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A review by starkiwi
Kindling by Traci Chee
5.0
I had no idea what I was getting into when I picked up this book (in a good way!). It starts off with seven elite magic-users trying to find out how to live life after fighting a war. They meet each other along the way. And as you learn more and more, you end up falling in love with each of their stories. In a strange, yet genius way it is written in second person with changing character perspectives. Which is exactly how this emotionally complex story needs to be read. I cannot recommend this book enough. It was stunning!
Full Review:
I had no idea what I was getting into when I picked up this book. It was amazing! It starts off with seven characters - each with a very distinct personality - trying to find out how to live life after everything they experienced in the war. They meet each other along the way and you end up falling in love with each of their stories.
Normally YA books center on firsts. First love. First time going somewhere. New experiences. In Kindling, however, the characters already have a backstory. They have already already gone through a whole war. Instead, the book focuses on the different ways they deal with PTSD; disassociating, reliving, Nightmares! And as you learn more and more you realize how it makes sense for each of them. But you do not get to know the whole picture. There stays a sort of mystery about the characters that is intriguing and portrays them more similar to real people.
In a literary sense, Traci Chee is a genius. This book is written in the second person and changes character perspective every chapter. When I opened up the first page, I was taken aback by this. It is a strange and very unconventional way to write. It also fits the story so well! The second person connects you more intimately to each character. Which is exactly how an emotionally complex story like this needs to be read.
The ending really shook me up a bit. In a good way! What started out as a simple quest, ended with high tensions and even higher emotions.
It was just really good!
And I’ll never be able to read that book for the first time again. And I am so sad about that.
Full Review:
I had no idea what I was getting into when I picked up this book. It was amazing! It starts off with seven characters - each with a very distinct personality - trying to find out how to live life after everything they experienced in the war. They meet each other along the way and you end up falling in love with each of their stories.
Normally YA books center on firsts. First love. First time going somewhere. New experiences. In Kindling, however, the characters already have a backstory. They have already already gone through a whole war. Instead, the book focuses on the different ways they deal with PTSD; disassociating, reliving, Nightmares! And as you learn more and more you realize how it makes sense for each of them. But you do not get to know the whole picture. There stays a sort of mystery about the characters that is intriguing and portrays them more similar to real people.
In a literary sense, Traci Chee is a genius. This book is written in the second person and changes character perspective every chapter. When I opened up the first page, I was taken aback by this. It is a strange and very unconventional way to write. It also fits the story so well! The second person connects you more intimately to each character. Which is exactly how an emotionally complex story like this needs to be read.
The ending really shook me up a bit. In a good way! What started out as a simple quest, ended with high tensions and even higher emotions.
It was just really good!
And I’ll never be able to read that book for the first time again. And I am so sad about that.