Fawkes by Nadine Brandes- 2.3 Stars [arc review]

Fawkes, Nadine Brandes

Hummm....

I am a little stuck for words here guys. I don't really know how to feel about this book.

It wasn't bad... but it wasn't good either.

The idea behind the book is good, but the execution was not always on point. Sadly the first 2/3 of the book bored me... it was long and dull. The last third of the book though pick up pace and got a lot better.

Thomas Fawkes is the main character in the story and the focus is almost solely on him. There is very poor secondary character development.

Thomas is turning to stone due to a plague, he flees to London to join his father on a plot against the king that will apparently end the plague. Needless to say, things don't go as planned.

If you haven't figured out yet, this is loosely based on Guy Fawkes, who here is Thomas father and the one who will be responsible for setting off 36 barrels of gunpowder under the Parliament against the Igniter King of England.

I really didn't like Thoma's character. He is meant to be 17 but I only know that because I was told at some point through the story. He sounded more like a 13 year old selfish, self-centered, obnoxious little boy. Everything he did the whole book was for himself. The only character in the book worthy of some praise describes him perfectly (and yet falls for him- *face palm*):

"He said I could trust you. But I'm not sure. I'm not sure he ever saw the Thomas I'm seeing now - afraid. Selfish. Evasive." She lifted her chin. "Stone cold."

The magic element drove me nuts from the very first page. It didn't always make sense. The concept is simple, there is color magic and a person might be able to control one or more colors. But it takes a while for it to make sense in this particular story. And when it does it sounds like something taken out of a juvenile book.

Eventually we learn there are Keepers, who only yield one color each, and Igniters, who yield more than one color at once. Thomas starts off fighting for and with the Keepers, but than falls in love with an Igniter girl.

The Igniter girl is Emma. She was interesting to read: fierce, truthful, loyal, independent. All the makings for a fabulous heroine. She would have made a better lead character than him. Her only fault really was to fall in love with Thomas...

The book got a lot better towards the end. The focus shifts from self-entered Thomas to Emma and to the magical elements, and the pace of the book pics up with more action and a stronger plot. A little to late for a better rating though...

Release Date: July 10, 2018