Michael Barnes
This debut novel, the first in a duology by Kamilah Cole is a Jamaican mythos inspired sapphic young adult fantasy that delivered from beginning to end.
I signed up for this book as a pre-order after one of my favourites authors Xiran Jay Zhao revealed that Cait Corrain author whose debut fantasy novel Crown of Starlight was scheduled to be publish in 2024 had created multiple fake accounts on Goodreads to review bomb other authors of colour. Kamilah Cole's (So Let Them Burn), Bethany Baptiste's (The Poisons We Drink), Frances White (Voyage of the Damned), and K.M. Enright (Mistress of Lies). So I immediately pre-ordered these novels.
Natalie from the Lesbrary summaries the story bits well "…book switches between the POVs of two sisters Faron and Elara Vincent. Faron can channel the power of the gods, which made her the secret weapon of her country’s revolution against the dragon-riding Langley Empire. Faron is fiery, mischievous, and unwilling to play the part of wise and composed chosen-one. Elara is calm, diplomatic, and has felt like she’s been both living in her sister’s shadow while also being charged with “managing” Faron’s hot-headed emotions. At what was supposed to be an international peace summit, Elara ends up bonding with a Langley Empire dragon and the dragon’s other rider, Signey. Elara must then go to the dragon riding academy on enemy ground, both as a spy for her country and to try to figure out if there’s a way to reverse the bond so she can return home to sister. Among battles of gods and dragons, bubbling rage (against colonizers, the gods, the situation), and impossible choices, Elara and Signey find themselves falling for each other. Two badass dragon riders discovering enemy secrets, plotting revenge, and falling in love?"
I also liked the focus on the relationships a moment when the romantasy genre is taking off, I appreciated how in this book, the friendships were treated as equally important. So Let Them Burn is a YA fantasy novel with a lot to offer. Not only does it start at a different point in the story than a more typical novel might have started. There’s a whole unseen YA novel that happens before So Let Them Burn even starts. Where the island of San Irie is fighting the Langley Empire for it’s freedom. This story YA tropes and gives them a fresh viewpoint. If you’re looking for queer YA fantasy with something new to say then I would suggest this book.
Did I mention there are dragons.
This debut novel, the first in a duology by Kamilah Cole is a Jamaican mythos inspired sapphic young adult fantasy that delivered from beginning to end.
I signed up for this book as a pre-order after one of my favourites authors Xiran Jay Zhao revealed that Cait Corrain author whose debut fantasy novel Crown of Starlight was scheduled to be publish in 2024 had created multiple fake accounts on Goodreads to review bomb other authors of colour. Kamilah Cole's (So Let Them Burn), Bethany Baptiste's (The Poisons We Drink), Frances White (Voyage of the Damned), and K.M. Enright (Mistress of Lies). So I immediately pre-ordered these novels.
Natalie from the Lesbrary summaries the story bits well "…book switches between the POVs of two sisters Faron and Elara Vincent. Faron can channel the power of the gods, which made her the secret weapon of her country’s revolution against the dragon-riding Langley Empire. Faron is fiery, mischievous, and unwilling to play the part of wise and composed chosen-one. Elara is calm, diplomatic, and has felt like she’s been both living in her sister’s shadow while also being charged with “managing” Faron’s hot-headed emotions. At what was supposed to be an international peace summit, Elara ends up bonding with a Langley Empire dragon and the dragon’s other rider, Signey. Elara must then go to the dragon riding academy on enemy ground, both as a spy for her country and to try to figure out if there’s a way to reverse the bond so she can return home to sister. Among battles of gods and dragons, bubbling rage (against colonizers, the gods, the situation), and impossible choices, Elara and Signey find themselves falling for each other. Two badass dragon riders discovering enemy secrets, plotting revenge, and falling in love?"
I also liked the focus on the relationships a moment when the romantasy genre is taking off, I appreciated how in this book, the friendships were treated as equally important. So Let Them Burn is a YA fantasy novel with a lot to offer. Not only does it start at a different point in the story than a more typical novel might have started. There’s a whole unseen YA novel that happens before So Let Them Burn even starts. Where the island of San Irie is fighting the Langley Empire for it’s freedom. This story YA tropes and gives them a fresh viewpoint. If you’re looking for queer YA fantasy with something new to say then I would suggest this book.
Did I mention there are dragons.