The Song of Seven Fires by Ariana August

✨️4✨️

This was certainly a unique read. The formatting was a little jarring at first, but I think it works for what the author is trying to convey with the story once you adjust to it. It makes a lot more sense to have parts dedicated to each character than have it bouncing back and forth between seven points of view for each chapter.

Anyway, formatting aside, the story is bold and original, taking on its own identity instead of trying to be another A Court of Oatmeal and Raisins. I personally like darker themes in fiction, especially when it serves the purpose of examining gender roles and patriarchy in a fantastical setting. There was obviously a lot of time spent on the world building and ensuring the descriptions weren’t lacking while still adding to the story rather than taking away from it.

The characters are unique, interesting, and compelling. I wasn’t sure going in how much I would resonate with the male characters given the themes of the book, but I think Ariana walked a very fine line between the content of the story and the identity of the characters, showing how much nuance there truly is in every day life with things not being all good or all bad.

In my opinion, the pacing was fantastic for a novella. The story has the proper amount of stakes to keep you hooked and doesn’t feel rushed despite how short it is. (I think 161 pages?)