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Genoveva Dimova's Reviews > So Let Them Burn
So Let Them Burn (Divine Traitors, #1)
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Intricately built and cleverly plotted, So Let Them Burn by Kamilah Cole is a fast-paced adventure set in a Jamaican-inspired world where god-chosen warriors collide with dragon riders. The story follows the points of view of two sisters, woven together tightly, which only contributed to how readable and--please forgive me the cliché--unputdownable it felt.
Both of our protagonists were complex characters with believable motivations. Faron is a Joan of Arc like figure--she was chosen by the gods when she was a child to fight in a war she was too young to fully understand; now, at 17, she chaffs against her responsibilities and rebels in such a fun, authentic way, which made her a joy to read about. At the same time, behind all the bravado, she is sensitive and capable, and loves her family fiercely.
Our second POV, Elara, is Faron's sister - which was already an angle I loved, as I feel like we can really do with more close sibling relationships in fantasy. Elara was my favourite character, probably because as an eldest sister, I identified with her conflict between having to be the sensible one and following her own path. Without giving too many spoilers, I loved her whole plotline, including her fish-out-of-water situation, her found family, and the dragons!
So Let Them Burn deals with some heavy themes: the aftermath of colonisation and war, the pains of having to grow up too quickly, accepting responsibilities for difficult decisions. However, despite this, it is not a dark or gloomy story: on the contrary, it was hopeful, with plenty of heart-warming moments and characters you can't help but love. Plus, both romantic subplots were absolutely adorable. This is exactly the kind of YA I like: clever and complex, but vibrant and fun.
Both of our protagonists were complex characters with believable motivations. Faron is a Joan of Arc like figure--she was chosen by the gods when she was a child to fight in a war she was too young to fully understand; now, at 17, she chaffs against her responsibilities and rebels in such a fun, authentic way, which made her a joy to read about. At the same time, behind all the bravado, she is sensitive and capable, and loves her family fiercely.
Our second POV, Elara, is Faron's sister - which was already an angle I loved, as I feel like we can really do with more close sibling relationships in fantasy. Elara was my favourite character, probably because as an eldest sister, I identified with her conflict between having to be the sensible one and following her own path. Without giving too many spoilers, I loved her whole plotline, including her fish-out-of-water situation, her found family, and the dragons!
So Let Them Burn deals with some heavy themes: the aftermath of colonisation and war, the pains of having to grow up too quickly, accepting responsibilities for difficult decisions. However, despite this, it is not a dark or gloomy story: on the contrary, it was hopeful, with plenty of heart-warming moments and characters you can't help but love. Plus, both romantic subplots were absolutely adorable. This is exactly the kind of YA I like: clever and complex, but vibrant and fun.
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