"Sixteen year old Canny Mochrie has always been a little different.
She's never known her father, she's always had a calculating, mathematical mind, and she's always been able to see something Extra.
When she begrudgingly joins her older stepbrother on a trip to research a strange coal mine disaster that happened thirty years earlier, she wanders into a nearby enchanted valley, occupied almost entirely by children who all have the same last name and who can perform a type of magic that makes things stronger and better than they already are. With the help of the alluring and somewhat threatening Ghislain Zarene, who is held hostage by a powerful, out-of-control spell for his part in that mine accident long ago, Canny starts to untangle the mysteries of the valley - only to find that its secrets are her secrets too".
She's never known her father, she's always had a calculating, mathematical mind, and she's always been able to see something Extra.
When she begrudgingly joins her older stepbrother on a trip to research a strange coal mine disaster that happened thirty years earlier, she wanders into a nearby enchanted valley, occupied almost entirely by children who all have the same last name and who can perform a type of magic that makes things stronger and better than they already are. With the help of the alluring and somewhat threatening Ghislain Zarene, who is held hostage by a powerful, out-of-control spell for his part in that mine accident long ago, Canny starts to untangle the mysteries of the valley - only to find that its secrets are her secrets too".
I've been reading fantasy books since I was young but never one by a New Zealand author, so I jumped at the chance to read and review Elizabeth Knox's new novel, Mortal Fire.
As is to be expected there are certain elements that often make up a fantasy book (fantastical world, dragons, magic, adventure, etc) and after a while it becomes hard to find one that is truly original.
Mortal Fire is just that.
The book is set in 1959, in a parallel universe much like our own. It feels like the real world (as opposed to a fantasy world) and Canny is a teenager of that time - except shes different and she knows it. I love books that have strong main characters and Canny is certainly that. She is beautiful, intelligent, cunning and is the main driving force behind the story, pushing the boundaries at every turn. Hers is a story of friendship, love and self discovery, she knows exactly what she wants and doesn't let anything stand in her way.
While the book may feel slow going to start with, it is extremely easy to read. Elizabeth Knox writes in such a way that you can't help being drawn in and the back stories all help to give you a better understanding of the characters and the world in which they live.
But what makes this book truly unique is the magic system. It feels real and fits perfectly into the world that Elizabeth Knox has created. There is a sense of mystery about it that keeps you wanting more.
A lot of the story is left open to interpretation but all the loose threads come together at the end to provide some answers and the ending is such that there is definitely room for a sequel should Elizabeth Knox choose to write one (which I hope she does).
