A review by britreads
So Let Them Burn by Kamilah Cole

adventurous 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? Yes

3.0

This was an okay start to this YA series. I don't have any strong feelings now that I've finished it, hence the 3 star rating.

Things I liked:
  • I liked the dragons in here. I wished we got more with the dragons actually. There are several different types of dragons and they have their own traits based on their type. I hope in the future book (or books since I'm unsure how long this series will be), I hope we learn more about the dragons and the history of dragons in this world. 
  • I liked the characters individually, but I didn't have strong feelings about the different romantic pairing. I related most to Elara and Aveline. Like with the dragons, I hope we get more of Aveline in future books.
  • I want more depth from the magic systems, but I like the introduction we got here. Astral summoning is really cool and I think there are opportunities for complexity that were missed. (Like how do the summoned spirits feel since they can't rest and serve as a tool even after death?)

Things I didn't care for:
  • I wanted more of the dragon-riding school. So much of what we learn about Heartstone is shared after the fact. We never see Elara in her classes or interacting with her peers outside of her den. We also get so much of San Irie and so little of life in the Langley Empire. 
  • This novel deals with war, imperialism and colonialism, yet I felt like it was a surface level approach. There are child soldiers in here and no one seems phased by that. What does it say that a country fighting for independence relied on and continues to rely on children and just turned 18 adults to fill out their military? The faces of the Langley Empire are the Warwicks and it feels like if they're removed, Langley won't be so bad. But that's not how empire works. There is no deeper wrestling with the many different systems and organizations that prop up a violent, colonial power. 
  • As much as I liked Aveline...she has GOT to get some advisors in between this book and the next one. Some of her decisions were TERRIBLE. In fact, a lot of characters make poor decisions. 
  • For some reason, the characters felt so young. Elara and Faron are 18 and 17 respectively, but they felt like they were closer to 14 and 13. 

I will probably read the second book when it is released. And I hope the sequel dives deeper into its overall themes. 
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