Isabel Ibañez is the author of Woven in Moonlight (Page Street), listed among Time magazine's 100 Best Fantasy Books of All Time. She was born in Boca Raton, Florida, and is the proud daughter of two Bolivian immigrants. Isabel has a profound appreciation for hisotry and traveling and loves hosting family and friends around the dinner table. She currently lives in Asheville, North Carolina, with her husband, their adorable dog, and a serious collection of books. Say hi on social media: @IsabelWriter09. You can find more of my reviews of Isabel's works here.
Eighteen-year-old Zarela Zalvidar is a talented flamenco dancer and daughter of the most famous Dragonador in Hispalia. People come for miles to see him fight in their arena, which will one day be hers. But disaster strikes during one celebratory show, and in the carnage, Zarela's life changes in an instant. With the dragon guild trying to wrest control of her inheritance from her, Zarela has no choice but to train to become a Dragonador. But when the most talented dragon hunter left in the land—the infuriatingly handsome Arturo Díaz de Montserrat—withholds his help, Zarela cannot take no for an answer. Without him, her world will burn.
I am super stubborn, so I related with Zarela immediately, and then was so gratified with how Ibañez shaped her character. It is so nice (understatement) to have a fantasy heroine who is afraid—who doesn't want to fight, who doesn't know how to use any type of sword, but has a passion for the arts, for dancing. I love the idea of having a girl who is scared but has to overcome that fear to save her family and to save her family's legacy. Zarela's stubbornness and determination, in tandem with her passion for dancing and desire to not fight, make for a really refreshing YA character for me, and I'm so glad Ibañez brought her to life.
What struck me about this world is its sights and sounds, as well as its tastes and noises—really, Ibañez does a great job immersing readers into Zarela's world, and utilizing all of the senses to draw us into her story. I have to agree with some other reviewers—I do wish more efforts would have been taken to truly build this fantasy world, at a foundational level. For example, having a map at the front, or including more comprehensive descriptions about how this world works, how its evolved, etc. There were some moments I wished for more world building. However, on the flip side, I really did feel immersed in this world, and like I knew it because of how much trust I felt in Zarela's depiction of it. It's a world I can see the author returning to should she please, but also a world that I feel like is self-contained enough for our imaginations.
I have to concede one point to other reviewers—the villain of the story was one that I predicted from the second time we saw them on the page. However, I don't believe that takes anything away from the novel's charm. In fact, I found great satisfaction in how everything aligned together, almost like how it feels when a puzzle is put together. I was satisfied with the plot twists, because they made sense, and I was gratified with the reveal, because I loved the moment of watching it all slot together. Maybe it's also because I am okay with not thinking too deeply or too far ahead when reading a book where a mystery is involved, but I truly enjoyed the deliberate ducks around the mystery and the development of the romance. Truly, I would describe the plot as satisfyingly paced and the story as fulfilling.
I've read Woven in Moonlight and Written in Starlight and I fell in love with Ibañez's writing—and she takes it to the next level with Together We Burn. I don't read a lot of YA fantasy anymore, but the ones that I have read recently don't have the same feel as Ibañez's, because hers read like absolutely every single word was chosen deliberately, decided upon with great care. It makes for a much richer reading experience, as the words pull you in, make you relate to Zarela, and help a reader fall deeply into Zarela's world and story. Ibañez's greatest power in her storytelling is her deliberate use of words.
I hope Ibañez keeps writing, as I definitely will keep reading—whether she returns to Zarela's world or not, Together We Burn has guaranteed that I will always buy and read Ibañez's works! Say hi to Isabel on social media: @IsabelWriter09. You can find more of my reviews of Isabel's works here.
*This review can also be found on my Goodreads page*
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