Trial by Fire by Josephine Angelini
Published September 2nd 2014
This world is trying to kill Lily Proctor. Her life-threatening allergies keep her from enjoying experiences that others in her hometown of Salem take for granted, which is why she is determined to enjoy her first high school party with her best friend and longtime crush, Tristan. But after a humiliating incident in front of half her graduating class, Lily wishes she could just disappear.
Suddenly, Lily is in a different Salem—one overrun with horrifying creatures and ruled by powerful women called Crucibles. Strongest and cruelest of them all is Lillian . . . Lily’s other self in this alternate universe.
What makes Lily weak at home is what makes her extraordinary in New Salem. In this confusing world, Lily is torn between responsibilities she can’t hope to shoulder alone and a love she never expected.
I don’t know what I was expecting from this book but I was left a little underwhelmed. That might because I went in to this book knowing nothing, confident that I was going to be reading fantasy, but the first 40 pages were contemporary. I was confused and weirded out. I think it would have worked out better if I knew from that start that this book had alternate universe plot.
I didn’t like the characters at all in the beginning. Lily was willing to risk her life (I’m not even kidding) just so she could go to a party with a boy. A boy who was her friend for years but molested her in her sleep one night(but Lily was totally okay with that). Within 20 pages Lily wised up and told the boy to leave, which was great, but her change of heart was very sudden and out of place. Everything happened really fast and was so rushed.
I liked the plot though. I thought it was really cool and different. Not always well executed but it had it good points.
Overall, Trial by Fire was pretty good. It had highs and lows but it was pretty good. It’s not the best fantasy book that I’ve read but towards the end, I did really start it enjoy it.
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