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4.06 AVERAGE
4.06 AVERAGE
adventurous
challenging
dark
emotional
hopeful
inspiring
reflective
sad
tense
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Complicated
I liked Fire, but she annoyed me throughout the book. I did enjoy learning more about Leck and his history. I hope the next book is as good as the first.
adventurous
emotional
hopeful
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
No
*See my review for book 1: Graceling.*
adventurous
challenging
dark
emotional
inspiring
mysterious
sad
tense
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
I, personally, found this book to be much more engaging than its predecessor! I enjoyed it immensely. I felt as though the action really kicked off fairly early in the story, and I enjoyed the political intrigue. I like that it provided some background to a previously visited character from the Graceling universe, but this is essentially its own little world within the Graceling universe (I loved how Cashore basically showed us Leck's villain origin story ).
One thing I noticed about this book: this felt like it was more mature, for a bit of an older crowd, than Graceling did. Not to say it was for adults, but if Graceling was for mid-teens, Fire felt like it was written for late-teens (although, for a 29 year old, I still really liked it without it feeling too juvenile).
I felt like even though there were a lot of similarities between Katsa and Fire, Fire was still such a different character, and I related more to her than I did to Katsa. I also liked the main love interest and the other characters more than those in Graceling. This was a great amount of action, and even in the quieter parts there was a lot going on behind the scenes that kept me guessing the whole way through.
Overall, while Graceling was just alright, Fire really bolstered my expectations for the rest of the series, and I'm looking forward to starting Bitterblue!
One thing I noticed about this book: this felt like it was more mature, for a bit of an older crowd, than Graceling did. Not to say it was for adults, but if Graceling was for mid-teens, Fire felt like it was written for late-teens (although, for a 29 year old, I still really liked it without it feeling too juvenile).
I felt like even though there were a lot of similarities between Katsa and Fire, Fire was still such a different character, and I related more to her than I did to Katsa. I also liked the main love interest and the other characters more than those in Graceling. This was a great amount of action, and even in the quieter parts there was a lot going on behind the scenes that kept me guessing the whole way through.
Overall, while Graceling was just alright, Fire really bolstered my expectations for the rest of the series, and I'm looking forward to starting Bitterblue!
adventurous
challenging
dark
emotional
hopeful
inspiring
mysterious
reflective
relaxing
sad
tense
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
I decided to reread this one and found it entertaining enough for a second read, but it has some problems. I found Fire to be likeable enough, though it can be hard to sympathize with her at times (particularly when she's moping because she's too beautiful).
I'm also kind of wary of the author's apparent dislike for marriage and children. I liked Fire better in this portrayal than Katsa, because while she wanted kids she had ethical reasons not to. But I can't admire characters who sleep with whoever they want, and then are surprised and dismayed to get pregnant. There is one really easy way to avoid this problem. Actions have consequences. Of the main characters, there is only one who is not born out of wedlock! I found this to be ridiculous, especially considering how easy it is in their world to avoid pregnancy. I mean really.
Author has a tendency to undermine her own arguments. Ex. "Children aren't like their fathers, look at [insert character]!" And then we find out that actually, yes, he is exactly like his biological father...
A major theme of the book was that children aren't like their fathers. Fire spends a majority of the book determined not to be like her father. But from the evidence, she's the only real exception and practically everyone else is exactly like their fathers. The book even goes so far as to give certain characters certain distinctive talents, which come from their biological fathers. Ok, I'm not convinced.
As well, the author appears to be trying to write a feminist slant but totally undercuts it. This book pretty much victim blames, and portrays men as animals who can't control themselves in front of a beautiful woman. Instead of getting angry at the people who attack and abuse her, Fire is like "it's because I'm so so beautiful, they can't help themselves". Instead of putting the focus on the attacker, where it should be, the focus is always on Fire and how it's her fault that people attack her. And it's not! There are some clear examples of people who manage to control themselves, but these are obscured by the many who don't and are justified by a "they can't help it".
Like I said, it's clear she wants this book to be a feminist argument, but I'm just not convinced. "But look, they have women in the army and sexual freedom!" I would have been more impressed if she could have contemplated a fantasy world where women were not oppressed by patriarchy, instead of writing yet another fantasy novel that is loosely based on real world societies. Instead of writing a novel where men are in control and the heroine chafes at it (ugh Archer why do you have to try and control me wah wah), write one with a society where women have their own agency. As this novel stands, the agency the women have is all granted to them by men. The women in the army? Brought in by Brigan's graciousness. Clara and her freedom? Granted to her by her brothers' choice not to interfere.
I'm also kind of wary of the author's apparent dislike for marriage and children. I liked Fire better in this portrayal than Katsa, because while she wanted kids she had ethical reasons not to. But I can't admire characters who sleep with whoever they want, and then are surprised and dismayed to get pregnant. There is one really easy way to avoid this problem. Actions have consequences. Of the main characters, there is only one who is not born out of wedlock! I found this to be ridiculous, especially considering how easy it is in their world to avoid pregnancy. I mean really.
Author has a tendency to undermine her own arguments. Ex. "Children aren't like their fathers, look at [insert character]!" And then we find out that actually, yes, he is exactly like his biological father...
A major theme of the book was that children aren't like their fathers. Fire spends a majority of the book determined not to be like her father. But from the evidence, she's the only real exception and practically everyone else is exactly like their fathers. The book even goes so far as to give certain characters certain distinctive talents, which come from their biological fathers. Ok, I'm not convinced.
As well, the author appears to be trying to write a feminist slant but totally undercuts it. This book pretty much victim blames, and portrays men as animals who can't control themselves in front of a beautiful woman. Instead of getting angry at the people who attack and abuse her, Fire is like "it's because I'm so so beautiful, they can't help themselves". Instead of putting the focus on the attacker, where it should be, the focus is always on Fire and how it's her fault that people attack her. And it's not! There are some clear examples of people who manage to control themselves, but these are obscured by the many who don't and are justified by a "they can't help it".
Like I said, it's clear she wants this book to be a feminist argument, but I'm just not convinced. "But look, they have women in the army and sexual freedom!" I would have been more impressed if she could have contemplated a fantasy world where women were not oppressed by patriarchy, instead of writing yet another fantasy novel that is loosely based on real world societies. Instead of writing a novel where men are in control and the heroine chafes at it (ugh Archer why do you have to try and control me wah wah), write one with a society where women have their own agency. As this novel stands, the agency the women have is all granted to them by men. The women in the army? Brought in by Brigan's graciousness. Clara and her freedom? Granted to her by her brothers' choice not to interfere.
this was so oddly interesting… the mc characterization felt so odd when i started this book that i put it down but i picked it back up and enjoyed it. i love the world here, but the plot was fine.
As expected, this is a stand-alone that not only does not overlap with the timing of events in [b:Graceling|3236307|Graceling (Graceling Realm, #1)|Kristin Cashore|https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1331548394l/3236307._SY75_.jpg|3270810] but also does not even take place in the Seven Kingdoms. So you don't see Katsa and Po at all, but it's sort of a back story for Leck (although he's not the main character).
The treatment of the "monsters" in the Dells really makes me wonder how (if at all) monsters and Gracelings are related, in the overall lore of this universe. I feel like they must be related somehow, but the main character, Fire, puzzles about the differences for us, and it almost feels like... for lack of a better analogy, parallel evolution - where two similar traits evolve independently and their basis no relation even though the overall outcome or manifestation is similar?
I liked the titular character, Fire. I liked her weaknesses and vulnerabilities and self-doubt. Also the "modern family"/"found family" feel of the central characters made me happy in a confused way
The treatment of the "monsters" in the Dells really makes me wonder how (if at all) monsters and Gracelings are related, in the overall lore of this universe. I feel like they must be related somehow, but the main character, Fire, puzzles about the differences for us, and it almost feels like... for lack of a better analogy, parallel evolution - where two similar traits evolve independently and their basis no relation even though the overall outcome or manifestation is similar?
I liked the titular character, Fire. I liked her weaknesses and vulnerabilities and self-doubt. Also the "modern family"/"found family" feel of the central characters made me happy in a confused way
adventurous
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Very lighthearted, easy read. Definitely YA