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puttingwingsonwords's review against another edition
adventurous
dark
emotional
mysterious
medium-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
4.5
Content Warnings
Graphic: Antisemitism, Grief, and Death
Moderate: Confinement, Injury/Injury detail, Violence, and Murder
Minor: Injury/Injury detail and Child death
kayladaila's review
adventurous
challenging
dark
emotional
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? No
4.0
Content Warnings
Graphic: Body horror and Abandonment
Moderate: Antisemitism, Death of parent, Death, Grief, and Confinement
Minor: Pregnancy and Dementia
betweentheshelves's review against another edition
adventurous
emotional
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
4.0
There's a lot to love about this contemporary fantasy with Jewish culture at its core. Right from the beginning, we get a sense of mystery and intrigue, and the way Podos crafts the story just adds more as we go along the way. I especially appreciated the way that she uses flashbacks to give the readers Hannah's full family history and adds context to what is going on in the present day.
Even though there is a lot going on plotwise in this story, Podos doesn't sacrifice the development of her characters. I especially liked the relationship between Hannah and her brother, Gabe. They just supported each other, and the way Gabe was willing to go to such lengths to make Hannah feel more comfortable? It was adorable.
The budding romance/relationship also felt realistic and flowed really well with the plot. I enjoyed Ari as a character, and the way they all teamed up to solve the mystery. The fact that Hannah doesn't 100% know her identity by the end of the book will also be relatable to so many teenage readers.
This book is also packed with so much Jewish culture and mythology that I learned a lot while reading it as well. Though a lot of this was new to me, I didn't feel lost at any point in the story. It was a good balance of history, mythology, magic, character, and plot.
All in all, if you're looking for a new contemporary fantasy to pick up, I'd definitely recommend this one!
Even though there is a lot going on plotwise in this story, Podos doesn't sacrifice the development of her characters. I especially liked the relationship between Hannah and her brother, Gabe. They just supported each other, and the way Gabe was willing to go to such lengths to make Hannah feel more comfortable? It was adorable.
The budding romance/relationship also felt realistic and flowed really well with the plot. I enjoyed Ari as a character, and the way they all teamed up to solve the mystery. The fact that Hannah doesn't 100% know her identity by the end of the book will also be relatable to so many teenage readers.
This book is also packed with so much Jewish culture and mythology that I learned a lot while reading it as well. Though a lot of this was new to me, I didn't feel lost at any point in the story. It was a good balance of history, mythology, magic, character, and plot.
All in all, if you're looking for a new contemporary fantasy to pick up, I'd definitely recommend this one!
Content Warnings
Graphic: Cursing, Abandonment, and Child death
Moderate: Death, Confinement, and Violence
Minor: War, Homophobia, and Antisemitism
elwirax's review
dark
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? Yes
3.5
Rep: Jewish, lesbian LI, Queer MC, Gay MC with ADHD, non binary side character.
At first I wasn't very invested in the magical realism aspect of this book but I stayed for the quest to retrace ones cultural roots and the complicated family dynamics following 3 generations of women. I'm really glad I did because <b>From Dust, A Flame</b> was an enjoyable and simultaneously heartbreaking tale.
This was my first book by Podos which made me reluctant as I have not experienced her writing style, yet, I really enjoyed how emersive and atmospheric her story telling was.
From Dust, a Flame was a great blend of the fantastical with the mundane. There are elements of Jewish lore such as the Golem mixed with mundane struggles such as academic pressure. I think Podos balanced both these aspects well. I absolutely adored the centralisation ofJewish celebrations and folklore in this book, (although, I cannot comment how true to reality the representation is).
There was interesting commentary on generational trauma and how the lives of family members intertwine which I really enjoyed. It was heartbreaking hearing about Jitka losing her whole family to the war and how this in turn impacted her children's lives. The theme of isolation and lack of communication was done well and explored through these strained family ties.
I though that Hannah and Gabe shared an amazing sibling relationship and I loved that they were eachother's main support. There was also LGBTQIA+ rep which was fantastic.
However, I do have some small nit picks. Firstly, Gabe's transformation at the start was extremely sudden and a bit annoying in the sense that it was very stereotypical in the portrayal of gay people. There was also a lot of characters and family members mentioned which got really difficult to follow despite the family tree provided. Most of these didn't receive any major characterisation which made it seem like the author included them for the sake of doing so. Some aspects felt underbaked such as the Golem who unfortunately didn't serve much of a purpose throughout the story but was an interesting addition. I also didn't think the ending was particularly effective, it seemed a bit too easy and wrapped up quickly.
Overall, I quite enjoyed From Dust, a Flame and will definitely pick up more from Podos in the future.
At first I wasn't very invested in the magical realism aspect of this book but I stayed for the quest to retrace ones cultural roots and the complicated family dynamics following 3 generations of women. I'm really glad I did because <b>From Dust, A Flame</b> was an enjoyable and simultaneously heartbreaking tale.
This was my first book by Podos which made me reluctant as I have not experienced her writing style, yet, I really enjoyed how emersive and atmospheric her story telling was.
From Dust, a Flame was a great blend of the fantastical with the mundane. There are elements of Jewish lore such as the Golem mixed with mundane struggles such as academic pressure. I think Podos balanced both these aspects well. I absolutely adored the centralisation ofJewish celebrations and folklore in this book, (although, I cannot comment how true to reality the representation is).
There was interesting commentary on generational trauma and how the lives of family members intertwine which I really enjoyed. It was heartbreaking hearing about Jitka losing her whole family to the war and how this in turn impacted her children's lives. The theme of isolation and lack of communication was done well and explored through these strained family ties.
I though that Hannah and Gabe shared an amazing sibling relationship and I loved that they were eachother's main support. There was also LGBTQIA+ rep which was fantastic.
However, I do have some small nit picks. Firstly, Gabe's transformation at the start was extremely sudden and a bit annoying in the sense that it was very stereotypical in the portrayal of gay people. There was also a lot of characters and family members mentioned which got really difficult to follow despite the family tree provided. Most of these didn't receive any major characterisation which made it seem like the author included them for the sake of doing so. Some aspects felt underbaked such as the Golem who unfortunately didn't serve much of a purpose throughout the story but was an interesting addition. I also didn't think the ending was particularly effective, it seemed a bit too easy and wrapped up quickly.
Overall, I quite enjoyed From Dust, a Flame and will definitely pick up more from Podos in the future.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Child death, Abandonment, and Death of parent
Minor: Confinement, Antisemitism, and War
beforeviolets's review
adventurous
emotional
informative
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
4.5
Thank you so much to Netgalley and Rebecca Podos for providing me with an eARC in exchange for an honest review!
“Judaism is more than religion, you know. More even than ritual and tradition. It’s family… We are all the children of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, and of Sarah, Rachel, Rebecca, and Leah. We are all united by the actions and sacrifices and the covenant of our ancestors. We were all born into the ancient story of our people, which still unfolds today. Know this, and everything else can be learned.”
A riveting and layered YA sapphic fantasy filled to the brim with Jewish folklore and history. This is a story about family, identity, isolation, truth, and culture. But most importantly, this is a story about stories. And how important it is to know your own.
This book wonderfully discusses the danger of repressing your burdens and the importance of openly sharing familial history and culture. By displaying the timelines of three descending generations of women and illustrating the trauma they endure, the fear they live by, and the burdens they carry (physical and conceptual), this book is able to demonstrate the effects of generational trauma. It shows how the weight we carry from our ancestors is not chosen, but lives in us regardless, and that we must pass down our culture and our stories and our knowledge because that is how cycles are broken and damage can be confronted. It also portrays the feelings of isolation one can feel when cut off from their loved ones through forced distance, through fear, and through lack of communication and the trauma and loss that can occur when one isn't connected with their family.
My favorite part of this work was how jam-packed it is with Jewish stories and mythology. It offers up a conversation about the way stories literally and metaphorically weave and influence our history and culture. It asks us to question what we accept as truth and what could be possible. Something about the way this book is written made me genuinely believe in its lore. It encourages an open mind and a willingness to learn, and now I can’t wait to go pick up some non-fiction books about Jewish lore to gain even more knowledge about my own culture.
Additionally, I just love Gabe. He’s the best older brother of all time.
TW: underage drinking, blood, parental abandonment, death of family members (grandmother to MC during plot of book offscreen, other family members in flashback mention), grief, discussion and portrayal of WWII/The Holocaust, anti-semitism (theme), death by starvation (offscreen, mention), child death (mention), injury, violence, confinement, kidnapping
“Judaism is more than religion, you know. More even than ritual and tradition. It’s family… We are all the children of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, and of Sarah, Rachel, Rebecca, and Leah. We are all united by the actions and sacrifices and the covenant of our ancestors. We were all born into the ancient story of our people, which still unfolds today. Know this, and everything else can be learned.”
A riveting and layered YA sapphic fantasy filled to the brim with Jewish folklore and history. This is a story about family, identity, isolation, truth, and culture. But most importantly, this is a story about stories. And how important it is to know your own.
This book wonderfully discusses the danger of repressing your burdens and the importance of openly sharing familial history and culture. By displaying the timelines of three descending generations of women and illustrating the trauma they endure, the fear they live by, and the burdens they carry (physical and conceptual), this book is able to demonstrate the effects of generational trauma. It shows how the weight we carry from our ancestors is not chosen, but lives in us regardless, and that we must pass down our culture and our stories and our knowledge because that is how cycles are broken and damage can be confronted. It also portrays the feelings of isolation one can feel when cut off from their loved ones through forced distance, through fear, and through lack of communication and the trauma and loss that can occur when one isn't connected with their family.
My favorite part of this work was how jam-packed it is with Jewish stories and mythology. It offers up a conversation about the way stories literally and metaphorically weave and influence our history and culture. It asks us to question what we accept as truth and what could be possible. Something about the way this book is written made me genuinely believe in its lore. It encourages an open mind and a willingness to learn, and now I can’t wait to go pick up some non-fiction books about Jewish lore to gain even more knowledge about my own culture.
Additionally, I just love Gabe. He’s the best older brother of all time.
TW: underage drinking, blood, parental abandonment, death of family members (grandmother to MC during plot of book offscreen, other family members in flashback mention), grief, discussion and portrayal of WWII/The Holocaust, anti-semitism (theme), death by starvation (offscreen, mention), child death (mention), injury, violence, confinement, kidnapping
Content Warnings
Graphic: Abandonment, Grief, and Antisemitism
Moderate: Alcohol, Blood, Death of parent, Death, Child death, Injury/Injury detail, Violence, Confinement, and Kidnapping
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