This Golden Flame by Emily Victoria

This Golden Flame

by Emily Victoria

Orphaned and forced to serve her country's ruling group of scribes, Karis wants nothing more than to find her brother, long ago shipped away. But family bonds don't matter to the Scriptorium, whose sole focus is unlocking the magic of an ancient automaton army.

In her search for her brother, Karis does the seemingly impossible--she awakens a hidden automaton. Intelligent, with a conscience of his own, Alix has no idea why he was made. Or why his father--their nation's greatest traitor--once tried to destroy the automatons.

Suddenly, the Scriptorium isn't just trying to control Karis; it's hunting her. Together with Alix, Karis must find her brother...and the secret that's held her country in its power for centuries.

Reviewed by Quirky Cat on

4 of 5 stars

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I received a copy of This Golden Flame in exchange for a fair and honest review.

Emily Victoria's debut novel, This Golden Flame, is making waves and touching hearts. It's one of those books that immediately caught my attention thanks to the description and promises, but then went above and beyond in impressing me.

Karis was orphaned at a young age, and soon after taken in by the Scriptorium. To be clear, they didn't do this out of the kindness of their hearts. They bound her and bade her to work for them, alongside all of the other orphan children they've collected.

While some may find it possible to be content with this life, that is not an option for Karis. It never would have been an option, even if she hadn't been separated from her brother in the process. That is why she's been seeking every avenue for freedom.

“Besides, some risks you have to take.”

This Golden Flame is going on my list of books that you absolutely have to read in 2021. It's every bit as brilliant as the title and cover suggest, with lots of pleasant surprises woven in throughout. The end result is a memorable experience.

One that has a lot of representation along the way. It isn't every day you get to pick up a book with an ace main character, especially not in the world of fantasy. Yet that is exactly what happened here, and it is a delight.

Karis' character is bold and tough, but she also knows what she wants. And more importantly, what she doesn't want. Her honesty is refreshing, and it adds so much to the way she navigates this world and all of its problems. At least, it did for me.

“Even after all these years I'm still not used to it. To the quiet.”

This is a fun read, one that has a distinctly steampunk feel to it, as well as several other surprises up its sleeve. It made it an absolute delight to read, and I for one would give anything to see this as part of a series. Though that's just my greedy little heart talking, I know.

If you're looking for a clever fantasy novel with an ace lead, then please take some time to read This Golden Flame, as it is that and so, so much more.

Check out more reviews over at Quirky Cat's Fat Stacks

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Reading updates

  • Started reading
  • 1 February, 2021: Finished reading
  • 1 February, 2021: Reviewed