"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…
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.
That was about to change."

Fawkes follows the story of a young Thomas Fawkes, son of the infamous Guy Fawkes, but with a YA historical fiction fantasy flair, in this reimagining of the Gunpowder plot. In this magical alternate England, there is a war brewing between Igniters and Keepers – and Thomas finds himself thrown in the middle, torn between loyalty to his father and the girl he loves.

I liked the story and the overall message – at its core, it was about learning to be true to yourself – but it still felt a little lackluster (which was a little disappointing because it was literally about magically controlling a color or colors by wearing masquerade-type masks). Maybe it was just me and the fact that, but it left me feeling like I wanted more from the story. I liked the characters – especially Emma, who was a strong and independent young woman, which is the type of character that I best like reading about! Either way, I did like this book and the fact that it was a standalone. I don’t know much about the Gunpowder Plot other than what I hastily read on Wikipedia after reading this book, but I thought it was a creative reimagining of this well-known (but not to me) historical event.

Thank you to NetGalley and Thomas Nelson for a copy of this eBook in exchange for an honest review.

This is a very difficult book to rate and review for me. I started reading it a few months ago and stopped because I didn't have any interest in it. I was also in a difficult reading mood so it isn't entirely the fault of the book, but I do think the first half wasn't really my thing. Even after picking it back up again a week or two ago I didn't really connect with Thomas, the main character nor did I understand his motivation. And I didn't really care about the story either.

I was pretty sure my rating would be around 2.5 to maybe 3 stars if I was generous. But something towards the end, the last 20% happened that made me suddenly invested and I enjoyed myself a lot more. I still don't really connect with Thomas, but I liked Emma, I liked the story and where it went more.

This book, in theory, had everything I liked. Historic setting, fantasy elements, a moral conflict. So why didn't I enjoy it for the longest part? I've read a few other reviews and a lot of them mentioned having problems with the rather vague magic system. but that wasn't an issue for me. I actually really enjoyed the magic and how we didn't know everything about it. Because Thomas didn't know everything about it.
Another problem seemed to be that people either knew too much or not enough about the real historical events to appreciate this story. And again, that wasn't my issue. I didn't know much about Guy Fawkes and I actually read a little bit about him and this plot before starting with this book, so I'm definitely not in the 'I-know-too-much' camp. I know only the basics and I found that was enough for me. Also, I do like the way Nadine Brandes twisted certain aspects. I liked the stone plague and all the implications.

My problem is probably mostly Thomas. I am a very character focused person. I love getting into the nitty-gritty. I love reading about characters who have completely different thought processes, motivations, values etc than me. It's fun to hop into another perspective, to see the world with different eyes. But Thomas just didn't do it for me. I can't put my finger on why. Maybe it's just the chemistry. But I couldn't really grasp his character, his personality? He was very indecisive for the most part. Judgemental while wanted to not be judged (I enjoyed that part!) I just couldn't understand his motivations. I think he didn't either, but that made it difficult for me to connect to.

The other plotters are ... well, I didn't really get to know them personally, more so their role in the plot. I think there was a lot of potential that wasn't used. Especially with his father. Their relationship could have been explored more. I feel like the most parts were mentioned briefly, but never really talked about in depth. Though that improved towards the end.

Emma was very well fleshed out though and I did enjoy reading about her and how she treated Thomas. The villain was also quite enjoyable which boosted my appreciation of the story. Actually, to be really honest, it was more the actions of the villain that I liked, the repercussions, as the person itself. But that was okay with me.

All in all, it did take me awfully long to get through this book and I even needed a second attempt. The most part was just okay for me, but the ending was quite good. Also, there isn't much objectively wrong with the book, it's more a subjective thing of connecting or not with the characters. Which is a thing that makes or breaks a book for me much more than the plot.

So, in conclusion, I would recommend going into this with at least the basics of the gunpowder plot, but judging from what I've heard not necessarily knowing too much. At least not if you know you could have an issue with certain details being changed (due to the fantasy twist etc)

This historical fantasy book was enjoyable in many ways! It was an intriguing magic system-- it seems like color magic systems are in these days, and I am here for that! Interesting political elements. A strong female lead who can kick ass. A really cool historical setting. Thoughtful take on religion. My only quibble is that the protagonist himself is slightly forgettable. Overall, a fascinating alternate story of the Gunpowder Plot/Guy Fawkes.

Thanks to NetGalley for providing me with an ARC!

This was one of my most favorite books for 2018. I usually never read history as it bores me (sorry history fans). Nadine did an incredible job writing this storyline and then threw in fantasy with it?! What? It was amazing and I was sad it ended. It was a great ending but I loved being in their world.

Thomas Fawkes has only ever wanted his father's attention, approval, and love but when he contracts the plague his hopes seem to be at an end. For a year his father has been silent but with his Color Test upon him, he knows his father will present him with his mask and he will bond with a color. But disappointment seems to be his lot as his father the famed Guy Fawkes again lets him down refusing to present him with his mask or his presence.

Maskless, Thomas has no place in school or society - his father has ruined him. Determined to track down his father Thomas makes his way to London. But London is a dangerous place to be when you are maskless and plagued. Those who are masked are either Keepers or Igniters and they are at war. Both sides blame the other for the plague that is making its way across England a plague that is turning the infected into stone.

But finding his father only brings new complications as he is involved in a plot to bring down King James on the belief that the plague will be defeated with a Keeper on the throne rather than a king who has Igniter sympathies. Determined to prove himself to father, gain his mask, and rid himself of the plague Thomas agrees to take part in the plot against the king.

But when Thomas comes across Emma Areben in London he is confronted with something he never expected - acceptance and a viewpoint on White Light that he never expected. But she is the enemy or is she? Thomas is on a journey to discover the truth for himself if he can discover it.

Fawkes is a delightful blend of history and fantasy that will leave the reader enchanted and perhaps on their own quest for the truth about England, the Gunpowder Plot, and Plague that was so feared. Thomas Fawkes is a young man who is on the cusp of manhood when his very identity is denied him. With his future in doubt, he has no choice but to go after it for himself. Emma Areben is the ward of a peer of English society but she has a secret, one that most know nothing of, one that could ruin her in polite society. And the White Light the most powerful of the colors is also the one most fought over - should it be suppressed or should it be wielded. For what it is the White Light is a pivotal force within this story - one that the careful reader will decern as being greater than just a color power to be used at will.

Firstly, this cover is gorgeous. The artwork drew me in instantly and once I read the summary I was hooked. This novel is so so good with its imagery and narration. I really felt connected to Thomas, a 16 year old boy with degenerative disease (a take on the black plague). This book is fast paced, a really thrilling read. I loved every second.

Ah! This was everything I had hoped it would be! I loved this world and the characters! I'm new to this author's work, but I can't wait to read more!

A tale of passion, plague, and plotting.

I'm going to do something different in this review and say that, if you like historical fiction mingled with the impossible, beautiful complexity of a magic system that offers power over colors, you absolutely NEED this book.

Now, on to my thoughts.

I read an advanced copy of this book several months ago and then (in total Emilie fashion) forgot *gasps* to write my review! Um, what? Who am I? What am I doing with my life?

Annnyyyywaaayyyyy.....

Fawkes. First, you have to start with the cover and drool just a little (ok a lot) over this beauty. It's stunning and absolutely perfect for the book! Plus, it looks ever BETTER in person. *sigh*

Now on to the inside. I've read all of Nadine's books so far and find that she has this way with words that really makes you feel the true emotions of the characters. Thomas, the main character, comes off the page with such reality and his situation is depicted vividly. His plight, dare I say plague, is real to him and to us, the reader, in such a way that you find yourself rooting for him no matter what.

Enter: the plot. If you've heard the phrase "Remember, remember the 5th of November" then this is that, but on a whole new level. I love how Nadine reimagined the context of it and built up a world where the impossible becomes possible.

The romance: perfection. Nadine writes teen romance SO well and leaves you swooning but also feeling like everything was just the way it should be - appropriate for their age, the time frame, and their situation. I love love love her heroine (whom I'll let you discover on your own in the book) and all that she is. She's definitely my favorite character in this book.

My thoughts? I walk away from Fawkes satisfied that I experienced a true version of London in the 17th century. I feel like I walked among the muck (bleh) and saw the area through the eyes of someone fighting for what he thought was right. I will say it really picked up toward the last half and rocketed me to the end with its fast pace! It may read a little slow at the beginning but it's worth it to understand the ideas, situations of the characters, and setting.

Yet again a lovely novel from a wonderful writer. I cannot wait to see what she has up NEXT!

Thank you NetGalley for the ARC of this e-book. While I did get a copy of this book in exchange for a review, all opinions remain my own.

This one was a good book overall. There were parts that were slow going for me, I had to push myself through to keep going. I loved the idea of the stone plague weaved into a real life story. Honestly, I might need to brush up on my history because I didn't know that was a real story. Thomas wasn't my favorite character but he grew on me as he grew up into the man he became at the end. Emma was probably one of my favorite characters. She was just a kick ass girl and I am a sucker for those kind of characters.

Overall I thought this was a wonderful book. A bit long at times, but really good. Maybe not the best one for me to read tired at nights. =) Might have gotten through it a bit faster if I wasn't falling asleep while reading it.

DNF I really really struggled trying to get through this book. In theory I really felt like I should have liked it. It had many elements that I like in a story. Somehow it was just the wrong mean of reimagined history and magical fantasy. To be honest I just find myself incredibly bored by the story and I just couldn't justify continuing on till the end. I very well might work for others. It wasn't for me.

Ok, people, let’s just take a moment to stare at this gorgeous cover! It’s a piece of art but, sadly, it’s the only very beautiful thing about this book, sigh!
Mind me, it’s not that the book is awful, there are some good things going on in there, to be completely honest. For example, I loved the magic system. Color magic, how cool is that? I know that some of the readers found it unoriginal, but I loved it! Truth, I’d have liked to see more of it, because I liked that the MC could hear the voice of the White color in his mind and a little bit more of it would have been great, also a more deepened system would have been great, but it wasn’t so bad.
And we have a great friendship going on because Emma and Thomas are friends and their relationship is well developed and here we have the best thing in this book: Emma. Thanks to Emma we can see a real character because I think she’s the best developed one, and she carries on some important thematic (I won’t say more because I don’t want to spoiler anything) and she’s the voice of the reason.

But the negative or disappointing things are, sadly, more decisive in my opinion. The biggest disappointment here is on a personal level, but this book it’s about the son of the notorious Guy Fawkes. He’s a sort of romantic figure, not in a romantic relationship way, but as the romantic hero, not just a rebel but the rebel. And that was one of the reasons that made me request this book. It was about Guy Fawkes!!! How great it’s that????
But nope… he’s a douchebag. A complete, total, awful douchebag! I know that the book is about his son, and I would have been ok with not seeing Guy around at all because the book is not about him. And I think that this could have been the best thing to do, in this case. But nope. The author chooses to use a character such charismatic, so important in the history, and she chooses to make him a hateful character. But why??? That’s so frustrating! And annoying! And to be completely honest, this book is about the son of Guy Fawkes, but it’s also a retelling of the history of Guy Fawkes, and in this story Guy is the bad guy. I mean, he’s not the villain of the story, but he’s one of the bad guys, and it’s not even a charismatic or fascinating one. It’s just a sad excuse of a father for the most part. I think I can go and on ranting about my disappointment, but I think you have the gist of it, right??

Anyway, let’s go on. Thomas is the main character and I didn’t like him so much. It’s not that he’s bad, he’s childish sometimes but we see his growth on the pages, so that’s a good thing, but I didn’t care a lot about him, sadly. Maybe I would have liked more the book, and him, if the story was told with Emma’s POV, Emma is a relatable character, or at least she’s more relatable than Thomas.
And all it’s quite… shallow? I mean, we have this big fight between two different kinds of magical users, and it’s a big thing, it’s the point from which all this story origins, but we don’t see a lot of it, the author said that we have these two different factions, but we don’t get much more than that. So yeah, it’s all quite summary.
And we don’t have outstanding characters. They are all forgettable, even Emma, and she’s the best of all the characters in this book.

So yeah, I had great expectations from this book, because it seemed so good and I was so disappointed in it. It’s not an awful book, it’s not trash, and the author could definitely do something good, her ideas are great, but for me this one is a big, fat NOPE!

I could not get into this book. I've heard great things about it and the cover is beautiful. I think this is the kind of book that I would like to own in physical format. I'd get this book from the library.

I really enjoyed Fawkes. It took me a little bit to get into it but I haven't decided if that was related to the book or the fact I had started too many books at once which is out of my norm. Once I could just focus on Fawkes, I was hooked. I really enjoyed the blend of history and fantasy to create a really interesting and intricate story. There were some fun twists and turns that I really enjoyed though I could see them coming. I absolutely adore Emma and really liked that Thomas wasn't your stereotypical YA protagonist. It was fun to read about someone who was more real versus the perfectly altruistic, undercover superhero teens that I often read about in YA fantasy. Let's face it, most people have their own 'selfish' motivations that guide behavior and Thomas definitely had his.

Overall it was a fun read and I look forward to reading more from Nadine Brandes!

I had heard of Guy Fawkes and the Gunpowder Plot before reading this, but I didn't know too much about it. I really enjoyed learning more about it and I loved the fantasy twist the author gave to the story. Thomas and Emma were both great main characters. I loved how Thomas struggled with what he thought was right and how he came to his own conclusions about the Plot, and I loved how Emma was seemingly on the opposite side but wasn't a bad person. She also had her own feelings about the fighting and didn't quite stand on either side.

The color magic was a great idea and incorporated into the story quite well. The Igniters and Keepers fit into the roles quite well of the real people fighting at the time, the Catholics and Protestants, and the author did a great job of keeping with history while substituting the religion war for her color magic war. The Stone Plague was also a great stand in for the real Plague, which was another nice touch. While reading this, I did go and read more on the Gunpowder Plot, and was surprised at how much the story resembled real history.

My only complaint was I wish there had been a little more explanation on color magic. We have White Light, but it's never explained where it came from, and color magic itself isn't fully explained. You just kinda have to guess how it works. I don't know if this was done deliberately because it stands in for religion, but I would have liked to know more.

I love the gorgeous cover and liked the sound of this book but unfortunately it didn't live up to expectations. Based on the story of Guy Fawkes, Nadine Brandes retold the gunpowder plot in a magical version of England. Unfortunately I never got a clear idea of the system of magic or more importantly why two factions with different beliefs were constantly trying to kill each other (and the King).

What I did understand was that a year before finishing school, students in special colour schools would be given a mask made by their father (for the boys) or mother (for the girls) and this would allow them to bond with a colour and then control anything made of that colour. People who could only control one control were called Keepers and thought themselves to be pure, people who could command more than one colour were called Igniters and thought they were superior and that Keepers should be caught and killed. I never really understood why and I think a bit more time setting up the magic system at the start of the book would have been interesting and made the reason for a war clearer and less confusing.

I also found the book a bit slow with not a lot of suspense given the topic. Thomas, the son of Guy Fawkes and the main character was difficult to engage with and I also thought more could have been made of the father-son story. The reworking of the black death into a plague that turned people and animals to stone was a clever touch and added an interesting facet to the story. I also liked Thomas's love interest Emma and their unfolding relationship.

What an adventure. The end. No seriously, though there is a reason this author can sweep you away into this novel then land you back in the land of mere mortals struggling to put all your thoughts into words. I don't usually step to often in to a YA novel but I am so happy I did with Fawkes. It had the adventure and mysterious characters that I needed to get me out of a reading slump! It is a book that deserves a place on all bookshelves and to be lovingly read at least once a year.

The cover lured me in. The blurb made me put this on my TBR: Alternative history, Gunpowder Plot, Magic, Male MC.

I appreciate the research the author put into this book to make the alternative history as accurate as possible. The writing was good, too.

Sadly, my expectations must have been too high. I found that I could not relate to the MC, he wants to be a grown-up, a man, but his actions scream "teenage boy". The whole concept of the stone plague, the colour magic, the Keepers and Igniters, the masks didn't make sense to me and a lot of questions I had about this were left unanswered at the end of the book.

This book has been raved about by a lot of my friends on Goodreads, and by a lot of friends on Bookstagram. I was looking forward to an incredible story of a brave main character, going about trying to cure himself and whatnot.

Instead, I got whiny little Thomas who, at the first sign of being abandoned by his father and kicked out of school, goes on to find his father (WITHIN LIKE TWO CHAPTERS!) and is given food, shelter and the opportunity to save the Keepers.

I think.

Honestly, the whole system was not explained very well. What kind of world-building lets a fantasy book starts off as if the reader already knows what's going on? Keepers, Igniters, the White Light – making them proper nouns does not mean I innately know what their importance is. And look, it might have been semi-explained in the briefest of mentionings but I didn't really like Thomas from the beginning so I didn't like paying attention, and I also didn't actually finish the book.

I don't want to judge something that I haven't actually read, but I did not enjoy the 22% of the book that I read. I don't think I'd have enjoyed the rest of it either.

•

1/5

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This ARC was provided by the publisher via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

I first discovered Nadine Brand on Instagram, and when I realized that she was the author of Fawkes, I was instantly curious! So much about this book drew me in, including the absolutely stunning book cover, (I can’t resist a gorgeous cover, don’t judge me), as well as by the summary for the book. When a review copy arrived on my doorstep, I absolutely couldn’t wait to check the book out. This book was definitely an interesting read!!

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.

If that first line of the summary doesn’t pique your interest, I don’t know what will. Imagine a world where there is a plague that will literally turn you to stone. That is the world in which the main character, Thomas, lives. It’s a brutal world, one filled with hatred and violence, as well as prejudice and intolerance, which felt so relevant to the world today. But in between all of that, there is hope as well.

There are some interesting characters in this story, and though I didn’t really get attached to any of them, I quickly found Emma becoming a favorite, and I would love to know more of her story. The setting for this book was very well described, and I enjoyed the historical feel to both it and the storyline. The fantasy aspects of the book were interesting as well. I’m not sure I completely understand how the ‘color power’ works, but it was interesting to read about.

Overall; Though I had some issues connecting to the main character of the story, I did find Fawkes to be a creative and unique read! I can’t say that I’ve read any book like this before now, and I enjoyed the parts that made it different. I’ll definitely be keeping my eye out for more books by Nadine in the future!

Happy Reading!

Remember, remember, the 5th of Nov. In this fast-paced magical alternate history, Thomas Fawkes must choose between his father’s plot to end the plague or saving the girl he loves. Fans of Marie Lu will love this!

<i>"That was why I needed to live. To find a cure for my plague-- so I could join the fight."<i/>

Nadine Brandes book Fawkes is the perfect mix of historical fiction and fantasy. You follow Thomas Fawkes, a character made up of her own imagination but that does have a birth record found during her research. Thomas Fawkes wants nothing more than to get his color mask from his father so that he can cure his plague and join the plotters in their Gunpowder Plot to assassinate the King.

Brandes did a great job at mixing the historical aspects of the real Gunpowder Plot with her magic system. I highly enjoyed that the magic system was based off of an elemental type of magic that worked with a color system. The masks being needed, to control the color, added such interesting struggles and hurdles to the story. There were no all powerful "I was just born great" characters in this story. These characters worked for their magic.

<i>"My culture had affected my thinking without my consent. How many other things had it shaped without my knowing it?"<i/>

During the 1600s more black communities began to form but very few people had seen black people. Some people were uneasy and their culture raised them to fear the unknown. Brandes did a wonderful job at painting that oppression with her character Emma.

Overall, I thought the story to be written very well. The characters were complex and had inner struggles to deal with. I love both historical fiction and fantasy so this was a very well blended book that I recommend for all readers. While there is violence, it was not too gory and was written well for YA readers as well as adults.