Book Review: Firelight

Firelight by Sophie Jordan is another book I've long anticipated reading. The cover is awesome (there's been a slew of awesome covers lately) and just saying the word "dragons" pulls me in. What can I say? I'm a sucker for fire and scales.

According to  the book's blurb:
Marked as special at an early age, Jacinda knows her every move is watched. But she longs for freedom to make her own choices. When she breaks the most sacred tenet among her kind, she nearly pays with her life. Until a beautiful stranger saves her. A stranger who was sent to hunt those like her. For Jacinda is a draki--a descendant of dragons whose greatest defense is her secret ability to shift into human form.
Forced to flee into the mortal world with her family, Jacinda struggles to adapt to her new surroundings. The only bright light is Will. Gorgeous, elusive Will who stirs her inner draki to life. Although she is irresistibly drawn to him, Jacinda knows Will's dark secret: He and his family are hunters. She should avoid him at all costs. But her inner draki is slowly slipping away--if it dies she will be left as a human forever. She'll do anything to prevent that. Even if it means getting closer to her most dangerous enemy.

Mythical powers and breathtaking romance ignite in this story of a girl who defies all expectations and whose love crosses an ancient divide.

The story flies off the page in the beginning. The imagery is brilliant, the plot interesting. But, unfortunately, it's not a strong bird (or draki, take your pick). Halfway through, things became repetitive. The same inner turmoil is repeated and re-explored page after page. Jacinda's half-hearted vows to "stay away from Will. No, be with him" weren't intriguing enough to keep the story soaring. And Jacinda's indecisiveness drove me crazy. Are teenagers indecisive? Yes. But you can only take so much of it in a book before indecisiveness becomes drudgery.

In the entire story, I don't think Jacinda EVER makes a permanent choice. It's like she's afraid to take the leap. In real life, that's fine. In a story that needs an arc, it's not. In the end, this felt like just the first act (and a long-drawn one at that) to a much more complicated story. And given its cliffhanger ending (seriously, I've never been so miffed at an ending), I'm sure there's more to come.

It was a well-told story, but it stalled out and didn't go anywhere for the longest time. (Yes, the kissing scenes were stimulating, but I'm not that easy.) Which is disappointing, because this story brims with potential. I hope that the second book delivers a more satisfying story, and, for the love of God, Jacinda actually makes a decision--and not let them be made for her.

Recommended: Yes. It is, after all, a pretty intriguing tale and worth the read. I would recommend waiting until the sequel is out, however, so you would have a more complete story (let us hope).
Rating: (out of five stars) 3.95