Review: Trial by Fire by Josephine Angelini

Release Date: September 2, 2014

Publisher: Feiwel & Friends
Pages: 384
Source: ARC for Review

ISBN-10: 125005088X

Rating: 4 Hearts

Book Description

"This world is trying to kill Lily Proctor. Her life-threatening allergies keep her from enjoying experiences that others in her hometown of Salem take for granted, which is why she is determined to enjoy her first high school party with her best friend and longtime crush, Tristan. But after a humiliating incident in front of half her graduating class, Lily wishes she could just disappear.

Suddenly, Lily is in a different Salem—one overrun with horrifying creatures and ruled by powerful women called Crucibles. Strongest and cruelest of them all is Lillian . . . Lily's other self in this alternate universe.

What makes Lily weak at home is what makes her extraordinary in New Salem. In this confusing world, Lily is torn between responsibilities she can't hope to shoulder alone and a love she never expected."

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Review

Short and Sweet:

Trial by Fire is a delightfully different world to spend time in. Magic wars against science in this time-bending tale full of infinite worlds and possibilities.

To Elaborate...

While the story starts off a bit meekly, it soon becomes clear that the first few chapters are a contrast point for the main character, Lily Proctor, as she moves forward. In her own world, Lily is practically allergic to air. She lives an extremely limited life, barely staying alive with EpiPens and minimal exposure to... well... pretty much everything. She lives with her mother who is fairly obsessed with many things that haven't actually happened and multiple versions of everyone around them. Everyone knows how crazy Lily's mom is. Even her dad has abandoned them.

After a particularly bad night out that ends with her best friend/love interest, Tristan, betraying her and nearly dying, she's feeling defeated and hopeless. So when she starts hearing voices, specifically her own voice, calling her away, she agrees, unwittingly, to leave her universe. Lily wakes up in a parallel Salem so unlike her own that she assumes she must be in a coma dream state. Lily is almost immediately mistaken for a powerful witch named Lillian. In fact, Lillian is another version of Lily and has brought her to this strange version of Salem for some unknown purpose. The incredible part is that in this world, Lily is not gasping for air. Somehow she is stronger. Still she's incredibly freaked out and runs out into the city to escape her evil alter ego.

It isn't long before Lily runs into Rowan, who coincidentally hates her the moment he lays eyes on her since he believes that she is Lillian. Since her story of how she is actually not Lillian isn't exactly plausible it takes her a bit to convince him not to murder her. And then she meets the parallel version of Tristan, who seems different than the one in her own universe. 

Boy problems aside, Lily finds out that the reason she has lived a tortured, allergic-to-everything existence in her own Salem is that she is actually a Crucible. Crucibles rule powerfully over New Salem, and evil Lillian is the ruler of them all. As Lily slowly discovers what she's capable of and begins to understand this perplexing new world, she also must decide whether she'll return to her own world, weak and dying, or embrace this strong, magical version of herself and fight. 

Overall, Trial by Fire begins quietly, but quickly heats up into a fiery, magical story that is stunningly creative at every turn!

4 Hearts!

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