Book Review: Fire by Kristin Cashore

Book: Fire by Kristin Chashore
Genre: Young Adult Fantasy
Published: October 2009
How I Got the Book: Library


Synopsis (from b&n.com): She is the last of her kind...

It is not a peaceful time in the Dells. In King City, the young King Nash is clinging to the throne, while rebel lords in the north and south build armies to unseat him. War is coming. And the mountains and forest are filled with spies and thieves. This is where Fire lives, a girl whose beauty is impossibly irresistible and who can control the minds of everyone around her.


My Thoughts: Omg. What happened?! This book was an EPIC fail. ***SPOILERS A PLENTY***

Cashore was shaping up to be one of my new favorite authors with Graceling. I couldn't wait to read this companion novel. I loved Katsa and Po and how wonderfully refreshing the strong female character was.

I should have skipped Fire. Though it starts out really interesting. I liked the character Archer (in the beginning!!) and the background on Fire's father Cransel. It was shaping up to be a great world and book with the mystery of the archer thrown in. Fire's moster powers were intruiging...until you learn that she does nothing with it because she is too scared. And then you learn she needs a horde of guards with her at aaalll times, even though she's the one with powers. Then when she is moved to King's City...the whole book went stangnant and the author tried to superimpose traits on cardboard characters. Her whole relationship with Archer made no sense. The book was going to be thrown out the window at this point.
How about none of the relationships made no sense. Brigan abuses her the first they meet. (Oh but wait, he is justified in doing this to a woman because of her father, as if that makes any sense in this world or fantasy). Nash pretty much sexually assults her upon the first meeting. (But wait, the reader is told repeatedly that no man can even stop himself when he see's Fire. I don't like this subtext AT ALL). Other reviewers are saying she's some strong female character? WHAT? She's about as strong as Bella Swan, and violence towards women was FAR too prevalent in this book to settle with me. Leck was an incredible villian and the story picked up when he was around but I was pretty much over the book when he did show up. Fail.

Characters: The charcters were down right dislikable and wishy-washy in their actions. Fire was actually one of the worst female characters I have read as of late, which is surprising coming from someone who wrote the best I've read...Katsa. Now, I would probably not read anything else unless it has to do with Gracelings by Cashore.

Cover Art: Great colors and very nice composition (the cover is better than the actual book!)

Overall: ★