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Random House Books for Young Readers (2016), 418 pages
Description
Fantasy. Romance. Young Adult Fiction. Young Adult Literature. HTML:"Vivid characters, terrifying monsters, and world building as deep and dark as the ocean." �??Victoria Aveyard, #1 New York Times bestselling author of Red Queen I am Henrietta Howel. The first female sorcerer in hundreds of years. The prophesied one. Or am I? Henrietta Howel can burst into flames. Forced to reveal her power to save a friend, she's shocked when instead of being executed, she's invited to train as one of Her Majesty's royal sorcerers. Thrust into the glamour of Victorian London, Henrietta is declared the chosen one, the girl who will defeat the Ancients, bloodthirsty demons terrorizing humanity. She also meets her fellow sorcerer trainees, handsome young men eager to test her power and her heart. One will challenge her. One will fight for her. One will betray her. But Henrietta Howel is not the chosen one. As she plays a dangerous game of deception, she discovers that the sorcerers have their own secrets to protect. With battle looming, what does it mean to not be the one? And how much will she risk to save the city�??and the one she loves? Exhilarating and gripping, Jessica Cluess's spellbinding fantasy introduces a powerful, unforgettably heroine, and a world filled with magic, romance, and betrayal. Hand to fans of Libba Bray, Sarah J. Maas, and Cassandra Clare. "The magic! The intrigue! The guys! We were sucked into this monster-ridden, alternative England from page one. Henrietta is literally a 'girl on fire' and this team of sorcerers training for battle had a pinch of Potter blended with a drop of [Cassandra Clare's] Infernal Devices." �??Justine Magazine "Cluess gamely turns the chosen-one trope upside down in this smashing dark fantasy." �??Publishers Weekly, Starred Review "Unputdownable. I loved the monsters, the magic, and the teen warriors who are their world's best hope! Jessica Cluess is an awesome storyteller!" �??Tamora Pierce, #1 New York Times bestselling author "A fun, inventive fantasy. I totally have a book crush on Rook." �??Sarah Rees Brennan, New York Times bestselling author "Pure enchantment. I love how Cluess turned the 'chosen one' archetype on its head. With the emotional intensity of my favorite fantasy books, this is the kind of story that makes you forget yourself." �??Roshani Chokshi, New York Times bestselling author of The Star-Touched Queen "A glorious, fast-paced romp of an adventure. Jessica Cluess has built her story out of my favorite ingredients: sorcery, demons, romance, and danger." �??Kelly Link, author of… (more)
User reviews
LibraryThing member DarkFaerieTales
Review courtesy of Dark Faerie Tales
Quick & Dirty: Gorgeously woven story brimming with magic, romance, and action. This was a brilliant debut and I would highly recommend it to all young adult fans!
Opening Sentence: The sorcerer arrived on a Saturday.
The Review:
Henrietta Howel has magic running
When Henrietta exposes herself in order to save a friend she is surprised to find herself still alive. It turns out there is a prophesy that states a female sorcerer will be the only person able to defeat the demons! Henrietta is taken to the beautiful city of London where she is to train with all the other novice sorcerers! As she learns more about her powers she comes to realize she may not be the person from the prophesy! Who can she trust, what will happen if she can’t stop the demons?
Henrietta was such a fantastic character. She is spunky, sweet, funny, and intelligent! I instantly connected with her and my love for her just grew with each page! While she is a kind hearted person she is also realistic. She had abilities that could get her killed if she didn’t hide them. Because of her situation there were very few people who truly knew her and she didn’t easily trust others! I loved watching her stumble and fail because she would always learn from her mistakes! She grows so much throughout the story and I can’t wait to see where her journey takes her next!
A Shadow Bright and Burning is a lush gorgeous high fantasy that I loved! The story felt so fresh and unique with its Victorian setting and magical elements! I really adored all of the characters, but I do wish I had gotten to know a few of them a little better! Hopefully in the sequel Cluess will dig a little deeper into some of the secondary characters! The pacing of the book was spot on and I was happily surprised by a couple of plot twists! The only negative thing I have to say about this story was that I really struggled with the romance! I never really knew who was a love interest and who was a friend! There was one character that obviously cared deeply for Henrietta but her interaction with him was very minimal, so I never develop much of a connection for him or their relationship! Honestly, I was pretty confused by all aspects of the romance in this story and sadly it never got better. But there is definitely potential for a great romance and I hope that it will be better in the second book! Even with its flaws this was still a masterpiece and I would highly recommend it to all young adult fantasy fans!
Notable Scene:
A great black funnel cloud, so dark that it stood out again’s the night sky. The beast towered fifty,sixty feet, and every time he roared, houses creaked and groaned. When the lightning flashed, I saw a great horned creature’s head perched atop the cloud with fiendish, slit red eyes. Tentacles, like those belonging to some undersea monstrosity, waved wildly from the center. One crash into a window and sent half a brick wall tumbling down. Those tentacles had given Rook his scars.
FTC Advisory: Random House provided me with a copy of A Shadow Bright and Burning. No goody bags, sponsorships, “material connections,” or bribes were exchanged for my review.
Quick & Dirty: Gorgeously woven story brimming with magic, romance, and action. This was a brilliant debut and I would highly recommend it to all young adult fans!
Opening Sentence: The sorcerer arrived on a Saturday.
The Review:
Henrietta Howel has magic running
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through her veins but no one can ever know about it. Years ago there was a witch who cast a spell that allowed a horde of bloodthirsty demons to roam the earth. The demons have been terrorizing Britain ever sense and the only thing stopping them is a group of sorcerers! It is said that only men have the ability to be a sorcerer. Women with magic are witches and all witches are to be executed!When Henrietta exposes herself in order to save a friend she is surprised to find herself still alive. It turns out there is a prophesy that states a female sorcerer will be the only person able to defeat the demons! Henrietta is taken to the beautiful city of London where she is to train with all the other novice sorcerers! As she learns more about her powers she comes to realize she may not be the person from the prophesy! Who can she trust, what will happen if she can’t stop the demons?
Henrietta was such a fantastic character. She is spunky, sweet, funny, and intelligent! I instantly connected with her and my love for her just grew with each page! While she is a kind hearted person she is also realistic. She had abilities that could get her killed if she didn’t hide them. Because of her situation there were very few people who truly knew her and she didn’t easily trust others! I loved watching her stumble and fail because she would always learn from her mistakes! She grows so much throughout the story and I can’t wait to see where her journey takes her next!
A Shadow Bright and Burning is a lush gorgeous high fantasy that I loved! The story felt so fresh and unique with its Victorian setting and magical elements! I really adored all of the characters, but I do wish I had gotten to know a few of them a little better! Hopefully in the sequel Cluess will dig a little deeper into some of the secondary characters! The pacing of the book was spot on and I was happily surprised by a couple of plot twists! The only negative thing I have to say about this story was that I really struggled with the romance! I never really knew who was a love interest and who was a friend! There was one character that obviously cared deeply for Henrietta but her interaction with him was very minimal, so I never develop much of a connection for him or their relationship! Honestly, I was pretty confused by all aspects of the romance in this story and sadly it never got better. But there is definitely potential for a great romance and I hope that it will be better in the second book! Even with its flaws this was still a masterpiece and I would highly recommend it to all young adult fantasy fans!
Notable Scene:
A great black funnel cloud, so dark that it stood out again’s the night sky. The beast towered fifty,sixty feet, and every time he roared, houses creaked and groaned. When the lightning flashed, I saw a great horned creature’s head perched atop the cloud with fiendish, slit red eyes. Tentacles, like those belonging to some undersea monstrosity, waved wildly from the center. One crash into a window and sent half a brick wall tumbling down. Those tentacles had given Rook his scars.
FTC Advisory: Random House provided me with a copy of A Shadow Bright and Burning. No goody bags, sponsorships, “material connections,” or bribes were exchanged for my review.
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LibraryThing member purpledog
In A Shadow Bright and Burning the reader is swept-up in a magical Victorian England where seven Ancients and their minions that are reaping havoc. The royal sorcerers are fighting bravely to banish them when one sorcerer, Agrippa, stumbles upon Henrietta teaching in a school. Henrietta, who can
Upon discovery of Henrietta, Agrippa, brings her to the royal school for sorcerers in London. She discovers that not only is she not a witch, but a very rare female sorcerer and the one that has been prophesized to defeat the Ancients.
This is a great YA book. The story felt fresh and is fast paced with lots of action. Loved the characters. Definitely looking forward to the next in the series.
I received an ARC copy in exchange for an honest review
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command fire, believes herself to be a witch and witches have been executed ever since one infamous witch set loose the Ancients. Upon discovery of Henrietta, Agrippa, brings her to the royal school for sorcerers in London. She discovers that not only is she not a witch, but a very rare female sorcerer and the one that has been prophesized to defeat the Ancients.
This is a great YA book. The story felt fresh and is fast paced with lots of action. Loved the characters. Definitely looking forward to the next in the series.
I received an ARC copy in exchange for an honest review
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LibraryThing member bemislibrary
Henrietta is a lone female in the company of males who fight a magical battle against the ancients in the young adult fantasy. The uncertainty and trials of finding her place in a male dominated world contrasts with the typical romantic themes where a male runs to rescue her. The story is a theme
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of self-discovery and independence that teenage and young adult women will find appealing. Henrietta’s acceptance of obvious peer pressure seriously undermines her ability to taken seriously. She made real strides in independence but continues to suffer and face self-doubt when faced with social norms. A theme that is still common to females today. Show Less
LibraryThing member wagner.sarah35
Re-imagine Victorian England with magic, sorcerers, and ancient demons and you've entered the world of A Shadow Bright and Burning. Henrietta Howell, a young girl with the ability to burst into flame, has lived in fear of her own powers, until a visiting sorcerer discovers her and declares her to
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be the first female sorcerer in centuries, one who is the subject of prophesy. Definitely the stuff of good escapism and I was happy to see this is the first in a series I can continue to enjoy! Show Less
LibraryThing member muddyboy
Henrietta Howel has unique talents in this novel set in a historical fantasy England in which Queen Victoria is still alive and Hettie must help defend the realm against a group of monsters known as the Ancients. This is a time when there are magicians and sorcerers and Miss Howel it seems has
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qualities of both. (fire in particular). She is sent to a sorcerer's training class along with her best friend Rook who is from a lower class known as the Unclean. In her training she meets several other boys and dual plots emerge of competing love interests and defending the queen. Should be real popular with young adults. Show Less
LibraryThing member irregularreader
Henrietta Howel can set herself on fire. Along with all the other problems brought on with self immolation is one unfortunate fact: women in Victorian England aren’t allowed to do magic.
Welcome to a lovecraftian Victorian England, where a witch opened a portal into another dimension, setting free
Henrietta Howel grows up in Jane Eyre-esque poverty at a charity school for girls, trying to keep her firestarter tendencies under the radar. But when a visiting sorcerer discovers her magical abilities, the cat is out of the bag. Rather than be put to death, she is brought to London to fulfill an ancient prophecy which will pit her against the Ancient Ones as humanity’s last hope. But is she really the chosen one?
All in all I found this book to be an engaging and fast-paced read. Cluess borrows elements from several sources (Jane Eyre, Harry Potter, and Lovecraft being the most obvious), but she is able to make the combination work (and let’s face it, bringing Jane Eyre into the Cthulhu mythos is not a task for the faint of heart). Parts of the book were genuinely creepy, especially the familiars, humans transformed by the ancient ones to do their bidding. The major flaw in this book comes from the overdone romance angle, as our heroine has not one, not two, but three possible romantic entanglements within the book. Is it too much to ask for the protagonist to stand on her own for a bit before delving into the pathos of teenage love?
Ah well. In all, this book was very enjoyable and I look forward to the next in the series. I think Cluess has a promising future ahead of her.
A copy of this book was provided by the publisher via Blogging for Books in exchange for an honest review. A Shadow Bright and Burning is currently available for purchase.
Welcome to a lovecraftian Victorian England, where a witch opened a portal into another dimension, setting free
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the Ancient Ones, hideous monsters bent on the submission and eradication of the human race. (Male) sorcerers are tasked with trying to hold the monsters at bay, and any magic outside the narrow confines of their purview is punishable by ugly death.Henrietta Howel grows up in Jane Eyre-esque poverty at a charity school for girls, trying to keep her firestarter tendencies under the radar. But when a visiting sorcerer discovers her magical abilities, the cat is out of the bag. Rather than be put to death, she is brought to London to fulfill an ancient prophecy which will pit her against the Ancient Ones as humanity’s last hope. But is she really the chosen one?
All in all I found this book to be an engaging and fast-paced read. Cluess borrows elements from several sources (Jane Eyre, Harry Potter, and Lovecraft being the most obvious), but she is able to make the combination work (and let’s face it, bringing Jane Eyre into the Cthulhu mythos is not a task for the faint of heart). Parts of the book were genuinely creepy, especially the familiars, humans transformed by the ancient ones to do their bidding. The major flaw in this book comes from the overdone romance angle, as our heroine has not one, not two, but three possible romantic entanglements within the book. Is it too much to ask for the protagonist to stand on her own for a bit before delving into the pathos of teenage love?
Ah well. In all, this book was very enjoyable and I look forward to the next in the series. I think Cluess has a promising future ahead of her.
A copy of this book was provided by the publisher via Blogging for Books in exchange for an honest review. A Shadow Bright and Burning is currently available for purchase.
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LibraryThing member VPbookseller
In this young adult fantasy Cluess creates an alternate Victorian England with magic and sorcerers and magicians and witches. The main character, Henrietta Howel is the lone magical woman among and an all male community where she has to prove herself and her ability over and over while trying to
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master herself. She is the key to saving the world from the dark magical creatures that are attacking. It is a fun and exciting adventure with more to look forward to. Show Less
LibraryThing member titania86
Nettie is resigned to a life as a teacher in at a school where it's always freezing and the headmaster abuses students without repercussions. For a while, her emotions have been tied to an innate power that produces fire. Sorcerer officials come to investigate the students for powers and she's
A Shadow Bright and Burning is a fantasy novel that merges a magical world with Victorian England. This world has three classes of magic user: sorcerer, magician, and witch. Sorcerers are the only magic users that can legally practice and the most lauded by society. They protect England from the Ancients, which were brought into this world by the combined powers of a magician and a witch. This is why both groups are killed if they practice magic and considered morally bankrupt and evil. All of this occurs within conventional Victorian society where women can't hold any power, which is why Nettie experiences opposition. Another reason is her fondness for Rook, a poor man with scars from an Ancient that makes him the lowest of the low. Nettie doesn't make compromises with her opinions that the poor and the scarred deserve protection while now they lay outside the barrier.
One aspect I especially loved was the Ancients. They are giant Lovecraftian monsters who attack all around the world. Korozoth towers at 60 feet with a horned head and vicioud tentacles. R'hlem has the appearance of a giant skinless man. On-Tez has the body of a vulture and the head of an old woman. Nemneris is a fifty feet long, venomous water spider. Molochron is an orb of disgusting disease. Zem is a serpent that breathes ice. Callax is an ogre with a taste for children. Familiars serve these monsters, corrupted humans imbued with some of their power. Some of them hold entire cities in their thrall. These are my favorite part of the story, but Cluess pulls back on the horror aspects by giving vague descriptions of horrific events. I would have liked more horror elements because they were the most unique part of the story.
I wanted to like this book so much, but it was a bit of a hot mess. The magic system is interesting, but apparently there are fairies that don't fit into the world and pop up conveniently in a few choice scenes. I was very disappoointed in the treatment of other women and the absence of any witches at all. Nettie seemed happy to have the prestige of one of the only women in power, but didn't really fight or even acknowledge the plight of other women. I thought this would be introduced during others' misogynistic treatment of her. Queen Victoria, the only other woman in power, is portrayed as a frivolous child, which felt both condescending and unrealistic. The inclusion of a witch at the end would have brought the story full circle. I was interested to see this extremely oppressed group whose power was discriminated against because of their gender and the focus of their magic.
Other things I had a problem with were Blackwood, the love triangle, and the ending. Blackwood keeps her at arm's length and doesn't give her any respect. Later, he explains why, but this seems to be perpetuating the idea that it's ok for people to have bigoted opinions if they have really good reasons. It would have been a good opportunity to model how one should act when confronted with bigotry. The love triangle between Nettie, Rook, and Magnus isn't well done. Love triangles are overdone anyway, but Rook only appears in the story a few times while Magnus is constantly there, building a relationship with Nettie. Then, as always, one of them is completely destroyed in the eyes of the reader to solve the triangle. The ending has so many bad deceisions made in very little time. Leaps of logic and the magic system made me give up on this series. I'm not interested to see what will happen next. A Shadow Bright and Burning had a lot of promise, but it focused on things I didn't care about and downplayed the things I did in addition to the hot mess of an ending.
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found out. She expects execution. Instead, they think she's the prophecized savior against the Ancients, giant horrific monsters. Most of the other students welcome her, but Blackwood keeps aloof. When the lessons aren't going as well as they should, Nettie discovers that her magic isn't like all the other sorcerers and struggles to hide it while the barrier around London against the Ancients thins. Is she the prophecized girl sorcerer or is she a fraud?A Shadow Bright and Burning is a fantasy novel that merges a magical world with Victorian England. This world has three classes of magic user: sorcerer, magician, and witch. Sorcerers are the only magic users that can legally practice and the most lauded by society. They protect England from the Ancients, which were brought into this world by the combined powers of a magician and a witch. This is why both groups are killed if they practice magic and considered morally bankrupt and evil. All of this occurs within conventional Victorian society where women can't hold any power, which is why Nettie experiences opposition. Another reason is her fondness for Rook, a poor man with scars from an Ancient that makes him the lowest of the low. Nettie doesn't make compromises with her opinions that the poor and the scarred deserve protection while now they lay outside the barrier.
One aspect I especially loved was the Ancients. They are giant Lovecraftian monsters who attack all around the world. Korozoth towers at 60 feet with a horned head and vicioud tentacles. R'hlem has the appearance of a giant skinless man. On-Tez has the body of a vulture and the head of an old woman. Nemneris is a fifty feet long, venomous water spider. Molochron is an orb of disgusting disease. Zem is a serpent that breathes ice. Callax is an ogre with a taste for children. Familiars serve these monsters, corrupted humans imbued with some of their power. Some of them hold entire cities in their thrall. These are my favorite part of the story, but Cluess pulls back on the horror aspects by giving vague descriptions of horrific events. I would have liked more horror elements because they were the most unique part of the story.
I wanted to like this book so much, but it was a bit of a hot mess. The magic system is interesting, but apparently there are fairies that don't fit into the world and pop up conveniently in a few choice scenes. I was very disappoointed in the treatment of other women and the absence of any witches at all. Nettie seemed happy to have the prestige of one of the only women in power, but didn't really fight or even acknowledge the plight of other women. I thought this would be introduced during others' misogynistic treatment of her. Queen Victoria, the only other woman in power, is portrayed as a frivolous child, which felt both condescending and unrealistic. The inclusion of a witch at the end would have brought the story full circle. I was interested to see this extremely oppressed group whose power was discriminated against because of their gender and the focus of their magic.
Other things I had a problem with were Blackwood, the love triangle, and the ending. Blackwood keeps her at arm's length and doesn't give her any respect. Later, he explains why, but this seems to be perpetuating the idea that it's ok for people to have bigoted opinions if they have really good reasons. It would have been a good opportunity to model how one should act when confronted with bigotry. The love triangle between Nettie, Rook, and Magnus isn't well done. Love triangles are overdone anyway, but Rook only appears in the story a few times while Magnus is constantly there, building a relationship with Nettie. Then, as always, one of them is completely destroyed in the eyes of the reader to solve the triangle. The ending has so many bad deceisions made in very little time. Leaps of logic and the magic system made me give up on this series. I'm not interested to see what will happen next. A Shadow Bright and Burning had a lot of promise, but it focused on things I didn't care about and downplayed the things I did in addition to the hot mess of an ending.
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LibraryThing member shaunesay
I freely admit the cover was the draw to this book for me, isn't it beautiful? I had had my eye on this for awhile, so when I saw it available on Blogging for Books last fall I grabbed it! Luckily, it was not just a pretty cover, but also a fun story! It's a little bit Harry Potter, a little bit
I did enjoy Henrietta as a character and some of the young men, I just couldn't get on board with Rook, though he's still in the story, so maybe I'll come around to liking him more later on. Henrietta is constantly under a lot of pressure because of her abilities, from hiding them, to honing them, to using them differently to appear as if she's doing things a certain way. It all sounds exhausting to me, and all while dealing with the fact that she's a woman, in fact the only woman, practicing to be a sorcerer, and not being taken as seriously by her compatriots as she would like.
There are secrets and betrayals and enemies becoming friends and friends becoming enemies, and it's overall a fun and exciting story of magic, coming of age, and finding true friends. The next book in the Kingdom on Fire series is A Poison Dark and Drowning will be out September 19th and I'm looking forward to it!
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Oliver Twist, and a little bit Cthulu all rolled into one. There's magic wands (staves), a magician who is taking care of orphaned children who isn't quite what he seems, and ancient monsters that have been let loose on the world, though they seem particularly interested in England for the most part.I did enjoy Henrietta as a character and some of the young men, I just couldn't get on board with Rook, though he's still in the story, so maybe I'll come around to liking him more later on. Henrietta is constantly under a lot of pressure because of her abilities, from hiding them, to honing them, to using them differently to appear as if she's doing things a certain way. It all sounds exhausting to me, and all while dealing with the fact that she's a woman, in fact the only woman, practicing to be a sorcerer, and not being taken as seriously by her compatriots as she would like.
There are secrets and betrayals and enemies becoming friends and friends becoming enemies, and it's overall a fun and exciting story of magic, coming of age, and finding true friends. The next book in the Kingdom on Fire series is A Poison Dark and Drowning will be out September 19th and I'm looking forward to it!
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LibraryThing member hmcdonald
The synopsis: An orphaned teenage girl in an alternate Victorian England with magic discovers that she is a sorcerer. In a world where sorcerers (namely, men) are the only defense against vicious monsters summoned from another realm, Henrietta Howel finds that she might be the prophesied female
I will admit - the fact that Cluess turned the prophecy trope on its head was the most fascinating thing about this book and I rather enjoyed it.
The world building is done only moderately well here. We learn scattered bits and pieces about all of the different forms of magic, the different monsters that exist, and exactly the havoc they have wreaked on the world, and yet...this story for me fell short. Cluess had a full 416 pages to develop characters and the world but these parts of the story still felt incredibly rushed. The story spent so much time tossing one potential romantic interest after another into the mix, all while leaving the initial characters, including Henrietta and her childhood friend, Rook, thoroughly undeveloped. Because of this spotty development, I found that I couldn't really get attached to any of the characters. As a side note: I did enjoy the description of each of the monsters...those parts were the darkest and grittiest of the novel.
The Darcy-esque Lord Blackwood character was probably the most interesting in the entire book, but he was, again, woefully underdeveloped and underutilized. I would say that my rating of 3 stars is generous. I am uncertain whether I will continue the series.
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sorcerer that can save the world from destruction...or is she?I will admit - the fact that Cluess turned the prophecy trope on its head was the most fascinating thing about this book and I rather enjoyed it.
The world building is done only moderately well here. We learn scattered bits and pieces about all of the different forms of magic, the different monsters that exist, and exactly the havoc they have wreaked on the world, and yet...this story for me fell short. Cluess had a full 416 pages to develop characters and the world but these parts of the story still felt incredibly rushed. The story spent so much time tossing one potential romantic interest after another into the mix, all while leaving the initial characters, including Henrietta and her childhood friend, Rook, thoroughly undeveloped. Because of this spotty development, I found that I couldn't really get attached to any of the characters. As a side note: I did enjoy the description of each of the monsters...those parts were the darkest and grittiest of the novel.
The Darcy-esque Lord Blackwood character was probably the most interesting in the entire book, but he was, again, woefully underdeveloped and underutilized. I would say that my rating of 3 stars is generous. I am uncertain whether I will continue the series.
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LibraryThing member cathishaw
Henrietta is a strong, female protagonist. She has all the traits I love in a good fantasy hero: she's humble, a bit confused, just learning her powers, and she's thrown into a situation where she must determine who her friends and foes while at the same time struggling to control her growing
This book was good. But it wasn't so good I couldn't put it down - the first third of the book was slow for me. It has a solid story, engaging characters but is missing the spark that really engages me as a reader. That is until about 2/3rds of the way in. Then everything changed. The storyline picked up and the finale did not disappoint. The end of the book really intrigued me and I will be reading the sequel soon. If you pick up this one, stick with it and you won't be disappointed!
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powers.This book was good. But it wasn't so good I couldn't put it down - the first third of the book was slow for me. It has a solid story, engaging characters but is missing the spark that really engages me as a reader. That is until about 2/3rds of the way in. Then everything changed. The storyline picked up and the finale did not disappoint. The end of the book really intrigued me and I will be reading the sequel soon. If you pick up this one, stick with it and you won't be disappointed!
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LibraryThing member BillieBook
I don't give out a lot of fives and this may only be technically a four, but I really, really liked it. I liked the world, I liked the characters, I liked the writing and I especially liked the relationships between the characters. In fact, I'm looking forward to seeing how those relationships play
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out even more than how (or if) the Ancients are defeated. (Please, please, please don't turn the friendship between Blackwood and Henrietta into something romantic. It's perfect just as it is.) I cannot wait to get my hands on book two in this series. Show Less
LibraryThing member ShannonRose4
Finished in a day; I could not put this Victorian tale of magic, tricks, monsters down! As London & England's future hangs in the balance, Henrietta must learn who are her true friends are & face the truth of her past to overcome the ancient forces that wish only to destroy everything & everyone in
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their way. Show Less
LibraryThing member ShannonRose4
Finished in a day; I could not put this Victorian tale of magic, tricks, monsters down! As London & England's future hangs in the balance, Henrietta must learn who are her true friends are & face the truth of her past to overcome the ancient forces that wish only to destroy everything & everyone in
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their way. Show Less
LibraryThing member readingbeader
3.5 stars.
A Victorian setting for this fantasy brings up all the gender and class issues of the times with magicians, sorcerers, and evil creatures thrown in to liven up the mix.
A Victorian setting for this fantasy brings up all the gender and class issues of the times with magicians, sorcerers, and evil creatures thrown in to liven up the mix.
LibraryThing member GennaC
Henrietta and her dear friend Rook have lead quiet lives in the English countryside for years. While possessing a significant gift for fire wielding, Henrietta never expects her frightful and misunderstood abilities to lead her to a chance at being an illustrious sorcerer in service of the Queen in
The overall impression of A Shadow Bright and Burning was, for me, that of untapped potential. The world building left much to be desired, as there's considerable possibility in a fantasy Victorian London, and yet Cluess just barely skimmed the surface. The evil Ancients and their root in a devastating schism between the magicians and sorcerers, arguably one of the most interesting aspects of this story, is woefully under-explored. Throw in a blah, cringeworthy love triangle and a wishy-washy heroine, and there you have it. Another middle of the road, three-star read for me.
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London. Thought to be the key to fulfilling a prophecy that will bring an end to the war with the monstrous Ancients, she is quickly immersed in sorcery training and high society. But Henrietta's new appointment will not be seen as a positive development by everyone and uncertainties about her abilities could bring ruination to her and Rook both.The overall impression of A Shadow Bright and Burning was, for me, that of untapped potential. The world building left much to be desired, as there's considerable possibility in a fantasy Victorian London, and yet Cluess just barely skimmed the surface. The evil Ancients and their root in a devastating schism between the magicians and sorcerers, arguably one of the most interesting aspects of this story, is woefully under-explored. Throw in a blah, cringeworthy love triangle and a wishy-washy heroine, and there you have it. Another middle of the road, three-star read for me.
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LibraryThing member GennaC
Henrietta and her dear friend Rook have lead quiet lives in the English countryside for years. Possessing a significant gift for fire wielding, Henrietta never expects her frightful and misunderstood abilities to lead her to a chance at being an illustrious sorcerer in service of the Queen in
The overall impression of A Shadow Bright and Burning was, for me, that of untapped potential. The world building left much to be desired, as there's considerable possibility in a fantasy Victorian London, and yet Cluess just barely skimmed the surface. The evil Ancients and their root in a devastating schism between the magicians and sorcerers, arguably one of the most interesting aspects of this story, is woefully under-explored. Throw in a blah, cringeworthy love triangle and a wishy-washy heroine, and there you have it. Another middle of the road, three-star read for me.
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London. Thought to be the key to fulfilling a prophecy that will bring an end to the war with the monstrous Ancients, she is quickly immersed in sorcery training and high society. But Henrietta's new appointment will not be seen as a positive development by everyone and uncertainties about her abilities could bring ruination to her and Rook both.The overall impression of A Shadow Bright and Burning was, for me, that of untapped potential. The world building left much to be desired, as there's considerable possibility in a fantasy Victorian London, and yet Cluess just barely skimmed the surface. The evil Ancients and their root in a devastating schism between the magicians and sorcerers, arguably one of the most interesting aspects of this story, is woefully under-explored. Throw in a blah, cringeworthy love triangle and a wishy-washy heroine, and there you have it. Another middle of the road, three-star read for me.
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LibraryThing member Tip44
Very good.
LibraryThing member Pascale1812
Overall, it was an enjoyable read. The magic was cool, the setting intriguing. However, it was a little predictable in terms of character and plot development. Don't go in expecting any subtle intrigue and it'll be fine.
LibraryThing member AKBouterse
There was really nothing exactly wrong with this book that made me give it three stars, it just didn't grip me and I never learned to really like the characters. Throughout the first half of the book, I didn't really care about any of the characters, and in the second half, I felt like I had read
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books exactly like it before. I just wasn't engaged. This book was supposed to be one that turned the chosen one trope on its head, but I don't think it really did that very well. I never felt like this book was super new and genre bending. I enjoyed it, but it didn't blow me away. I don't think the background characters who were also being trained at the sorcerer's school were used effectively and I wish I had learned more about them. It also felt throughout the whole book Henrietta, the main characters was having to choose between 3 guys. I hate love triangles and I hate love squares even more. I would much rather there be no love interest at all, but that might just be me. I also had a bad sense of how much time was passing. I could never really get a good grip on how long it had been since things had happened and that was very distracting to me. I definitely liked the second half better but the problems I had in the first half weren't solved or anything. I really just don't have much to say about this book. It felt very average. I think some people may enjoy this book more than I did just because of taste but overall I found this whole book to be very average. Show Less
LibraryThing member brittaniethekid
I really enjoyed the world built by Cluess and her writing was easy to read and follow. However, some of the archaic misogyny - while presented in and for the purposes of historical accuracy - was a little jarring and unnerving. I found a lot of Henrietta's ideals and thought processes made me wish
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she was a little more developed as a modern character and not like something out of a British historical melodrama. There are also some racist and classist ideas represented in the writing that, while again historically accurate for the time this was inspired by, brought me out of the story with shock. I still overall really enjoy the book and plan on moving on to the sequel just released but felt that these things could have been edited out in a way that kept the historical aspects still there. Show Less
LibraryThing member funstm
I enjoyed this. There's not anything particularly original but it's an enjoyable mishmash of all my favourites. There's a real fairytale/folklore vibe happening - it reminded me a bit of Howl's Moving Castle. Okay I'll admit, it's probably just because Howl Howel. But whatevs.
I liked Henrietta. I didn't like how it ended either - seemed way too dramatic to declare he couldn't let her go - they really didn't seem that close. But sometimes I forget how young adult novels can be. But there also wasn't too much of it and it didn't impact the story too much.
There were quite a few loose threads and I hope they're explored in the sequel. It was never really explained why or what it could mean to have matching stave designs or how Henrietta recognised Sorrow-Fell. The thread about Henrietta's past and why she was abandoned was never really touched on again either. I did like that gender equality issues were brought up (I'm female - obviously it's a concern) but it was a bit too heavy handed in the execution. It felt preachy.
My favourite parts were the interactions between Henrietta and Hargrove. I liked their magic lessons - it was pure fantasy and I loved it. I also enjoyed the interaction between Henrietta and Fenswick (the doctor/hobgoblin) and I really hope we see more of him.
It seems to be a rich and diverse fantasy world (or perhaps just very busy) but the world building was a bit sparse on details at times - I'm not sure I really understood all the particulars of who was what and where and why. But it kept my attention and kept me reading. I was interested to know more and will definitely read the rest of the series.
3.5 stars, rounded up to 4.
I liked Henrietta.
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She was unsure of herself but a survivor and I liked that she was willing to lie to protect Rook and save them both. I liked Rook and Lilly - although I guess I don't really know all that much about them either. Blackwood and Eliza were not bad but weren't really developed enough for me to have any strong feelings. I didn't like Magnus. The romance between Henrietta and Magnus was weak and annoying. There were quite a few loose threads and I hope they're explored in the sequel. It was never really explained why or what it could mean to have matching stave designs or how Henrietta recognised Sorrow-Fell. The thread about Henrietta's past and why she was abandoned was never really touched on again either. I did like that gender equality issues were brought up (I'm female - obviously it's a concern) but it was a bit too heavy handed in the execution. It felt preachy.
My favourite parts were the interactions between Henrietta and Hargrove. I liked their magic lessons - it was pure fantasy and I loved it. I also enjoyed the interaction between Henrietta and Fenswick (the doctor/hobgoblin) and I really hope we see more of him.
It seems to be a rich and diverse fantasy world (or perhaps just very busy) but the world building was a bit sparse on details at times - I'm not sure I really understood all the particulars of who was what and where and why. But it kept my attention and kept me reading. I was interested to know more and will definitely read the rest of the series.
3.5 stars, rounded up to 4.
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LibraryThing member jazzbird61
Enjoyable. Looking forward to more in this series.
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Henrietta Howel can burst into flames. When she is brought to London to train with Her Majesty's sorcerers, she meets her fellow sorcerer trainees, young men eager to test her powers and her heart. One will challenge her. One will fight for her. One will betray her. As Henrietta discovers the secrets hiding behind the glamour of sorcerer life, she begins to doubt that she's the true prophesied one.