Sequel to We Set the Dark on Fire, this one is from the viewpoint of Carmen, Daniela’s rival-turned-lover-turned-?????. When Carmen returns to the rebellion, she finds that the balance of power has shifted against her, and has to choose between her orders and her heart. Carmen’s fire and drive move the story well, but the narrative spends a lot of time on her internal angst over her relationship with Dani, and her internal wibbling contrasts a bit too sharply with her steely warrior persona.
Tag: author-tehlor kay mejia
We Set the Dark on Fire, by Tehlor Kay Mejia
Dystopian YA fiction, nicely done in that it’s not in-your-face preachy. Daniela Vargas is one of the top graduates in an elite school that trains women for service to powerful men – but in an important role, either as his powerful social and household counterpart, or as the mother of his future children. Daniela, however, has a secret past; her documents were forged by her family, who were desperate that their child escape a future in the abused lower classes. Naturally Daniela’s secret becomes a cudgel, as forces in the rebellion force her to work with them or lose everything. I really liked how this book was executed; the dystopia was subtly done, as was Daniela’s internal conflict between clinging to privilege and risking everything. Warning: cliffhanger ending.