NOVEMBER 2018 - AudioFile
In this young adult novel, narrator Emily Woo Zeller builds on the suspense of the chase. Filled with anticolonialist sentiment, an unnamed country suggestive of Indonesia is invaded by a foreign army. When the invaders ban the old ways, the traditions and practices go underground. These include the special magic used by Jetta, who tells this story in the first part of a new trilogy. She and her family are shadow players, whose puppets seem alive because of the magical power Jetta possesses. But the native theater art is now forbidden. Soon Jetta comes to the attention of the army’s general. Zeller has a broad cast of characters, and she is proficient with both female and male voices. In addition, she is called upon to sing a number of songs, which she does masterfully. J.E.M. Winner of AudioFile Earphones Award © AudioFile 2018, Portland, Maine
Publishers Weekly
07/23/2018
A lush land reminiscent of South Asia is the setting for a thrilling trilogy opener by Heilig (The Girl from Everywhere). Sixteen-year-old Jetta, part of a family troupe of shadow performers, can bind departed souls to intricate shadow puppets with her blood, but such magic has been forbidden by the Aquitans ever since they conquered Chakrana. Her family seeks an audience with the king of Aquitan, hoping to gain access to its healing spring waters for Jetta’s “ups and downs,” and to find a place to weave their magic. Following a rebellion, daunting trials—such as the unforgiving jungle and a haunted underground passage—stand between Jetta and Aquitan. Jetta has her parents and her magic on her side, but there are those that would do anything to harness her power, and the specter of war looms. Telegrams, letters, and play scenes sprinkled throughout create a strong sense of place, and Jetta’s struggle to accept herself is relatable. Heilig uses intricate prose to animate nuanced characters and action-packed scenes in this immersive, epic fantasy. Ages 13–up. Agent: Molly Ker Hawn, the Bent Agency. (Sept.)
From the Publisher
An ambitious, big-souled wonder of a book, For a Muse of Fire cements Heilig as one of YA’s great creators of fascinating fantasy worlds. She spins a tale of rebellion and refugees, beauty and vulnerability, art and ugliness. It’s complicated and soaring, full of magic and pain.” — Melissa Albert, New York Times-bestselling author of The Hazel Wood
“Intensely original, creatively complex—Heilig’s fantastical world is a place like nothing I’ve seen before, and one I am desperate to revisit immediately! I was captivated by Jetta from the start, and I was left stunned and bereft by the end, cursing Heilig for leaving me wanting more. Do not miss this emotionally beautiful fantasy about a complex girl you can’t help but come to love.” — Ellen Oh, author of Prophecy
“For a Muse of Fire is full of magic and danger, heartbreak and love. The book’s playfulness of form deepens the story’s truth, and the characters are complex and compelling. I loved it.” — Kat Howard, author of An Unkindness of Magicians
“Masterful and daring, Heilig deftly takes this story from a modest family stage to the grand theater of war and rebellion.” — Natalie C. Parker, author of Seafire and Beware the Wild
“This start to a new trilogy is fast-paced and gripping while also offering readers a thoughtful commentary on the long-lasting ramifications of war and colonization. ...This must-have story with an inclusive cast, high stakes, and an intense cliff-hanger will leave readers clamoring for the next installment.” — School Library Journal (starred review)
“Heilig skillfully mixes francophone-inflected language and South Asian aesthetics...with in-world folk songs, legends, and sections that read like a stage play to present a truly eclectic fantasy narrative of uncanny theatrics.” — Bulletin of the Center for Children’s Books (starred review)
“A treacherous, darkly fantastical world...This series starter is action-packed…theatrical elements, rich world building, and loose ties to the French colonization of Southeast Asia add fascinating depth.” — ALA Booklist
“A lush land reminiscent of South Asia is the setting for a thrilling trilogy opener by Heilig. ...Telegrams, letters, and play scenes sprinkled throughout create a strong sense of place, and Jetta’s struggle to accept herself is relatable. Heilig uses intricate prose to animate nuanced characters and action-packed scenes in this immersive, epic fantasy.” — Publishers Weekly
“Following on the heels of Heilig’s delightful debut series, For a Muse of Fire has big shoes to fill. It succeeds in full, while aiming for even greater heights in characterization, worldbuilding, and narrative. It turns a painful and honest gaze on complex issues. Be prepared to stay up late with this one.” — NPR.org
“Evocative and refreshingly unique. ...A nuanced, heartrending story that will leave you shattered and begging for more. ... For a Muse of Fire is the anti-colonial, mental illness #ownvoices, POC-centered, female-led, young adult epic fantasy you never knew you wanted.” — Tor.com
Ellen Oh
Intensely original, creatively complex—Heilig’s fantastical world is a place like nothing I’ve seen before, and one I am desperate to revisit immediately! I was captivated by Jetta from the start, and I was left stunned and bereft by the end, cursing Heilig for leaving me wanting more. Do not miss this emotionally beautiful fantasy about a complex girl you can’t help but come to love.
NPR.org
Following on the heels of Heilig’s delightful debut series, For a Muse of Fire has big shoes to fill. It succeeds in full, while aiming for even greater heights in characterization, worldbuilding, and narrative. It turns a painful and honest gaze on complex issues. Be prepared to stay up late with this one.
Melissa Albert
An ambitious, big-souled wonder of a book, For a Muse of Fire cements Heilig as one of YA’s great creators of fascinating fantasy worlds. She spins a tale of rebellion and refugees, beauty and vulnerability, art and ugliness. It’s complicated and soaring, full of magic and pain.
Natalie C. Parker
Masterful and daring, Heilig deftly takes this story from a modest family stage to the grand theater of war and rebellion.
Tor.com
Evocative and refreshingly unique. ...A nuanced, heartrending story that will leave you shattered and begging for more. ... For a Muse of Fire is the anti-colonial, mental illness #ownvoices, POC-centered, female-led, young adult epic fantasy you never knew you wanted.
ALA Booklist
A treacherous, darkly fantastical world...This series starter is action-packed…theatrical elements, rich world building, and loose ties to the French colonization of Southeast Asia add fascinating depth.
Bulletin of the Center for Children’s Books (starred review)
Heilig skillfully mixes francophone-inflected language and South Asian aesthetics...with in-world folk songs, legends, and sections that read like a stage play to present a truly eclectic fantasy narrative of uncanny theatrics.
Kat Howard
For a Muse of Fire is full of magic and danger, heartbreak and love. The book’s playfulness of form deepens the story’s truth, and the characters are complex and compelling. I loved it.
Bulletin of the Center for Children's Books (starred review)
Heilig skillfully mixes francophone-inflected language and South Asian aesthetics...with in-world folk songs, legends, and sections that read like a stage play to present a truly eclectic fantasy narrative of uncanny theatrics.
School Library Journal
★ 07/01/2018
Gr 9 Up—With luck and determination, Jetta hopes that she and her parents can parlay their fame as shadow players in Chakrana into passage to Aquitan to perform for the Mad Emperor. Jetta's puppets move without string or stick. Instead, she uses her blood to bind recently deceased souls into her puppets—one of the old ways that is now forbidden. There are rumors that the emperor values nothing so much as shadow plays, and Jetta believes that garnering his favor could also give her access to the spring that has cured his madness—something Jetta desperately wants for her own "malheur." An author's note explains that Jetta has bipolar disorder—a mental illness she shares with author Heilig. This start to a new trilogy is fast-paced and gripping while also offering readers a thoughtful commentary on the long-lasting ramifications of war and colonization. Chakrana and Aquitan are inspired by Asian cultures as well as French colonialism, which comes through in cultural touchstones such as food, dress, and language. Jetta's first-person narration is broken up with various ephemera including telegraph transcripts, fliers, songs, and play scenes featuring other characters. This technique works well to flesh out the novel. VERDICT This must-have story with an inclusive cast, high stakes, and an intense cliff-hanger will leave readers clamoring for the next installment.—Emma Carbone, Brooklyn Public Library
NOVEMBER 2018 - AudioFile
In this young adult novel, narrator Emily Woo Zeller builds on the suspense of the chase. Filled with anticolonialist sentiment, an unnamed country suggestive of Indonesia is invaded by a foreign army. When the invaders ban the old ways, the traditions and practices go underground. These include the special magic used by Jetta, who tells this story in the first part of a new trilogy. She and her family are shadow players, whose puppets seem alive because of the magical power Jetta possesses. But the native theater art is now forbidden. Soon Jetta comes to the attention of the army’s general. Zeller has a broad cast of characters, and she is proficient with both female and male voices. In addition, she is called upon to sing a number of songs, which she does masterfully. J.E.M. Winner of AudioFile Earphones Award © AudioFile 2018, Portland, Maine
Kirkus Reviews
2018-05-15
Sixteen-year-old shadow puppeteer Jetta Chantray performs with her family's traveling troupe, the Ros Nai. The dark-skinned, dark-haired Chakrans have been colonized by the pale, blond Aquitans who prize their sugar and sapphires, and their shadow theater too. But Jetta has a secret—instead of sticks and strings, she binds souls with blood magic and tucks them inside her puppets. Jetta is desperate to impress the Aquitan general and win passage to Aquitan, where she hopes to find a cure for her mental illness. When the Ros Nai collides with Chakran guerrillas, Jetta and her family are plunged into the chaos of the rebellion. Thus begins an action-packed journey that takes readers from a sultry cabaret to a subterranean tunnel, tropical jungle, putrid midden, shining city, and stone prison. Jetta discovers the dark side of her gift, long-held family secrets, and truths about the horrors and lies of war. There's a somewhat thin romance with a mixed-race smuggler, and the plot occasionally gets tangled in the weeds of imagery. But readers will be rewarded with vividly drawn settings reminiscent of Hawaii and Southeast Asia, exciting action scenes, and a complex protagonist who contends not only with her malheur, but also ambition, anger, and family loyalty. Ephemera, including telegrams, letters, and scenes from plays, enhance the story.A brooding fantasy with a diverse cast, rarely-seen setting, and compelling heroine who struggles with bipolar disorder. (author's note) (Fantasy. 14-18)
