The Last of the Firedrakes by Farah Oomerbhoy | Rating: ★★☆☆☆ (2.5-3)

I had to stop running. I had to turn and face my life head on. It wasn’t enough being like everybody else; I had to be the best, and I was going to show everyone what I was truly made of. I was done with being a terrified princess, constantly waiting to be saved. I was going to be a queen, and, like Vivienne said, I had better start behaving like one.

As a note, a review copy of this novel was provided in exchange for an honest review. This does not effect my opinion in any way. Thank you!

Where to begin where to begin? I felt like a lot of this novel dragged on and relied upon various tropes that I could have done without. I spent a good chunk of this novel feeling like I'd read it before in countless forms. There were some genuinely great moments in the novel itself that left me on the edge of my seat but the problem was it felt like a lot of it went, well, nowhere.

The writing that Oomerbhoy presents us with is so much better than this first installment of the Avalonia Chronicles and that's my first thought. You can feel it in her prose. She's a fantastic talent. She has an ease when it comes to world-building.

But there's this lackluster quality to everything else that felt rushed; the dialogue, for instance and the way our leading lady carries herself for a good chunk of it. I felt as though I was reading about a legitimate child rather than a teenager most of the time.

When a novel begins like The Last of the Firedrakes did, it can be either really fantastic or really... dry. In the case of this book, it feels often dry and choppy. There but not. Familiar but just not quite there. I think it all has to do with main character. I didn't hate her in any way and found that the way she'd grown up, and the way this new life was thrust upon her, was heartbreaking and made her completely sympathetic. And I thought that the way she grew--bit by bit--in this first installment was really solid.

The problem was... I just wasn't attached to her or much of anything in this book. It simply was not my cup of tea and left me feeling quite disappointed by such a magical filled world. I will say that despite my misgivings towards this book, the last quarter of the book made me intrigued enough to pick up the sequel (not just because both were provided for reviewing purposes) and I do hope that the story lives up to the potential I know it has.

While this wasn't entirely for me, it could very well be your next fantasy obsession. It has this sweet quality to it that will perfect for its intended audience! For me, I think I am just a bit beyond that target audience and that's okay.

If you need one reason, and one reason a lone, to pick this up: the world created by Farah Oomerbhoy is Beautiful. YES, CAPITOL B ON BEAUTIFUL.