I tried to hate The Last of the Firedrakes by Farah Oomerbhoy. I really did. I saw a horrible book cover of a girl in a blue dress looking away in the distance, and read the most simplistic, cheesy summary that was a mix between Cinderella and The Hunger Games with a hint of The Chronicles of Narnia and thought this is going to suck. I was so set in that mindset that I was unprepared and drowned. I was sucked into the current of the novel, pushed any which way it brought me, and soon I couldn’t read without being overpowered by the words. The first novel in the Avalonia Chronicles and Farah Oomerbhoy’s debut novel, published on Aug. 15, is a great, hard to put down read that will surprise audiences.

We are introduced to a 16 year old, Aurora Darlington. I automatically had a soft spot for her because she was adopted 15 years ago by her adoptive parents, who mistreated her, and was bullied at school. Oomerbhoy wastes no time and gets us to where she wants us to go. Instead of info dumping readers in the first couple of chapters she leaves readers curious enough to read on. We soon find out that Aurora’s uncle had sold her to Lord Oblek.

Lord Oblek takes her through a tapestry to the magical world of Avalonia where elves, pegasi and various mystical creatures reside. We find out that she is the sole heir of Illiador, and her entire immediate family was viciously murdered by her half aunt Morgana.

We are led through a delicately spun tale where the legend of King Arthur is presented in a fresh way leaving readers anticipating the next book. Farah Oomerbhoy elegantly presents an entire world with simplistic details that are easy to follow and allow readers to live in the story rather than read it, similar to the Harry Potter series. Her characters were not overdone, annoying or underdeveloped which did not distract readers from the intricate webs of conflict that are spun throughout the novel.

This book is perfect for those who loved the book The Chronicles of Narnia: The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe, the Legend of King Arthur, and fantasy lovers in general. For more information on the author and series check her website out.

by ONA IGBINEDION