FLOWER OF LIGHT by Allison Wade – REVIEW

“At the dawn of the tenth spring, what was shattered will return whole.”

POSSIBLE SPOILERS AHEAD: YOU HAVE BEEN WARNED

INTRODUCTION

The Flower of Light is an epic adventure fantasy that follows the various perspectives of newly awakened Wardens as they all must come together to face a grave threat. The story begins strong with the mysterious beginnings of Kyra as she is fleeing alongside a man named Rahul, who with very few options is forced to entrust the young girl into the care of a water spirit Fae named Yaf. The story then jumps ten years later when Kyra, now eighteen, fully awakens her power and goes on a coming-of-age journey where she not only learns the truth of the tragedy from her past but she must also stand prepared for the threats that lie in wait. She also can’t do it alone and meets a wide range of characters from all walks of life who are each a key piece in saving the world of light. 

PLOT 4/5

The plot is definitely epic in scale and for some might be a bit overwhelming but if you’re used to the likes of Malazan or other epic books with sword and sorcery, mystery and a wide array of characters that it’s a surprise there is no dramatis personae. Then you will enjoy this. Where a lot of books might try and subvert your expectations I like how the story rewards you for piecing things together. Not everything is straight told to you and a lot of it is conveyed incredibly well through dialogue and foreshadowing. Especially towards the end when things all fit into place. The story explores various themes and concepts too in some pretty unique ways. As each Warden embodies their title to some degree, Yuri is driven by a strong sense of duty to those around them, Kris Wasa contends with his own faith and purpose, and Itam Larsen hates the responsibility thrust upon him that robbed him of the chance to be with the one he loved. Even the powers of the Wardens are employed in ways that mirror their associated title. Itam Larsen’s initial introduction and his use of shadows as the Warden of Hate might immediately suggest he has ill intentions but in reality, he’s just the opposite if a little worn down from all it took from him. Aska, his successor had endured a great loss and it makes sense that she being introverted and cautious of others would naturally be drawn to the shadow. Kyra also being the warden of love has fiery intensity with every decision she makes. That being said there is a lot to digest and a lot of perspectives to contend with which adds to the overwhelming aspect of things. It can sometimes be easy to lose track of where you are or whether something is past or present. Overall though that’s a really minor gripe and the story is solid all the way through.

CHARACTER 5/5

The characters really carry the story and despite their being so many, often all together. Their personalities are unique and distinguishable even among the supporting cast such as Inka and Kara. Who are twins and are often mistaken for one another and have many comedic interactions with other characters. It’s also fun seeing each character reflect their Warden title and grow into it. Despite being out of his depth, Jonathan Silverhart rises to the Warden of Life title that fittingly belonged to Kyra’s late father. In many ways positioning him to be her guardian of sorts. That being said, as memorable as all the characters are. There were so many to keep track of that it almost caught me by surprise. Originally I had believed that we only really see Kris, Kyra, and John’s point of view but no, the book incorporates a lot of perspectives and that does sometimes mean retreading prior information. Though it does lampshade this later on. I should also say that for those who like their slow burn romances they will like this story. Where a lot of romance in fantasy lately quite over the top and rushed. Flower of Light takes it time to build relationships. It doesn’t force any unnecessary love triangles although there is a complicated relationship with Itam but it’s handled in a way you would expect.

WORLD BUILDING 4/5

There is a very detailed world and various cultures hidden within this book and the descriptions for each location are clearly well thought out, though it does take a bit of a backseat due to the plot. A lot of the story is going from one temple to another so we only learn a little here or there. We know there’s a war happening but because of the focus on the Wardens, it feels a bit like an afterthought. Which is fine since it feels like a potential setup for future stories down the line. Especially since there are plenty of places on the map yet to be explored. Overall a solid foundation with a very unique approach to magic in regards to the idea of light versus darkness.  This has some fun implications for those who need to be saved by Johnathan’s ability to heal since it expels not just physical ailments but magical ones too.  

FINAL THOUGHTS 4/5

A very strong first book with enough of a cliffhanger ending to keep a reader’s interest for future stories. The book boasts an impressive number of characters that many experienced authors would struggle to make unique, but the author does so with each one. Making no one two characters seem alike. Though the lizard’s emphasising the ‘sss’ brought back traumatic memories of the Fallout: Frontier mod. And the less we say about that the better. 

The book can be found here.