Chris read and liked Becky's review of Fire:

"3.5 Stars
This is a situation where I wish that we had 1/2 stars. I enjoyed this book, but on a different level than I enjoyed "Graceling". I loved "Graceling" and I couldn't put it down - the story, the characters and the co...more 3.5 Stars
This is a situation where I wish that we had 1/2 stars. I enjoyed this book, but on a different level than I enjoyed "Graceling". I loved "Graceling" and I couldn't put it down - the story, the characters and the concept were so new and interesting and wonderful that I just had to keep reading, and when it was over, I wanted more. I didn't feel that way about "Fire", but I did like it more than a little bit. I just found myself drawing comparisons to "Graceling" and finding certain things disappointing. But I'll get to that in a bit.

This book felt more adult and serious than "Graceling" did. There were some serious themes in both books, of course, but this one just felt... I don't know. More graphic, in a way. There was quite a lot more violence and everything felt more intense, but still this book didn't have the same spark that I thought "Graceling" had.

First, I want to say that I did like the concept of there being "monster" versions of both humans and animals, the only difference between the two being their appearance (vibrant coloring) and an ability to compel a sort of worship/fascination. Human monsters have an additional power, which is a sort of telepathy/mind control, which allows them to sense people and animals, receive thoughts and feelings from them, communicate directly or broadcast thoughts, and control a person through their mind.

Fire is the last monster alive, and is struggling with who she is. Her father Cansrel was a cruel, powerful, manipulative monster, who reminded me a bit of a YA fantasy version of Caligula (only without the title), who nevertheless loved Fire until his death. Fire doesn't want to be like him, so she goes to the other extreme and refuses to use her powers on people at all, except in self-defense.

Her lover and friend, Archer, is a bit 1 dimensional for my tastes. They grew up together, and their friendship eventually graduated to a physical relationship. He is in love with Fire, and over the years became more and more possessive of her and jealous of her time. He is a good man, but he doesn't realize how much his need for Fire has changed him into someone ugly and angry.

There is quite a bit of political intrigue in this book, and Fire and Archer eventually meet current King Nash (son of King Nax, whom Cansrel had manipulated) and Prince Brigan (whom Cansrel had hated and tried to kill several times), the current military commander. Nash is susceptible to Fire's "charms" even though she's not putting any out there on purpose, and almost immediately falls in love with her and tries to have her.

Brigan is more impenetrable, not that Fire is trying. He initially hates her for who she is, the daughter of the man who'd tried to kill him dozens of times, and until she risks her own life for his and his men in a military action, he distrusts her completely. But Brigan is smart, and brave and strong but sensitive. He's the type of man that everyone wants on their side, because he's loyal and kind, but ruthless when needed. He expects the same loyalty and dedication from those in his command and those around him. He was my favorite character in this book. I loved Brigan just as much, if on a different, more ordinary level, as Po from "Graceling".

Which brings me back to some of the parallels I drew between "Fire" and "Graceling". (There will be spoilers below for both books, so stop reading now if you don't want to see them.)

1) "Graceling" has Po who has the ability to receive thoughts and feelings and intentions from people, and has the ability to "sense" his surroundings. Fire has these same abilities, with the added bonus of being able to send and receive, as well as control.

2) Leck - we get to see his origins in this book, as it is a sort of prequel companion. I was a bit disappointed with this aspect of the book though. It really felt like an afterthought, and while it did give more insight into Leck, it wasn't anything that we wouldn't have figured out, and it seemed like a kind of pointless addition to this story. But it did serve as a bridge between the books - otherwise this could have been a stand-alone book with no storyline ties to Graceling at all.

3) There is a similarity between these books that has me a little baffled. In "Graceling", I mentioned the "subtle feminist message" and applauded Cashore for it. But after reading "Fire" I'm beginning to wonder if there isn't something more...

Neither Katsa from "Graceling" or Fire want to have children. Katsa uses herbs religiously to ensure that she does not get pregnant after sex, and Fire does as well. But Fire takes this one step further and takes an herb that will ensure that she NEVER gets pregnant.

At first I thought, 'Hmm... Cashore must really not like kids.' But after reading more, it turns out that Fire loves kids, and at one point the subject of adoption even comes up.

OK, so if it's not that the girls don't like kids, it has to be something about themselves. And then it hit me. They hate themselves and what they are so much, both of them, that they don't want to subject a child to the kind of lives that they have had.

And, now I'm disappointed. Because THAT is no "role-model" thought. Role-models are supposed to show that you can overcome adversity and learn to love yourself... They are supposed to show that there is NOTHING WRONG with being who you are, and that everyone has a choice of what to do with their life - whether to be what is expected of a "monster" or to be something better. Self-loathing is NOT a role-model trait. And if I thought of it, you can be sure that some perceptive teen will. And this makes me sad, because other than this point, which Cashore didn't bring up in passing once, but harped on over and over, the book was very good. But this point is extremely disappointing.

I probably won't avoid Cashore in the future, but I hope that she moves away from this trend. I hope that she learns that to be a TRULY strong female character, they have to be willing to pass along that strength and not encourage a fear "of the unknown". We can never know what is going to happen. But sometimes we just have to risk it, and embrace it. (less) "