Fire by Kristin Cashore

Fire is the second book in the Graceling series by Kristin Cashore. I'll admit to having reservations when it comes to the series, because I found myself unsatisfied at the end of the first. You can take a look at the review on my blog to read for yourself my exact thoughts. But nonetheless, the description intrigued me and I eventually relented, listening to the entire book on a long road trip.

Fire is about a young monster girl with the power to bewitch men and women alike with just the power of her beauty. She has mystical fiery hair and mental power enough to read and control minds which are not guarded against her. Admittedly, she is in love with her childhood friend Archer, but also feels an incessant need to keep everyone at a distance. Eventually she becomes entangled in a web of conspiracy with the king, his brother, and Archer himself.

This book is long, and just like the first, a lot happens across those pages. To be honest, the first probably third isn't very interesting. It's a lot of set up for the action that occurs in the second half of the book, and while it's appreciated, you must struggle through it to get to the end.

Fire's final love interest is predictable, and I was abet to anticipate it from the very beginning. Knowing this, however, just made the book seem to drag even slower. It seemed like the characters were always getting so close to being together, and then suddenly they would just turn away.

Cashore has a remarkable gift when it comes to establishing characters, because all of them are vibrant and realistic. Yet she is almost an anti romantic. She sets up these incredible scenes that you can visualize perfectly, unfolding before your eyes, and then she'll bluntly end the chapter by having one of the characters walk away, seemingly at the crux of the moment! This bothered me as well in her first book, that the main characters don't spend as much time together as they should.

Despite these issues, I liked Fire more than I liked Graceling. Fire is more mature than Katsa was, and I appreciate that immensely. I also like the male characters in this book more, because they seem, well, more manly. The plot of this is also more interesting than that of Graceling. I appreciate the contrast between Katsa (who never wants kids) and Fire (who does but knows she can't have them) and that Cashore didn't write two different women who are really the same.

The romance was also better in this book, because the characters were more devoted to each other. A big issue I had with Graceling was how easily Katsa left Po behind, and while she said she loved him, it just didn't seem like it. Fire and Brigan, on the other hand, were very devoted to each other, and didn't lash out with angry words all the time. They also made a lasting commitment to each other in the end, even if it did take the majority of the book for them to even admit they loved each other!

With a lot of anticlimactic moment and frustrating exchanges, Fire was a difficult read. But in the end the world Cashore painted was brilliant, imaginative, and fun, so much so it was hard to tear myself away. While I'm unsure if I'll read the third book in the series, I did enjoy this one more than the first.

Three Stars,

Rosalie

Fire on Goodreads