Book Review: The Last of The Firedrakes: Farah Oomerbhoy

The Last of The Firedrakes by Farah Oomerbhoy envelops the reader right away. It lights the fire of curiosity in the eyes of the beholder of a girl who is unique and powerful. In her veins flows a mysterious blood which makes her different from all others.

Aurora Darlington is a 16-year-old orphan. She is ill-treated by her espoused family and persecuted at school. So she dreams of running away and get free. However precipitously her old life doesn't seem so depraved. She is abducted and heaved through a entry into Avalonia. It is an enchanted realm, reigned by potent mages and a harsh, egoistic empress. She will do anything to control all seven kingdoms including slaying anyone who stands in her way.

Through the support of a young fae, a mystic pegasus, and a striking Mage, Aurora journeys across Avalonia. She absorbs the reality of her bygone and releases the power within herself. She bumps in an intricate mesh of radical conspiracy and primeval magic. It leads Aurora to disentangle a dreadful furtive that will change her life forever.

Describing the plot briefly would be useless, sophisticated and simplistic as you cannot sum up the wonder woven by the author. Here imagination has created a story as beautiful as disarming, and as bizarre as romantic. Although the voice of Aurora tells us all that what encompasses this novel, she is not the only protagonist. The story begins way back and tells divine, magical and unusual misfortunes of her past.

Not an angel or a demon, Aurora is nothing more than a teenage girl who wants to be normal inside out as is normal. Her only special gift is her conviction. Despite some elements of this fabulous and strange book are markedly paranormal, the whole story reeks a humanity so strong and overwhelming so as to move the reader.

The author invites you into the magical land of Avalonia. Here the magic of fantasy blends to create a story in which reality and imagination lose their boundaries. The genius of this novel is in the mix all the basic principles that we are used and give it new life. Bubbly, funny, engaging, innovative, the story captures you from the first page and sucks you in. The author describes in detail the places and characters, immersed in an adventure story. She subverts the rules and speaks personally with the protagonists, as consummate actors, based on the tone.

The key characters of the story are clearly identified from the outset, with a narrative structure not at all obvious. The symbolic value of each individual is very obvious and in some cases, we slip into satire, albeit desired. It is one of those unique books of its kind, causing dismay and love, with tears in our eyes and a smile that will not go away.

It is one of those books that looks scary because it is heavy. But also is too full of beauty and dense so as not to be suffocating. Here love is not only good, but it is also powerful. It is silly to the point of wanting to sacrifice everything where the pain is the protagonist and the suffering is so marked as to be disarming. To make it easy, it is an unforgettable novel.

It is not a complex book and not over the top and neither really a paranormal romance nor the classic young adult story. It is more of a charming family saga that chronicles the heartbreak of the protagonist. It artfully mixes love, fear, and magic realism. The book recommended to anyone looking for a charming and extraordinary fantasy story.

The beautiful words used by the author to describe the lives of each character are bewitching. There are many beautiful breathtaking twists and turns that warms the blood in the veins. There are full of figures of speech, metaphors, and poetry, lyrical and lashing to capacity when needed. A similar talent cannot remain indifferent as the delightful play with words, the terms used and the magic in the little things.

The novel goes beyond the extraordinary world of Aurora. It’s a book about life, passion, the real magic, the desire, and disappointment. It is the desire to be different and subvert the plans of fate. It is on the need to fight for the love we think we deserve and the stubbornness of not wanting to see those that could make us happy. It is a book about unspoken words, on the hope that never dies and the flowers that are born on the concrete.

It's not an easy story, devoid of drama and full of light. Instead, as often happens in the novels belonging to the genre of magical realism, the story holds the desire, passion, devotion, and pure love. It is said that nothing is more dangerous than a heart of conviction. It's as if this book had wanted to raise this concept to the ninth degree.

In short, this is not a book to read with a light heart. It's certainly a novel that lightens the heart because there is something strangely beautiful.



Publisher: Wise Ink Creative Publishing ○ Published: August 2015 ○ ISBN-13: 978-1940014708 ○ Language: English ○ Binding: Paperback ○ Pages: 488
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