There are twists and turns, secrets and truths revealed. found myself getting really involved in what was going on. I cared about what happened to the characters and feared for them when they were in danger.
If you liked Graceling you won’t be disappointed with Fire.
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