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irenevh 's review for:
Fire Becomes Her
by Rosiee Thor
A Personal and political drama set in a world with a very soft magic system tells an interesting story of a want for power, but barely deserves the claim of belonging in the fantasy genre.
I bought this book without any early knowledge about the story based on the impressive cover. We all say we shouldn't judge a book by it's cover and yet most of us do.
The cover and the original description made me believe this was a 1920'ies historical fiction, which in theming it does aim to fit in with, but was surprised to find it taking place in a different world from our own as well as the story involving magic.
The book focuses mostly on the main character, Ingrid, and her never ending desire to rise to power, after a somewhat traumatizing youth in poverty. This on its own can be very interesting, but the character itself was pretty hard to like. Ingrid's decisions felt confusing and at times absolutely frustrating. And her interactions with other characters didn't paint her in a much more positive light either.
The setting of a different world with it's own magic system didn't feel very earned either. The magic in this world (Flare) almost seemed to have a "McGuffin" status in the story. Always being talked about and told to be important, even though it was almost nothing more than magical currency and could have been so much more. Maybe even should have been so much more to earn and warrant the entire creation of a new world where this substance exists.
The political intrigue of the story was however pretty well done, and despite the main character not being likable, the side characters were rather well written and enjoyable to read. The climax and ending to the story were overall also rather satisfying, saving the in my opinion mediocre book from a unsatisfactory after taste.
Still this book felt underwhelming. It had potential, but wasn't executed as well as it could have been. So I guess I must still learn that a pretty cover isn't always everything.
I bought this book without any early knowledge about the story based on the impressive cover. We all say we shouldn't judge a book by it's cover and yet most of us do.
The cover and the original description made me believe this was a 1920'ies historical fiction, which in theming it does aim to fit in with, but was surprised to find it taking place in a different world from our own as well as the story involving magic.
The book focuses mostly on the main character, Ingrid, and her never ending desire to rise to power, after a somewhat traumatizing youth in poverty. This on its own can be very interesting, but the character itself was pretty hard to like. Ingrid's decisions felt confusing and at times absolutely frustrating. And her interactions with other characters didn't paint her in a much more positive light either.
The setting of a different world with it's own magic system didn't feel very earned either. The magic in this world (Flare) almost seemed to have a "McGuffin" status in the story. Always being talked about and told to be important, even though it was almost nothing more than magical currency and could have been so much more. Maybe even should have been so much more to earn and warrant the entire creation of a new world where this substance exists.
The political intrigue of the story was however pretty well done, and despite the main character not being likable, the side characters were rather well written and enjoyable to read. The climax and ending to the story were overall also rather satisfying, saving the in my opinion mediocre book from a unsatisfactory after taste.
Still this book felt underwhelming. It had potential, but wasn't executed as well as it could have been. So I guess I must still learn that a pretty cover isn't always everything.