Reviews

The Boy with Fire by Aparna Verma

beachbagbooks's review against another edition

adventurous dark reflective sad medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.5

sevenravens's review against another edition

5.0

BOOK 2. NOW.

bookwadreads's review against another edition

5.0

The Phoenix King is backed by a world of rich worldbuilding, strong characters, and political high stakes. It’s impossible to put down. Aparna Verma created a world that I long to dive into, despite the fact that I do not like hot weather, sand, and also that I would not survive for long.

This story unfolds through three perspectives: Elena’s, Yassen’s, and Leo’s. It’s a marvel to listen to as different storylines begin to merge, and with each chapter, more secrets are unveiled, and I was on the edge of my seat because there will be times that I know more than another character does.

Each narrator was perfectly cast for this story, and they bring the book to life. Through listening, I’m no longer in temperature-unsure Oklahoma, but in the desert, in the kingdom of Ravence.
The narration is crisp, with no part being difficult to follow.

If you enjoy audiobooks, you should listen & read at the same time if you want to see this story absolutely transform.

This story is a marvel. Fast-paced, and enough to make my heart pound. I can’t wait for book two.

Quote:
“But I would still be there. With you. Even if we were on opposite sides again, I’ll still find you.”

abee21's review against another edition

adventurous emotional mysterious tense medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated

4.0

bridrizzle72's review against another edition

adventurous dark emotional mysterious medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.5

bookgirlangie's review against another edition

adventurous challenging dark emotional mysterious sad tense medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

5.0

A deeply incredible and creative story filled with captivating characters and backgrounds, an immersive world you can’t help but lose yourself in. I can honestly say this has been on my TBR for quite some time but I am so glad that I’ve finally given it the chance it so rightly deserves. My only regret is that the second books doesn’t come out until November of next year and I feel like I will die from waiting to see what comes next for Elena and Yassen and even Samson. 

lyricaldali's review against another edition

I just couldn’t stay focused on it 

akmetz_12's review against another edition

adventurous challenging mysterious

3.5

m_oliyide's review against another edition

i literally completely forgor
it's clogging up my thingy so im cutting it loose

sagicious's review against another edition

adventurous mysterious tense slow-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Plot
• Strong character development? It's complicated
• Loveable characters? It's complicated
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.0

I'd be giving it a 3.9 in reality but storygraph doesn't allow that so 4 stars it is

See the thing is,,, idk HOW I feel about this story! So its going to be hard to articulate all my thoughts 

Positives: 
- The second half of the book (well the last 40-45% of it) def is the strongest section of the book
- I like how the plot twists were revealed like (SPOILER BIG SPOILER:

Yassen working with the Arohassin

and BIGGEST SPOILER THE BIGGEST SPOILER EVER:

Samson being the Prophet

)- If I reread the book, I'm so sure I could point out the hints that led to the plot twists (the second one esp) 
- I really really love Elena and Yassen's relationship- I think it was written wonderfully (although I do have some complaints with some parts) and you can tell that they were the author's favorite part of the book 

Negatives: 
- The world and the politics are SUCH a big part of this universe- which made reading this book super confusing. You know how for the first 25% of a fantasy book you're confused on what the fuck is going on and then you slowly start to get it? I was waiting for the part to get it but I really didn't- like we know Ravence and Jantar's conflicts are high but why? The gold caps plotline was a huge thing in Elena's chapter

and then it ended abruptly after the attempted assassination; I get Elena didn't like them because they were unnecessary violent to the citizens, which is FAIR, but Leo also had a point! He is where he is because of the gold caps! I wanted to know how their absence would affect Elena's reign but we didn't see shit aghhhh :C- plus Leo lets the betrayal go after Elena gets attacked but I wihs we saw more of the gold caps thing

Random fantasy words get thrown around here and there but I thought they were unnecessary (like using suns instead of years- which would have been FINE if they also did that with other time measurements but they didn't- days is still days and months is still months but why are years called "suns"?); There may be a chance that I'm just too stupid to understand it, or things will be more explained later on in the next two books, but I felt like I was being force fed worldbuilding stuff every two seconds that wasn't a Yassen/Elena scene and I just didn't understand anything 
- OKAY THIS IS A SPOILER PROCEED AT YOUR OWN RISK:

WHY THE FUCK WASN'T ELENA MORE MAD AT YASSEN FOR HIS /ACTUAL/ BETRAYAL- I think Yassen's character arc in the second half was pretty good and I can see why and how he ended up where he was, but Elena??? Should have been??? SO ANGRY AT HIM??? Like she was mad but they had one discussion and she punched him and all and they made up- I get she was desperate because she had no one, but I think that she should have been angry because she lacked that anger- Like she lost the one adult who cared for her her whole life (Ferma), she lost her father when they were just starting to mend their fragile relationship, she /thinks/ she lost Samson AND HE PLAYED A PART IN IT LIKE GIRL BE MORE ANGRY OMG

- The first half of the book was so slowww- I understand that it was to establish this world and all this, but I really think the TRUE story starts only 60% of the book (the stuff that the author advertises in her videos is present in the later half)- I'm just not sure what I would do because the first half is important in establishing everything Elena has and

what she lost

in the second half but it was just SOOO much. The plot really only picked up during her coronation week in my opinion.

Anyways it seems like I have a lot more complaints than stuff I liked but I SWEAR I did like this book, I just am able to articulate the complaints more- super excited for The Burning Queen