Reviews

Freedom Fire by Daniel José Older

bookwrm526's review

adventurous dark emotional funny fast-paced

• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes

4.0

edshara's review

4.0

Leave it to an author to get me to realize how much I really like dinosaurs! This series blends the ugliness of slavery and war with the unique idea of humans and dinosaurs coexisting together. I love that Daniel Jose Older doesn’t shy away from the hard topics, while adding a good amount of action, fun and sensitivity.

One of the only things I disliked was some of the expressions used seemed, a bit current, and while interesting, threw the story off a bit for me. However, I’m so glad I finally picked this series up. If you can keep an open mind and just enjoy the story, then I highly recommend the Dactyl Hill Squad. (Also I need to see more black and brown people in books, movies and television that work with dinosaurs and pteros.)

jklbookdragon's review

5.0

I wish this had been around when I was a tween ... historical fiction set during the civil war, but with dinosaurs. Also, a strong protagonist, Magdalys, who may have the skills to become one of the legendary dinowranglers. The Union army would like to find out, then enlist her to help them. Since she and her friends are persons of color, they have incentive to help the Union - but also mixed feelings given the horrors of war and the fact that they're just kids. The author weaves these fascinating characters and their dinos into a well-researched tapestry of actual characters and events from the civil war.

cindifer20's review

Freedom Fire

greenlivingaudioworm's review against another edition

adventurous medium-paced

• Diverse cast of characters? Yes

2.5

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Content Warnings

Moderate: War

heisereads's review

4.0

Loved getting back into Magdalys' world with the Dactyl Hill Squad!! Not sure on that ending, though - feels less like a cliffhanger and more like it just stopped in the middle to keep the book shorter (I need book 3 now!).

yaara's review

4.0

i enjoyed the nuances of diff black thoughts while being around a still racist white army

but didn’t enjoy as much as book 1 bc still civil war / battles / places etc. it sux

thebooktender's review

adventurous emotional fast-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Plot
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? No

2.5

batesbarb's review against another edition

4.0

I didn't enjoy this book quite as much as the first in the series, but I think that had more to do with the audiobook narrator than anything else. I read the first book in print, and listened to this one, and I found the narrator a bit grating. The story is still sweet and warm and hopeful without ignoring the incredibly messed up history of how the US has dealt with and treated BIOPC people. I would 100% recommend the whole series to anyone with a late elementary/early middle school aged kid (or any adult who is willing to read middle grade books.

librarianelizabeth's review against another edition

5.0

If I could have zoomed through reading this in one sitting, I would have. But, pesky things like work and sleep intervened.
The adventures of Magdalys and her brave friends in the Dactyl Hill Squad continue.
It's well-researched Civil War historical fiction.
WITH DINOSAURS!

And I love it.
I need the next installment desperately.
And I need to go back and binge-read both books. Which might tide me over til the next book. I need the next book. Did I mention that?