Fireborn: Twelve and the Frozen Forest
Published By: HarperCollins Chidren
Pages: 448
Released On: 29/09/2022
A FIERCE HEROINE RISES
Twelve has spoken the Pledge and now she is a Huntling. She has given up her name to train in the art of fighting monsters, and she won’t choose a new one until she has earned it. But when her friend is taken, Twelve sets off on a dangerous journey to rescue her. Teaming up with Dog, the stone Guardian of the Hunting Lodge, Twelve ends up on an epic adventure that will change her life, her name – and her entire world.
*****
Oh I absolutely LOVED this book. Okay, so Amazon recommend it for 9-12 year olds, and I am 29, so I’m a bit out of the age range, but I DON’T CARE. It’s absolutely perfect. For children, young adults, and grown-ups.
A lot rests on the shoulders of our young protagonist, and yet she holds her own completely. After a quick Google, I can see that Aisling Fowler is a few years older than me, and so isn’t the same age as Twelve. And this can often have issues. Adults writing from the point of view of a child/teenager, it can often feel a bit clunky. But the way she’s written her is amazing. Yes, we know she’s a young girl, and she sounds like a young girl, but on the other hand, she could quite easily be an adult. The narration, her thoughts, her actions – it just fits perfectly with her as a character, it feels so effortless.
This is full of magic and fantasy and wonder – but not all positive. Together, our young characters will face monsters and creatures hellbent on harming or killing them. They also risk losing themselves along the way, but they don’t back down. There’s bravery and confidence, love and trust among them.
It’s a thrilling adventure, but doesn’t hold back on troubling, emotional experiences. Within this magical world, we experience bullying, sexuality, love, revenge, death – things that everyone will experience at one point in their lives, and I love that Aisling hasn’t held back from these truths in a children’s book. I can’t stand it when a child/young adult book talks down to the reader like they won’t understand difficult topics. This book is aware of it’s target audience, but also is aware that children can take more than we give them credit for. It means that these things aren’t as scary in real life, as they’ve already experienced them in the novel, and they’ve seen someone their own age get through them, and I think that’s marvellous.
Whilst the main characters are of a human species, we also get to see mythical creatures such as goblins and stone guardians. And I think it’s through these other characters where adults get the most out of the book. A lot of grown-up books are a bit serious and negative and depressing (don’t get me wrong, I generally love books like this) and sometimes you just want an excuse to be like a kid again. Sometimes we want to read about goblins and sprights and talking trees, and this gives us the perfect excuse.
The world creation is just absolutely gorgeous. The depiction of the training camp, and the wider world, is just so well executed. You can almost feel the magic floating off the page, but there’s also this undertone that nature is harsh, and cruel, and must be respected.
I read this in one day and immediately ordered the sequel, and am super excited to continue Twelve’s story – even if the sequel is over 500 pages! It has a lot to live up to.
*****
Fireborn: Phoenix and the Frost Palace
Published By: HarperCollins Children
Pages: 512
Released On: 02/03/2023
HOPE GROWS FROM THE ASHES . . .
Twelve has become a hunter and chosen a new name to reflect her elemental power: Phoenix.
Three months after the destruction of the Hunting Lodge, a witch arrives from the frost palace of Icegaard, desperate for Phoenix’s help. Icegaard is in grave danger from an evil force called the Shadowseam, and if the witch-palace falls, all the clans of Ember will fall with it.
Travelling north, Phoenix and her friends, Five, Six and Seven, must battle frightening new monsters and find a way to defeat the Shadowseam. But as Phoenix learns to control her new power, the faceless Croke begins to haunt her dreams . . .
Phoenix will have to fight with everything she’s got to save Ember from mortal danger. But the price of survival may be more than she can pay.
*****
So apparently, I have to wait until September 2024 for the next in the series and I just don’t think I have that kind of patience. Is it a trilogy? Will it stop after that one? I hope not. I could keep reading these forever.
Okay, so you can see from the top review that I love this series. That’s no secret. But when a sequel to a much-loved book comes out, there is a slight worry about whether it will live up to it’s own reputation. And at over 500 pages…I’ve never shied away from the fact that I don’t like really long books, as books over 500 pages rarely warrant being that long. So I was concerned that she may have drawn bits out unnecessarily. Especially for what is a children’s book. But it wasn’t a problem at all.
There’s a lot more at stake with this one. Whereas the first was predominately focussed on the goings-on at the hunting lodge – with a little adventure – the repercussions of the dangers in the sequel spread much further than Phoenix or the others ever expected.
Even though the main protagonists are children, like the first book, they’re written so well, and are so well rounded and developed that an adult can identify with them. Their likes and dislikes, their loves and their fears are so recognisable and human.
I like that they’re really a mishmash of friends. They’ve disliked each other, liked each other, even loved each other, fought and protected. Aisling’s given these characters, who have lost their families, a family once again. And it shows that family needn’t always be who you’re related to. It can be those who support you when you need it.
I wouldn’t say it’s better than the first one, and that’s because the first one was fabulous. But it’s definitely not worse. They’re both equally as well crafted and developed, humorous, heartfelt, fantasy stories, perfect for children and adults alike. This book just gave Aisling a chance to further develop the world and characters she has created.
Whereas I felt the first one ended quite nicely, this one has a massive cliff-hanger at the end. I’m obviously not going to say what it is, but it really whets the appetite for the next one – even if I have to wait 15 months for it!
What I wasn’t necessarily expecting were the twists and turns in it. Some children or young adult books can be quite simplistic, focusing on a linear narrative that’s easy to follow. But this really leans into the more developed story, where you’re not always convinced you know the truth and I think that’s great fun.
This is again a series where I’m on the fence as to whether I want it adapted into a film or TV series. I think it would work well, with the fantasy lands and animals, and this underdog hero you root for. But on the flip side, I think most of the genius comes from Aisling’s creation and what she’s managed to bring out of your imagination, and I’m not convinced anyone could capture that as well as it needs to be.
The countdown to Fireborn 3 has begun.
Books By Your Bedside 