Postcard For Reader

Liz's Corner: Fire

Fire
Author: Kristin Cashore
Series: The Seven Kingdoms (#2)
Publisher: Dial
How Received: bought
Read Nicole's review of Graceling here.

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.

Some books are better than their sequels. Some sequels are better than the first. Some prequels fail. Some companion books win.

Fire won.

I read Graceling this last summer, and I can say that I enjoyed it. It wasn't my favourite.

Fire is its companion novel. It is one of my favourites; I loved it. It takes place about thirty years before Graceling, in a land called the Dells. Remember those impassable mountains in Graceling? The Dells are what's on the other side of those mountains.

In the Dells, there are monsters. Monsters are animals, or people, that look just like any average species...except for their colors. A horse could be lime green with gold hair. A human could have purple hair. All of the monster animals and people, they possess unparralled beauty and the ability to control minds of humans.

Fire is the last human monster.

A lot of stories we pick up in the YA section are just fluff. There's no meat, or, sometimes, no depth. It's just a story to pass the time. But not all the books are. Fire is a fantasy novel that has a meaning to it.

If you just look past all the details that make a story, you’ll find it. It's not an in your face type of meaning; you have to look for it. I didn't find it until I closed the book.

I didn't find it until after I went on that journey with Fire. Her journey starts when she's young, and you see how her life was with her father - or rather, the lack of one. You see the 'family' she grew up with, the trials she's had to face. The people she's had to fight. She lived a tough life.

In the end, I realized that no matter who you are, or where you come from, you can be loved. Fire is such a perfect example of that. Sure, she had someone who thought he loved her, but something was missing. Even a person like Fire, can find that true love. Plus, there's this awesome scene about 'Three Kindnesses'. I absolutely loved that part of the book, and I think everyone should read at least up to that part.

Annnnyywhoo, it's a pretty good story. The fighting seems so real, the characters are almost touchable, and the world is wholly in existence in my mind. I'd have to say that Brigan is my favourite character, followed closely by Fire. Brigan is such a refreshing character, to me, and he brings a different pace to the story. Archer, the original love interest, is hot and all, but there's something missing with him. Maybe he's too hot...

As for Fire...she’ probably my favourite main character. I loved going on her journey, I really did.

And, finally, with all of my favourite books I try to find a favourite quote, and this one was such an easy find for me;

"Brigan, could you attempt, at least, to make yourself presentable? I know this is a war, but the rest of us are trying to pretend it's a party."

See, it even has humor! I have to say it again; I love this book. And so will you.