A breathtaking, marvelous Graceling Realm book from New York Times bestselling author Kristin Cashore.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 … lives, a girl whose beauty is impossibly irresistible and who can control the minds of everyone around her. Exquisitely romantic, this companion to the highly praised Graceling has an entirely new cast of characters, save for one person who plays a pivotal role in both books. You don’t need to have read Graceling to love Fire. But if you haven’t, you’ll be dying to read it next. This edition includes an article by and an interview with the author.
Look for Kristin Cashore’s highly-anticipated return to the Graceling Realm, Winterkeep!
“There are some books that stick with you for years, and Kristen Cashore’s Fire is one of them. Thoughtful, steamy and completely original, Fire is YA fantasy at its absolute best.”—Sabaa Tahir, author of New York Times bestselling Ember in the Ashes on Fire
* “There aren’t enough words to describe how awesome this book is.” —Top Pick, Romantic Times, starred review of Fire
A New York Times bestseller
YALSA, Best Fiction for Young Adults
Amelia Elizabeth Walden Book Award Winner
5 starred reviews
more
good book! gracling was better though. it did not continue in the life of katsa and Po, but it started a new book with new characters( but I think king lek was in there somewhere.) I read this a long time ago:)
I really liked this book because of it’s originality. I thought the idea of human, raptor, and kitten monsters was really cool. I now want a purple kitten-monster. I liked how Brigan’s character developed. I thought that Fire’s story was tragic and made me love her more. I thought she was wise and that the vast amount of loss she experienced really helped her character grow.
I thought that this book brought up a interesting thought about monsters. Although Fire was the so called “human-monster” she was probably the least cruel and monster-ish character. It made you ponder what really makes a monster.
I’d recommend this to any fantasy lovers, but be aware that there is a somewhat graphic scene (it doesn’t say anything but it’s implied) and mentions sex a few times. If that makes you uncomfortable maybe you should skip this one.
Fire, the second novel in the Graceling series by Kristin Cashore, goes beyond the mountains and focuses on Fire, a girl of magic born from a monster.
Distracting Elements
Fire is an interesting enough story, but there are far too many distracting elements. Fire opens with a prologue about King Lek. This is his origin story and an interesting one at that. The reader gets to know a little more about where the villain of Graceling came from.
While it is an exciting and compelling way to start the story, it has little to do with this novel’s plot.
Beginning this way offers readers a distraction because it is such a powerful way to start the story, tell this story about such a significant character, and then have nothing to do with him. It is just distracting and misleads the reader into thinking the story will be about him at some point, and he does not appear in the story until the reader reaches the last quarter of the book. However, then as quickly as Lek appears, he is gone again.
In hindsight, it makes sense to see him because his power is similar to Fire, and it does highlight the fact that while she is a monster, she shows more humanity than Lek. It offers a different perspective about how power can corrupt, but it is all down to the individual how they use their power. While it gives the reader some perspective, adding this extra layer of depth to the story still distracts the reader from its primary focus.
Creative
Fire feels more like a new book than a sequel to Graceling because Cashore is world-building again. This is a whole new world apart from the seven kingdoms. So, it feels like a start to a new series. Having already read Bitterblue, it does serve as a bridge between Graceling and Bitterblue, but it feels more like it should be read first and not second.
Otherwise, it is an exciting novel because the elements are very different from the previous novel. The magic is new, and the story develops at an exciting pace.
The romance is also better developed than it was in the previous novel. There is a stronger foundation for the romance, one that delves deeper into the characters’ characterization. The reader gets to see the characters go from disliking each other to forming a partnership against an invading army. There is more depth to the relationship as it builds and grows between the characters.
Final Thoughts
Overall, Fire is a good novel. The problems stem from distracting elements such as Lek and the fact that this novel feels more like a start to a new series. However, excellent characterization and the magic and world-building in this novel are captivating, giving readers a unique adventure.
read it 3 times in one week, love it so so so much!!!
Read this book multiple times! Love this author!
Fire breaks my heart, and fills me with hope all at the same time. This book is so bittersweet and beautiful and powerful — not unlike Fire, herself, I suppose — and reading and rereading it again and again, it is always just as good, and possibly even better than the first time.
I love that Fire does not lose herself to love, or give in to anyone’s persuasion without serious and extensive soul searching. She’s the rare character that, throughout her romance, becomes ever stronger and ever more herself. The book is her journey to forgiveness of her own sins, and her struggle to find purpose and a place in the world, and it is all wonderfully illustrated in a way that never slights Fire’s capability. Fire falls in love, yes, but she does so with her eyes wide open, and without ever becoming the damsel in distress, waiting to be rescued.
Basically what I’m trying to say is that I love this book.
This is one of my favorite YA fantasy novels and I’ve read it multiple times! The other two books in the series, Graceling and Bitterblue, are also excellent as far as story and writing, but this one is my favorite of the three.
I enjoyed this book. It’s not an epic read, but it is not meant to be, yet it does have an original story and world. Imagine being a Monster. A beautiful monster.Oh, you’re human, but you’re a Monster because you’re beauty is unnatural. It makes men throw themselves at you, lose their minds or want to kill you outright.
The central character has just this problem and it makes a fun, light read for the YA audience.
Loved it! It’s a great prequel to her other two books.
This book is absolutely the best for people who like fantasy. If I had to choose between a vacation to Paris and reading this book again I would definitely pick this book without a doubt.
Kristin Cashore does an amazing job combining grief, humor, love, and intrigue all in one amazing package. I’ve read this book so many times and I love it every time!
I think that it’s a great book that I would recomend to anyone who loves fantasy, you have to have a open mind for this book. 😉
This book was so good. I loved the main character and truly enjoyed the adventure of it all. The other books in this series are quite good as well.
One of my ALL TIME FAVORITES
Enjoyable story, with strong female character. Recommend it to my teenage niece.
Loved it and bought the other two books of the trilogy right away!
Awesome series.
A great fantasy read and sequel to “Graceling”. Strong female character without typical vacillating tendencies, which I loved.