**I received an ARC from Edelweiss. These are my honest opinions, and in no way was I compensated for this review.**
A Spark of White Fire by Sangu Mandanna
Release Date: September 11, 2018
My Rating: 5 stars
Summary: In a universe of capricious gods, dark moons, and kingdoms built on the backs of spaceships, a cursed queen sends her infant daughter away, a jealous uncle steals the throne of Kali from his nephew, and an exiled prince vows to take his crown back.
Raised alone and far away from her home on Kali, Esmae longs to return to her family. When the King of Wychstar offers to gift the unbeatable, sentient warship Titania to a warrior that can win his competition, she sees her way home: she’ll enter the competition, reveal her true identity to the world, and help her famous brother win back the crown of Kali.
It’s a great plan. Until it falls apart.
Inspired by the Mahabharata and other ancient Indian stories, A Spark of White Fire is a lush, sweeping space opera about family, curses, and the endless battle between jealousy and love.
A Spark of White Fire was a bit of a surprise to me. I've been in such a reading rut, such that I reread books constantly and when I do read something new, I'm not entirely in love with it. However, this book escaped that luckily! You won't be able to put A Spark of White Fire down.
I leave the lonely dark of the shadows. I am in the light. Bow in hand. A pawn in a Warlords game.Esmae is such a great protagonist; she really only has one goal: to go home. And she's willing to do whatever it takes to do so. You really feel the ache she feels, an ache to return to her family despite the fact that she's never met them. Along the way, Esmae discovers that not all issues are so black and white. The uncle who stole her brother's throne isn't entirely evil, nor is his son. Of course, this puts a wrench in her plans as she starts liking her life with them and as she gets to know her brothers.
Do you know what happens when a pawn gets all the way across the board?
She becomes a queen.
I'm not really familiar with the Mahabharata, so I don't know much about the appearances of gods in those stories. I did like them in this story; their presence adds a lot to the world building in a subtle way, as well as reassurance for Esmae.
You are loved by gods too, Esmae, even if you don't yet know it . . . You are more than your flaws and mistakes. You are more than the sorrows of your past. Your heart is as fierce as a lion's. You are loved by gods, just as your brother is. Remember that.A Spark of White Fire is more of a fantasy within a science-fiction background. There's a sentient warship that is unbeatable, there are different planets, there's a struggle for the rightful ruler to the throne. The world building is so well thought out with all the different planets and their monarchies. I also loved the writing. I can't really explain why, but something about it just feels right to me.
I even liked the romance, even though (slight spoilers) I dislike anything remotely close to incest. Technically they're not related and they didn't grow up together, so it doesn't cross a line for me. It is a little borderline, but I don't know . . . I just like them together. Also! there's a secondary sapphic character as well as a prince who likes girls and boys. These are just mentioned in passing, but that actually made it better for me, normalizing LGBTQ+ relationships in a fantasy/sci-fi novel.
With lovable characters, a thrilling plot, and exquisite writing, A Spark of White Fire shot an arrow into my heart. Really. I adored this book, and I can't wait for the sequel!
About the Author: Sangu Mandanna was four years old when an elephant chased her down a forest road and she decided to write her first story about it. Seventeen years and many, many manuscripts later, she signed her first book deal. The Lost Girl, a YA sci fi novel about death and love, is available now. Sangu now lives in Norwich, a city in the east of England, with her husband and kids.
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