Reviews with content warning for Religious bigotry - The Boy With Fire

Reviews tagging 'Religious bigotry'

The Boy With Fire by Aparna Verma

5 reviews

gimmiiie's review against another edition

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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

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bookforthought's review against another edition

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adventurous challenging dark medium-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

Well, wow! The Phoenix King is the Indian-inspired adult fantasy I didn't know I needed.

Set in a gorgeously intricate world rich in lore and tradition, the book is narrated through the POV of three very different characters: Leo, the current king of Ravence, who is preparing to cede his crown to his daughter while trying to fight a terrible and hidden enemy; Elena, the soon-to-be queen, struggling to feel worthy of her title and desperate to ensure the safety of her beloved kingdom; and Yassen, an assassin desperately trying to free himself of his bonds through one last job. These characters couldn't differ more from one another, and I really enjoyed how their individual voices came through in their respective chapters. They're complex, flawed, and make some really bad, but really tough, choices and it was very satisfying to watch events unfold while getting to know them better.

The characterisation was a little shallow at times, which was a shame, and there were a few turns in certain characters' behaviours that didn't really make sense as nothing in their POV chapters had previously indicated such thoughts or intentions. This isn't a huge issue but rather more of a pet peeve of mine, since to me it just doesn't make sense for a character to withhold information from or lie to the audience when we're in their mind. Still, it worked to get a few surprises in and didn't have a massive impact on my overall enjoyment. This is only the first book in a trilogy, so I hope there will be space for further development in the next instalments. There are some pretty memorable secondary characters too (I love Ferma!) and each of them had a few unique characteristics that made them interesting and added value to the scenes they appeared in.

The worldbuilding is intricate, seamlessly blending classic fantasy elements with sci-fi ones. Elements coming from South Asian culture (Indian in particular) are used effectively and I love the fact that the author chose not to translate certain words, as that would have massively diminished the reading experience. The world is complex and heavy in politics, with both potential war with other states looming on the horizon and internal unrest brewing within, as well as a sort of transnational anarchist terrorist group creating chaos. At times, it felt as though there was almost too much going on and a lot of exposition was needed to bring the reader up to speed, which made me feel as though the plot was suffering from being slowed down so much. I did appreciate the themes explored here, especially those around identity, belonging, power and choice, and in the midst of all the action and drama, there were a few well-landed humorous moments and a very delicate romantic subplot that worked very well.

The pacing is another element that mostly worked, although at times it felt a bit uneven, as things seemed to move very slowly and then suddenly action erupted and everything happened at once. Still, when it did I was glad I'd stuck with it through the slowest parts, as there were some pretty epic action scenes. The writing certainly helped, as it flowed very smoothly and kept me turning the pages even when nothing was apparently happening. The book does get pretty dark at times, so you might want to check the CWs first, especially if you're particularly sensitive to fire/burning as that is a central element of the MCs' religion.

Overall, this was a great start to the trilogy and an absolutely banging debut! I'm confident a lot of the minor issues with pacing and characterisation will be fixed in the next instalments. Definitely recommended if you're looking for an epic fantasy mixing in sci-fi elements, explorations of identity and belonging, or a badass female MC!

I received an e-arc of this book for free from the publisher via NetGalley as part of the blog tour organised by Compulsive Readers. This did not affect my opinion of the book in any way.

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thereadinghammock's review against another edition

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adventurous emotional tense medium-paced

Plot- or character-driven? A mix
Strong character development? It's complicated
Loveable characters? Yes
Diverse cast of characters? Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.5

I knew going into this book that it was the first in a trilogy. I knew there would be some kind of cliff hanger, adorning to leave us readers wanting more. I thought I knew where Aparna was going to leave it off, but then the story kept going, and I was like "Ok,ok,ok,ok... tell me MORE!" I'm not usually a reader who speculates as they read. I usually prefer to just immerse myself in the story and pick up on the story beats just before the characters do. There were a few moments in the back quarter that I thought I had all figured out, but then there were ✨️plot twists✨️, which I am totally here for. Keep me on my toes as a reader and definitely hooked me for quietly anticipating book 2. There was a lot of world building in the first half or so of this book, but none of it felt too heavy handed. We learned things through explaining traditions to the "outsider" characters, discoveries of information previously withheld from characters, and through general context of the characters moving through the world. I always prefer to be dropped into a bookish world and have an author trust me as a reader to figure things out as we go through the story or give me enough clues to do some googling on my own to figure it out.

I knew Elena and Yassen would end up together in some context. I really thought Yassen was being lined up to be The Prophet, but then the reveal at the end that IT WAS SAMSON THE WHOLE TIME! I was shocked! I liked seeing Yassen and Elena grow closer, especially after their shared losses at the coronation gone awry. I was so glad to see my prediction of the double-double-cross come true on that front. I was a little disappointed in Yassen and Elena finally coming together. It was only like 3 paragraphs! I would have much preferred that be drawn out a little bit more. I'm also holding out hope for a royal throuple (swords crossing please!) With Elena, Yassen, and Samson. I knew since we didn't see a body during the commotion of the ceremony at the temple that Samson didn't die. I just didn't see his role as the Prophet coming. But he clearly cares so deeply for Yassen, and I think to a certain degree Elena too. I don't see why they can't all be happy together!

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ddnreads's review against another edition

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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 👌

- 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 🫶🏽😭 I love when the authors create their own phrases and it becomes iconic 👌♥️ 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!!!

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sydapel's review against another edition

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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!

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