2/5 stars

It boggles my mind how a book that supposedly has everything I love in books ended up being the book that I didn't love.

Historical fiction? - check!
Beautiful cover? - check!
Magic woven into history? - check!
YA book that doesn't have any unnecessary and annoying sex scenes? - check!
The execution of all of those things together? - ehhh...

I honestly don't know what, or even how that happened? The premise seemed so promising. The cover obviously caught my cover-whore loving eye. But from the very first pages I was very uninterested, and to be honest, pretty bored.
For starters the story drops us into the historical setting of Guy Fawkes' son and into the era in which Guy Fawkes was famous for something. Who is Guy Fawkes? What did he actually do? I have absolutely no idea - my point is that if the reader is not already familiar with history of that era - will be just as lost as I was. And probably uninterested, because if guy Fawkes had any significance, I didn't know it, thus I really didn't care for his character.

Hi son, Thomas, and our main character was the most bland, whiny and illogical character ever. Emma is honestly the only character that had any potential. The plot wasn't holding my attention at all, but the biggest mess of this book was "the magic system".

​Is I tried to explain "the magic" - I couldn't. Because it wasn't explained in the book. The ideas, the premises were so good, so much potential! But in the end it was just too much, or too little? Too undefined, too underdeveloped - just messy.

My disappointment in this book is quite sad - when I got approved for my request for it I literally squealed with glee because I was so excited for it. But, alas.

Big thanks to NetGalley and THOMAS- Nelson Fiction for my e-ARC for a review. All of the opinions are mine, honest and come from the heart.

Reimaginings are always my jam. But Fawkes is a reimagining of one of my favorite people Guy Fawkes. V for Vendetta is one of my favorite films of all time so I was beyond excited to read Fawkes. Having the son of Guy Fawkes be the narrator was really something I enjoyed. Something I did not expect was the magic system and how well that worked for the story. It was an ingenious way to include magic in an actual historical time period. A great secondary cast, and great plot I was into this book from the beginning. I truly enjoyed Fawkes and can't wait to recommend it come July 10th!!! Thank you for the opportunity to review it!

Fawkes is the second book I've read by Nadine Brandes and it was great! I found the characters interesting and the plot was unique. Even though it is historical fiction, there were elements of fantasy -- which I really enjoyed.

I liked the romance part of the book, but it wasn't what made the story for me. The masks and the color powers were crazy/unique and that was what made the book memorable for me. I was surprised by some of the things that happened in the book and the ending was very well done.

All in all, I found this to be a wonderful read and recommend Fawkes.

*I received a complimentary eBook copy of this book for my honest review. As always, all thoughts and opinions expressed are my own.*

Fawkes is on one hand a coming of age story, where Thomas has to face the harsh world we call reality and find his own way, his own beliefs, his real identity despite the odds or what others want him to be. On the other hand this is the retelling of the Gunpowder Plot – which took place in the early 17th century and its goal was to blow up the Parliament with King James – spiced with some fantasy. Hence, if you know Guy Fawkes’ story, then you know how this book will end. If you don’t, then I don’t advise making research on it before reading Fawkes, unless you want to spoil the ending for yourself. Besides, you don’t need that kind of knowledge to understand what’s going on, since we see everything through Thomas’ eyes practically from the start. Besides once I learned about the real historical events that took place, I couldn’t think of Keepers and Igniters anything else but catholics and protestants. Which makes White Light a metaphor for God. Thus religion gives a whole another level to the depth of the book, even though it is never mentioned directly. But let’s go from the start.

Thomas attends St. Peter’s Color School and is about to receive his mask and color power – to bond with a color, he needs to get a mask from his dad. For Thomas it’s not just simply a rite of passage into adulthood, but also a life or death kind of situation. He has the Stone Plague (Keepers and Igniters blame each other for the disease which endangers England and takes more and more victim), which while it had been dormant for two years now, can spread anytime and kill him really slowly. He already lost his left eye to it, and his only hope is to bond with Grey so he could command the plague to recede. His hopes however are shattered, when Guy Fawkes, the famous warrior and well-known Keeper fails to show up thus condemning Thomas, who gets thrown out of school. The young men is not so intimidated however, and he sets out to London in search of his father and his rightful legacy – a mask. Upon the first night he arrives to the city – a bit too conveniently – he manages to find his father he never really knew and finds himself in the midst of a scheme later known as the Gunpowder Plot. Catesby, Wintour, Percy, Fawkes and a few later added plotter are faithful Keepers, who believe Igniters are the ones to blame for the plague, and that they are chased and executioned one by one. They believe Igniters are all power-hungry because of their involvement with the White Light. Keepers kept the White Light hidden for centuries fearing its power and its influence over people, while Igniters think everyone should get free access to White Light and master to command as many colors as they want. White Light, however has its own mind and is not entirely happy with how things are.

Thomas, wanting to earn his father’s approval, joins to the plot and tries to make himself useful. When he stumbles upon one of his old schoolmates, Emma, who is being attacked by two men also gets an opportunity to secure a job. He becomes caddy to Baron Monteagle, and escort of Emma. During their time together, Thomas slowly learns that Igniters and Keepers aren’t all that different, and that he and Emma has so much more in common than he thought. He also starts to question his beliefs, his motives, his comrade’s motives and morals.

“My culture had affected my thinking without my consent. How many other things had it shaped without my knowing it? It made me want to examine things – to seek the heart of matters. Of skin color, of Keepers, of Igniters, of White Light, of all my assumptions.
How many of us acted and spoke out and fought for beliefs that we held because our environment told us to? As much as I wanted to blame my England, I knew the blame sat with me. I hadn’t trained myself to discern. To examine. To seek the source.”

As his friendship with Emma strengthens, his personality matures and from rash young boy he becomes a sobered young man by the end of the book. His character has a nice arc and as the plot moves forward, as hardships are being thrown at him, he learns to overcome them all, no matter how dire the situation seems to be. I like how the relationship between Thomas and Emma builds – they slowly learn to trust, to accept, to compliment each other until they become a force to reckon with. And once again I find myself liking a female side character much more than the male protagonist – or any other male characters for that matter. Emma is intelligent, kind, has a strong willpower and a refuses to accept her fate or the place society would shun on her. If they knew her secret.

Fawkes has many layers and under the obvious surface of the plot there is a depth worth exploring. This book deals with questions of religion, society, acceptance, loss, what it means to give your life for your beliefs and that every coin has two sides. War and hate aren’t always the solution to solve the problem, and sometimes one person, one decision can change the course of events.

Despite all the depths and topics covered, it also has faults. The magic system is not explained much, and we never learn exactly why masks are needed to bond with a color. Okay, knowing the relation between Guy Fawkes and masks, this choice seems pretty obvious, but Brandes could have come up with some kind of explanation. She put a lot of thought into her characters and at least with Emma (and I don’t mean me liking her the most) she could surprise me, but the ending was pretty predictable. Especially if you know how that plot ended.

Fawkes blends real historical events from 17th century England with fictitious characters and fantasy elements. The world building is seamless, London almost leaps off the pages. Nadine Brandes did her homework right and thoroughly researched the era and the events. The result is an intriguing, page turning story where you can’t help but go through a wide range of emotions together with the characters. Mentally slapping Thomas on the head or hugging him close or cheer him on. And adoring Emma for her courage and glowing personality, wishing you could see the world through her eyes. Fawkes is the perfect choice for everyone no matter how old or young, who like their historical fiction magical and thoughtful, which is a bit heavier on the character building side.

3.5 stars

The first thing that gripped me was the title: ever since I saw V for Vendetta years ago, I was super interested in Guy Fawkes and his story. Seeing his name immediatly made me interested! The extra story with the magic made me very curious.

I enjoyed the story in general, I loved the magic and the "magical" plague. The fact that all of the real plotters names were used (except for Thomas), and the fact that real historical figures were used made me very happy. Another thing I really liked was White Light's voice: it made me think of the sword in Brandon Sanderson's Warbreaker (and that's a good thing).

There were however a couple of things that bothered me, and that made me knock down 1.5 stars.

1. Thomas repeated about a million times that he couldn't do certain things because he was part of the plot. I understood that this was to show how hard it was for him, but (for me in any case) it got a bit annoying: we know that you can't do this because you are part of the plot, please stop repeating it evere two sentences. (view spoiler)

2. I liked Emma, and she was really badass most of the time, HOWEVER there was a point in the book where she threatens to tell the baron that Thomas forced himself on her (which he didn't, he never touched her like that in any way), and it really pissed me off. If she was that badass, she would have never done that!!!!

3. Not long after point 2, Thomas is describing Emma, telling that she covers herself up and that makes her way more elegant and a step above all the women showing cleavage and skin. The reason she covers herself up (not going to spoil why she does) has NOTHING to do with being decent or not??

In the end I enjoyed this book, and would recommend!!

Set in an alternative 17th Century London where mask-wearers perform colour magic, Fawkes is the story of Thomas, the son of the infamous Guy Fawkes, and his involvement in the gunpowder plot. Thomas is desperate for recognition from his father and a mask of his own and joins the plot with the expectation that it will end the dreadful stone plague. Instead of religion, the country is divided by attitudes towards the use of White Light in colour magic; the ‘Keepers’ and the ‘Igniters’. Thomas comes from a family of Keepers.

I found the pace of the story a little slow in the middle, but it built to a well-executed climax after plenty of intrigue and betrayal. I found the colour magic used in the story a little difficult to understand at first but think that it’s a really interesting concept.

The story is an interesting blend of history and magic and deeply explores themes of family, loyalty and personal morality. Thomas starts as a frustrated, naïve boy and develops through the story into a strong, thoughtful young man. He shares a close connection to his friend Emma, who I found to be a wonderfully-created character. There is a cast of interesting characters of deep convictions and I liked the way the opposing sides of magic practice were portrayed, highlighting the tragedy that occurs when people cling to unquestioned beliefs.

Fawkes caught my attention on Netgalley mostly because of the plot and I was happy when I got approved. I started it and ended it with good spirit and intentions. It was a fast read and went by no problems. But... no.

Everything seems promising, with magic system, historical fact that blended strictly with the plot but the result was something else.

If I look at Fawkes with a general read I could say "not so bad". It kept entertained, I appreciated the end and I was mildly interested, I liked the idea of magic (reasons why it got two stars) but at the same time it left me with so many mixed feelings.

First, let me start with how the plot went. Yes, I wrote that in a way or another I followed the story but a big sense of flatness never left the pages. Everything went on and on and on and I was waiting so much for the big finale, which in the end was anti climatic. And for many reasons. Fawkes is inspired by real historical facts and through Thomas, the main character, it leads to a conspiration.

Many people are part of it but those men get little characterization and so does the villain. Some interesting details get dropped there and there. Thomas' father has a past to tell, and so does Percy (one of the conspiracy members) and so the villain, but we barely get a glimpse of their own story.

Not, Thomas...  The point is, as much as I always try to find a link with characters, I didn't create one with him. I've a long list of characters that didn't impress me in the past but in the end I grow fond of them, loving them in their book-contest, finding a way to feel for them. And maybe I kinda did it for Thomas but in the end if it would have been him or someone to take is place, I wouldn't mind

I appreciated the father-son relationship even I still feel like I'm missing a big piece. Maybe that's the only thing that made me stay a bit by Thomas' side. It was almost annoying seeing how his father reacted to him and how actually Thomas life didn't seem to come as a first priority. Thomas' anger was more than legit.

Another thing that as much as I liked and didn't convinced me in the end, was the magical system. First of all, the magic, or the power (or the science? No one really dwell too much on the definitions), has what seems the base of a system. But where actually the power come from? What is White Light for real? Because it looks like an entity and since is one of the main reasons why Thomas' world is descending into bloodbath and chaos...

Still, while I can get all about the mask and relation colors have with things and such, I felt like big pieces were missing. Two more pages about it were not a thing I would ever complain for.

The novel also tackle the topic of racism in England during that era but it gave some not nice feels. I'm still torn to say if the topic was well handled or not, like keeping important parts of a character hidden for basically the biggest half of the novel. Also I didn't like the comparison made between Thomas' plague and racism.

In the end, I would have loved much more to see the book written from Emma's perspective. The Igniter girl  has a lot to tell, with personal struggle about the society she lives in, but also about her own person. She's not some idealistic angel, because she's clearly on the Iginiter sides and act accordingly, but she has dreams on her own and a great lover of art. Her character had much more interesting aspects than Thomas.

To conclude, Fawkes may have some good premise but including the many things I liked but didn't convinced me fully and a flat plot, it was a book which let it read itself but really didn't leave any particular impression.

Thomas Fawkes is turning to stone. Without his eyesight he wont be able to bond with any color, especially his choice of gray. What will happen in this dark fantasy story!!

4.5 stars. I was initially going to only give it a four, but oh my the emotional pay off at the end. So yeah.

An alternate history of the Gunpowder Plot of 1605 in a magical Britain, Fawkes follows Thomas Fawkes, the (maybe imaginary) son of Guy Fawkes and his desperate attempt to gain his colour mask from a distant father. Fortunately, you don't need to know any history to follow this story! I only had a sketchy idea of Guy Fawkes Night based on Enid Blyton stories and V for Vendetta... but after finishing Fawkes (and before starting this review) I went to google Guy Fawkes to find that almost everything in the story is accurate. Well, except for Thomas (though rumours say Guy had a son), the magical Stone Plague, Emma and colour magic.

Kicked out of school, Thomas sets off to London in search of his father, the only one who can give him the mask that will enable him to use colour magic and ensure a place in society. Fawkes is a coming-of-age story, with Thomas learning to search for the truth and stand for his beliefs--though it will ultimately either set him against the estranged Keeper father he so desperately yearns for approval from or against the Igniter girl he has come to love. Whichever side he takes, there is no going back in this war.

The story is gripping and the stakes are high, though there are some draggy-ish bits here and there. It's everything you could want from a Historical Fantasy, probably (I don't read enough of these to really say). Brandes describes the difference between Igniters and Keepers by paring down the differences between Protestants and Catholics into something simple to understand: direct access to God (or in this case White Light). It felt really blatantly obvious to me at first, which led to some impatience--and the primary reason it's a personal 4-star--until I realised that this is something the general reading (i.e. non-Christian) public wouldn't pick up on (or would they? I dunno).

Fawkes ultimate provides a balanced view of the reasons behind a religious war in an exciting novel. No one group is right or wrong--each has their legitimate worries and issues--but everything is muddied by personal agendas, politics, and disinformation. The novel manages to get its point across without being preachy and without pushing one group's view above another, showing both group's strengths and weaknesses as Thomas grapples with the issue in a personal capacity. Because that's what faith is about, isn't it? A personal conviction that made in spite of opposition?

I loved seeing Thomas grow and change throughout Fawkes--and that his greatest wish was finally fulfilled. :)

Note: I received a digital copy of this book from NetGalley. I was given the book with no expectation of a positive review and the review is my own.

I received a complimentary copy of this book from Thomas Nelson through NetGalley. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own. I approached this book with some excitement. It combined 2 of my greatest loves fantasy and history and it did not disappoint! It is set in the rich history of the Stuart era an with the central arc set around the gunpowder plot. Thomas was a believable character who we saw grow into his own and see past prejudices. As for the use of magic in the storyline, I loved how it was well thought out and as we grew with Thomas we came to a greater understanding of how it worked. Overall the book is well written and intelligent - well worth a read!

Fawkes is one of those books that surprised me. I went into it believing that this was going to be a Young Adult Fantasy novels, which is the reason why I picked it up! I have been on a Fantasy kick lately. This book was so much more than that.

This is technically a Historical Fiction novel with a fantastical twist. It was a wonderful rendition of 1600s England. An outcast of people who live by the pure way of magic called the Keepers versus the Igniters a group of people who talk to the White Light, the original color who created all other color powers. There is a war between them with the Keepers being exiled, killed, tortured, and worse.

This story is based on true events with fantastical characteristics. I loved the characters. The elements of magic were really intricate and fun. I loved the idea of having a mask that helps with their magic.

Our main character is Thomas Fawkes. He is a teenager who is readying himself for his last year in school where he will get his mask from his famous father Guy Fawkes and he will finally be able to cure himself from the Stone Plague that has swept through the country since the Igniters have taken the White Light.

Thomas' father fails to show up to the ceremony where he is supposed to be getting his mask. Thomas is bound and determined to find his father and demand his mask. He finds himself in London and scary place for Keepers and Plague. He is drawn into a plot, trying to find his feelings for his father, whether or not he is a Keeper or an Igniter.

This was a fun, magical, and well written book about finding yourself, accepting others for their differences, and learning a little bit about history. I highly recommend.

I received a complimentary copy of this book from Thomas Nelson through NetGalley, Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.

<i>I received an ARC of this book from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.</i>

DNF 30%

I was so excited about receiving an ARC of this book from Netgalley (which I would still like to thank for the opportunity), but unfortunately for me it was a huge disappointment.

This story could have been so great, I mean, 18th century London, Guypowder plot, magic.
However, I could not connect at all with any of the characters.
Thomas himself I found really unbearable, always going back to the fact that he still hasn't received his mask.
The narration is really slow and up to the point I read to nothing really happens.
Also, there is no real attempt to explain how the colour-magic works in this alternative reality.

Wow, this book deserves an award! Nadine Brandes does an amazing job weaving fantasy and history in her new young adult book, Fawkes! It can be enjoyed by guys, girls, and young adult and adult readers alike. You need this book now!

Fawkes has so many amazing elements and layers to it! Ms. Brandes did such an incredible job with this book that I could gush about it forever! I love the concept of the whole story with the magical elements, the historical setting and the faith allegories. I think lovers of Harry Potter and Narnia would really enjoy this book, as many parts of Fawkes are reminiscent of these classics.

Ms. Brandes describes 17th century London so well and very realistically. I loved learning more about the gunpowder plot and the battles that were going on between Catholics and Protestants (also known as Keepers and Igniters in this story). There are great action sequences that will keep your adrenaline pumping into the wee hours of the morning.

The characters are well developed and are sure to become reader favorites. Thomas, the main character, finds himself caught up in a plot full of intrigue and mystery. Thomas is looking for confidence, purpose and identity. Emma, the other main character, is a great role model. I love the interactions Thomas and Emma have with the White Light. Emma and Thomas both learn that the plague or one’s skin color doesn’t define who one is. The story has so many layers to it—religious dissension and persecution, feuds between Catholics and Protestants, religious freedom, race, and Light versus darkness.

There are so many great messages in this incredible read! Fawkes shows how culture affects so much of a person’s life and beliefs. We need to have discernment, seek the source and come to our own conclusions. We need to fight for truth and stand firm in our beliefs. A lot of people do things in the name of God, but He doesn’t ask for murder, etc. Instead, He asks for us to respond to His voice. The plague in Fawkes seems to be reminiscent of sin in our lives and how the Bible talks about us having a heart of stone and that only Christ can ultimately heal our sin and hearts. My husband is already begging to read this book and I want to give it to my nephew as well. I highly recommend Fawkes!

Content: I would give this book a PG-13 rating for some of the graphic descriptions and violence. Some examples of the content are: students drink wine; people drinking in an inn; the word “hell” is used; some graphic descriptions of people who were hung on the gallows or executed; a girl threatens to tell her guardian that a man forced himself upon her; talk of castrating a man; mention of cleavage; a man is drunk; a man and woman slap each other; reference to a concubine and whorehouses.

Rating: I give this book 5 stars!

Genre: Christian fiction; Historical; Fantasy; Young Adult

I want to thank Nadine Brandes, NetGalley and Thomas Nelson for the complimentary copy of this book for review. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions I express in this review are my own. This is in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s CFR 16, Part 255. I received a complimentary copy of this book from Thomas Nelson through NetGalley. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.

Fawkes is a historical fiction fantasy book that is based on the infamous Gunpowder Plot. The main character, Thomas, the son of Guy Fawkes, is living in an alternate history world where people are divided into factions by colors portrayed through masks. We begin with Thomas taking the next step in his young adult life where he identifies with a color. His father, Guy Fawkes, per tradition, is supposed to make and provide the mask for his son. When the mask fails to make an appearance, Thomas travels to London to find his father. Once he makes his way to London, he finds his father and gets caught up in the events on the Gunpowder Plot. He also falls in love with a girl on the wrong end of the color spectrum and is eventually forced to choose between his father and the girl he loves. Really creative storytelling pulling in well known events and characters from history. The world building was well layered with the historical aspects and the fantasy aspects of the story. The color aspects of the story add a nice magical element. Thomas is a very complicated character for a young adult, having to make very difficult choices throughout the story. The author captured his internal struggles very well. I really liked Emma and found myself pulling for her the entire time. I highly recommend this book.

I received a copy of this for a fair and honest review. I saw the title of this book and I know the legend that it is based on. I did not want to compare them but it is hard to do. I am a lover of history and this retelling made think about the Gunpowder Plot. I felt all of what Thomas went through and what happened after going maskless. The romance plot bring depth to the story that is already intense.

I've heard about Nadine Brandes' books all over the internet, and follow her amazing Instagram, but hadn't actually read any of her books, until now! (Her Out of Time series is also on my TBR . . . I just haven't read it yet!)

Fawkes is about the Gunpowder Plot of 1605, but it's not historical fiction! It is, instead, a historical fantasy almost-allegorical retelling of the event, and it's a lot of fun!

Initially, getting into the world is a little difficult and the entire beginning/middle of the book is a bit slow. The world is set up very well (which is needed, because of the alternate universe type setting that it's in), but sometimes it felt a little bit too much.

Part of this was probably also because of Thomas, the protagonist. He was very difficult to like, and for a lot of the book, seemed increDIbly dense. I'm also not sure how I feel about Guy Fawkes himself, or, for that matter, his group of friends. (And yes, I understand that was intentional, but I didn't quite realize that right when they were introduced).

However! I really like how the social situations of the historical time period was set up in the fantasy realm. The White Light was SO snarky and sassy and I loved it (even though it doesn't . . . really fit what it's supposed to stand for? but I loved it still!!!). And like lots of other people have said, I like how the two sides--the Igniters and the Keepers--weren't ALL right or wrong.

ALSO CAN WE JUST TALK ABOUT EMMA. I LOVEDDDDDDD her!!! She was amazing, but if I say any more, it'll all be spoilt. So I'll shut up about it. BUT EMMA.

The magic was also super cool! Although it could probably have been defined better, I really liked how the concept of it worked, and it really fit into the time period well too. Also: the StoNe PlaGue??!?!?! It sounds so real and horrifying and yipes.

My Rating-
7/10

Things Liked-
No right or wrong side
The White Light
EMMA
The magic system
Historical portrayal in the fantasy world
The allegorical side of things
Cool time period to write about: I've not read Gunpowder Plot fiction before!

Things Disliked-
A bit long and slow in the beginning
Thomas himself?
Feels a little incoherent sometimes?

Thank you to Netgalley for providing me with a complimentary ecopy of this book in exchange for my honest review; I was not required to write a positive review.

✨SPOILER-FREE REVIEW OF FAWKES BY @nadinebrandes ✨
📚
I was super excited that I got the chance to receive an ARC of Fawkes which is being released on 10th of July and I wasn’t disappointed by the book!
❤️
Fawkes is a fantasy retelling of the 5th November gunpowder plot where Guy Fawkes and others planned to blow up parliament and King James back in the 1600s. The book is told from the POV of Guy Fawkes’ son, Thomas. The book is actually really accurate to the real event, except for one minor thing...magic 😂 Everyone in the book can bond to a certain colour and control things of that colour (blue can control water, green can control plants etc). I’d never read a retelling of a real historical event with a magic/fantasy twist like this before so this was totally unique to me and I really enjoyed it!
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️/5
I’ve only given Fawkes 4/5 stars because I found the beginning of the book a bit confusing as it throws you into the whole fantasy/colour power thing without a lot of explanation. But once I got further into the book I really loved it, and I definitely recommend reading it, particularly if you like historical books 😊
💚
✨I received a complimentary copy of this book from Thomas Nelson through NetGalley. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own. ✨

3.5/5 stars

This book was one I wanted to read from the moment I saw it on Goodreads, for a couple reasons:
1. That cover is GORGEOUS
2. The 17th century England setting intrigued me
3. It sounded like a fantasy novel that's different from most of the fantasy books I've read lately. Don't get me wrong, I love some strong female heroines fighting wars and ruling kingdoms and everything, but every once in a while, you want something different, and Fawkes seemed like it had potential.

The story follows Thomas Fawkes, a 16-year-old boy, after he's expelled from color school for not receiving a mask from his father. In this society, kids receive masks from their parents when they're teenagers, and they can use these masks to control all objects of a certain color—whatever color they happen to bond with most. Thomas has the stone plague, and he hopes to bond with the color gray, in the hopes that he can command the plague away once he has his powers.

However, Thomas's father decides not to grant him a mask because he has the plague, so Thomas sets out for London to try to convince his father otherwise. Once in London, he gets wrapped up in a plot that his father is a part of to blow up the king of England: the king is an Ignitor, a person who believes that everyone should have the power to command all colors, while Thomas's father is part of an older order of people, the Keepers, who believe people should only have access to one color.

As the story progresses, Thomas finds himself in the middle of a ton of conflicts: he has to decide what side of the war he truly believes in, navigate his feelings and potential relationship with the ward of a Baron, and of course, he still has the plague.

Now, there was a lot of stuff that I liked about this book, and a few things that I didn't. We'll start with the things I loved.

First, the premise of the book definitely delivers. Story-wise, this book has to be one of my favorite fantasy reads of 2018, just because the premise was so cool. There's so many different moving parts with the plague, and the budding relationship between Thomas and Emma, and Thomas's conflicted feelings over the Keeper/Ignitor dispute, but they all come together nicely, and each avenue of the plot is exciting in its own way. This is definitely a story of growth as Thomas figures out his beliefs, but it's a super exciting one with so many different plot points. When I was hoping that this book would be different from my usual fantasy reads, I was right, and it was really refreshing to read.

Second, I just adored the setting as much as I had hoped I would. The descriptions of 17th century England were detailed and really brought me into the story. When I got the end of the book and read the author's note, I realized that a TON of this book was actually based on real-life events, with the color powers/fantasy elements added as a fun spin. Looking back, it actually makes sense now why the setting seems so vivid, and that's because you can tell Brandes did her research on the subject and time period. I appreciate even more how she put a fantasy twist on a real historical event.

Now, as for the things I didn't like about this book: the writing itself was subpar. There was SO MUCH telling and not showing that I had to take a lot of breaks while reading this book just because Thomas's narration was so annoying. The book is written in first person, so we hear all of Thomas's thoughts, and all of his thoughts are basically explanations of really simple things that the reader would have already picked up on. Like, there would be a scene where characters were talking and one of them would say "Oh no, if so-and-so does this, that would give the plot away!" and then the next paragraph would be Thomas explaining "Yeah, if so-and-so does this, the king would realize he's in danger and then the plot would be given away. That would be really bad." Like, yes, Thomas, I know. First, you just repeated what the last guy said, and second, we know it would be bad. You don't have to explain that part.

Also, Thomas seemed like, low-key sexist?? Maybe I was reading into it too much, but there were some parts where he'd be thinking about Emma (who is a fabulous character by the way. One of my favorites), and he'd go on a tangent in his head about how women don't need to be protected because they can be strong too and more men need to realize that, but then like 3 seconds later he'd be in awe that Emma is such a strong woman. Maybe sexist isn't the right word for him, but he kinda reminds me of those "nice guys" who think they're superior to every other guy just because they're nice, when really they're low-key jerks because they feel like women owe them just because they've been nice. Maybe that description doesn't make sense, but it did in my head.

Either way, though, the plot of this book was so good that the "tell don't show" writing didn't make me hate it as much as it might have otherwise. I think story-wise, I would have given this book 4-5 stars, but the writing was like 2.5 or 3, which is why I rounded this book to an even 3.5 overall. Plus, this was an ARC that I read, and based on the formatting of the ARC, it looked like a pretty early copy, so I'm holding out some small hope that there was some editing done on the writing between the ARC and final copy.

Overall, I highly recommend this book if you're looking for a refreshing YA fantasy that's different from what's been out there lately. I'd also actually recommend it for historical fiction fans, because even though this is mostly fantasy, the old English setting and the fact that it's based on real events might leave you intrigued. The writing quality could have been better, but if that's not something you're too picky about, I think it's worth a read.

I wanted to like this book. The cover is beautiful and the plot sounds intriguing and very promising, but I just didn't like it. I plowed all the way through it, thinking my interest would pick up, but this just wasn't a book I could connect with or endorse. I did, however, learn a bit about history that I had not learned before...namely, about the Gunpowder Plot. I'd heard of Guy Fawkes, but just in vague terms. The history lesson received through this book is why I'm giving it three stars. I thought that it was slow, did not like the characters, and found the fantasy aspect very left field. It's not often that I dislike a book, and you might like it a lot. If fantasy is your thing, it would be worth checking into further. If nothing else, you'll receive a first-hand account and history lesson from 17th century England.

There is nothing Thomas wants more than to get his mask, which will allow him to talk to a color and control an element of his world. Well, that, and stop the plague from turning his entire body into stone. But when his father, the famous Guy Fawkes, refuses to participate in his mask ceremony, everything seems lost, until he offers an alternative. Thomas can help his father kill the King of England and as payment, he'll get his mask and get rid of the plague. 

I was really drawn to this book by the title and the cover. It definitely implied that it was related to legend of Guy Fawkes, which I've always found fascinating. I was a huge fan of the V For Vendetta graphic novel for that reason. I was really excited to see what direction this author decided to take this story. It was a definite surprise!

The setting of this book was spectacular. I loved Nadine Brandes's twist on history in this book. She effortlessly weaves her magic in through facts from the history books and legends. It almost reminded me of an episode of Doctor Who, where the characters go back in time to meet famous people from history. The magic, the conflict and the plague are all essential to Thomas's story but also to the world Brandes creates. I was very impressed! 

The beginning of the book drops you in media res quite literally. The narrator does not take any time explaining the details of the world, but the reader is left to learn about them on their own using context clues. Many elements of the plot and characters are described assuming that the reader already knows about everything. While this can be a fun technique sometimes, I found it was difficult to feel invested in the plot until I had a firm grasp on what was actually going on. Once I learned more about the world and plot though, I was completely hooked in the story. I just wish I'd been hooked a bit sooner. 

I struggled to feel connected to the characters in this book. While Thomas definitely has some relatable moments, he's in a near state of crisis the entire plot. He's solving one problem after another with little downtime. This made it difficult for me to understand who he really is, since I rarely saw him outside of conflict. He is also at odds with many of the other characters for most of the book, who he either vilifies or idolizes without much middle ground. This made it difficult for me to feel attached to these characters either. 

Those who love The Paper Magician and V For Vendetta will love this fun and exciting novel by Nadine Brandes. Fawkes has an excellent and unique setting, with a plot that is difficult to understand at first but will really grab you if you have the patience to get through the first chapters. I struggles to connect with the character in this book, but definitely felt compelled to read to the end because of the plot itself.