A review by songwind
The Mirror of Fire and Dreaming by Chitra Banerjee Divakaruni

4.0

[book:The Mirror of Fire and Dreaming] stands a lot of (Western) fantasy conventions on their ear. The Indian setting is an obvious difference, but other, more subtle differences exist as well. The main character uses his mind and his own resources to solve his problems, rather than being bailed out by older characters or deus ex machina. Even when an outside agent helps him, it is his own actions that make it possible.

I also enjoyed the presence of a magical academy where there was no rich-kid bully.