Киндлинг

by Traci Chee, Трейси Чи, Гергана Дечева (Translator)

Трейси Чи е американска авторка с японско потекло. Романът ѝ We Are Not Free, описващ живота на тийнейджърите по време на Втората световна война и базиран на нейни интервюта с оцелели от войната в Япония нейни роднини, както и с оцелели американски войници, печели наградата Printz Honor през 2021 г. и е финалист за National Book Awards 2020г. за литература за юноши.

„Киндлинг" е новият и дългоочакван роман на Трейси Чи, чиято премиера беше в края на февруари 2024 г. Едно разтърсващо, интроспективно фентъзи за прекалено млади бойци, търсещи мира, за който някога са се борили, и бъдещето, в което най-накрая са си позволили да повярват.

В романа си Трейси Чи представя сериозни теми, разгръща седем основни образи в завладяваща дълбочина, което постига чрез нестандартни похвати – седем различни гледни точки, всяка от които е разказана от второ лице единствено число.

Genres: Fantasy, Young Adult, Historical Fiction, LGBT, Queer, Young Adult Fantasy, Magic

504 pages, Paperback

First published February 27, 2024

About the author

Traci Chee is a New York Times best-selling author and National Book Award Finalist. An all-around word geek, she loves book arts and art books, poetry and paper crafts, though she also dabbles at bonsai gardening, egg painting, and hosting potluck game nights for family and friends. She studied literature and creative writing at UC Santa Cruz and earned a master of arts degree from San Francisco State University. Traci grew up in a small town with more cows than people, and now feels most at home in the mountains, scaling switchbacks and happening upon hidden highland lakes. She lives in California with her fast-fast dog.

Reviews

[Stevie · Rating 5 out of 5]

This was hurtful. I highly recommend it (only if you have tissues near by)

reread 9/16/25: why did i read this again… do i hate myself??? anyway five stars and my therapy bill for traci

[rina · Rating 2 out of 5]

⌢⌢⌢⌢⌢୭ৎ⌢⌢⌢⌢⌢

( finished. ) 𓆩🍀𓆪 . . . 1 2 / 0 5 / 2 4 ! characters felt passive, and the story failed to deliver the angst and tension i was promised from mind you a "war" book. overall, while the concept held promise, the execution left much to be desired, resulting in a rather stagnant reading experience. I LOATHE DESPISE DETEST 2nd person pov, but to each their own... oh gosh i would not wish upon my greatest enemy, to read sex scenes referred to as "your hand between her legs," "your fingers slide between her folds." although i don't particularly mind, i found that for a young adult book, the sex scenes were oddly graphic ??? please keep young adult a safe space for YOUNG ADULTS ?? the fact that this book had 7 different pov's, yet every single one of them managed to miserably bore me baffles me. like i give u not one, but 7 chances, and u failed each time ?? how do u make 7 different characters and still manage to make each one equally insufferable and insignificant ( 2★ ).

⌢⌢⌢⌢⌢୭ৎ⌢⌢⌢⌢⌢

⌗ ◌ 🍶𓂃 𓈒𓏸 pre-read
﹙started﹚ㅤ𓈒ㅤׂ 0 7 / 0 5 / 2 4 ⊹

[Autum · Rating 4 out of 5]

I'm finally typing my review for this. First of all, thank you to Edelweiss and the publisher for allowing me to read this ARC pre-release. An ARC in exchange for an honest review!

This was not a disappointment. I absolutely loved this story. I want to put some BEAUTIFUL quotes in here, however I don't want to quote anything until the final copy comes out. By the way, the date of publication is going to be February 27, 2024 and you NEEED a copy if you love LGBTQIA fantasy. This book was just fantastic.

Kindling follows a group of seven main teenagers who have been trained since birth to be prestigious warriors. They are renowned for their superiority in battle, and their country has been at war. Now that the war is over, and there is peace, you see the Kindlings in this world fall to pieces when they are able to do the one thing they never thought they would do --be free.

All of the characters have distinct personalities once you adjust to the second person storytelling method, and I found Traci Chee's writing to be enthralling. I don't think I've read anything told in second person before, but this was done really well (once I adjusted and was able to distinguish each character). My favorite thing that this book did was write real, unfiltered panic. The way this author writes PTSD and the despair that these teenagers are feeling after the war was just unflinching and beautiful. The entire book I fr was reading it like:



The beautiful cast consists of Leum, Amity, Ket, Ben, Emara, Kanver, Siddie and Adren.

All of them are lesbiansss slay. I felt like this was so unique. You have these beautiful LGBTQ female warriors and they are each lost distinctly in their own way. Every POV was brought to life with Chee's gorgeous storytelling. One thing I do wish the reader received more of is world-building. I think this novel or anything in the future by Traci Chee would be great in adult with some expansion on the setting and background of the characters. Even though we experienced devastation in here, the stakes were still generally low. I really would love to read a book by her in the setting during the war or even at the start of the war. I can only imagine how amazing it would be with her writing.

Needless to say, this was SO good. Definitely worth the read. I would read anything else by her. Pick this up!

[Мария · Rating 5 out of 5]

Дълго време мислих дали и какво да напиша за тази книга. Всичко ми се струваше недостатъчно.
Книга за деца (войници), разказана от деца (вече мъртви), за някои разказана може би по детски, но в никакъв случай детински.
Знаете ли?! За мен думата "дом" никога не се е свеждала просто до сграда и думата "семейство" никога не се е ограничавало до биологията. За мен дом и семейство са хората, които ме карат да се чувствам уютно, свободно, пълноценно...
В моите очи това беше тази книга. Книга за намирането на смисъла, за намирането на дом и семейство.

"Ето какво е "у дома".
Хората, които обичаш. Хората, за които се бориш.
Ти и твоят отряд. Обикаляте из страната, избирате собствените си каузи, спазвате собствения си кодекс.
Всички сте заедно и никой от вас не е сам."

[Andi · Rating 2 out of 5]

I won this as part of the NYC giveaways they were offering. This and two other books.

So, I love the Seven Samurai and The Magnificent Seven (not the sequel or the ill-fated TV series, or the remake). There is something about watching everyone come together to protect the weak, stand for what they believe in, then ride off / leave while mourning the loss of their fellow men.

In this case, it's all women. Women who get shit done. That is a plus for this book, and I say the reason I give it two stars. But does it really give you anything more?

No. Not really. Unfortunately gives you a half-baked world with a magic system that is hardly developed or touched upon, but comes when it is needed and vanishes when it isn't. Some of the characters are shallow, and some of their plots belong to a bigger story that you feel left out of. Or one that you feel with give more strength to who they are.

I liked the idea, and I liked the angle, but the finished product is one that just didn't hit right for me. I'll stick to my celluloid.

[Zana · Rating 3 out of 5]

Powerful story about children in war, but gets bogged down by too many POVs that start to read too similar to each other (even though I listened to a full cast audiobook). But despite this, I still liked the book.

[KMart Vet · Rating 5 out of 5]

One of the saddest books I've ever read. And it's YA. Review to come once I've stopped sobbing.
---
Full Review:

F*CK. This one hurt. In all the best ways, but still. For anyone who longs for a less intense Poppy War - you should check this one out.

This is an INTENSELY dark and haunting young adult fantasy that delves into the lives of young soldiers who have been forged in the fires of war and left to navigate the hollow remnants of peace. It is set in a world where kindlings—magic-wielding teenage warriors whose magic will burn them up—were once the most powerful weapons of war. Now, in peace, they flounder. The story follows seven of these broken child soldiers as they confront the trauma that still haunts them.

What makes Kindling so powerful is its unflinching portrayal of the psychological scars left by war. These characters have seen and done things that no one should ever have to endure, and now, in the absence of battle, they’re left to grapple with the meaning of their existence. It hurts my heart just writing this review. The use of second-person POV is brilliantly executed, adding a layer of intimacy to the narrative, and making the reader feel like they're just over the shoulders of these characters in their turmoil. And I love the reveal of who is narrating the story.

Despite being a young adult novel, Kindling doesn't shy away from the grim realities of war and its aftermath. It's a story that will stay with you long after you’ve finished it, lingering in your thoughts and pulling at your heartstrings. The last 10% of the book is an emotional gauntlet, and I found myself dreading it, knowing it would be both heartbreaking and inevitable. I STILL find myself thinking about this story and how incredibly sad it is. Often.

This is a story for readers who appreciate dark, introspective fantasy—one that doesn’t sugarcoat the horrors of war but instead explores the deep wounds it leaves behind. It's not for the faint of heart, but for those who can handle the emotional weight, it’s an unforgettable, gut-wrenching experience that exemplifies the best of dark YA fiction.

F*CK. Perfect. Incredible. Heartwrenching. Highly recommend.

[Abigail (abigailsbookself) · Rating 5 out of 5]

PREPARE TO BE SICK OF ME. THIS BOOK DOESNT COME OUT UNTIL MARCH AND IF YOU THINK THATS GONNA STOP ME FROM CRYING/SHOUTING ABOUT IT YOU CAN SIT RIGHT DOWN AND HAVE A SECOND THINK. To be completely Frank - this book Ruined My Life. It was Perfect. Completely perfect. No notes, no crumbs. The second person POV was Perfect. The cast was Perfect (and impeccably distinct? How did I just read a book with SEVEN povs and not only easily identify each person but also anticipate every pov like Christmas?????). The cover was Perfect. I cried like a baby through the last 50 pages and somehow that too was Perfect. I love this book. It’s perfect. Everyone else go home, Traci Chee wrote a perfect book.

[Nicholas Perez · Rating 4 out of 5]

After a terrible war, Leum, a kindling--that is a soldier that uses crystals called balar and their own body's energy to use magic--ventures north to try and leave the land of Amerand. There is nothing left for her. That is, until she runs into one of her former kindlings Amity, who was once a great and fearsome general. Amity had to defend the village of Camas from Adren, a former soldier who abandoned the kindling code and has been using her own forces and kindling abilities to terrorize the village. Reluctant, Leum agrees and she and Amity are joined by five other kindlings: Ben the master dagger-thrower; Siddie the youngest, who is not prepared for the horrors of war; Ket, the suave lesbian who can't seem to settle down; Emara, the Chenyaran who fought on the opposing side during the war; and Kanver, a non-binary alcoholic who was Leum's childhood friend. Together, the seven of them must prepare the villagers for Adren's returning forces and sort out the demons that plague them. But war haunts, long after it's over, and it's scars are eternal.

This was my first read of one of Traci Chee's books, and it was a pleasant surprised. When I read the preview pages on Amazon I immediately got inspired to start writing another book (I say another because I am writing multiple, don't got looking for anything yet). For one, Kindling is a rarity in the field of YA fantasy because it's actually written in the second person. Yes; although we see all seven of the kindlings' POVs, each one of them is in second person. The reason for this is because it is actually the voices and thoughts of the past kindlings who are already dead. The main cast never interacts with them--they aren't ghosts or spirits or anything--but essentially, we are reading the deceased witnessing their friends and comrades who survived. It makes for a poignant read. At times, along the main cast's own reactions and feelings, you can feel the forlornness and wanting the dead kindlings. I know second person isn't always welcomed in the SFF space, especially in YA, but Chee utilized this very well. The prose is still very accessible nor overly ornate. In fact, the pacing is really what aids both the second person and the prose as it is at a reasonable, quick speed.

While this definitely a story of action and some romance between two characters (more on that last part in a bit), it is more so a character study of each kindling. By the book's conclusion, I definitely had a clear picture of who everyone was and their distinct personalities. That being said, there were some times were some of the characters seemed to be indistinguishable if their names weren't at the start of the chapters. Leum stood out the most and could be considered the main character. She's a very jaded girl who still clings to the kindling code even when some of the others had abandoned it. She has a very tough exterior, but does come to the care for her fellow kin, albeit some of them have to earn that care from her for a variety of reason. Emara stood out the most next because of her easy-going personality. She constantly teased the other kindlings very playfully and was full of herself during combat, but nonetheless she had a serious side. She even had nightmares that disturbed her. Kanver's alcoholism was central to their character, they drank to forget the horrors of the war, including the death of their sister. Kanver is the only one of the seven who isn't a girl; male kindlings are mentioned as existing, but they just aren't of the central group. Kanver was haunted by the war and obviously the drink was their escape, until Leum rekindles their friendship. When that happened, Kanver finally had an anchor that didn't destroy them and I was so rooting for them.
After Kanver, Amity is the most recognizable, and was my favorite character. She was an extremely powerful kindling during the war, her magic being the most destructive. She was the leader of the group and certainly had both an appropriate general vibe, but also a bit of a maternal side. Like Leum, she's a hardened veteran doing her best by the kindling code. It was interesting that she and Leum occasionally clashed despite Leum's admiration for her. Amity was trying to do her best for both the kindlings and the village, but she forgets about herself along the way.
Then there's Siddie. Sweet, little Siddie. Although Siddie did see her swordmaster burn out during the war, she never really killed many people. During the course of the book, her naivete is brought to the forefront and her exposure to violence and death breaks her shell. I felt so much for her. She just wanted peace and happiness and believe in the code, Adren's attacks forced her to learn that hard way. Her naivete clashes with Leum who doesn't want her fighting because she knows it'll break her, but Siddie refused. God, I loved this poor girl so much.
And then there's Ket, who, despite, charming many a girl in the past, doesn't tie herself down. That is until she meets Tana from the village. And the love that blossoms between them causes her to reconsider her wandering nature. Does she want to see the world her dead friend wanted her to, or has she finally found something she wants. Ket's arc was good, but it was primarily defined by her relationship with Tana. Out of all the kindlings, her feelings and reflections on the war are less focused on.
And this brings me to the discussion of the romance and an expectation another reviewer gave me. The lesbian romance between Ket and Tana is so passionate and beautiful and even sensuous. It is probably one of the best done lesbian romances I've seen in a YA fantasy. However, and this has nothing to do with Ket or Tana or even Chee's writing, but I was expecting more lesbian romances in the book because another reviewer said that all the kindlings were lesbians.
To my surprise, no. Just Ket (Tana is not a kindling, but clearly lesbian/sapphic). None of the other kindlings show any romantic or sexual interest in anyone else. Emara sort of felt lesbian/sapphic, and I thought something between her and Ben was gonna happen on that end, but it didn't and nothing else was confirmed. Leum felt asexual, to me at least, but nothing happened with the others. I'm not mad that they aren't, not every character needs a romance; it's not the end of the world, but I just wish that my expectations weren't heightened.
Anyway, back to the last kindling: Ben. Ben is a killer through and through, and it's inferred at one point that she might be too good at it, though this wasn't explored much other than being a symptom (for lack of a better word) of her trauma. She isn't vicious or sadistic or feels a splendid rush from killing, but she clearly wants to do it to make sure nothing else happens. She is breaking the code which irks both Leum and Amity. In fact, Ben even considers leaving the group and the village. She was a complex character, but I felt like we needed a little more time with her.

Kindling's main theme is the haunting of war. How it's former soldiers and the civilians who survived it are traumatized by it and how there are others who continue to perpetuate it. Perhaps it's fitting that I read this in March 2024, during which Palestine is still being destroyed. Before writing this review I saw a video of four Palestinian youths in Khan Younis getting a missile dropped on them and it left a hollow feeling in me. I don't think Chee wrote Kindling as a commentary on Palestine, writing and publishing book takes a long time, but it still feels utterly poignant.
The kinglings, especially Leum and Amity, just want all the violence to stop and to uphold their crumbling code. Adren is continuing the violence and terror because she feels it is her write to do so. Without spoiling too much, not everyone makes it out alive, and at the end of it all, when you feel the sadness and the shock of the other characters and are just reeling about how much everyone went through, you sit there and think: "Did it have to be this way?" Some of the characters ask this themselves in their own way, especially Siddie. All the kindlings have scars, but some of them have added more scars to themselves by the end. And the ending of the book is my favorite kind...bittersweet. Yes, some people have survived, but again, why did it have to be this way. The world and the characters feel different. Sure, life goes on and they realize that, especially Leum, but the smiles they don don't feel the same.

Kindling is certainly not Ursula K. Le Guin's The Word for World Is Forest nor is it Gene Wolfe's The Fifth Head of Cerberus: Three Novellas, those are different books by different authors focusing, mostly, on the same subject, but with different themes. However, Kindling is also not simply a "War is Bad!" story. "War is Bad!", an overly obvious statement, is not the message of the book, rather that statement is the ancestral waters that nurtured the seed that grew into the plant or tree that became Kindling. Those waters had long been drank up by the book's roots and it flows into it, but again, it's not the message. Kindling's message, I would say, is that what we love that was broken but not destroyed by war is the most precious to us. We all have something or someone precious and we would fight to the death to protect them. However, war often makes us forget how precious those things or people are, and we don't know how precious they are until another war or another act of violence destroys it.
What is precious between the kindlings is their friendship, their sense of kindred. They do love each other in a familial way. That love was precious, but it was often forgotten and questioned because the previous war and Adren's threat. And at the end, it was realized once more when it was too late.

Right in the heart, this one.

[h · Rating 2 out of 5]

Thank you HarperCollins and NetGalley for the ARC!

I honestly picked this book up because of the cover, at the same time wanted to give a try to read the author's book. ALSO THIS BOOK ABOUT WAR! SO I WONT MISS IT! YET I'm not disappointed regarding the book; I'm just bored during a few chapters and had to stop reading a while. Since the character development is likewise lacking, I don't feel driven to finish this book immediately. BUT I FINISHED IT! however, altogether, worth a try! especially if you enjoy with an Asian-based story.

[milliereadsalot · Rating 3 out of 5]

I think that the author is a great storyteller, and I definitely think that I would like to read more from them - however I’m not sure that 2nd person perspective was the best choice for a book with SEVEN main characters. I found them to be completely indistinguishable from each other, and there would be times when something happened to a character and I didn’t even realise until 20 pages later when we were told in another character’s POV. I did like the concept of the story, being about trying to find peace in the aftermath of war, I just feel like the way the story was told didn’t work for me personally. It’s such a shame because I do truly think that if the story had been told in first or third person, I would’ve enjoyed this so much more, because I think I would’ve actually been able to grasp the characters in my head.

[Quill&Queer]

to reclaim who they once were, they will have to battle their pasts, their trauma, and their grim fates to come together again—or none of them will make it out alive.

this is gonna tear my heart out isn't it

[Христо Блажев · Rating 3 out of 5]

Киндлинг са деца войници в свят, който ги низвергва: https://knigolandia.info/kindling/

В свят, който години наред е бил опустошаван от война, най-сетне има мир, но на висока цена. Победителите са изобретили огнестрелните оръжия и така са получили превес срещу противниците си, след като дотогава и двете страни са използвали едни срещу други деца, наричани Киндлинг, обучавани от петгодишни и въоръжени със скъпи и редки кристали, чрез които канализират магията в себе си и доминират бойното поле срещу обикновените войници. Деца, които заплащат с живота си за всяко използване на магия и които най-често се самоизгарят още преди да навършат пълнолетие. И които сега, когато войната е свършила, са вече поставени извън закона и са отхвърлени като ненужни, защото са твърде опасни – виждали са прекалено много смърт, а в края всички Киндлинг, дори тези от победителите, са се оказали загубили.

Peppermill Books
https://knigolandia.info/kindling/

[Natasha Leighton · Rating 5 out of 5]

4.5 Stars

Hauntingly atmospheric and heartbreaking in its depiction of shared trauma and the psychological effects of war. Traci Chee’s epic, fantasy reimagining of Akira Kurosawa’s Seven Samurai was a powerfully poignant and compelling read that I won’t be forgetting anytime soon.

Firstly, I should probably mention that though it alternates between the POVs of all seven MCs and one antagonist, it is written in the second person. Which does take a bit of time to get used to (and might not be to everyone’s taste), but I personally really enjoyed and felt it gave us (the readers) the chance to fully immerse ourselves in the narrative, and feel a sense of kinship with our protagonists.

Taken from their families at the age of five and forced into a gruelling training schedule that molds them into deadly, magic wielding (child) soldiers is utterly heartbreaking to explore—but their struggles from the abandonment once their abilities are no longer required is even more so.

Delving into themes of loss, trauma, PTSD, identity, self reflection and the effects of colonialism; Chee’s masterful and emotionally wrought prose paints a stark and vivid picture of life after war and the struggles faced by soldiers who no longer have a purpose.

Amity, Leum, Kanver, Emara, Ket, Ben and Siddie were all soo phenomenally complex as characters, with flaws, motivations and backstories that made them feel incredibly real. The nuance and emotion brought a rawness and vulnerability that really resonated with me and will most definitely capture the hearts of a lot of other readers too.

I grieved with these characters, laughed with them and felt every moment of loss, pain and uncertainty alongside them—which made for one of the most moving reading experiences I’ve ever had.

I don’t think my words can truly capture the importance that this story has right now, but I urge everyone who loves tales of endurance, resilience and hope to definitely check it out. Just be sure to check the TWs first.

Also, a huge thank you to Harper360YA and InstaBookTours for the incredible finished copy.

[Sydney ✨ · Rating 5 out of 5]

Rarely do books make such a profound emotional impact on me, but Kindling was one of them, if me sobbing at 3:00 AM after I finished is any indication. From heart-wrenching descriptions of grief to stirring explorations of war and trauma (especially amongst children), this book broke and remade my heart over and over. Everyone seeking a meaningful and ultimately hopeful and cathartic YA fantasy needs to read Kindling.

I was initially hesitant about this book because of its huge multi-POV cast and second-person POV, but Chee fully mastered the technical storytelling aspects. Yes, second-person takes a bit getting used to, but I found every POV distinct and relatable. Furthermore, second-person brought me closer to every character–every time they hurt, I hurt as well. Every emotion (good or bad) was so visceral, but it only made this book land harder. The writing is subtle and evocative without becoming preachy even during heavy moments, and despite the slow plot, every scene felt essential. Chee really captured the contemplative, slow burn essence of her source material. Even more familiar genre elements such as the super powered teen characters were all given an intriguing twist. Additionally, I really enjoyed the thematic meditations on what happens after wars–the haunting, post-apocalyptic atmosphere and lingering sense of loss is something I rarely see explored in the YA space.

Make no mistake, Kindling is a very heavy book for a YA fantasy. Its characters have lost and continue to lose, yet their determination to fight on provides a small but powerful bit of hope for every reader, especially considering the bleak state of current events. Be sure to check the content warnings before reading this book because some scenes may contain triggers, but if you are able to, I encourage you to read it. Considering the increasingly homogenous state of commercial fiction, Kindling is a powerful and important addition to the YA fantasy genre.

5/5 stars
Many thanks to HarperCollins Children’s for the e-ARC! All thoughts and opinions are my own.

[Ivy · Rating 5 out of 5]

Currently face down in a puddle of my own tears 🥲👍🏻

[Yoshka · Rating 5 out of 5]

Обичайно не чета такъв жанр романи, но посегнах към “Киндлинг”, привлечена от анотацията, представянето ѝ от издателството в социалните медии, както и корицата. По време на четенето често си гледах корицата и отгатвах кой герой как е изобразен там.
Много ми допадна начинът на повествование на Трейси Чи - в първо лице, единствено число. Не си спомням дали съм срещала този прийом в други книги. Усетих го като скъсяване на дистанцията между читателя и героя в съответната глава. Това със сигурност допринесе за директното ми навлизане в разказаната история, да следя развоя на събитията като очевидец на място, да се сближа с всеки един от образите.
Няма да разкривам повече от романа, за да оставя на бъдещите читатели да се изненадат приятно страница след страница.
Краят на историята остави в мен надежда за продължение, дано да съм права.

[Стефани Витанова · Rating 4 out of 5]

"Кинглинг" е роман, който ме спечели най-вече с начина си на написване. Подобно на "Крадецът на книги", където в ролята на разказвач влиза не кой да е, а Смъртта и то в образ, който е по-скоро нетипичен (и неприемлив) за нея, то и тук разказвачът на историята може да се класифицира като отделен персонаж, въпреки че не присъства в историята като такъв.

Разказвачът е отсъстващ. Няма го и единствено през отсъстващите му поглед и думи научаваме за нашите главни персонажи. За тяхното минало, за ужаса на настоящето, в което се намират, когато историята започва.

А началото на тази история бележи неумолимо приближаващия край на техните животи. Бъдещето им отсъства. Отнето им е. Така както им е отнето правото на детство, правото да бъдат със семействата си, правото да остареят. Защото са имали нещастието да се родят във време на война.

Кинглинг са деца-войници. Деца, откупени от семействата им едва петгодишни и обучени в изкуството на войната. Деца, които имат "специални сили". Използването им обаче има много висока цена. Години от живота им.

Това са деца, които изгарят. Те няма да доживеят дори до второто си десетилетие. Раждат се, обучават ги, бият се, умират. Само, че за нашите персонажи, войната приключва преди тяхната смърт. И те са принудени да намерят своето място в свят, който не познават.

/Представи си - ти си дете без семейство. Не помниш дома си, нито майка си, защото си взет на твърде ранна възраст, за да ти останат съзнателни спомени. Обучен си да убиваш. Целият ти живот се случва по време на война и знаеш, че ще приключи в рамките на няколко години. Как се вписваш в един "мирен" свят, без оръжия, с бъдеще, което обаче няма да настъпи за теб, защото твоите години са убити/.

И от тук темата за посттравматичния стрес и невъзможността да пребиваваш и да бъдеш част от мирно време. Кошмарите, спомените, алкохолизма, невъзможността за емоционално свързване, отвъд секса, болезненото осъзнаване, че "светът е толкова голям и трябва да се види", но ти нямаш време да го видиш.

Хареса ми това, че Трейси Чи е избягала от парадигмата, че войната се свързва най-често със силния пол. Това обаче както е плюс, така на моменти се превръщаше в минус. Женското присъствие ми дойде в повече.

Като друг минус мога да отбележа и това, че до и малко след средата на книгата, част от персонажите ми се сливаха. Нямаха особени отличителни черти, с които да ги запомня. Ако главите не бяха кръстени с техните имена, нямаше да знам за кого става дума.

На секса също не мисля, че му беше мястото тук или по-скоро - не беше разписан добре. При еротичните сцени има нещо много ключово, когато сюжетът не предполага еротика, а именно - или ги пишеш наистина достоверно или по-добре не ги пиши. Спокойно можеше да бъдат пропуснати.

Това, което не мога да отрека обаче, е фактът, че авторката отлично описва умирането. Така ти бръква в душичката с прецизно подбраните си думи, че ти вади сърчицето, директно през гръдния кош. Спираше ми въздуха на моменти. На последните 100-ина страници си изревах очите. Доста смърт се случи.

Книгата е тежка. Ако темата за войната не ви понася, по-добре не я захващайте.
Но темата за семейството, което сами си създаваме сред непознати, но в същото време - близки по съдба; темата за враговете, които спират да са врагове, когато каузата е обща; приятелството; жертвоготовността; това да отгледаш и пазиш друго дете като теб, за да му спестиш ужаса да бъде "бивш" войник- всички тези неща вярвам, че си заслужават прочита и съпреживяването.

[Maggi Noodles ࣪˖ ཐིཋྀ (semi-hiatus) · Rating 4 out of 5]

4 ★

If I had a nickel for every time I read a Traci Chee fantasy book and thought “wow this is one of the most unique YA fantasy books I’ve read” I’d have two nickels. Which isn’t a lot, but it’s weird it happened twice.


In all seriousness, this is definitely one of the most unique YA fantasy books I’ve read in a while which was quite refreshing. It’s a commentary on the effects of war on child soldiers and what happens to them after the war when their duties are complete.

There’s 7 different viewpoints, and on top of that it’s told in 2nd person (and when I tell you that I am on my knees for anything second person, I mean it). I was worried initially that it would get confusing and I wouldn’t be able to tell any of the characters apart, but I honestly thought it was executed really well. It was kind of like looking at these characters through a camera, not fully being in their mind but still able to understand them and know where they’re coming from.

I think the only downside of using 2nd POV (along with the multiple viewpoints) was that most of the relationships between the main characters develop off screen. I wanted more moments between them rather than being told that they got close to each other.

My only other gripe with it was that I wanted more worldbuilding. The concept behind the magic system was sooo interesting but we also never really learn more about why the war happened, how kindlings came to be about, what balar crystals are, etc.

Anyways, Traci Chee is an underrated queen and this is def gonna be one of my favorites for 2024.

[Ashley Dang · Rating 1 out of 5]

A retelling of Seven Samurais and The Magnificent Seven with magical girls who were child soldiers in a war. The entire story is told in second POV with about 7 different POVS, suffice to say it was a really really hard read. The story itself was hard to get into and follow with the writing style and the second pov made it hard to follow along and remember who's POV was it. If i had known this was a second POV with this many povs, I would not have requested this book at all. The initial premise of the book sounded exactly like a book I would have loved but it was written in a way that completely turned me off from the book. I wanted so badly to like this book but the way it was written made it nearly impossible to find the distinction between one character and the next. The choppy dialogue, the POV being in 2nd person, and overall fashion of the book was just not working together. I think the best way to get into this book would be in audio book with various different voices, otherwise you just get lost in the story.

*Thanks Netgalley and HarperCollins Children's Books, HarperCollins for sending me an arc in exchange for an honest review*

[Emily · Rating 5 out of 5]

Traci Chee can rip my heart out, stomp on it, and put it back together any day.

[Zornitsa Grozdeva · Rating 5 out of 5]

Ако знаеш, че дните ти са преброени, как ще избереш да ги изживееш? Ще гаснеш бавно и тихо в малката си къща в спокойната провинция или ще заблестиш ярко за един последен път?


Вековната война, чието начало вече никой не помни, най-сетне е приключила. Мирът е сключен, оръжията са прибрани, но не всички. Киндлингите, деца, обучени и създадени единствено за целите на въпросната война, са оставени да се скитат безцелно като отломки от стария ред на света. Непознаващи нищо друго, освен бойното поле, без домове, в които да се завърнат, те се лутат без посока из света с ясното съзнание, че са обречени да срещнат смъртта си преди да навършат 18 години, особено най-могъщите сред тях. Докато една случайна среща не им дава нова цел.


“We were trained to believe the code made us different, made us better. Living and killing and dying by it meant we were warriors, not murderers - Heroes, not monsters.”


И сега, след като кодексът вече не е в сила се опитват да открият границата между воини и убийци, между герои и чудовища… и да постъпват правилно.


Историята от “Самурай 7” ми е много любима още от ранното ми детство. Трейси Чи я пресъздава по един прекрасен, изключително емоционален начин. За първи път срещам книга, написана във второ лице единствено число, в началото ми беше странно, но след втора глава започна да ми звучи съвсем естествено.

Много силно препоръчвам да се докоснете до света на тези прекрасни герои.

[aforestofbooks · Rating 3 out of 5]

I don't know how to collect my thoughts for this book. I was on the fence for so much of it, but by the end, it was like a curtain lifted off the stage and everything just fell into place and it fit and made sense and was done so well to the point that I don't think I'll ever forget this story.

I think the most difficult aspect of this book that took forever to get used to was the second-person narrative. It felt a little confusing at first because if I wasn't paying attention, I would forget which character pov I was reading. But eventually, once you meet all the characters, and start to get to know them, each pov has a very distinctive voice. As I read, I started to realize that the narrator was a kindling who had died and was watching over the characters, telling their story, and as I read more, it made more and more sense.

I think the parts I struggled with besides the second-person pov, was how so much of this book reminded me of Gaza. And like I've said with pretty much every book I've read in the last few months, I keep finding these connections and similarities, and sometimes it's hard for me to enjoy the story for what it is. In this book, however, I had some mixed feelings.

The kindlings are children with magical powers who were taken from their families and forced to become child soldiers to fight in the war, at the cost of their own lives. The two nations at war, Vedra and Amerand reminded me a lot of Palestine and Israel. Amerand wins and the Vedran royalty are exiled, and all my brain could think about was a hypothetical future of Israel winning, and Palestine not existing anymore. These kindlings who survived reminded me of IOF child soldiers, and the "trauma and ptsd" they experienced from killing civilians. It was difficult to digest. I don't know if the author was going for this comparison (probably not), but it's where my mind went.

There's a specific scene in this book, where one character remembers attacking their own village and killing civilians, and they come across their sister who has been shot through the chest with a handcannon, and all I could think about was Gaza. Later on, when this character is recounting what they remember doing, another character realizes that term used to describe what had happened as "friendly fire". That whole scene felt way too real.

But what especially made this book difficult was Emara's story.

Emara's nation, Chenyara, is taken over by Vedra, and she's taken by them to become a child soldier to fight Amerand. A lot of Emara's culture and heritage reminded me so much of Palestine, especially the textiles and shawls she was collecting and how each pattern and image told a story. Her need to find her family and learn more about her history and past felt so reminiscent of the Palestinian diaspora. But what really made me uncomfortable, was the hatred Leon had towards her. Emara was the "other", the "enemy", and Leon realizing she was more like the rest of them made her angrier because it made the whole war pointless if they were fighting people who were so similar.

A good chunk of this book, I was grappling with the fact that these child soldiers killed innocent people, but because they won, no one really cared about all those lives lost. Yet we see the trauma and ptsd these kids went through, being forced to do things they didn't want, being used as weapons, to be thrown away once spent. And unlike the zionists and IOF soldiers who relish in murdering Palestinians and espouse all the genocidal, ethnic cleansing rhetoric we've heard over the last few months, the same can't be said about the kids in this book (except for Leon maybe who does go through some character development). It did help me move past this and as things got closer to the end, the pacing picked up and things got so intense I was too engrossed in the story to think of anything else.

I do wish arcs came with maps because the final battle would have made a little more sense knowing where things were and who was where. But this battle was probably one of the most realistic battles I've read in YA. It was violent, bloody, heartbreaking, and painful. But it felt so real. A couple quotes especially brought me back to Gaza that I'll mention here:

"Starvation may not be violent, but it still results in death. And that won't be swift. It'll be slow and painful."

"All I have to do is kill enough of you, and you'll never recover."

"The invention of the handcannon changed everything for us, for the world, for you...Who could win against a bullet."

Like I said, this book is difficult to rate and review. I finished this book feeling somewhat in awe at what Traci Chee had done, but with the backdrop of what's happening in our world, this book felt very real and the comparisons to irl made it slightly confusing for my brain to figure out how I truly feel.

I think it is a book I might revisit in the future.

3.75/5 stars

[Emma · Rating 4 out of 5]

let this book be my personal reminder that pretty looking teen books can and WILL destroy me emotionally

[kate · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.5* This is a tricky one to review because I’m still not 100% set on how I felt about it. On the one hand, it was devastating but on the other, I don’t think the 2nd person narrative quite worked for me. I struggled to differentiate the POV’s from one another, although this very well may be due to listening to the audio? I have to sit on my thoughts on this but it’s one I enjoyed my time with and one I have a feeling I’d appreciate even more on a reread.

[Brandee Taeubel · Rating 4 out of 5]

Check out this review and more on The Quill to Live!

I have read two Traci Chee books that are wildly different in terms of content and tone, and all I want to say is I am officially a big fan of this author. The first book, A Thousand Steps into Night, was a vibrant and fun adventure. But Chee’s newest book, Kindling, contains none of that and is still somehow amazing. I wholeheartedly enjoyed this somber story even though the bad days outweighed the good among our seven leading characters.

The story is inspired by the film Seven Samurai and its American remake, The Magnificent Seven. The plot is similar in that a desperate, small town seeks the aid of trained fighters to help them defeat bandits bent on destroying them. Although I have not seen either film, my (very quick) research does not give me the impression that the Kindling characters are copies of the movie casts, but they do possess elements of the original seven. Chee honored the films that inspired her and altered her characters beautifully to allow the kindlings to take on the same battle but from a new perspective of traumatized children forced into war.

The first thing that will stand out in Kindling is that it’s written in the second person. This was a perfect style choice because it made each character’s thoughts and actions deeply personal. This perspective grounded me in each POV, and it felt like I became the character and their internal monologue was my own self-talk. “Now you wear your sword across your back, for you no longer need it at your side. A less sentimental person would’ve sold it already, but you were always a sap, weren’t you?” When I read passages like that, I could not help but believe I was addressing myself, and I easily slipped into the character’s shoes. It was a profound experience as everyone struggled with their choices, traumas, and doubts. And they spend a lot of time talking to themselves, whether it's to find strength or reminisce on good and bad memories. I cried so much at the climax of the battle hearing their frantic thoughts, fears, and the words shared between comrades. It was an incredibly emotional part of the story thanks to that second-person perspective.

I adored all of the characters and shared in their individual pain and trials. Each one has a different experience in the war and how they’re picking up the pieces now that it’s over. Chee gives everyone space to make mistakes and grow in this group, and the relationships that develop between each person are special. Amity can’t seem to get comfortable in her now peaceful life. As the oldest kindling, she plays the role of a mature general and sets to make preparations for another mission. Leum is a grumpy, rough-around-the-edges type of soldier with an unwavering dedication to her ways and the kindling code. Ket has not stopped moving since the war ended, and she’s left a trail of broken hearts behind. Ben is quiet and introverted, choosing to let her speed and skill with her knives do the talking. Emara, the fun-loving outsider, is a kindling who fought on the other side of the war and has lost her country and culture. Kanver is kind and protective, and they survived the war but seek ways to numb the pain. And lastly, Siddie is a kindling who did not get to complete their training but is desperate to be a part of these warriors and prove herself.

Kindling is a young adult fantasy, but the themes are heavy and intense. The kindlings’ ages range from 14-19, but they don’t act their age because they were forced into war and trained to kill, lead battalions, and win a war. Apart from the ages, this story is full of sorrow and tragedy. Chee painfully details how the kindlings were abandoned after the war, and how seven different children are left to cope. It’s truly heartbreaking. This isn’t an easy book to pick up and breeze through, it’s slow and somber and grounds us in the aftermath of intense violence and loss. The story generates more pain than smiles, but I loved each gut-wrenching moment because it’s truly unique and powerful in its own way.

Kindling is a standout story that gives depth and nuance to young adult fantasy. Traci Chee stole youth from the young and made us confront the complex emotions and fallout of a world failing its children. This book will torch your soul and stay with you forever but don’t be afraid of the heat and go buy this book now.

Rating: Kindling - 8.5/10

I received an ARC of this book in exchange for an unbiased review. The thoughts on this story are my own.

[CrowdController · Rating 3 out of 5]

Sadly in the end not as great as I was hoping it to be given the premise. The many switches in narrators kept me from really 'getting' one of them and a lot of story had already happened and this story was the aftermath. Still enjoyable but not as much as I thought it would.

[Nursebookie · Rating 4 out of 5]

TITLE: KINDLING
AUTHOR: Traci Chee
PUB DATE: 02.27.2024 Now Available

Traci Chee does it again in this adventure fantasy about seven kindlings - these are elite, magic-wielding teenage soldiers - whose abilities have now become a relic of the past. Inspired by the Seven Samurai, the setting of the story is a war-ravaged world, where the use of kindling has been outlawed as war has ended and peace somewhat restored - which leaves these warriors cast aside. When a village comes under attack, the seven young women band together for one last final battle.

This novel by Traci Chee is heartbreaking, emotional, and completely unexpected- it was so good, so BOLD and I am completely BOOKED!!

[Ameema S. · Rating 4 out of 5]

4.5 stars

ferocious and brilliant, this is a great read for fans of The Poppy War trilogy. I’ll be thinking about it for a while.

[monoakina · Rating 2 out of 5]

rip to these mfs they wldve loved the spotify playlist i made about them. umm 2.5 stars i didnt feel like bumping up to a 3 for very petty reasons which will be illustrated below

COVER ART: this has gotta be one of the best cover arts ive ever seen in my life holy shit. literally paid 10 dollars to pre-order it JUST for the coveer art.

PLOT: decently paced.
- did appreciate the way the backstories of each individual character slowly unravelled across the book, kept me hooked on each character
- the pacing and plot is pretty okay for the most part, no non-sequitur aspects or jarring leaps that took me out of the story

WORLDBUILDING: practically non-existent.
- the magic system is completely undeveloped and no explanation is ever provided as to how their magic works or burns them out, no explanation for what a balar crystal is or why everyone has different powers (siddie leum and kanver appear to have fire magic but amity has lightning magic? is it a concentrated energy / pyro related magic system? we'll never know). very frustrating being left in the dark about how it all works, seems to be a plot point the author pulls out just for cool action scenes and to justify this being a military fantasy.
- the geopolitics and the actual war itself is very poorly explained which is a shame, because the war is such an important aspect of the character's lives and leum and emara's relationship specifically. literally did not know who attacked who for like, the entire fucking book. what the hell is an ifrine? this book desperately needed a map of all the involved nations / territories. i also literally had no idea where the hell we were at the beginning of that book.
- very inconsistent and vague worldbuilding on a ground level. i have no idea what the scenery and landscape mostly looks like, not what they're wearing or eating, feels like the author dgaf. there are also some inconsistencies, because why do you call a gun a "handcannon" but a bullet is still a bullet? just weird inconsistencies in terminology and level of technology idk.
- the maps in this book gotta be some of the most useless maps ive ever seen in my life. holy shit i did not know where i was at any point in this book save for the final map that actually illustrates how the village looks like.

CHARACTERS: likeable but underdeveloped.
- kanver is my fucking baby id die for them. i love them so much i wldve eloped with them on the spot and stolen them away from leum and brought them to live with me in a nice little cottage and they can paint and take care of our pets and i will write poems for them and we can live a very peaceful life where they are alive and well :) bless their sweet heart, ket's thoughts about how they shouldve been a painter or a shepherd really got to me, i have a soft spot for soft characters trying to stay strong in tough situations. they can never do anything wrong and i am theeir biggest fan in the whole world. it got so bad i actually got a dopamine hit just from seeing their name on the page and id highlight almost every sentence with their name in it under the colour yellow (for things i appreciated). god i need to get a real fucking hobby.
- let books be fucking long again! bring back 600 page doorstoppers! was gonna write an individual review for each of the seven, but realised there wasn't much to write about. this book is based off the movie The Seven Samurai directed by akira kurosawa, and also follows in the footsteps of having seven main warriors. however, TSS is a 207 minute long movie, and this is the length of an average fantasy standalone in the 2020s. the runtime was way too short to allow each character to be properly fleshed out and endeared to me, and the large cast and varied POV ultimately worked to the detriment of the book, as each POV ultimately did not stand out to me. this is going to sound very mean but half of these mfs didnt even need a POV, the problem being they weren't distinct enough from one another to provide a meaningful contribution to the themes the novel was trying to explore. the characters that are actually unique enough to provide something distinct to the table are leum (the protector with a code) and siddie (the child who loses her innocence). amity and ben both fall under the 'protector with a conflicted heart' category, emara and kanver both fulfill the 'sweet soul who tries to smile through the pain and is endlessly kind to others' category, these characters could very easily have been combined and the number of POVs reduced to ensure that each member of the cast gets more development. a good example of multiple POVs done well is definitely six of crows by leigh bardugo, each character has a very distinct viewpoint and contribution to the plot, there is very little overlap in their roles in the story, and they all matter to the development of the plot, whereas the characters in kindling (ironically or unironically??) all feel ultimately insignificant to the novel in the end because they each have so little individual screentime and distinct characterisation/development. this could very well be the author's intention to highlight and critique the way soldiers are considered expendable in war, but i wouldve greatly preferred a narrative that centered the strong individuality of each character and humanised them BEFORE killing them off tragically. idk maybe im just fucking dumb and misinterpreting everything. media literacy is dead and im killing it.
- also the evolution of the characters' relationships and group dynamic was way too fast, we hardly ever see these characters bond meaningfully or actually truly act and think as a real group who loves each other, so it's weird to suddenly see amity say things like she lovees them halfway through the book when i literally did not see evidence of that prior. the actually believable relationship was leum and kanver because there are multiple instances where they display their loyalty and care to each other. emara and siddie and siddie and leum are also pretty believably developed over time, and leums conflict with emara was pretty interesting. other than that, really did not buy the "i love u guys sm" idea that the author was trying to sell to me because when did we even find out amity loved them without being told so by the author???

PROSE: UHHHHHHHHHH
- mixed feelings on the 2nd person perspective. on one hand, the author ate, dfinitely gave the book a unique and memorable edge, i lowkey had my internal monologue ein 2nd person perspective for a week reading this. highlight and elevate books with unique and experimental writing styles!! on the other hand, ultimately felt that the 2nd person POV did not particularly enhance my experience, which isn't necessarily bad, but would like to see more books use 2nd person POV in a more meaningful way.
- the prose in the first 40% and the overuse of em-dashes is hard to get used to, but ultimately pays off later. cant say it was the most effective way of getting the point across through prose. honestly would've liked to see an alternate draft where that writing style was reserved only for kanver's pov, since they are mostly drunk and hence not fully present, which is perfectly captured and enhanced by the author's prose. would'vee also done well to make each character more distinct from the other through narrative voice, but then again, i could also see the argument that the same narrativee voice is used for all since the "we" is actually from the perspective of the dead child soldiers, and also representative of a whole geeneration instead of an individual. personal preference i suppose, although kanver's chapters hit the hardest because it was just such a perfect marriage of character and narrative style.
- will praise the author for the way in which the prose develops. by around the 60% mark, to reflect how each character's sense of self is stabilising within the home and community of the village, the prose itself evolves, shifting from a more surreal, "not quite here, always transient" effect with the overuse of em-dashes to a more grounded narrative with more conventional uses of periods. pretty thouhgtful idea that i appreciated, and i always like it when authors pay special attention to prose beyond just a "how do i make a tumblr worthy quote" attitude.
- WAY TOO MUCH TELLING. JESUS CHRIST, IM NOT 12. the author will fucking overexplain the effects of trauma on each character like I GET IT IM NOT DUMB. the author will show a character displaying symptoms of avoidance and self-isolation and follow that up with a sentence like "after the war, you couldn't bear to make friends because you feared you'd lose them" LIKE I UNDERSTOOD IT THE FIRST TIMEE CHILL. completely took me out of the story during the first like 40% of it.

THEMES & SYMBOLISM: definitely there
- most symbolism in the book comes in the form of actions that each character takes or represents, most are fine (cant be bothered to refer to my e-copy for examples right now), some are a bit obvious (such as the literal Old Man being a two faced bitch) but it's pretty okay overall.
- do think it's quite meaningful that leum and siddie survived, since siddie obviously represents "the next generation", and having leum as the character that embodies ambition, courage, and honour surviving and moving on is also a pretty good way to round out the themes of the book.

OVERALL ENJOYMENT: wld still recommend for specific readers
- this story has highs and lows. i specifically enjoyed the novel most at the middle where the character interactions were unfolding centerstage and it was in a more feel-good genre. will admit that i did not see that tragic ending coming because i am a fucking dumbass, but as much as i dont mind tragic stories, definitely felt very underwhelmed and dissatisfied with the ending, largely because i wasnt allowed to really soak up the grief and loss (this might be intentional on the author's part, can't say i fuck with it tho) before being made to quickly move along to the ending.

TROPES:
this book isnt built around tropes, which is great, because then i can actually appreciate the organically integrated tropes in the book. don't usually care for tropes but somehow this one has everything i love in a book (most of these are about kanver or leum or emara)
- kind-hearted and genuinely good character that is held back by a trauma, disorder, and/or addiction that is of no fault of their own but is a legitimate persistent flaw of theirs that they have to face the consequences of and take responsibility for, but even through all of the horrors and pain and suffering they still on to their kindness and goodness. directly related to character with ZERO self esteem despite being a far better person than they give themselves credit for. jesper fahey / klaus hargreeves / kanver core
- the two purest characters in the fucked up troupe becoming unlikely friends and having each other's backs
- grumpy grunt main character that takes on all the responsibility of caring for others while complaining about it the entire time
- childhood friends to estranged young adults to what happened to you? reunion but they still love each other very much
- enemies but only one of them thinks the other is an enemy 😭 and they presumably become friends i suppose
- character who goes on a journey to reconnect with their heritage and ancestry

bonus points for the fact that emara keeps calling siddie "piggy" like why is this 18 year old bullying a 14 year old girl like that and getting away with it 😭😭😭 rip emara i wldve loved working a shift with u at my part time job

CONCLUSION: ok thats it im kinda too burned out (haha get it. sorry amity) to continue writing a review, ummm if you want a chill fantasy read with likeable characters then id recommend this, but dont go in with super high or critical expectations LOL. it's good for a casual read and the characters are definitely likeable despite being pretty one-note. dont say kanver is your favourite tho or ill find your fucking location.