Dickens moves to a fantasy world

Tell the Wind and Fire
By Sarah Rees Brennan
Age Range: 12 and up
Grade Level: 7 and up
Lexile Measure: 850

Hardcover: 368 pages

Publisher: Clarion Books (April 5, 2016)
ISBN-10: 054431817X
ISBN-13: 978-0544318175

 

Publisher’s Blurb:In a city divided between opulent luxury in the Light and fierce privations in the Dark, a determined young woman survives by guarding her secrets. 

 Lucie Manette was born in the Dark half of the city, but careful manipulations won her a home in the Light, celebrity status, and a rich, loving boyfriend. Now she just wants to keep her head down, but her boyfriend has a dark secret of his own—one involving an apparent stranger who is destitute and despised. Lucie alone knows the young men’s deadly connection, and even as the knowledge leads her to make a grave mistake, she can trust no one with the truth.

 Blood and secrets alike spill out when revolution erupts. With both halves of the city burning, and mercy nowhere to be found, can Lucie save either boy—or herself?

 Celebrated author Sarah Rees Brennan weaves a magical tale of romance and revolution, love and loss.

 My Thoughts:Based on Dickens’ A Tale of Two Cities, this book takes the basic ideas of revolution and identity into their own world. As the original source did, the ending of this book did bring me to tears. Can I help it if selfless sacrifice makes me cry?

 As with any book that is based on a familiar work, the broad strokes of the plot were familiar—I knew how the book would end, just not how it would get there.

 One thing that I liked about this book is that Ethan and Lucie were not a case of “insta-love.” While we are restricted to Lucie’s point of view, we see that she actually resisted falling in love with Ethan, and that she has reasons for loving him. Another good point is that they have both kept secrets from each other and both have to learn, repeatedly, to trust one another.

 Lucie has the delusion so many protagonists have, that she is the only one who can solve things, and this leads her into trouble—multiple times.

 One off-putting feature is how many times in the narration Lucie says, basically, “If only I had known.” It’s a little heavy-handed on the “things aren’t going to go well” foreshadowing.

 The book is appropriate to the suggested age range, and you don’t have to be familiar with Dickens’ work to enjoy it.

 Possible Objectionable Material:

Lucie and Ethan are sexually active; although it is not said or shown outright, it is pretty obvious. Violence. Magic. Betrayal.

 Who Might Like This Book:

Those who like fantasy, magic, relationships, the original book.

 Thank you, NetGalley, for the ARC.