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I’m on a hot streak with my reading so far, but These Feathered Flames turned out to be another book I loved. It had one of my favorite tropes—enemies to lovers—and focused on complicated relationships between women.
Perhaps it’s because I’m writing this as the election results come in, but the message of the book (or what I read as the central theme) really resonated with me—we’re not bound by the past. We can choose our own path forward.
Trigger warnings—murder, emotional abuse by a parent, gore, animal death (not a main character that the author makes you love), ritual sacrifice
Two sisters are separated and then set on two different paths—Izaveta bound to a crown, Asya to a monster. Both of them grow up molded by strong yet stoic women whose expectations often seem more oppressive than the sisters’ destinies.
After their mother’s death, Izaveta and Asya’s paths come together again. Izaveta has grown to a calculating politician molded in the shape of her mother. Asya is on the road to becoming the new Fire Bird, an immortal creature that resets the balance of magic in the world by collecting the price owed by magic casters.
The plot of the book revolves around Izaveta’s struggle to maintain power after her mother’s death. The church, led by a smug and calculating Sanislav, plots to replace Iza with someone who would be more amenable to their interests. For me, the heart of the book was the two sisters coming to realize that they didn’t have to follow the paths laid out by their domineering parental figures.
Asya’s struggles to perform the duties of the Firebird (to collect a “price” for magic) is due to her gentle nature and generally trusting personality. One of my favorite descriptions of her in the book was from Iza, who said Asya would save venomous spiders from puddles. Throughout the story, she wrestles with the burden of harming others in order to restore balance. She’s uncomfortable with being a “monster.” Honestly, this was probably one of the weaker parts of the book for me. While I liked the concept, I wasn’t sure how some people accrued this debt while others didn’t or how the Firebird hunted. Asya’s constant struggle with fulfilling her duties was very well done, though.
My favorite of the two sisters was Izaveta. I have a soft spot for flawed women who change and grow throughout the course of the narrative. She’s a scheming politician who has the tendency to use and manipulate others to her advantage. She trusts no one (not even her sister) and no one seems to trust her. I don’t want to write spoilers, but I really enjoyed her storyline. Out of the two sisters, she’s the one who must face the greatest reckoning for her actions.
The sapphic romance in this book didn’t disappoint. The enemies-to-lovers trope always hits the right spot for me, and I was satisfied with the tension between Asya and her brooding, stormy eyed guard. The queer romance was front in center in the novel (not shoved off in a few quick side notes), so people looking for great queer rep will be very satisfied. I know I was!
I’m really excited for the next in this series. For most of this book the two sisters were at odds with each other, but it seems like they’ll be on the same side going into the next book.
For this week's pet reaction, I have my dog, who wants to ask the author, WHERE IS NEXT BOOK? YOU HAS NEXT BOOK FOR ME? NOT YET. OKAY, I WAIT. *waits thirty seconds* OKAY, YOU HAS NEXT BOOK NOW?
