Scan barcode
gattolinos_nerdy_nook's review against another edition
challenging
dark
emotional
tense
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
Holy moly the politics and mixed POVs we get in this book! The slow pace of the book really allowed us to connect with each character during their POV and how their decisions affect everyone else around them as well as their goals and their struggles. The world we learn is beautiful and vibrant keeping you want to learn more about what is happening around you and how everything can to be where we started at the book.
I cannot wait to see how this trilogy goes and when the next book comes out I will definitely be getting it.
I cannot wait to see how this trilogy goes and when the next book comes out I will definitely be getting it.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Xenophobia, Blood, Violence, Fire/Fire injury, War, and Death
Moderate: Death of parent and Grief
mcosmic's review against another edition
adventurous
challenging
dark
emotional
hopeful
mysterious
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.25
Content Warnings
Graphic: Blood, Death, and Death of parent
jennanaps's review against another edition
adventurous
dark
emotional
funny
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.75
Content Warnings
Graphic: Death of parent, Grief, Gaslighting, Death, Gore, Injury/Injury detail, Murder, Violence, War, Genocide, Fire/Fire injury, Child death, and Blood
Minor: Pedophilia
gimmiiie's review against another edition
adventurous
dark
mysterious
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
Content Warnings
Graphic: Colonisation, Blood, Death of parent, Gun violence, Religious bigotry, Police brutality, Murder, Death, War, Xenophobia, Ableism, Injury/Injury detail, Grief, Fire/Fire injury, Emotional abuse, and Violence
tc_booksandmore's review against another edition
adventurous
emotional
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
Thank you to Orbit and NetGalley for gifting me with an eARC and physical ARC copy. This is my honest opinion.
This is an interesting blend of science fiction and fantasy and Indian mythology. It took me a little bit to get into the book and I was thrown off by the modernistic weaponry and technology because you don't normally see that in fantasy books. But the characters grew on me and I am intrigued by their stories and what is going to happen going forward. I do like knowing that this is the first in a trilogy because there was world and character building but it wasn't overwhelming. The multiple points of view gave insight into what the characters were thinking and a little about what was missing from the narratives.
There is very little in terms of romance and the little that is there grows naturally and doesn't seemed forced between the characters.
The characters are beautifully flawed and the world is crazy. If you like The City of Brass, A Darker Shade of Magic, An Ember in the Ashes, then I recommend this book.
4 out of 5 stars. No spice.
This is an interesting blend of science fiction and fantasy and Indian mythology. It took me a little bit to get into the book and I was thrown off by the modernistic weaponry and technology because you don't normally see that in fantasy books. But the characters grew on me and I am intrigued by their stories and what is going to happen going forward. I do like knowing that this is the first in a trilogy because there was world and character building but it wasn't overwhelming. The multiple points of view gave insight into what the characters were thinking and a little about what was missing from the narratives.
There is very little in terms of romance and the little that is there grows naturally and doesn't seemed forced between the characters.
The characters are beautifully flawed and the world is crazy. If you like The City of Brass, A Darker Shade of Magic, An Ember in the Ashes, then I recommend this book.
4 out of 5 stars. No spice.
Content Warnings
Moderate: Death, Violence, War, Racism, Fire/Fire injury, Injury/Injury detail, Murder, and Gun violence
Minor: Blood and Death of parent
ddnreads's review against another edition
adventurous
dark
emotional
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
4.0
Fiuuuuuhhhhh it was one hell of a book. I have mixed feelings about it. It started with a very great premise and I love the beginning. Halfway through I found it hard to finish the story. It's not like I didn't like them, I just sort of felt flat towards the characters. It doesn't ignite the sparks it initially did.
Let's start with what I love:
- The world building
I love it. It's rich, detailed, diverse, and very atmospheric. The author navigated it well. However, my small brain sometimes find it hard to keep up where or who. All fault on me. Hopefully in the final copy there will huge map detailing the places.
It's a science fiction fantasy where the modern technology was blended into the antique world building.
- The characterization
We're given 3 point of view. Leo, the king, Elena, the Heir, and Yassen, the assassin.
I love seeing how their thoughts woven into the plot. It gave them the depth and well explained their behaviour and decision. None of the characters are insufferable. All of them are strong in their stance. Are capable of fight π
- Enemies to lovers are acceptable. It's a slowburn definitely. But the romance is definitely much little. It's a plus point for me. I felt it yet it's not overpowering the whole story. It's just enough.
- The writing style is beautiful π«Άπ½π I love when the authors create their own phrases and it becomes iconic πβ₯οΈ I can see the research and mastery it put through to create such a world.
What I have mixed feelings for:
- The palace and political instrigue
The conflicts were overlapping one another.
The international affair conflicts and war felt too rushed and cramped at the end of the book.
- The twist didn't work for me. Including the epilogue. It didn't make sense?????
- I would love it if the pace is a bit faster.
To conclude, if you're into adult SFF, slowburn enemies to lover, political + religion + international war conflicts, badass FMC, twist and turn with a detailed explanation and lengthy actions to get there, give this book a go.
I would definitely read the sequel!!!
Let's start with what I love:
- The world building
I love it. It's rich, detailed, diverse, and very atmospheric. The author navigated it well. However, my small brain sometimes find it hard to keep up where or who. All fault on me. Hopefully in the final copy there will huge map detailing the places.
It's a science fiction fantasy where the modern technology was blended into the antique world building.
- The characterization
We're given 3 point of view. Leo, the king, Elena, the Heir, and Yassen, the assassin.
I love seeing how their thoughts woven into the plot. It gave them the depth and well explained their behaviour and decision. None of the characters are insufferable. All of them are strong in their stance. Are capable of fight π
- Enemies to lovers are acceptable. It's a slowburn definitely. But the romance is definitely much little. It's a plus point for me. I felt it yet it's not overpowering the whole story. It's just enough.
- The writing style is beautiful π«Άπ½π I love when the authors create their own phrases and it becomes iconic πβ₯οΈ I can see the research and mastery it put through to create such a world.
What I have mixed feelings for:
- The palace and political instrigue
The conflicts were overlapping one another.
The international affair conflicts and war felt too rushed and cramped at the end of the book.
- The twist didn't work for me. Including the epilogue. It didn't make sense?????
- I would love it if the pace is a bit faster.
To conclude, if you're into adult SFF, slowburn enemies to lover, political + religion + international war conflicts, badass FMC, twist and turn with a detailed explanation and lengthy actions to get there, give this book a go.
I would definitely read the sequel!!!
Content Warnings
Graphic: Religious bigotry, Blood, Body horror, Death of parent, Fire/Fire injury, Genocide, Grief, Gun violence, Injury/Injury detail, Murder, Violence, and War
sydapel's review against another edition
adventurous
challenging
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
3.5
Boy did this pick up like wildfire (hehehe like the title) at about the 65% mark. Which, objectively is about 30% past when it should have, but I can tell this is on its way to being a long form fantasy series so we can forgive it. I think the world the author has established here is incredibly interesting, with a focus on the burden of revenge and grief and loneliness and rage. However, I felt the world building and establishment of the world was really difficult to intake, and there's a huge focus on that instead of action in the first two thirds, which made it incredibly hard to get into. Cannot wait to see what's next in the series!
Content Warnings
Graphic: Murder, Blood, Body horror, Fire/Fire injury, Gore, Death, and Gun violence
Moderate: Religious bigotry
otiliasae's review against another edition
adventurous
dark
emotional
mysterious
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.5
Content Warnings
Graphic: Blood, Child death, Chronic illness, Death of parent, Death, Fire/Fire injury, Gore, Grief, Gun violence, Injury/Injury detail, Medical content, Medical trauma, Murder, and War
vaniavela's review against another edition
adventurous
emotional
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
4.0
An heiress who does not know how to wield fire, a skill that defines her family's dominance.
A former assassin who desires freedom.
A king whose reign is coming to an end.
When a prophecy threatens them all, what will they do to save their kingdom?
Let's start with the cover. The color palette is incredible, despite being somewhat dark colors, they blend perfectly and capture the reader's attention.
The Child of Fire is filled with Indian-inspired mythology, high technology and intricately written characters. In addition, we can find themes of colonialism, genocide and racism in a thoughtful way. If you are not used to reading science fiction, you may find this book difficult to understand (at least that's what happened to me).
I found the romance to be a bit fast paced. It was categorized as an enemies to lovers, but I couldn't notice the signs that would give me hints of a possible future romance. I feel it lacked a bit of development, especially since it felt a bit forced at the end.
I follow Aparna Verma on TikTok and the idea I had of this book was totally different than the one I had when I finished reading. In many ways, I say this in a positive way, but in others I felt something was missing.
A former assassin who desires freedom.
A king whose reign is coming to an end.
When a prophecy threatens them all, what will they do to save their kingdom?
Let's start with the cover. The color palette is incredible, despite being somewhat dark colors, they blend perfectly and capture the reader's attention.
The Child of Fire is filled with Indian-inspired mythology, high technology and intricately written characters. In addition, we can find themes of colonialism, genocide and racism in a thoughtful way. If you are not used to reading science fiction, you may find this book difficult to understand (at least that's what happened to me).
I found the romance to be a bit fast paced. It was categorized as an enemies to lovers, but I couldn't notice the signs that would give me hints of a possible future romance. I feel it lacked a bit of development, especially since it felt a bit forced at the end.
I follow Aparna Verma on TikTok and the idea I had of this book was totally different than the one I had when I finished reading. In many ways, I say this in a positive way, but in others I felt something was missing.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Blood, Death, Murder, and War
Moderate: Child death, Death of parent, and Fire/Fire injury
lainiereads's review against another edition
adventurous
challenging
dark
emotional
medium-paced
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
THIS BOOK!! THIS BOOK! I am in so much pain.
The worldbuilding? The politics? The characters? The quotes? SO GOOD!
This book has a slower start, there's a lot of worldbuilding and character introductions that take up a bit of time in the beginning, but it was written so well that it was still interesting the whole time. Even while the story was being set up, I was intrigued and constantly trying to guess where the plot was going (surprise surprise, I guessed everything wrong every time!).
Speaking of the plot, THE TWISTS! THE TURNS! THE DRAMA! I went into this expecting lots of plot twists, which meant I was actively paying attention to details to try and figure out where it was going, but man I still got everything wrong! I also have no idea how the next book is going to go (mainly because I've learned I can't predict anything), and I think that's part of what made this book so intriguing. You just had to keep reading to see what was going to happen next!
Another major positive is the characters. There is so much depth to every character, so even when they do the wrong thing, they're still lovable. Which, yeah a lot of wrong things are done! If you are a fan of morally gray characters, or you like characters who want to do the right thing but life just doesn't let them, then these characters are for you! Every character is so great (especially Yassen, he has my heart) and Verma does a great job of showing the struggle that each person goes through internally and how they justify their decisions/actions. I really connected with the characters (even though they had me yelling at the book to "stop!" or "please don't do that!" at times). Each character also spends a lot of time reflecting on themself and what they've done, which creates powerful quotes that I will definitely be reflecting on the next time I have a mental crisis. I mean the first line alone is great: "To be forgiven, one must be burned".
If you like reading about characters with a lot of depth, the political conflicts that come with leading a kingdom, and being kept on your toes the WHOLE time, then you will love this book. Plus some things that I didn't cover in-depth, like a wonderful slowburn romance, a strong female lead, conversations about religion and the dangers of fanaticism, and beautiful worldbuilding.
Okay, I am going back to reflect some more on that ending.
<3 Aparna Verma, u are a queen.
The worldbuilding? The politics? The characters? The quotes? SO GOOD!
This book has a slower start, there's a lot of worldbuilding and character introductions that take up a bit of time in the beginning, but it was written so well that it was still interesting the whole time. Even while the story was being set up, I was intrigued and constantly trying to guess where the plot was going (surprise surprise, I guessed everything wrong every time!).
Speaking of the plot, THE TWISTS! THE TURNS! THE DRAMA! I went into this expecting lots of plot twists, which meant I was actively paying attention to details to try and figure out where it was going, but man I still got everything wrong! I also have no idea how the next book is going to go (mainly because I've learned I can't predict anything), and I think that's part of what made this book so intriguing. You just had to keep reading to see what was going to happen next!
Another major positive is the characters. There is so much depth to every character, so even when they do the wrong thing, they're still lovable. Which, yeah a lot of wrong things are done! If you are a fan of morally gray characters, or you like characters who want to do the right thing but life just doesn't let them, then these characters are for you! Every character is so great (especially Yassen, he has my heart) and Verma does a great job of showing the struggle that each person goes through internally and how they justify their decisions/actions. I really connected with the characters (even though they had me yelling at the book to "stop!" or "please don't do that!" at times). Each character also spends a lot of time reflecting on themself and what they've done, which creates powerful quotes that I will definitely be reflecting on the next time I have a mental crisis. I mean the first line alone is great: "To be forgiven, one must be burned".
If you like reading about characters with a lot of depth, the political conflicts that come with leading a kingdom, and being kept on your toes the WHOLE time, then you will love this book. Plus some things that I didn't cover in-depth, like a wonderful slowburn romance, a strong female lead, conversations about religion and the dangers of fanaticism, and beautiful worldbuilding.
Okay, I am going back to reflect some more on that ending.
<3 Aparna Verma, u are a queen.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Violence, Death, Injury/Injury detail, Grief, Ableism, Blood, Racism, Death of parent, Fire/Fire injury, and Murder
Moderate: Xenophobia, War, and Suicide
Minor: Cursing