Fantasia Reviews Fire and Thorn

Published Apr. 2nd, 2019

The first thing that catches us about Fire and Thorn is the subtitle. When we see subtitles, we usually like them to add something to the work they represent. This one does not. It doesn’t do much except inform the reader of something that they should already know. On top of that, it’s a bit banal. With that out of the way, what about the actual book?

Well, if you thought the awkward subtitle was a sign of things to come, you’d be right.

Before we dive into what we didn’t like, however, we want to praise Miss Vee for all of her imagination that must have gone into building her world.  We like to give credit where it’s due, and she cares considerably for the world that she has made and it shows. There is a vividness to the setting that sparkles through the writing. There is something to enjoy here, even if it isn’t the most polished work.

Now, with that out of the way, let’s talk about the polish. The writing is quite stilted, though it shows through the most in the dialogue, which ranges from nearly natural to cringe-inducing.  We don’t mind cringing while reading, but the cringe ought to be intentional. With the stilted dialogue, though, the characters too come through a little flat. They feel homogeneous, all cut from the same cloth, with little but their names differentiating them. It’s unfortunate, because with a world like the one that Miss Vee has crafted, so much more could have been done. This all, in turn, diminishes a story that could have been fantastic but doesn’t quite reach the mark.

We like our scores to be indicative of the rating we would give on a platform, though this book falls to a solid 2.5 if we’re honest. A fantastical world and decent premise give the story its foundation, but nothing ever rises from the chaff to provide us something worth recommending, unless you’ve read every good fantasy there is.

Still, if you don’t believe us, you can find Fire and Thorn here.