Force of Fire

 
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The Force of Fire
Publisher
Age Range
8+
Release Date
June 01, 2021
ISBN
9781338636642
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Pinki hails from a long line of rakkhosh resistors, demons who have spent years building interspecies relationships, working together to achieve their goal of overthrowing the snakey oppressors and taking back their rights. But she has more important things to worry about, like maintaining her status as fiercest rakkhosh in her class and looking after her little cousins. There is also the teeny tiny detail of not yet being able to control her fire breathing and accidentally burning up school property.

Then Sesha, the charming son of the Serpentine Governor, calls on Pinki for help in defeating the resistance, promising to give her what she most desires in return -- the ability to control her fire. First she'll have to protect the Moon Maiden, pretend to be a human (ick), and survive a family reunion. But it's all worth it for the control of her powers . . . right?

Pinki hails from a long line of rakkhosh resistors, demons who have spent years building interspecies relationships, working together to achieve their goal of overthrowing the snakey oppressors and taking back their rights. But she has more important things to worry about, like maintaining her status as fiercest rakkhosh in her class and looking after her little cousins. There is also the teeny tiny detail of not yet being able to control her fire breathing and accidentally burning up school property.

Then Sesha, the charming son of the Serpentine Governor, calls on Pinki for help in defeating the resistance, promising to give her what she most desires in return -- the ability to control her fire. First she'll have to protect the Moon Maiden, pretend to be a human (ick), and survive a family reunion. But it's all worth it for the control of her powers . . . right?

Editor reviews

4 reviews
Overall rating
 
3.5
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3.5(2)
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Force of Fire is a hilairous middle grade story.
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3.0
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What I loved:
The Kingdom Beyond series returns with a novel centered around Pinki, who hails from a long line of rakkhosh resisters. Though her ancestors have fought long and hard against their snakey oppressors, Pinki has more pressing matters, such as watching her cousins, figuring out how to control her fire breathing, and staying at the top of her class. The continued theme of being hilarious is found in this book as much as its predecessors, making it a sure-fire win with the middle-grade audience.

What Left Me Wanting More:
The excellent character layering that the author puts into this series makes it well worth the read. The author's notes are a must-read for this series as she draws from Bengali folklore and epics and history and science. Not reading that first may leave you scratching your head if you're not familiar with them.

Final Verdict:
This story skillfully weaves fantasy and history, and folklore in a hilarious way. A lesson is found in these pages about using your voice to speak for those who can't, never forgetting your culture. Sharing who you are and where you come from makes our world better cause are not all the same.
Force of Fire
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A story about removing the limits we set on ourselves
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4.0
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Pinki is a rakkhosh with the power of fire. As awesome as that is, her issue is that she can't control it...to the point of almost burning her school down. When the son of the Serpentine Governor offers to teach Pinki control in exchange for her capturing the last moonbeams (and thus solidifying the serpents' rule), she agrees. But once she discovers the moonbeams are actually a person, she has to decide if she will follow in her parents' footsteps and join the resistance or focus only on herself and her own goals.

FORCE OF FIRE is an action-packed, character-focused fantasy middle grade novel. Pinki is an awesome anti-heroine who lives with the heavy weight of a legacy on her shoulders. She is often mocked in school for the things her parents did, in addition to her lack of control over her fire. While Pinki comes across as very angry, it is evident that she also carries a lot of pain. She believes the easy way in life is only caring about herself, in order to minimize the pain. Pinki has a fantastic character arc of learning to let others in and to embrace her own power through love.

Readers who love the humor and awkwardness of Aru Shah will find a friend in Pinki and root for her journey to break the limits she sets on herself and open her 3 hearts to friendship and love.
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