Divided Fire takes place in a land where two big countries are at war. In this world, select people have the power to control the elements with their Voice, and these people are called Singers. In order to get an advantage in the war, both countries use cruel methods to enlist Singers into the army. Because of this, two sisters, Miren and Kesia, in the relatively isolated village of Crescent Bay must keep the secret that Kesia is a Fire Singer. When Kesia accidentally reveals her powers in an effort to save a fellow villager, she is captured, and Miren must voyage across the land in order to get her sister back. Kesia must also escape the deadly situations she finds herself in, as both start their journeys to get back to each other.
I thought that the many dangerous situations that both characters found themselves in were engaging and made me want to continue reading. The use of the magic powers in the book were creative and provided interesting ways for the characters to get out of problems cleverly. Additionally, the book was fun to read, and I enjoyed the dialogue, even that which was not meant to progress the story. However, the characters were, in my eyes, one-dimensional, and none of them portrayed growth throughout the story. I found it hard to maintain interest in any of the characters, aside from Kesia and Miren.
The lengths that both of the main characters would go through in order to get back to each other showed the incredible stakes of their missions. The dual perspectives that the book has adds to the suspense, and I became invested in both character’s struggles as the plot progressed. The format of the story added to the strength of the dichotomy that was presented.
Reviewed by Shreyas, Twin Hickory Library
HCPL TeenScene's Read + Review 