Hello everyone and welcome back to The Reading Room where I talk about the upcoming/recent releases I’ve read recently and am excited to talk about.
Today, I’m sharing my thoughts on Flamefall by Rosaria Munda, the sequel to the dragon-filled, Greco-Roman inspired fantasy novel Fireborne. This post is part of my three post series featuring Rosaria Munda and her latest release.
About the Book
Flamefall (The Aurelian Cycle, #2) by Rosaria MundaPublished by G.P. Putnam's Sons Books for Young Readers on March 23, 2021
Pages: 496
Goodreads
Revolutionary flames ignite around Annie, Lee, and a brand new POV character in the second book of the Fireborne trilogy.
After fleeing the revolution and settling into the craggy cliffs of New Pythos, the Dragonlords are eager to punish their usurpers--and reclaim their city. Their first order of business was destroying the Callipolan food supply. Now they're coming for the Dragonriders.
Annie is Callipolis's new Firstrider, and while her goal has always been to protect the people, being the government's enforcer has turned her into public enemy number one.
Lee struggles to find his place after killing kin to prove himself to a leader who betrayed him. He can support Annie and the other Guardians . . . or join the radicals who look to topple the new regime.
Griff, a lowborn dragonrider who serves New Pythos, knows he has no future. And now that Julia, the Firstrider who had protected him, is dead, he is called on to sacrifice everything for the lords that oppress his people--or to forge a new path with the Callipolan Firstrider seeking his help.
With famine tearing Callipolis apart and the Pythians determined to take back what they lost, it will be up to Annie, Lee, and Griff to decide what to fight for--and who to love.
About the Author
Rosaria Munda grew up in rural North Carolina, where she climbed trees, read Harry Potter fanfiction, and taught herself Latin. She studied political theory at Princeton and lives with her husband in Chicago. Her debut young adult fantasy, Fireborne, was published in 2019.
My Thoughts
In this sequel to one of my favorite reads of 2019, we return to the world of the Aurelian Cycle with Annie, Lee, and a new narrator Griff. The book contains as much political intrigue, Greco-Roman deep cuts, and dragons as before, only compounded by the consequences of what occured in Fireborne.
Flamefall is told from three POVs: Annie, who continual struggle with anxiety and the purpose she feels is hers to fulfill, Lee,.the dragon-born turned orphan who is determined to take the throne he believes is his. Lastly, there is Griff, a low-born of New Pythos with a spark of rebellion in his heart. I enjoyed all three narrators and found each of their character arcs and motivations intriguing and compelling.
I also can’t help but gush about the dragons in this series. Ever since I read Eragon, I have sought out book series that feature dragons as companions and The Aurelian Cycle as a whole scratches that itch. I love the creativity behind the different dragon breeds, as well as the bond that exists between dragon and rider. Also, because I know you’re wondering, I would like to think I would ride an Aurelian. They just seems so majestic and powerful.
Beyond the important theme of characters struggling with mental health- I really did see myself in Anmie- I also appreciate the examination of class and social commentary on the cycle of poverty. Within Flamefall, as rations tighten, there is more than one rebellion taking place and a lot of that comes within the pages of Book 2. You see numerous characters, on both sides of the war, reckoning with reality of economic disparity and what each of them can do to fight for equality.
Overall, I gave Flamefall 4? and would recommend it to those enjoy novels with plenty of political intrigue, dragons, and Greco-Roman inflience.
What About You?
Have you read Flamefall? What did you think of it? Let me know in the comments!
Leave a Reply