Marriott, Zoë. Daughter of the Flames. Candlewick. Feb. 2009. ISBN: 978-0-7636-3749-1. Gr 7–10.
-- School Library Journal, 3/18/2009
This book is about reserving judgment about a person and learning to see beyond the surface. Zira is the lost reia Zahira (same as a princess), but grows up believing that she is a simple follower of God named Zira. Her whole life changes when, at 16, her home gets invaded by the enemy and she and her people are forced to leave. Calling upon the favor she received from a prince, Zira leads her people to a castle for safety. The book was amazing; I wish there was more.While the plot is predictable at times, I still found myself hooked. With loveable characters such as Zira and Sorin, I couldn't help but enjoy the story. I thought it was slow at the beginning, but as things progressed, I was hooked, and had to read until the end.As stated before, I had troubles getting started, but once I kept reading I couldn't stop. I read every moment I got.
I love the author's writing; it hasn't failed to captivate me so far. The cover, with its bright colors and intriguing design, caught my attention immediately. The orange and red of the flames surrounding the girl with a sword are perfect for describing this book.—Megan W., age 16
This review is from a member of the Teens Know "Best" YA Galley Group of the St. Paul Public Library and the Metropolitan State University Library and Learning Center (MN), a part of YALSA's Young Adult Galley/Teen Top Ten Project, which uses 15 public libraries and school library media centers from across the country to provide feedback to publishers of young adult books.
