TYF Column: What Are We Reading?

With a ton of advance praise and the first book of a new YA fantasy series, A Shadow Bright and Burning is probably one of the most buzzworthy books coming out soon. I hadn’t planned on picking it up, but when I glimpsed that it was set in Victorian London, a part of me yearning for a period piece mixed with epic adventure couldn’t help but dive in.

The world Cluess creates is fascinating. It’s a society divided as an evil threat looms larger. The societal, economic and political intrigue laid out makes for a riveting read, if only the characters were just as interesting. I’m only about half way through. Like most readers, I’m a bit tired of “the chosen one” trope in YA, and this seems to be largely at play in this novel. There is still hope that our main character subverts the stereotype, and I find myself invested enough in the plot at hand to continue on this journey.