Scan barcode
A review by mixedreader
Why We Play With Fire by Giselle Vriesen
adventurous
mysterious
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.0
Thank you @rowhousepub for the opportunity to read Why We Play with Fire by Giselle Vriesen! It’s a story of magic, belonging, and finding your path that tugged at my heart through the whole book. On her socials, @gisellevriesen has talked about writing parts of her identity into the story — wishing for characters that reflected her diverse background and perspective. If you know me, you know that’s been my journey too as a reader, writer, and teacher, so I knew I’d feel connected to the narrative.
From the beginning of the novel, Thea describes her experience feeling ostracized and disconnected, with the exception of one best friend. Suddenly, a dark magic attack takes over their home and Thea is separated from her mother and nana, the only caretakers she knows. Pushed in a direction by her mother, she ends up in a hidden, magical home of the Malachite, a space where young people who carry the lineage of gods from different traditions learn about their destinies and their powers. But Thea doesn’t get the chance to settle in, as another attack that threatens the safety of this sacred place pulls her into a quest that demands she does the learning along the way.
Vriesen is a vivid and detailed writer, keeping us immersed in detail while building beautiful worlds in this book. As Thea and friends move between magical spaces, I felt grounded in each reality and attuned to Thea’s emotional / social development along the way. Gifted with a hypersensitivity to emotion (feeling like a nod to Butler’s Lauren from Parable), Thea’s journey to self discovery feels dynamic and deeply connected to those around her.
From that living between cultures perspective, there’s also something really important & affecting about the way lineage is talked about in this novel, particularly in the acceptance/ rejection of lineage, choosing connecting with ancestors, and the sense and purpose within those identities. I’ll be thinking about this for a while, with gratitude
From the beginning of the novel, Thea describes her experience feeling ostracized and disconnected, with the exception of one best friend. Suddenly, a dark magic attack takes over their home and Thea is separated from her mother and nana, the only caretakers she knows. Pushed in a direction by her mother, she ends up in a hidden, magical home of the Malachite, a space where young people who carry the lineage of gods from different traditions learn about their destinies and their powers. But Thea doesn’t get the chance to settle in, as another attack that threatens the safety of this sacred place pulls her into a quest that demands she does the learning along the way.
Vriesen is a vivid and detailed writer, keeping us immersed in detail while building beautiful worlds in this book. As Thea and friends move between magical spaces, I felt grounded in each reality and attuned to Thea’s emotional / social development along the way. Gifted with a hypersensitivity to emotion (feeling like a nod to Butler’s Lauren from Parable), Thea’s journey to self discovery feels dynamic and deeply connected to those around her.
From that living between cultures perspective, there’s also something really important & affecting about the way lineage is talked about in this novel, particularly in the acceptance/ rejection of lineage, choosing connecting with ancestors, and the sense and purpose within those identities. I’ll be thinking about this for a while, with gratitude
Content Warnings
Minor: Death of parent