Firewalker Review: Lily

Book: Firewalker

Author: Josephine Angelini

Series: Worldwalker

Standing: Book 1 (ongoing)

POV: 3rd person by Lily, past tense

Setting: Salem, Massachusetts

Genre: YA fantasy, paranormal

Source: Physical Copy

Publisher: Feiwei & Friends

Pages: 352

Release: September 1st, 2015

Worlds divide, magic slays, and love lies in the second book of Josephine Angelini’s The Worldwalker Trilogy. "You think I’m a monster, but my choices, as ruthless as they seem, are justified." Lily is back in her own universe, and she's ready to start a new life with Rowan by her side. True, she almost died in the Pyre that fueled their escape from New Salem, and must hide her magic for the safety of everyone she cares about, but compared to fighting the Woven, the monstrous creatures inhabiting the alternate Salem, life is looking pretty good. Unfortunately, Lillian, ruthless ruler of the 13 Cities, is not willing to let Lily go that easily. If she can’t persuade Lily to return to her world, she will force her to come back by doing away with the ones she loves. Picking up right where Trial By Fire left off, Firewalker is another sexy, fast-paced, heartbreaking thrill ride from internationally bestselling author Josephine Angelini! (Goodreads)

That. Ending. Absolutely brilliant!

Firewalker picks up literally seconds after Trial by Fire ends. After being brought into a parallel universe in the first book, Lily has managed to return home to her own world, with Rowan in tow. But Lillian, the version of Lily in the other world, isn't ready to let Lily go quite yet. She wants to drag Lily back into her own world again, and will do anything to get her back. But trying to go back to her normal high school life isn't easy when she's been missing for 3 months, now has magic, and can't explain the sudden appearance of Rowan. There's a war to be fought in the other world, one that Lily is already too swept up in to leave it completely...

Lily's character is a lot more developed in this book. There's no initial fear and confusion about what's happening to her in terms of magic; she knows what's going on and what needs to be done. Her decisions do not waver, though her mind is completely different situation. Lily tries to gather everything she can to come to conclusions, including Lillian's own perspective. We see Lily struggling how to live in her own world, a world where her magic is unheard of, where FBI are crawling to find out where she's been for the past 3 months. After going through everything she's been through and knowing the knowledge she does now, Lily has to make a decision on what to do with her life.

"But I'm begging you--have faith in me. Trust I'm doing this for a good reason. For the best reason."

We get a lot of backstory from Lillian in this book, get to understand what caused her to order the execution of every teacher and scientist in her world. As Lillian shows Lily to try to make her understand, Lily becomes torn between her own curiosity and her fear that Lillian is trying to mess with Lily's mind. But as we discover, Lillian has endured a lot, and her reasons are quite sound. So the question becomes this: is Lillian really the bad guy everyone made her out to be in the first book?

"Love is being willing to become the villain so that the one you love can stay a hero."

I particularly liked how the boundaries of good guy and bad guy are blurred here; by damning hundreds, Lillian becomes a bad guy in order to save millions. Lily has to come to terms exactly where she stands in this mess, and whether she's going to be the "good guy" or the "bad guy." The complexity of what makes a person a good guy and what makes a person a bad guy is effectively explored, and I absolutely loved it!

"I'll save as many as I can by killing the rest."

Another thing I really like in this book was Lily's Coven in her own world. In Lillian's world, Lily had Rowan, Caleb, and Tristan as part of her inner Coven. However, upon returning home, she's left without any mechanics expect for Rowan, and she's able to make a new one. There's definitely a benefit to having mechanics from her own world, and we can relate to the absurdness of everything, their initial shock.

This book is separated into two distinct parts: Lily at home, in her own world, dealing with FBI/gaining a new Coven/Lillian trying to force Lily to return, and Lily's return to Lillian's world. The first book was a fantastic build up to Lily's return, and she is able to return even stronger than before. The ending of this book stole my breath away, mainly because there's a battle and all the goodness that comes with battles. Add that there's a huge revelation, and you have me begging for the next book.

This book is uniquely original. If you're looking for a different spin on magic, parallel universes, witches, monsters, and blend of magic and science, definitely pick this book up. The ending will leave you craving for more!

"Here, I can feel good. There, I can do good."