Critics' Opinion:
Readers' rating:
Published Jan 2024
400 pages
Genre: Fantasy, Sci-Fi, Speculative, Alt. History
Publication Information
Whip-smart and immersive, this Jamaican-inspired fantasy follows a gods-blessed heroine who's forced to choose between saving her sister or protecting her homeland—perfect for fans of Iron Widow and The Priory of the Orange Tree.
Faron Vincent can channel the power of the gods. Five years ago, she used her divine magic to liberate her island from its enemies, the dragon-riding Langley Empire. But now, at seventeen, Faron is all powered up with no wars to fight. She's a legend to her people and a nuisance to her neighbors.
When she's forced to attend an international peace summit, Faron expects that she will perform tricks like a trained pet and then go home. She doesn't expect her older sister, Elara, forming an unprecedented bond with an enemy dragon—or the gods claiming the only way to break that bond is to kill her sister.
As Faron's desperation to find another solution takes her down a dark path, and Elara discovers the shocking secrets at the heart of the Langley Empire, both must make difficult choices that will shape each other's lives, as well as the fate of their world.
"Via the sisters' expertly balanced dual POVs, each imbued with a lushly wrought, moving, and action-packed narrative, Cole delivers a raucously enjoyable debut that provides an insightful look into the ways in which violence and colonization can affect a populace long after a war has ended." ―Publishers Weekly (starred review)
"Cole's astute prose brings the world and its characters, who are predominantly Black, to life in refreshing and complex ways as it highlights themes of family, patriotism, war, identity, and sacrifice. An engaging new voice and a Caribbean-inspired fantasy to savor." ―Kirkus Reviews
"Morally ambiguous and absolutely magical Black girls take the fate of their world into their own hands in this action-packed, cleverly crafted fantasy that will leave readers clamoring to know what happens next." ―Booklist
"Clever and utterly fresh. So Let Them Burn takes the fantasy genre and soars into brilliant new heights, subverting expectations and hitting every mark. Kamilah Cole is a wordsmith through and through." ―Chloe Gong, #1 New York Times bestselling author of These Violent Delights
"A spellbinding debut set in a rich, immersive world, So Let Them Burn is ultimately about love—romantic, platonic, and familial. At the same time, though, it's a story with teeth. Cole weaves a powerful narrative full of captivating lore, meddling gods, and young women willing to do whatever it takes. A heart-pounding delight." ―M.K. Lobb, author of Seven Faceless Saints
"Kamilah Cole has crafted a captivating story of sisterhood, defying fate, and the brutal effects of colonialism. With deft prose and stellar worldbuilding, this is an excellent new addition to YA fantasy." ―Tara Sim, author of The City of Dusk
"Dragons and gods, magic and power, So Let Them Burn is a thrilling epic about family, strength, and the real costs of war. Masterfully told, this exceptional debut is destined to be an instant classic for all adventure-filled fantasy fans. Truly DAZZLING, I am OBSESSED." ―Aiden Thomas, New York Times bestselling author of Cemetery Boys
This information about So Let Them Burn was first featured
in "The BookBrowse Review" - BookBrowse's membership magazine, and in our weekly "Publishing This Week" newsletter. Publication information is for the USA, and (unless stated otherwise) represents the first print edition. The reviews are necessarily limited to those that were available to us ahead of publication. If you are the publisher or author and feel that they do not properly reflect the range of media opinion now available, send us a message with the mainstream reviews that you would like to see added.
Any "Author Information" displayed below reflects the author's biography at the time this particular book was published.
Kamilah Cole was a writer and entertainment editor at Bustle for four years, and her nonfiction work has also appeared in Marie Claire and Seventeen. A graduate of New York University, Kamilah lives on the East Coast, where she's usually playing Kingdom Hearts for the hundredth time, quoting early SpongeBob SquarePants episodes, or crying her way through Zuko's redemption arc in Avatar: The Last Airbender
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