Before She Ignites (Fallen Isles Trilogy, #1)
Author: Jodi Meadows
Publication Date: September 12th 2017
Publisher: Katherine Tegen Books
Mira Minkoba is a teenage girl living on Damina, one of the six island nations of the Fallen Isles. She has a sheltered life as the cherished Hopebearer of her people. Her father is the creator of the Mira Treaty that unites the islands against threats from the mainland, but not everyone is approving of it. After uncovering a treacherous and mysterious secret, Mira is taken to the Pit, the deepest prison in the Isles, to await an unknown fate.
Mira is a flawed, but admirable heroine. Taught to rely on her looks and raised to be perfect, she privately suffers acute panic attacks. She uses her obsessive counting habit to calm her anxiety. Beautiful and empathetic, she represents hope to others, but needs to develop the confidence to trust and rely on herself. She's been protected and cared for her whole life, but after her imprisonment must find the inner strength she needs to survive her perilous situation. The development of her character is realistic and inspiring.
The author pays exceptional attention to detail in every aspect of her world - from the histories, cultures and politics of the people, to the individual isles and their attributes. Damina is depicted as a peaceful place with its scents, sights and sounds. The Heart of the Great Warrior is a magnificent, holy temple of the Khulani people and a huge underground training complex for warriors. It also contains the Pit, with horrific living conditions for its prisoners. The drakarium or sanctuary, with an enormous wall 17 stories high, is impressive. The descriptions of the various species of dragons, their colours, sizes and how they communicate, is fascinating.
Meadows wrote a gripping story that I found mesmerising. It is about trust, betrayal and standing up for what you believe in. With its complex protagonist, diverse collection of characters, political intrigue and array of fantastic dragons, I absolutely adored Before She Ignites. I'm very much looking forward to reading the next instalment of the series.
Thank you to Harper Collins for the eBook copy to review.
From the publisher:
From the New York Times bestselling co-author of My Lady Jane comes a smoldering new fantasy trilogy perfect for fans of Victoria Aveyard and Kristin Cashore about a girl condemned for defending dragons and the inner fire that may be her only chance of escape.
Mira has always been a symbol of hope for the Fallen Isles, perfect and beautiful—or at least that’s how she’s forced to appear. But when she uncovers a dangerous secret, Mira is betrayed by those closest to her and sentenced to the deadliest prison in the Fallen Isles.
Except Mira is over being a pawn. Fighting to survive against outer threats and inner demons of mental illness, Mira must find her inner fire and the scorching truth about her own endangered magic—before her very world collapses.
And that’s all before she ignites.
You can read my original Isabella's Reading Corner post on Before She Ignites here.
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