Ice Like Fire

Gr 8 Up—This sequel picks up right where Snow Like Ashes (Harper, 2014) left off. Indeed, the novel makes no effort to refresh background from the first book. The world we are in (a map is included) is divided into provinces, which are categorized as Seasons or Rhythms. Meira, the protagonist, has been placed in an arranged marriage unifying her seasonal province, Winter, with a Rhythm province. Despite the romantic sparks between the couple in the previous volume, the embers here are neglected, as the two teens work against each other to recapture the magic in the kingdoms. The magic for each province is housed in a conduit (necklace, crown, etc.). If the item is destroyed, then the sovereign becomes the conduit. Meanwhile, there is additional untapped magic housed in secret chasms, which are tricky to find and trickier to open. Magic can be used for ill, like duping all the slaves in a province to think they are content. In the first installment, Meira is presented as a tough chakrum-master. In this entry, she struggles with trying to act like a proper sovereign. However, readers who hang in there will be treated to an epic showdown as the tough girl returns. This sequel is ambitious and assumes a great deal of background knowledge; even the characters are difficult to keep straight. That being said, hard-core fantasy fans will eat this up and clamor for the conclusion.