So Let Them Burn by Kamilah Cole - Book Review
4/5 Stars
When Faron Vincent was 12 she prayed to the Gods in desperation to help save her people. They listened and allowed her to channel their magic to liberate her island from colonization. Using the help of her new powers, the child queen and Faron’s sister Elara, they defeated the dragon-wielding Langley empire and claimed their independence. Now at 17, she’s been using her magic to win petty races and annoy her classmates. Growing more and more angsty as the queen continues to tout her around to impress potential political allies.
However, when Elara unexpectedly bonds to their mortal enemy’s greatest weapon Faron is forced to look within to save her sister. And when the Gods tell her that the only way to break the bond is to kill Elara Faron must decide what is more important to her. Will she choose to save her country's newfound freedom and lose Elara? Or will she trust the stranger who claims to be able to save her sister for a price and betray the Gods?
Wow, wow wow!!! A solid four-star read for me. This book is definitely on the longer side for a YA but is on par with fantasy. The dual-pov was the perfect choice. Seeing both Faron and Elara’s perspectives gave depth to the story and allowed me to empathize with both their struggles. Also learning about Jamaican culture and their Gods was incredibly interesting.
The themes of racism and colonization were very present and contrasted the white-washing that is common in fantasy books. The way that the different skin tones were described was a great example of how to properly use physical descriptors in a way that isn’t stereotypical or racist. There was no “white savior” storyline and the author never shied away from making light of how slavery and oppression affect a country and its people without sugarcoating. I think if a white author wants to write any characters of color they MUST read this book first, no exceptions.
The characters themselves were nuanced and extremely well-written. I found myself annoyed with Faron throughout much of the book which just showed me how real she felt. And I related to Elara as a sapphic older sister so freaking much. Her storyline resonated with me in all the right ways and I found myself wanting to skim Faron’s chapters a little bit just to get back to her. Not to mention one of the best enemies-to-lovers arcs I have read in a long time. Whew!
The themes of sisterhood and family both warmed my heart and broke it honestly. I have never had a sister so I couldn’t necessarily relate on that level but I can only imagine the lengths I would go to to save my brother. Also found family, especially when queer, storylines always get me right in the heart. I did tear up quite a few times reading Elara’s POV regarding this.
I do have two gripes though, so to say, with this book. One is that I have to wait until 2025 to find out what happens!!! The cliffhanger had my mouth gaping and I am so angry I have to wait over a year to get my conclusion. Yes, I admit that isn’t a bad thing inherently but I am so impatient!! My actual only criticism is that it does get a little slow in the middle. This is 100% a personal opinion but I did find it dragging for about 50-70 pages. I completely understand why, it just took me a bit longer to finish than I anticipated because of this. But I mean that is such a small critique, and it just boils down to personal preference.
All in all, I highly recommend this book even if fantasy isn’t your usual go-to. It is not my favorite genre and YA is not my first pick. However, this book defies convention and surprises you at every turn. If you like sapphic stories, dragons, and badass Jamaican god-channeling women then you are in the right place. Happy reading!
Thank you to NetGalley and Little Brown Books for sending this eARC for review consideration. All thoughts and opinions are my own.
CW: Anxiety, attempted murder, blood, bones, bullying, death, depression, fire, genocide (not on page but mentions of), misogyny, racism, slavery (not on page but mentions of), violence, and war.
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