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A review by nearlynina
So Let Them Burn by Kamilah Cole
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.5
This novel struggled from too much telling and not enough showing for the character driven aspects of the story. The MC was a special magic chosen-one child soldier whose life, we're told, was engulfed in fire and blood (dramatic swoon). Apparently this was traumatic and prevented her from developing and continuing her life, but we have no context about what happened or how it affected her other than her periodic whining about how unfair it is that she has magic powers and people think of her as a hero.
The book starts post-war and no attempt is made at making the war seem real and the MC doesn't experience any negative consequences due to the war that we see. There are no nightmares or flashbacks or memories that she thinks about based on her current experiences that give any idea of what came before. We're just supposed to believe that it was awful and unfair and so she gets to lie and cheat and do whatever she wants now because she tells us every so often.
This is also the case for her vague demi-sexuality. She's been through shit so she's never thought about sex, then all of a sudden is ogling and lusting after every boy she has a contentious relationship to and comparing them to chocolate.
The plot was ridiculous as well. Something weird and magical happens and then she hears a strange voice laughing that announces that "It has begun". Clearly, she should team up with that voice against the gods who gave her her powers because they're mean and sometimes chide her for using her powers to win races and tell her that she has to do something she doesn't want to do in order to save the universe. There's no way she could have known that they caused the strange magic leading to bad things or that releasing this person from incorporeal jail would be a bad thing. Why can't she stamp her feet in a tantrum and do whatever she wants and prove she can save the world at the same time? So unlikeable.
The book starts post-war and no attempt is made at making the war seem real and the MC doesn't experience any negative consequences due to the war that we see. There are no nightmares or flashbacks or memories that she thinks about based on her current experiences that give any idea of what came before. We're just supposed to believe that it was awful and unfair and so she gets to lie and cheat and do whatever she wants now because she tells us every so often.
This is also the case for her vague demi-sexuality. She's been through shit so she's never thought about sex, then all of a sudden is ogling and lusting after every boy she has a contentious relationship to and comparing them to chocolate.
The plot was ridiculous as well. Something weird and magical happens and then she hears a strange voice laughing that announces that "It has begun". Clearly, she should team up with that voice against the gods who gave her her powers because they're mean and sometimes chide her for using her powers to win races and tell her that she has to do something she doesn't want to do in order to save the universe. There's no way she could have known that they caused the strange magic leading to bad things or that releasing this person from incorporeal jail would be a bad thing. Why can't she stamp her feet in a tantrum and do whatever she wants and prove she can save the world at the same time? So unlikeable.