Fire by Kristin Cashore
Originally published at biblio + chic {infatuated with books}. Please leave any comments there.
I’ve finally finished Fire by Kristin Cashore. I purchased the book several weeks ago when it came out-couldn’t wait to get my hands on it! I never reviewed Graceling here, but it has become one of my favorite books. Probably of all time! See, I’m a big fan of Tamora Pierce and her world of Tortall, filled with magic, knights, romance, and great stories and characters. Graceling, and now Fire, reminded me vividly of Pierce’s worlds, in a new and different way.
In Fire, Cashore takes us to the Dells, a strange country inhabited by creatures called monsters-they look like normal animals, but are every color of the rainbow, and have the power to control your mind with their beauty. Fire is a person, a young woman, that is the last living human monster, born of a human monster father, and a normal human mother. She is breathtakingly beautiful, with hair every color of orange, red, and pink (which is where her name comes from). Her mind is strong, and she has the mental power so hear others thoughts and control them, if their mind is not closed to her.
Fire’s story is complex and would be hard to describe in much detail here, so I’ll give you the basics. The Dells has had civil crisis for many years now, all the way back to when Fire’s father, Castrel, was alive, in power, and close confidante of the king. Castrel used his monster powers for evil with everyone, especially the king-but not with Fire. Through a series of events, the king died, and as did Castrel, and the king’s sons, Nash and Brigan were put into power.
This is where Fire’s story really begins, in her own lands outside the main cities of the Dells. She lives near her friend from childhood, Archer, and the man that really raised her, his father,, Lord Brocker. Every day, her life and safety is in jeopardy because of her heritage. Monsters can’t help but try to attack her when they see her beauty. So, she must hide her hair, and learn to protect herself. After being injured by an outsider to the area, Fire accompanies Archer and his men to visit the queen (the dead king’s wife) while he hopes to obtain more men to help protect their lands. While there, Fire encounters the new king, Nash, and his brother Brigan. This meeting of the brothers and Fire leads to the great adventure she has in this book: her journey across the Dells to the city, and her attempts to help lay down the upcoming war using her mental powers.
What is so great about Fire? First, the plot. The plot is interestingly complex and extremely suspenseful. It has all the greatness of an adventure novel, with a full-blown fantasy world tied in. Cashore creates a novel that can stand up to many of the great fantasy novels of our time, while also keeping the story engaging for readers that enjoy romance and books for young adults. The characters, despite their otherworldliness, are amazingly relatable. Also, the characters are well-written, with personality, faults, and greatness. You can’t help but love her characters and this strange world she’s put them in.
You don’t need to have read Graceling to read Fire. The stories are completely separate, but in a way their stories overlap and in the way Cashore writes and describes the Dells and the characters, you know it is one part of the puzzle. Graceling is another part, and I do recommend a read of it, before or after Fire (Graceling actually comes after Fire, chronologically).
Get this book and read it now, and you won’t be sorry you did! I especially recommend this book for fans of Tamora Pierce, Christopher Paolini, Garth Nix, and Shannon Hale’s Books of Bayern. I know you’ll love this one!
For More: Visit Kristin Cashore’s blog!
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