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allyreadsromance's review
4.0
I am a huge fan of the author! The book was fascinating and I loved how it showed the need for friendship, as well as love, and importance of doing what is right. The major problem I had was with the ending. The book just stopped. With a little research I saw it was a duology. I wish I knew that from the beginning.
agbrom73's review
dark
mysterious
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.5
sarahareinhard's review
5.0
When I first heard of Rosamund Hodge, I didn’t realize I was jumping into YA fantasy…I just heard that she was a good writer.
After I read the first novel, I purchased the next two that were available, and I burned through them in a fit of fiction-induced bliss.
Seeing that Hodge has a new book out is akin to what I used to feel, years ago, when I saw that King or Koontz had novels in hardback. Her writing, though, is not horror, though it may be troubling and make you reconsider the world you live in.
Hodge, so far, has focused on reimagining fairy tales and classic works. Her latest, Cold Smoke, Bright Fire, is enough Romeo and Juliet for me to almost want to pick up Shakespeare (but oh how I hate reading screenplays).
Bright Smoke has plenty of differences and special added features from Shakespeare: in the world of Hodge’s making, the city Viyara, the “Ruining” is coming, the world may fail at any moment, and the dead are coming back to life.
“The Juliet” is, in fact, a girl turned into a weapon through magic; Romeo believes her dead (as she believes him dead); and there are other characters who flesh things out in ways that would take me longer to explain than for you to read.
It’s a world, in some ways, that feels a little too close to home, and that’s where Hodge’s brilliance shines through. In a story that is so very clearly fantasy, she has tucked truths that apply to us in a world that could well be falling apart (but then, they said that 2000 years ago).
This is the first of a duology, so if you thought you’d be caught at the end wanting more-more-MORE, you would be correct.
What’s interesting, though, is that this is the kind of YA fiction that I would share (and have shared) with the young people (and adults!) in my life. Hodge operates within an ethical and moral boundary that, while intense and perhaps more than a bit violent (hence it’s YA and not middle grade), is also realistic.
Which feels strange to say about a fantasy novel.
A challenge for me, I think, might be to read the original Shakespeare and tie the parallels in with Hodge’s writing. In fact, the inner teacher in me would love to see that done in a school setting…with all the tripe I’ve seen in reading lists in the last few years, here’s a novel to consider instead!
After I read the first novel, I purchased the next two that were available, and I burned through them in a fit of fiction-induced bliss.
Seeing that Hodge has a new book out is akin to what I used to feel, years ago, when I saw that King or Koontz had novels in hardback. Her writing, though, is not horror, though it may be troubling and make you reconsider the world you live in.
Hodge, so far, has focused on reimagining fairy tales and classic works. Her latest, Cold Smoke, Bright Fire, is enough Romeo and Juliet for me to almost want to pick up Shakespeare (but oh how I hate reading screenplays).
Bright Smoke has plenty of differences and special added features from Shakespeare: in the world of Hodge’s making, the city Viyara, the “Ruining” is coming, the world may fail at any moment, and the dead are coming back to life.
“The Juliet” is, in fact, a girl turned into a weapon through magic; Romeo believes her dead (as she believes him dead); and there are other characters who flesh things out in ways that would take me longer to explain than for you to read.
It’s a world, in some ways, that feels a little too close to home, and that’s where Hodge’s brilliance shines through. In a story that is so very clearly fantasy, she has tucked truths that apply to us in a world that could well be falling apart (but then, they said that 2000 years ago).
This is the first of a duology, so if you thought you’d be caught at the end wanting more-more-MORE, you would be correct.
What’s interesting, though, is that this is the kind of YA fiction that I would share (and have shared) with the young people (and adults!) in my life. Hodge operates within an ethical and moral boundary that, while intense and perhaps more than a bit violent (hence it’s YA and not middle grade), is also realistic.
Which feels strange to say about a fantasy novel.
A challenge for me, I think, might be to read the original Shakespeare and tie the parallels in with Hodge’s writing. In fact, the inner teacher in me would love to see that done in a school setting…with all the tripe I’ve seen in reading lists in the last few years, here’s a novel to consider instead!
aribruzze's review
meh.. I'll still read the sequel though because i love rosamund hodge
imaydahjr00's review against another edition
3.0
اتمام
۱۷/ مـرداد/۰۲
19:20
عجیبه ولی برای من کل جذابیت داستان رو کارکتر “وای” به تنهایی به عهده داشت :)
با اینکه حتی کارکتر اصلی هم نبود!
در کل کتاب رو اونقدر که بخوام جلد دومش رو بخونم دوست نداشتم :( با اینکه برای ادامهش کنجکاوم اما..
۱۷/ مـرداد/۰۲
19:20
عجیبه ولی برای من کل جذابیت داستان رو کارکتر “وای” به تنهایی به عهده داشت :)
با اینکه حتی کارکتر اصلی هم نبود!
در کل کتاب رو اونقدر که بخوام جلد دومش رو بخونم دوست نداشتم :( با اینکه برای ادامهش کنجکاوم اما..
brokenchell's review
1.0
The Romeo and Juliet aspect is what attracted me to this story. But the apocalyptic aspect mixed with the time frame just kept losing me. This was not a book for me.
ameserole's review
1.0
You know.. I find it completely hilarious that I had this originally tagged for a challenge back in August 2018. Who knew years later that I would actual commit to reading the dang book?
While looking at the cover of Bright Smoke, Cold Fire I was initially intrigued. Mostly because of the title but the cover looked pretty cool on it's own as well. That being said, I finally got the balls to dive into it. I'm not going to lie, I'm not a huge fan of Romeo and Juliet to begin with but I also don't even think this was a proper retelling either?
Unless you are into books that constantly lie and bore you to death. Don't get mad at me, I tried this book. I really did but it only had two good parts. The prologue and the ending. You guys are probably thinking that I'm rude for saying that, which I mean.. you aren't wrong but the prologue was so freaking good. I was hooked and wanted to know more about this book and characters. Yet, you get into chapters 1 -500 and you're like.. what is going on? Where was the book from the prologue?
Other than that, it had some pretty cool and unique ideas.. but then it just kept attacking you with confusion. Truthfully, I'm all out of words for this book right now. It honestly would've been a bomb ass book if the entire thing was like the prologue.
While looking at the cover of Bright Smoke, Cold Fire I was initially intrigued. Mostly because of the title but the cover looked pretty cool on it's own as well. That being said, I finally got the balls to dive into it. I'm not going to lie, I'm not a huge fan of Romeo and Juliet to begin with but I also don't even think this was a proper retelling either?
Unless you are into books that constantly lie and bore you to death. Don't get mad at me, I tried this book. I really did but it only had two good parts. The prologue and the ending. You guys are probably thinking that I'm rude for saying that, which I mean.. you aren't wrong but the prologue was so freaking good. I was hooked and wanted to know more about this book and characters. Yet, you get into chapters 1 -500 and you're like.. what is going on? Where was the book from the prologue?
Other than that, it had some pretty cool and unique ideas.. but then it just kept attacking you with confusion. Truthfully, I'm all out of words for this book right now. It honestly would've been a bomb ass book if the entire thing was like the prologue.
msrcreation's review
1.0
I have had this book sitting on my physical tbr since 2017. I'm not sure what made me wait so long to pick it up but I do know that I kept it on there because of how much I enjoyed the other books I had read from this author. Cruel Beauty and Crimson Bound and the novella Gilded Ashes I absolutely loved all of them. Rosamund Hodge wrote great retellings so a retelling of Romeo and Juliet? It had to be great so I just kept holding on to it. I finally picked it up and I was so disappointed. All the reviews made me feel like I wasn't alone in this thankfully. The characters are bland and the plot is honestly boring and hard to follow. There was nothing about this that I could attach to and enjoy. Even the bit that I could pay attention too was very forgettable and the book as a whole is forgettable.