Review: Cast in Firelight (Wickery #1) by Dana Swift

Cast in Firelight

(Wickery #1)

by Dana Swift

January 19, 2021

448 pages

Goodreads Summary:

The first book in an epic, heart-pounding fantasy duology about two royal heirs betrothed to be married, but whose loyalties are torn, and a ruthless enemy who threatens their world, perfect for fans of Sabaa Tahir, Hafsah Faizal, and Renée Ahdieh.

Adraa is the royal heir of Belwar, a talented witch on the cusp of taking her royal ceremony test, and a girl who just wants to prove her worth to her people.

Jatin is the royal heir to Naupure, a competitive wizard who's mastered all nine colors of magic, and a boy anxious to return home for the first time since he was a child.

Together, their arranged marriage will unite two of Wickery's most powerful kingdoms. But after years of rivalry from afar, Adraa and Jatin only agree on one thing: their reunion will be anything but sweet.

Only, destiny has other plans and with the criminal underbelly of Belwar suddenly making a move for control, their paths cross...and neither realizes who the other is, adopting separate secret identities instead.

Between dodging deathly spells and keeping their true selves hidden, the pair must learn to put their trust in the other if either is to uncover the real threat. Now Wickery's fate is in the hands of rivals..? Fiancées..? Partners..? Whatever they are, it's complicated and bound for greatness or destruction.

Review

Cast in Firelight was an enjoyable start for a fantasy duology. I liked the story enough to want to keep reading. However, I also felt that the book wasn't much different from other YA stories.

At the center of Cast in Firelight is a political storyline which was somewhat intriguing. The tension between the countries led to a lot of mind games where the motives were fun to guess at. However, there wasn't much of a resolution in this book so I was a bit frustrated at that.

I liked Cast in Firelight but thought it was a rather predictable story. Nothing surprised me. The characters didn't make me want to get to know them. I was more interested in learning about the magic system. That was fun to see in action! I liked that they were identified by colours. So beautiful and easy to visualize.

I hesitate to say I loved the romance between Adraa and Jatin because there were elements I disliked but also parts I thought were meaningful. Without giving too much away, both parties weren't truthful in the beginning. It irked me a lot. Yet, as much as I did not enjoy the deception, their lies led to an undeniable positive relationship- a strong and solid one rooted in trust. Adraa and Jatin were equals and worked well together.

All in all Cast in Firelight was a nice debut novel. Even though the story and characters didn't stand out, I enjoyed the world, its magic system and the questionable but low drama romance. I hope book two will feel more distinct and deliver more twists.

*I received a digital Advance Reading Copy of this book from the publisher in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are my own and not affected in any way. Any quotes included in my review were taken from the eARC I received.