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Jetta’s family has made a name for themselves as the most talented troupe of shadow players in the land. It is said their puppets seem to move without string or stick. While Jetta’s family always chalks it up to a trade secret, the truth is that Jetta can see the souls of the recently departed and bind them to the puppets with her blood.
But the old ways are forbidden since their country was conquered by the colonial army. Other than from behind the scrim, Jetta must never show her gift, never tell.
Jetta’s skill and fame with the puppets may be the only way her family can get out of the country. Shadow plays are the latest rage in Aquitan, and if she can earn a spot aboard the royal ship, she’ll have the chance to play before the Mad King. He is rumored to have a hot spring that cures his ills, which Jetta would like to know more about — because seeing spirits isn’t the only thing that plagues her.
But as rebellion seethes and their group is waylaid, Jetta meets a young smuggler and is forced to face truths that send her on a new dangerous journey.
For a Muse of Fire introduces readers to a unique world inspired by Southeast Asia and French colonization. It is easy to see the thumbprint of both nations in the story. How the Aquitan colonization affects Jetta’s culture is naturally revealed through clothing, language, religion and even buildings.
Magic also plays a strong part in this story. Necromancy isn’t uncommon in the fantasy genre, but in this book, Heidi Heilig uses it in an imaginative, different way through blood magic and shadow puppetry. I’ve never seen that before.
Another element I’ve rarely seen is mental illness representation in fantasy novels. Jetta struggles with bipolar disorder (though it is often referred to within the book as Jetta’s “malheur”). While its presence is subtle, revealing Jetta’s lows as time jumps, it is definitely relevant to the plot and her characterization.
The last thing that really made this book stand out for me is the mixed-media format. Some of the chapters tell the story through plays, and throughout the book, sheet music, maps, letters and telegrams are wedged between chapters.
Overall, despite its formulaic young adult plot (featuring rebellions and a main character who changes her mind about the people in power and falls in love along the way), For a Muse of Fire offers a lot of themes that are different from your average YA fantasy. It’s well-written and enjoyable. I would definitely recommend it for readers who relish more immersive worlds.
Rated: Moderate. Violence plays an important part in revealing a country enduring invasion and war. Including bloody skirmishes, executions, torture, and some descriptive details that lean toward gory. It also has a high body count, including the shooting of innocents and the discovery of a mass grave. Characters struggle with PTSD. In the way of sexual content, there are a few crude jokes or innuendos and two characters kiss. There are only a few uses of mild language.
