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When twin heirs are born in Tourin, their fates are decided at a young age. One will become the queen. The other will train to become the next Firebird — the one who ensures magic remains balanced in the realm.
Isaveta and Asya were 11 when they were forced to follow their separate paths. Izaveta remained at court with her mother. Asya was taken away to train with her aunt.
The job of the Firebird is a harsh one, though, exacting cruel punishments in an attempt to keep control of magic. If Asya becomes the Firebird, the people will view her as a monster. She fears she’ll lose her humanity. But before Asya’s training can be completed, the ancient power appears inside her. That can only mean one thing: The queen is dead, and a new ruler must be crowned.
Finally reunited after years apart, the princesses quickly become embroiled in a game of politics. They are unsure of who they can trust, but as time goes on, two things become clear to Asya: Her mother was murdered, and the magic is off-kilter because of her death. If Asya doesn’t hunt down her mother’s murderer, and quickly, her country and her sister may be in grave danger.
If I had to sum up These Feathered Flames in one word, it would be this: confusing. In a way, the story is left unfinished, with a cliffhanger ending that makes it feel like the book is being cut in two simply because it has too long of a word count—not because the story is coming to a conclusion. Some aspects also seem ill-explained, and they took me out of the story until pages later, when things were either further clarified or I was able to deduce what was happening.
However, this young adult fantasy book definitely adds an interesting twist to the firebird myth, and its magic system is fascinating (albeit harsh and exacting). It features a complex story world and a culture that is easy to see was inspired by Russia. Overall, it isn’t a bad book, but maybe it’s one that wasn’t for me.
Rated: Moderate. There is no profanity. Violence is surprisingly frequent and sometimes intense, leaning toward gory just for the concept of what happened, even if the acts aren’t very descriptive. A child is hunted and their arm taken (burned off) as the price for using magic. A woman is found dead in the forest. Characters are poisoned, stabbed, and near death. One character breaks her own bones to escape chains. A character’s finger is cut off. Two female characters kiss. Magical rituals and spells also play a large part of the story.
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