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A review by bookwormbullet
The Boy With Fire by Aparna Verma
adventurous
challenging
dark
emotional
hopeful
inspiring
mysterious
sad
tense
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 New Degree Press for providing me with an ARC in exchange for an honest review!
2021 really is the year of amazing South Asian fantasies. What first drew me into The Boy with Fire was the fact that Aparna Verma drew inspiration for one of the races of characters in her book, called the Yumi, from the female warriors the Hindu goddess Kali created (called the chandikas) after her epic battle against the demon Mahishasura. I love a good fantasy inspired by Hindu & Indian mythology and The Boy with Fire did not disappoint! I usually also stay away from Adult fantasy novels because the world-building and magic system is described in such a complex and intricate way that usually flies right over my head, but Aparna Verma did an excellent job of building a detailed world and describing it to the reader in such an effortless way that made it so easy to follow along. Overall, I’d give it 4.5 stars!
The Boy with Fire follows three separate characters: Yassen Knight, the Arohassin’s most notorious assassin now on the run from the authorities and his former employer after suffering a horrible accident; Elena Ravence, heir to the Ravence throne; and Leo Ravence; the current king and Elena’s father. Their stories intertwine and connect as Elena and Leo’s kingdom teeters on the edge of war and prophecy.
As mentioned, this story follows three characters: Yassen, Elena, and Leo. I love multi-POV books, but I was a little hesitant about how much I would enjoy reading chapters from Leo’s POV considering he’s a 60 year old man obsessed with keeping his crown. However, Leo’s chapters were still so engaging and interesting to follow. The political intrigue in this novel in general was actually really captivating--something that doesn’t normally draw me into fantasy novels. The Boy with Fire is also described as Dune meets The Poppy War, which is honestly so accurate. I love how this novel combines both sci-fi and fantasy elements, again, in an effortless manner. There are also small modern aspects (in the dialogue, articles of clothing, accessories, etc.) that added to the ambiguity of what kind of era the novel takes place in being both a sci-fi and fantasy novel.
I think my only minor issue with this book is that the relationship between Yassen and Elena felt a little unconvincing. This does feature a slowburn enemies-to-lovers relationship but the slowburn was a little too slow to the point that actually I didn’t pick up on any romance between the two during the book (I was getting major romance vibes from Elena and another character instead), nor did I believe that Yassen and Elena genuinely cared for one another at the end of the book. The last third of the book, though, was a complete rollercoaster. Everything just started going south even after everything was going so well for our characters. I was also completely shocked by the plot twist/reveal in the epilogue. I thought I had guessed the twist while reading, but turns out I was dead wrong.
Definitely consider picking this book up if you are looking for another Adult fantasy, especially one that is South Asian inspired! I can’t wait for everyone to read this book in August :)
2021 really is the year of amazing South Asian fantasies. What first drew me into The Boy with Fire was the fact that Aparna Verma drew inspiration for one of the races of characters in her book, called the Yumi, from the female warriors the Hindu goddess Kali created (called the chandikas) after her epic battle against the demon Mahishasura. I love a good fantasy inspired by Hindu & Indian mythology and The Boy with Fire did not disappoint! I usually also stay away from Adult fantasy novels because the world-building and magic system is described in such a complex and intricate way that usually flies right over my head, but Aparna Verma did an excellent job of building a detailed world and describing it to the reader in such an effortless way that made it so easy to follow along. Overall, I’d give it 4.5 stars!
The Boy with Fire follows three separate characters: Yassen Knight, the Arohassin’s most notorious assassin now on the run from the authorities and his former employer after suffering a horrible accident; Elena Ravence, heir to the Ravence throne; and Leo Ravence; the current king and Elena’s father. Their stories intertwine and connect as Elena and Leo’s kingdom teeters on the edge of war and prophecy.
As mentioned, this story follows three characters: Yassen, Elena, and Leo. I love multi-POV books, but I was a little hesitant about how much I would enjoy reading chapters from Leo’s POV considering he’s a 60 year old man obsessed with keeping his crown. However, Leo’s chapters were still so engaging and interesting to follow. The political intrigue in this novel in general was actually really captivating--something that doesn’t normally draw me into fantasy novels. The Boy with Fire is also described as Dune meets The Poppy War, which is honestly so accurate. I love how this novel combines both sci-fi and fantasy elements, again, in an effortless manner. There are also small modern aspects (in the dialogue, articles of clothing, accessories, etc.) that added to the ambiguity of what kind of era the novel takes place in being both a sci-fi and fantasy novel.
I think my only minor issue with this book is that the relationship between Yassen and Elena felt a little unconvincing. This does feature a slowburn enemies-to-lovers relationship but the slowburn was a little too slow to the point that actually I didn’t pick up on any romance between the two during the book (I was getting major romance vibes from Elena and another character instead), nor did I believe that Yassen and Elena genuinely cared for one another at the end of the book. The last third of the book, though, was a complete rollercoaster. Everything just started going south even after everything was going so well for our characters. I was also completely shocked by the plot twist/reveal in the epilogue. I thought I had guessed the twist while reading, but turns out I was dead wrong.
Definitely consider picking this book up if you are looking for another Adult fantasy, especially one that is South Asian inspired! I can’t wait for everyone to read this book in August :)
Content Warnings
Moderate: Violence