For my second read of the year, I fell head first into an immersive fantasy where the love interests are more obsessed with competition than with the fact that they might be falling for one another. Cast in Firelight is the start of a beautiful duology, and I was blown away by the magic that seems to flow throughout this story. I really loved the characters and the beautiful theme of family that seems to permeate this book, which doesn’t often happen in fantasy stories. There’s a pretty big mystery that is waiting to be uncovered in Wickery, and I can’t wait for other readers to pick this up! It’s definitely a must-have if you love worlds that are full of elemental style magic.
Cast in Firelight features Adraa, royal heir to Belwar, and Jatin, the royal heir to Napure, who have been betrothed from a young age. They’re both headstrong young people with a flair for competition, and while they might not have much love for each other, they can definitely agree their reunion will be anything but sweet. However, the criminal underbelly in Belwar has started making some dangerous moves for control, and both Adraa and Jatin adopt secret identities to try and stop them. With so much time having passed since they last saw each other, they don’t realise they are inadvertently working together, and falling in love. Their romance only gets more complicated, and the fate of Wickery is in their hands.
From the beginning, I could tell that I was going to love Adraa. She was stubborn and headstrong without regard to the consequences, which you can see play out with some of the choices that she makes when she becomes betrothed to Jatin. However, unlike many fantasies where those personality traits are punished away by parental figures, Adraa is allowed to flourish in her own way. There’s something to be said to the way that I could see her parents nurturing her, while also reminding her that she still has responsibilities. Jatin can be seen as the exact opposite at first, much more cold and reserved, but with lots of thoughts brewing underneath. I loved that the first focus of the book isn’t on romance, but on their competitive nature.
Adraa and Jatin both adopt secret identities in this story to pursue the criminal uprising in Belwar. It added a level of complexity to the story that was definitely thrilling and I felt pushed Adraa and Jatin to their limits. As they are royalty, there is also some politics and diplomacy involved in the way they’re going about what they’re doing, but it’s with the hope that they can help unite the kingdoms in better ways. This part of the story sometimes had lulls in terms of action though, which messed with the pacing of the story at times.
Now if you’re not a fan of insta-love, you might not like the way that Adraa and Jatin’s relationship develops. To be fair though, their romance also develops when they don’t know each other’s identities, and it takes one of them much longer than the other to realise it. However, I won’t lie to you, I was all for those little romantic moments between these two when they don’t know who the other is.
There’s a larger mystery at play here that doesn’t quite get resolved by the end of the story (naturally, it’s a duology), but it does make me wonder at the motivations of the villain(s). He sort of sneaks up on you, and leaves quite a few questions unanswered as to what he truly wants and his end goals. I wish I could say more without spoiling the ending for readers, but I’ll zip my lips here. I’d love to know your thoughts when you read the book though.
At the beginning, I mentioned the strong themes of family that permeate throughout this book, and it bears mentioning again. Parental bonds aside, there’s also the relationships between siblings, cousins, and friends. They’re supportive even when the chips are down, and more importantly, their love and respect aren’t used as tools in order to gain something. I wish that I’d been able to read more moments between Adraa and Prisha, because it felt like a lot like the relationship I have with my own sister. It combines mundane moments (stealing clothes) and more serious moments that don’t feel forced by any means.
While this isn’t an own-voices story, I do encourage readers to take a peek at the Author’s note as to her reasoning for this. In my personal opinion, I feel it is a very lovely reason and cannot wait for the final book in the Wickery duology. I encourage you to pick this book up, and if you enjoy covers by Charlie Bowater, then this is definitely another reason to add this to your TBR.
Cast In Firelight is available from Amazon, Book Depository, and other good book retailers, like your local bookstore.
Will you be picking up Cast In Firelight? Tell us in the comments below!
Synopsis | Goodreads
The first book in an epic, heart-pounding fantasy duology about two royal heirs betrothed to be married, but whose loyalties are torn, and a ruthless enemy who threatens their world, perfect for fans of Sabaa Tahir, Hafsah Faizal, and Renée Ahdieh.
Adraa is the royal heir of Belwar, a talented witch on the cusp of taking her royal ceremony test, and a girl who just wants to prove her worth to her people.
Jatin is the royal heir to Naupure, a competitive wizard who’s mastered all nine colors of magic, and a boy anxious to return home for the first time since he was a child.
Together, their arranged marriage will unite two of Wickery’s most powerful kingdoms. But after years of rivalry from afar, Adraa and Jatin only agree on one thing: their reunion will be anything but sweet.
Only, destiny has other plans and with the criminal underbelly of Belwar suddenly making a move for control, their paths cross…and neither realizes who the other is, adopting separate secret identities instead.
Between dodging deathly spells and keeping their true selves hidden, the pair must learn to put their trust in the other if either is to uncover the real threat. Now Wickery’s fate is in the hands of rivals..? Fiancées..? Partners..? Whatever they are, it’s complicated and bound for greatness or destruction.
