Jeweled Fire

Lots of great Girl Power in this novel as four young women work together (mostly) to survive (literally in some cases) court politics, an imperious empress, and potential suitors who are both more and less than meets the eye. Corene starts the book as a stowaway who defensively claims she is unlikable before others can bestow the description on her. By the end she has grown into her strong personality and learned how to use her outspokenness in a way that helps others instead of keeping them at a distance. After many years of feeling lost - a princess who knows she will never inherit the throne - she finds a purpose.

The book's romance plot is understated almost to the point of non-existent. I didn't mind, though - it was much more fun watching Corene make friends and save the day - but readers who are looking for a great love story similar to the ones featured in Shinn's Twelve Houses books will be disappointed.

All in all, Jeweled Fire read more like a YA novel than adult fiction, featuring none of the complexity and ambiguity of Shinn's Samaria series. But the world-building is strong as ever, and her system of five elemental blessings that are tied to five personality types is a unique philosophy/theology.

It seems like I am damning this book with fair praise by finding it lacking compared to Shinn's earlier work. But she is still an interesting and entertaining author (her Shapeshifter books notwithstanding), and I hope there are more books to come in this series.