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Review: Cast In Firelight by Dana Swift
I wanted to like this book more than I did. There’s a lot to like about this YA novel, which is set in a vaguely Indian-flavored world. (The author is white and wisely chose to keep it vaguely flavored instead of trying to fully invoke India).
I really did. Our protagonist is a young woman who was born to the ruling classes, but has issues which may prevent her from ever actually leading. She’s in an arranged marriage with a young man.
They have had a while to get used to the idea, then they both meet up in disguise, neither knowing who the other is.
Yes, it’s that romance trope, which I’ve always found entertaining.
There’s a good, high stakes plot, and Swift’s voice has the right kind of clarity.
Unfortunately, this book had a flaw which may or may not bother you.
Adraa Belwar is a Mary Sue
I don’t say this lightly. I want badass heroines who can do everything. It’s very rare for me to shove a protagonist into the “Mary Sue” box, especially as it is so often used in a misogynist way.
Unfortunately, she really is.
The book’s magic system has nine kinds of magic, each represented by a god and a color. All magic in this world is what a D&D player calls…