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A review by obviousthings
We Set the Dark on Fire by Tehlor Kay Mejia
emotional
inspiring
mysterious
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
2.75
I thought the premise of this story was really cool and interesting, and I was impressed with the worldbuilding and how La Voz was written, but the book as a whole just did not work for me.
Dani is naive and totally unprepared for the situations she finds herself in. I think this could have worked if it had been the point of the story - that might have been an interesting exploration of morality - but because this is YA, the narrative is on her side at all times. (Not something I fault the genre for, but because Dani is so far out of her depth, it doesn't work well here). I don't mind characters who make bad decisions, but it's really frustrating to watch a character make a bad decision and then have the narrative try to pass it off as totally reasonable. For much of the book I found myself wishing for a more capable protagonist.
Dani is naive and totally unprepared for the situations she finds herself in. I think this could have worked if it had been the point of the story - that might have been an interesting exploration of morality - but because this is YA, the narrative is on her side at all times. (Not something I fault the genre for, but because Dani is so far out of her depth, it doesn't work well here). I don't mind characters who make bad decisions, but it's really frustrating to watch a character make a bad decision and then have the narrative try to pass it off as totally reasonable. For much of the book I found myself wishing for a more capable protagonist.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Alcoholism, Misogyny, and Xenophobia
Moderate: Bullying, Death, Domestic abuse, Emotional abuse, Genocide, Gun violence, Sexual content, Toxic relationship, Violence, Police brutality, Car accident, and Murder
Minor: Blood, Medical content, Kidnapping, and Death of parent
Warning for fire/a building burning