Nadine Brandes: Fawkes

By Kelly Bridgewater

Thomas Fawkes is turning to stone, and the only cure to the Stone Plague is to join his father’s plot to assassinate the king of England.

Silent wars leave the most carnage. The wars that are never declared but are carried out in dark alleys with masks and hidden knives. Wars where color power alters the natural rhythm of 17th-century London. And when the king calls for peace, no one listens until he finally calls for death.

But what if death finds him first?

Keepers think the Igniters caused the plague. Igniters think the Keepers did it. But all Thomas knows is that the Stone Plague infecting his eye is spreading. And if he doesn’t do something soon, he’ll be a lifeless statue. So when his Keeper father, Guy Fawkes, invites him to join the Gunpowder Plot—claiming it will put an end to the plague—Thomas is in.

The plan: use 36 barrels of gunpowder to blow up the Igniter King.

The problem: Doing so will destroy the family of the girl Thomas loves. But backing out of the plot will send his father and the other plotters to the gallows. To save one, Thomas will lose the other.

No matter Thomas’s choice, one thing is clear: once the decision is made and the color masks have been put on, there’s no turning back.

From Amazon

My Thoughts:

I haven't read anything by Nadine Brandes, even though I have wanted to read her previous series. I just don't own them yet. But when I heard about Fawkes, I LOVED the cover, so I couldn't wait to jump into the story. I'm really glad that I did. Brandes captivated me, and I have already recommended that my sixteen year old read this novel too.

The writing was well-done. I loved how well Brandes dives into the character's personalities and thoughts. I loved being able to see what Thomas and Emma thought and felt. Since London is my dream place to visit, I loved seeing Brandes bring the seventeenth century to life for me. Even though it is a fantasy novel mixed with a historical element, I loved how Brandes mixed the historical with her imagination. It filled the story and made a wonderful story.

The plot kept moving quite well and quickly. There were many moments I kept glued to the story and couldn't wait to see what happened next. Brandes wrote a wonderful story. It is different than everything I have every read, and I loved it. I loved the idea of power color masks that use the elements according to the colors. The idea of the White power fascinated me, and I understood the metaphors, enjoying the story. I anxiously sped through the plot. I really couldn't wait to see how the story would unfold before my eyes.

The romance isn't really there. It is a teenager crush, developed during the trials and troubles claiming their personalities and talents. It isn't overly done, yet I know Brandes wrote this novel to capture they young adult crowd.

Overall, Fawkes by Nadine Brandes is a unique story with a mixture of historical and pure imagination. Brandes' story captured me and kept me spellbound as I flew through the story. I really loved this story and can't wait to tell everyone about it. Pick it up. It is wonderful!

I received a complimentary copy of Fawkes by Nadine Brandes from Thomas Nelson Publishing, but the opinions stated are all my own.

My Rating: 5 out of 5 stars