Review: Fire - Kristin Cashore

Seven Kingdoms, 2

Genre: YA, Fantasy
Pages: 384
Published: 2010 Gollancz

Beautiful creatures called monsters live in the Dells. Monsters have the shape of normal animals: mountain lions, dragonflies, horses, fish. But the hair or scales or feathers of monsters are gorgeously colored-- fuchsia, turquoise, sparkly bronze, iridescent green-- and their minds have the power to control the minds of humans.

Seventeen-year-old Fire is the last remaining human-shaped monster in the Dells. Gorgeously monstrous in body and mind but with a human appreciation of right and wrong, she is hated and mistrusted by just about everyone, and this book is her story.

Plot:

Fire is a monster. She is beautiful beyond words, and people either love or or want to kill her.  The animal monsters want to eat her. And the Kingdom of Dell is in trouble and she is called to court to help.

My thoughts: 

This is not a series that needs to be read in order, since this book takes place before book 1 Graceling. And this one takes place in Dell, and they do not even know about the seven kingdoms. But there is a young boy here, a graceling, with a terrible power and he was later in Graceling.

I really enjoyed this book. Which is funny because I did not like Graceling, which was too YA (yes I know but for me it was too much, too simple and too sweet.) While Fire was the opposite. And it did not feel YA either, it walked that line in between. The language was more YA, but the rest not.

And it had such a great heroine, Fire was broken, yet strong, and she did not want to bend people to her will. She would rather be shot (and was) than to stop someone with her mind. And her power was terrible. Some loved the sight of her and wanted to touch her, while other men saw her, knew they could not have her and wanted to kill her. 

The kingdom of Dell was also well-written. There were animals, and then monsters, people would stop in awe and get eaten. They were as terrible and beautiful as Fire.

The book had some wonderful characters, Archer who slept around a lot, Brigan, the prince who leads the armies and who does not trust her. King Nash who wants her the minute he sees her, and more. 

There was also this tone in the book, like I was there but at the same time not. Like I was hearing a story about the beautiful monster who wanted none of the powers she had.

Recommendation and final thoughts:

Do read this one, great fantasy, nice world, and a remarkable woman. The book also shows what beauty can do, and it is not always pretty. A rich world, strange magic, a hint of romance and the struggle for a kingdom.

Reason for reading:

I wanted to give her another go and I am so glad I did.

Cover:

Stunning!