Customer Reviews

Daughter of the Flames

5 star:		(5)
4 star:		(8)
3 star:		(3)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

As I read Daughter of the Flames I thought: This is good, really good.

Zira had strength and purpose, but she wasn't perfect, and her youth translated realistically into insecurities that made her a dynamic character. And Sorin, a man who has considerable strength of his own but tempers it to let Zira do what she must, was a fine example of a "nice guy" that girls too often overlook. He was charming, too, and just a bit incorrigible at times. The relationship was nicely balanced in this story, even when Marriott takes Sorin out of the game, so to speak, forcing Zira to confront her problems with nothing but her own skill and intelligence. Only once did I stumble a bit when their relationship ended up moving very quickly - though not in the physical sense - but it worked itself out nicely, and I was happy with where it went.

This novel also takes a look at religion and the differences and hostilities that arise from varying beliefs. It's not in your face, but the message that all can coexist peacefully is definitely there. God, in this case, is known as the Holy Mother, and she is portrayed as a kind, compassionate force, but she also makes it clear that for every act of kindness, sadness will arise, and vice versa. Again, it's all about a balance.

Marriott definitely has a way with description, which was at its best during action sequences, and when Zira was taking in new sights; these passages grounded the story, bringing it to life in a near tangible way.

This book was oddly calming and definitely satisfying. It was fast paced and not without a few faults. I'm glad to have read it, and well after finishing it, I'm still thinking about it.

Zoë Marriott moves beyond retelling fairy tales and fashions her own fantasy world, which is nonetheless firmly grounded in recognizable human emotions. Fully developed characters make this much more than a YA romance, and her heroine is suitably strong and capable without ever losing her vulnerability. Light years beyond the old "beautiful, helpless princess waits passively for prince to save her" AND the "vengeful warrior maiden despises all men and kills mercilessly" genres.

Fifteen-year-old Zira has been raised in the House of God, unaware of her true identity and with no memory of her family. She only knows they were killed when the Sedorne soldiers invaded Ruan.

Training to become a warrior has become her goal and purpose, but her life changes forever when she learns she has a much nobler destiny.

Zira must learn to come to terms with her new identity as she tries to lead the Ruan people to safety. Her only hope of overthrowing the tyrannical King Abheron is to trust a Sedorne - though she's been raised to believe he's a deadly enemy.

DAUGHTER OF THE FLAMES is a mesmerizing fantasy as well as a coming-of-age story told through brilliant prose and exciting plotting. Zira's story moves like a wildfire, burning her character into the reader's memory and heart.

Marriot does a magnificent job of characterization and brings Zira's world to life with ease. I felt drawn to Zira from the moment of her introduction, and the fast pace of the story made it difficult to put the book down.

Reviewed by: Joan Stradling

NOTE: These reviews have been posted (but not written!) by the author.

CMIS EVALUATION REVIEW:

Fantasy Adventure Age 12+ A fast-paced easy-to-read novel, Daughter of the Flames will have a strong appeal to female readers. The story charts the rise of Zahira from her training as a warrior priestess in a religious sanctuary to the revelation of her royal birth and her new role as leader and queen.

The drama of attack, fire and flight in the opening pages sets the pace for this narrative. Zahira is courageous and loyal, forthright in her actions and speech despite a severe disfigurement to her face caused by burns when she escaped death by fire. As a gifted and intuitive fighter she often faces the dilemma of split-second decisions that can affect the direction of events and the fate of thousands.

To counterbalance the violence of many of the conflicts woven into the narrative is an element of romance. Zahira saves the life of Sorin, whom she initially believes to be her enemy. In accepting his protection, she also agrees to a marriage that will unite the peoples of Rua and Sedorne in their fight against the tyrant King Abheron.

The mix of detailed medieval settings and beliefs adds another interesting dimension. Zahira's childhood home is a temple complex, where their God is referred to as Holy Mother, and has as its centre a pit of sacred flame. Zahira's early memory is erased and then restored by the flames. Fire is both destroyer and source of light and hope and eventually brings down the tyrant.

Daughter of the Flames is a stand-alone novel that will interest avid fantasy readers but equally appeal to those who enjoy well written adventure with strong characterisation.

Pam Buselich (WA)

http://amlib.eddept.wa.edu.au/

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BOOKLIST REVIEW:

Advanced Review - Uncorrected Proof

Issue: February 15, 2009

Daughter of the Flames.

Marriott, Zoe (Author)
Feb 2009. 368 p. Candlewick, hardcover, $17.99. (9780763637491).

Marriott's first novel (The Swan Kingdom, 2008) was inspired by a fairy tale; this second fantasy creates its own world with a complex history of civil war, racial struggles, and religious beliefs. Fifteen-year-old
Zira, raised by the Ruan people, bears facial scars and buried memories of her true heritage--she is the hidden heir to the kingdom of Sedorne, ruled by her despotic uncle Abheron. Being half Ruan herself, she
represents the possibility of a union between the indigenous Ruan and the occupying Sedorne.

When Abheron sends his troops to destroy her home, Zira learns the truth about her identity and sees a glimmer of hope to overthrow Abheron through marriage with a Sedorne lord. Readers of Tamora Pierce will
happily immerse themselves in a character not unlike Alanna: a headstrong, feisty teen who glories in physical combat and longs for (and finds) a true soul mate. Marriott's writing is smooth and compelling; lush descriptions are balanced with plenty of fast-paced battles.

A satisfying read for fantasy lovers, with rich backstory, lavish costumes, and a happy ending.

-- Debbie Carton

http://www.booklistonline.com/default.aspx?page=show_product&pid=3264951

I read this back in December I believe but never wrote a review for it, even though I enjoyed it very much. My memory is a little fuzzy on the details but I remember it was aimed towards the Young Adult audience, and it was fun and had a lot of adventure.

It begins with a sort of Princess Diaries set-up; Zira is a princess, but she has no idea, although the reader can basically suspect it from the first chapter. She has been raised in a religious enclave in a kingdom (her kingdom) which has been subdued and conquered by colonizing foreigners. Zira lives a relatively peaceful life at her temple until the cruel King of the occupying forces destroys her home-eventually, Zira finds out her true identity and takes on the duty of leading her people to freedom. She finds some unlikely allies as well as a little romance.

I thought this book was great fun and Zira is a good role model for the young girls who are (hopefully) picking up books more like this and less like Twilight. Hmph.

It was a little strange and funny how, yesterday, while reading Catching Fire by Suzanne Collins (review upcoming), the story line and various images from Marriott's novel all of a sudden popped into my head! I spent the longest time thinking about it because I couldn't remember the name of the book, the name of the author, or even the name of the main character-I only remembered specific images and a very disjointed plotline. It was so strange. I couldn't stop thinking about it and then I had to go online and look over my checkout history on my library's website to find it. Then I looked through this blog and found out I'd never reviewed it. Hm.

That means the story must have really stuck with me, and I'm not surprised Catching Fire jolted it into my mind because both novels have heroines in similar situations.

I've had my eye on Zoë Marriott's second novel, DAUGHTER OF THE FLAMES for several months. So I was happy to see it pop up on my Cybils reading list. I've read several books lately that have had an Asian/Middle Eastern flavor to them and was surprised and very much pleased to find DAUGHTER OF THE FLAMES did as well. This was my first novel by Ms. Marriott and I was both looking forward to giving a new author a shot and in the mood for some more traditional fantasy. It's also worth it to point out the rather lovely cover this novel sports. The flames and curlicues are swirlingly lovely, enough so that the fact that Zira doesn't look quite as I pictured her isn't any kind of stumbling block at all.

Zira is a trained warrior. A novice with a face full of scars and a forgotten past, she perches right on the cusp of her sixteenth birthday. At the same time she anxiously awaits her superior's decision on whether she will join the ranks of the namoa or be sent to tend the temple livestock for the rest of her days. Born a Rua, Zira belongs to a conquered people. The Sedorne rulers overran the peaceful country of Ruan and the current king, Abheron, rules with an iron fist, encouraging his lords to crush the Rua under their feet. But behind the deceptively peaceful temple walls, rebellion is in the wind. When a surprising series of events lead Zira to save a young Sedorne lord's life, she is set on the path that will lead her to places she never expected, where, frankly, she would rather die than set foot. But it is Zira's fate to be more than she is, to combine the hopes and fears of two races in one body, and to be savior to a nation.

I was drawn in very quickly. There are all kinds of familiar fantasy elements at play here that Marriott handled quite well, wrapping them up in a nice bit of world building, full of heady descriptions of cuisine, vegetation, and light and shadow that had me salivating and oohing and ahhing at will. Zira's past is appropriately murky and, when it comes to light, it is in no way surprising. And yet Ms. Marriott weaves in some interesting implications that keep you reading. The same is true of the villain. He is dastardly and despicable and, after one particularly grisly scene, I was convinced he was truly evil. But he wasn't surprising or very complex, really, until about 250 pages in when his character development takes a truly masterful turn. Literally between the space of one page and the next I was fully invested, desperate to see how these heretofore unknown layers worked their way into the plot to wreak havoc. Unfortunately, this was a bit too late as there were only about 80 pages left in the book. If only he'd become more interesting 100 pages earlier. Because this book has a truly excellent climax, full of fighting and mayhem and excitement. The romance followed the same lines. I loved how unconventional it was, how it was all arranged as a matter of strategy and convenience and whether or not they might actually be capable of falling in love with each other was considered of only minimal importance. This slow pace was delicious and I bought their hesitance and awkwardness and loved every minute. But things began to fall apart at a certain point and I felt like this central relationship never quite got back its former fervor by the time the story wound to a close. Despite these inconsistencies, there is some real talent here and I will definitely be picking up Ms. Marriott's next book.

Like The Swan Kingdom, Daughter of the Flames centres on a young woman who must discover who and what she is during a time of turmoil and danger, but the setting here isn't green Celtic fields and forests, it's a harsh desert torn by ethnic hatreds. Zahira is a scarred, orphaned warrior, where Alexandra was a gentle healer, but both discover that even those who love them best have kept the truth from them, and they must make their own decisions, however great the risk for them and for others.
Which sounds awfully portentous. Both books are darned good reads--Zoe writes a kickass action sequence--and I'd recommend them, particularly if you're looking for fantasies with strong female characters. I'm particularly pleased to see her take up the throwaway trope of the sacked monastery, and give it a place and a past and a purpose. I only wish there had been more space to explore the complexity of a romance between two strong-willed people raised to be enemies.

Daughter of the Flames was quite a treat. It really had a little bit of everything: action, adventure, drama, political mystery, goddesses and the divine, romance--if you can name it, it was probably there. Marriott manages to balance all of these elements and create a fantasy that is not too overwhelming for the reader to understand. But what I really enjoyed about most about this book (aside from the awesome sparring scenes) was the complexity of its characters and their interactions. Though the romance in this novel starts out as more pragmatic than anything, it was nice to see that the friendship forged out of circumstance slowly blossomed into something heartfelt and true. Marriott does a wonderful job of layering each character with their own fears, wants, hopes, and dreams. Nobody is good. Nobody is evil. Everybody is just doing what they believe they have to do in order to set things right. Even King Abheron. It is very rare for me to find a book where I sympathize with the villain as much as I do the heroine, but I found myself wishing that he could be taken to a therapist and helped. Maybe if Dr. Phil existed in this world less people would have died. But it certainly made for an exciting read!

Zira , trained in martial arts, hopes to become a warrior for her people. That day will never come, at least not as she expects. Zira has a hidden past.

Her real name is actually Zahira Elfenesh . She's the youngest of the royal family and the only member of the family to survive the fire. Her adoptive mother tells her about her past right before she dies, leaving Zira all alone in the world on the night their enemies attach their holy home.

Now, with her new found knowledge, Zahira knows she must be the person to save her people. There's a man who owes her a favor. She leads her people across the land to his fortress. Her people are not happy to be accepting his help as he's an outside and a cultural enemy. However, Zahira puts her trust in him.

Before Zahira comes up with a plan for her people, she learns her Uncle is responsible for both of her mother's deaths. He's also responsible for her people's oppression. More than anything, she wants to take him down.

The only way to beat her Uncle is to come together- the radicals, her people, and her new friend Sedorne Lord. Can she convince her people join forces with the enemy for a higher purpose - when joining forces means her marriage to Sedorne Lord?

My Thoughts: A great fantasy read with a strong heroine, small romance, and a family mystery to unravel. I loved watching the events unfold: the details of her birth, the memories coming back of her family, leading her people, and the danger from her Uncle.

Sometimes, I'm just in the mood for a solid fantasy book, and Daughter of the Flames is exactly that. It's an interesting blend between cliche and creative, and for an average-sized book, I find that there is a well-developed plot. There's enough room for a fast-paced yet emotional romance, and surprises along the way. Overall, I loved the quick tempo and creative writing style of Zoe Marriott and recommend it for teenage fantasy lovers.

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