The Book?
I haven’t enjoyed a YA fantasy book like this in a very long time. So Let Them Burn by Kamilah Cole tells the story of two sisters, Faron and Elara Vincent. Faron is fighting to save her sister, Elara after she forms a bond with the enemy dragon. But when Elara learns of the shocking secrets whilst at the enemy empire of Langley, she quickly discovers that she might be the one who has to save Faron from a greater evil and a war to come.
Cole writes with such simplicity yet elegance that it’s easy to follow from the narration of both Vincent sisters, their feelings towards themselves and other characters, and the plot overall. The fight scenes with the dragons are truly breath-taking and I wonder if a world without dragons is something that has to come about towards the end.
We have many Asian and African-inspired fantasies so it’s great that So Let Them Burn focused more on the Caribbean. It’s also a breath of fresh air for me as it’s only the second a Jamaican-inspired fantasy I’ve read but the first to write the setting, food and culture so well that it feels like home. I’d love to see more books similar to So Let Them Burn now but based on other islands in the Caribbean too.
For that alone, I’m very excited for the sequel to come out next year.
The Dish?
During the first few chapters of the book, Faron, Elara and her parents share a meal filled with delicious dishes. But I think for celebrations, I can imagine the family having a special spread of food and curry goat would be in the middle of it, seeing as it’s a spicy stable in Jamaican cuisine. For this recipe, I turned to Charla of That Girl Cooks Healthy who has made it in a number of steps. Head to their blog to find out more.
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