BOTM for May is Words on Fire

[SaraKat]

Our voters chose Words on Fire for May. Leave your comments about the book here.

[Maria]

I finished this just recently. I was glad to read about the historical period (the oppression of Lithuania by Russia under the Czar), and the underground network of book smugglers made for an exciting setting. My favorite character was Lukas, and I enjoyed the mystery of his background.

The book felt a little unfinished to me, though, as if it could have used a few more rounds of edits. The attitudes and decisions of Audra and other characters seemed to shift a little too unbelievably at times.

[SaraKat]

I agree that t could use some polishing, but I did enjoy the book. It was a time and place that I hadn't heard much about before, so I was interested in the history. Audra and her band of resistance librarians were brave. I think that Audra was a little too intelligent and good at smuggling, but the background in magic and misdirection training could explain it. :) I was a little incredulous that book-loving parents like Audra's would leave her illiterate. If they were bringing contraband through the house, her not being able to read certainly wouldn't protect her.