Common Sense Media Review
By Carrie R. Wheadon
,
based on child development research. How do we rate?
Absorbing fantasy romance full of spies and palace intrigue.
Parents Need to Know
Why Age 13+?
Any Positive Content?
Where to Read
What's the Story?
Ash is on the run after witnessing his father, the king of the Fells, killed by evil King Arden's soldiers. Before they can catch him, too, Ash goes into hiding, working for a healer at a school in another realm. Ash learns much in four years, taking the summers off his studies to kill prominent members of King Arden's army with his gift for poisons. It's the end of another school year when some of the king's fanatical priests catch up to him and try to bleed him of his healing gift. Rather than run this time, he escapes only to try to infiltrate King Arden's palace and get close to the king. An assassination is in order. In the town of Delphi, a girl named Jenna is also in hiding after King Arden kills his closest friends. She dresses as a boy and works for the resistance, using her skills with explosives to keep the army on its toes. She's making progress against the army until one of the king's new enforcers comes to town. He's tasked with finding a girl with a magic birthmark on the back of her neck -- the same one Jenna has. When they wall off the whole city and start shaving heads, Jenna may not be able to hide for much longer.
Is It Any Good?
Author Cinda Williams Chima carefully, expertly develops this story that's equal parts palace intrigue, magic, and romance around four compelling and complex spy characters. Chima waits until the last moment to reveal her characters' secrets, making the story take some intriguing twists and turns. Sometimes she could offer a bit more reflection when secrets finally come out, but perhaps she's leaving room for development later in the series.
The fanatical priests and the close-up look at a tyrannical king add to the growing tension in FLAMECASTER. The spies face more than one enemy at all times and are often potential enemies of each other. The ending is both satisfying and full of juicy Book 2 setup material. An overall great start to a series.
Talk to Your Kids About ...
Families can talk about the magical world on display here. How is it different from the world of Harry Potter or Septimus Heap or the Girl of Fire and Thorns series?
Soldiers are killed often in this book, but some of the more jarring and scary violence involves fanatical priests hunting for gifted mages. Why is this more jarring and scary?
Will you read the next in the series or go back and read the Seven Realms series? Why, or why not?
Book Details
- Author :
- Genre : Fantasy
- Topics : Fantasy ( Magic ) , Animals
- Book type : Fiction
- Publisher : HarperTeen
- Publication date : April 5, 2016
- Publisher's recommended age(s) : 13 - 17
- Number of pages : 544
- Available on : Nook, Audiobook (unabridged), Hardback, Apple Books, Kindle
- Last updated : September 30, 2025
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