Review Detail

If you'll note the rating I gave to Cashore's other book, Graceling, you'll notice that there is a huge difference between that rating and this rating, because I found this book so much more compelling and beautiful and well-written. After Fire, I went back to read Graceling, wondering what I missed, only to realize that I hadn't actually missed anything—Cashore just made that huge of an improvement from one book to the next.

Characters first. Fire, as the protagonist, has lived a pampered, sheltered life—she even admits this to herself at one point in the novel. She is very afraid of her power because she has seen the destruction it can bring, and therefore, she is timid. But she has also shown moments of bravery and courage, moments she does not recognize well enough, so she continues to doubt herself. Don’t worry—she doesn’t spend the entire novel moping about how awful her power is, and how she could never use it. One aspect Cashore improves a million fold in this novel compared to her last is the development of more minor characters. There’s Brigan, Nash, Clara, Garan, Roen, Archer, Hanna, Brocker, Small, Mila, Cutter, Leck, and a random, unnamed river mare, and yet, despite the huge cast of characters, it’s so easy to know and understand and empathize with each and every one of these characters because they are all somehow so unique in their personalities. Oh, and the best one wasn’t even alive during the course of the novel—Cansrel, Fire’s father, who is cruel, but passionate and loving, and who is met only through Fire’s memories.

I hate using dog-earring pages in my books…but with this book, I just couldn’t help myself. I find myself constantly going back to reread my favorite parts, and very often, I end up rereading the entire thing because I have that many favorite parts.

Fire is darker than Graceling, with some more serious issues, like war and rape, but that’s part of the reason I preferred Fire; instead of focusing so much on creating a plot driven by characters, there are also more worldly and wide-scoped themes. There was not one annoyingly flawless character in the book (though I suppose you could make an argument that Fire comes somewhat close to it), I felt that the romance in the book was well-paced (well, the course of the novel takes place over more than a year), and overall, it was just an excellently written book, with those deep moments that just make your heart melt and all those light moments.

And the epilogue was so perfect with just the right tone to it, especially one particular line, that I don’t want to give away, though it might not actually spoil any of the plot.

Recommended for: people who have read Graceling, people who want to try something new/different, people who like/can deal with slightly darker themes, etc.