#BookReview The Last of the Firedrakes (Avalonia Chronicles #1) by Farah Oomerbhoy

The Last of the Firedrakes by Farah Oomerbhoy first attracted me when I heard about it during a tour. The lovely cover and a blurb that promised detailed fantasy adventure, I knew I had to read it.


This is the debut book by the author and also the first in her Avalonia Chronicles series. The story of a sixteen year old girl, Aurora who lives with her adopted family and is mistreated by them, the story somewhat initially made me remember Harry Potter who was also an orphan and mistreated by the Dursleys. However, in this book, Aurora is kidnapped and dragged through a portal into a magical world, Avalonia which is ruled by an evil queen. Soon the heroine is thrust into a dangerous adventure with unlikely allies where she journeys to not only learn more about herself and her past but also unleash some life altering secrets!

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The first thing that I noticed was the way the book starts which reminded me of the opening in the Harry Potter series. However, soon this book makes it clear that it is a different and unique book and in no way similar to any other fantasy series. Here we get a spunky heroine, magical creatures and a fantasy land ruled by a dangerous queen. The world building is expertly and meticulously done and I could not help but feel impressed by the author’s prowess in drawing a fictional, magical world that soon started looking so real that sometimes I had to stop and remind myself that it was just fiction!


The characterization is again a strong point of this book. The characters are complex people and sketched and developed in a planned and expert way. Initially I didn’t quite like Aurora but then slowly as her character developed, I started understanding her better. Then there is Rafe who just had me loving him right from the start and I would surely love to read more about him.


The story is medium paced and the scenes are described in detail. I was held captive all through the story and then left eager to read the next part.


All in all, The Last of the Firedrakes is a new and very promising young adult fantasy saga that is sure to interest and engage readers. I enjoyed reading the book and recommend it to everyone. 4.5 out of 5 to it. Go read and enjoy this promising start to a new series.