Book Review: “A Magic Fierce and Bright” by Hemant Nayak

“A Magic Fierce and Bright” by Hemant Nayak (2024)

Genre: Fantasy, Fiction, YA

Page Length: 384 pages (hardcover edition)

Synopsis:

Adya wants nothing more than to be left alone. Content to be loyal to no one but herself in the isolated jungles of South India, she dreams only of finding her lost sister, Priya, and making enough money to take care of their family. It’s too bad that her rare ability to wake electric machines—using the magic that wiped them out five centuries ago—also makes her a coveted political pawn. Everyone seems to believe that her technomancy can help them win the endless war for control over the magic’s supernatural source.

These senseless power struggles mean little to Adya. But when her enemies dangle news of her sister before her, she’s all too quick to leap at the chance to bring Priya home—even if it means teaming up with a rakish, disreputable thief in order to do it. With the threat of invasion looming ever larger on the horizon, Adya must reconcile the kind of person she is with the kind of person she wants to be and untangle the web of intrigue, conspiracy, and deceit that threatens to take all of India down with it.

Review:

Set in South India, A Magic Fierce and Bright provides a highly immersive reading experience from start to finish. This YA Fantasy blew my mind with all of the exciting elements that had me eager to read each next chapter. Plus the concept of technomancy merged with a overall steampunk vibe makes for exciting thrill ride!

Readers follow the main character, Adya, who is struggling to keep a sense of normalcy after her parents death and sister’s disappearance. Though she has a hard time making ends meet, she is incredibly resourceful. Watching her connect so intimately through machinery in order to bring them to life again leaves the reader in awe. She may have a lot to learn, but her determination to grow in her technomancy skills and dedication to finding he sister makes her an admirable character. Watching her overcome each obstacle with the help of her rag-tag “family” is so rewarding. Especially as she wants to beat the odds against societal norms and labels given to her by her enemies.

The world-building is lush not only with vibrant cities and forests, but also rich folklore and creatures that will haunt your nightmares. At times some of the magic system and technicalities of technomancy were a bit confusing, but for the most part I was able to follow the narrative easily. There’s a lot packed into this novel and while not overwhelming, it would be interesting to see this world expanded as a duology. There are so many characters, places and fantasy elements I wanted to explore on a deeper level.

Nayak’s detailed writing allow the reader to put themselves in Adya’s shoes. A Magic Fierce and Bright is action-packed including some battle scenes that left me hanging on the edge of the seat. There is also the inclusion of romance, politics between kingdoms, wars arising, and the overarching theme of greed and the devastation it can cause. The thrills and ever lurking danger along with strong characters make this novel a recommended read!

*Trigger Warnings: Violence, Death

Final Verdict: