Introduction
- ISIN: 978-1940014715
- Genre: Children / Young Adult / Fantasy Fiction
- Publishers: Wise Ink Creative Publishing
- Price: Rs. 349 /- (I got this book from the b00k r3vi3w for a review)
16-year-old Aurora Darlington is an orphan. Mistreated by her adopted family and bullied at school, she dreams of running away and being free. But when she is kidnapped and dragged through a portal into a magical world, suddenly her old life doesn’t seem so bad.
Avalonia is a dangerous land ruled by powerful mages and a cruel, selfish queen who will do anything to control all seven kingdoms—including killing anyone who stands in her way.
Thrust headlong into this new, magical world, Aurora’s arrival sets plans in motion that threaten to destroy all she holds dear.
With the help of a young fae, a magical pegasus, and a handsome mage, Aurora journeys across Avalonia to learn the truth about her past and unleash the power within herself. Kingdoms collide as a complicated web of political intrigue and ancient magic lead Aurora to unravel a shocking secret that will change her life forever.
About the author
Farah Oomerbhoy is a young adult writer with a master’s degree in English literature from the University of Mumbai. Farah loves the fantastical and magical and often dreams of living in Narnia, Neverland, or the Enchanted Forest. Her debut novel, The Last of the Firedrakes, Book 1 of The Avalonia Chronicles started on Wattpad where it received a Watty Award in 2015 and over 1.5 million reads. Since publication, The Last of the Firedrakes has gone on to win a silver medal in IBPA’s Benjamin Franklin Awards, become a finalist in the USA Best Book Awards and become an international bestseller. Farah lives with her family in Mumbai, India where she can be found checking for magical portals in every closet.
Me thinks
Okay an honest confession before I get on with the review : I really wanted to read it because many reviews compared it to Harry Potter. Having loved and lived the HP series for so long it really was tempting to read this one. And I finally decided to grab it.
To say I was not disappointed should not mean yes it is like Harry Potter. It all probabilities it is not. Yes it is based in a school of magic and is the story of a young person who suddenly wakes up to the fact that she has magical powers. And that is where the similarities end. The story line is brilliant and engrossing till the last word. In a lot of ways it doesn’t look like a debut novel. It has finesse, detailing and lot of layers which make it a very exciting read. A lot of debut authors lack this skill and for this the author deserves a hats off. She has brilliantly maneuvered the plot to a point from where the reader is left asking for more. My 17 year old cousin finished this book in a day and was screaming to know when is the next part out. THAT is the power of this story.
I also liked the fact that the lead character isn’t shown as someone who is flawless and perfect. Rather she is shown as someone who is proud to flaunt her flaws and learns to deal with them. That is what makes her so endearing and relatable.