You need to sign in or sign up before continuing.
Take a photo of a barcode or cover
3.69 AVERAGE
3.69 AVERAGE
inspiring
reflective
tense
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Plot
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
YEAHHHHHHH I had the time of my life reading this! I loved the world and how engrained the magic was, I found it quite unique. I loved the characters too, they were all fun and three dimensional.
Rep: demiromantic bisexual mc, aro ace transmasc non binary (important) sc, aroace sc, sapphic scs
Cw: jail (of a loved one at a young age)
Highly recommend!
Rep: demiromantic bisexual mc, aro ace transmasc non binary (important) sc, aroace sc, sapphic scs
Cw: jail (of a loved one at a young age)
Highly recommend!
adventurous
challenging
mysterious
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
This was a really good read with an MC that wasn’t exactly likeable for the entire book. Really enjoyed the nuances and flaws of the characters.
adventurous
hopeful
inspiring
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
IM SCREAMING THIS IS THE PERFECT BOOK IT COMBINES ALL OF MY LOVES:
- being queer
- magic
- PLATONIC SOULMATES
- a sapphic in a power suit
- eating (burning) the rich
WHAT MORE COULD YOU POSSIBLY WANT!?!?!?!
- being queer
- magic
- PLATONIC SOULMATES
- a sapphic in a power suit
- eating (burning) the rich
WHAT MORE COULD YOU POSSIBLY WANT!?!?!?!
adventurous
mysterious
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
No
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
adventurous
emotional
hopeful
medium-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 didn’t know much about Fire Becomes Her prior to picking it up, but I was grabbed by the promise of aro/ace-spec rep in a historical/fantasy setting. And upon diving in…wow! The Jazz-Age vibes are immaculate, and I love how seamlessly the flare-magic is incorporated to be aligned with the immense wealth of the period. And given the politically-centered rage so many of us in marginalized communities are feeling right now, I loved the general themes of “eat the rich” and bringing down a corrupt career/legacy politician. Rosiee Thor pretty much sold it this way themselves as “For anyone who wants to set Mitch McConnell on fire,” and that statement will never not be gold.
I wasn’t sure how to feel about her at first, but Ingrid soon won me over. She’s clever and resourceful, and is very much aware of the injustices people outside of the upper class face, given her own origins. Her development from wanting an “in” with the powerful people, including the young senator’s son she thought she was in love with, to learning about radical new ideas through a new political rising star and her followers is compelling to observe. And in the process; it’s wonderful to see her come to a realization about her own identity and what she wants on a personal level.
And the fact that aroace identity isn’t tokenized in this one, with there being multiple people in the cast who either identify this way (or describe themselves in a way that resembles this, given it is within a historical context) or come to that realization over time is wonderful, and to see one of those develop into a queerplatonic bond by the end? And I love how the book really went in an atypical direction with the romantic aspects, especially given YA fantasy’s general tendency to aggressively push it. The characters are together at the beginning, but their evolution over the course of the book isn’t dramatic at all (in fact, exactly the opposite), with exception of the role a certain evil politician parent plays.
I really enjoyed this book, and would indeed echo Rosiee Thor’s recommendation that this will satisfy those who wish to set Mitch McConnell (and his ilk) on fire.
3.75 stars rounded up. Much better than I expected and just as I had hoped. I'm loving the surge of Jazz Age-inspired YA lately and this one is solid enough to stand out.
One thing I find is that in most YA fantasy, the magic system and world-building are rarely organically connected; rather, magic or supernatural power tend to be plot devices or anomalies (that many dominant societies in YA condemn) rather than an aspect grounded in the world of the story. I'm glad to see that this wasn't the case. Magic - in this case, a finite supernatural resource called flare - is the foundation of the socio-economic and political institutions of Candesce. The properties and myriad uses of flare make it understandably coveted.
I also found Ingrid's journey refreshing. I didn't always agree with her, but I always found myself rooting for her. She grows so much throughout the book - from a girl running from her past and consumed with proving her worth through any means necessary to a woman who owns her origins and her place and purpose among the people who see and value her. Fans of the found family trope, this book is for you.
The rep was fantastic all-around too. The main character is a white aro-spec bisexual, her best friend is a Black aro-ace (I was afraid at first that she would serve as the token Black best friend, but fortunately the author fleshes her out and gives her her own story), the love interest is a BIPoC (Latinx-coded?) trans/non-binary ace, and.
The writing style was fine - compulsively readable with the occasional bursts of inspired prose. I wasn't rooting for any romance, which is fine, because the book (with the main cast on varying points of the aro-ace spectrum) thankfully doesn't focus on that.
One thing I find is that in most YA fantasy, the magic system and world-building are rarely organically connected; rather, magic or supernatural power tend to be plot devices or anomalies (that many dominant societies in YA condemn) rather than an aspect grounded in the world of the story. I'm glad to see that this wasn't the case. Magic - in this case, a finite supernatural resource called flare - is the foundation of the socio-economic and political institutions of Candesce. The properties and myriad uses of flare make it understandably coveted.
I also found Ingrid's journey refreshing. I didn't always agree with her, but I always found myself rooting for her. She grows so much throughout the book - from a girl running from her past and consumed with proving her worth through any means necessary to a woman who owns her origins and her place and purpose among the people who see and value her. Fans of the found family trope, this book is for you.
The rep was fantastic all-around too. The main character is a white aro-spec bisexual, her best friend is a Black aro-ace (I was afraid at first that she would serve as the token Black best friend, but fortunately the author fleshes her out and gives her her own story), the love interest is a BIPoC (Latinx-coded?) trans/non-binary ace, and
Spoiler
the celebrity who is running for presidency is a white lesbian already in a same-sex relationshipThe writing style was fine - compulsively readable with the occasional bursts of inspired prose. I wasn't rooting for any romance, which is fine, because the book (with the main cast on varying points of the aro-ace spectrum) thankfully doesn't focus on that.
medium-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
adventurous
lighthearted
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
No
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
