Fireheart Tiger!!! Those who’ve followed my blog will know that I am a long time fan of Aliette de Bodard, so hearing of a new novella (published by Tor.com!!) had me giddy with excitement.

At its heart, Fireheart Tiger is a quiet, intimate novella examining themes of colonialism as Princess Thanh’s home country of Bình Hải, inspired by pre-Colonial Vietnam, is approached by “trading partner” Ephteria to “re-negotiate” details of their trade deal. Thanh finds herself fighting to both prevent the Ephterians from making further inroads into her home country while simultaneously confronting her feelings towards the lover she left behind from her days as an Ephterian court hostage, Princess Eldris.

I actually ended up reading this novella twice before writing this review, in part because I didn’t think I was in a good headspace the first time around, in part because I found there were a lot of subtleties with Thanh’s character I’d missed without knowledge of the full story. What I’d taken for passiveness at times was actually a strong sense of pragmatism. In the face of this dominant superpower threatening to slowly take over her home, Thanh is more than aware of her limits in this situation and she’s extremely clever in the actions she takes. Similarly, Thanh’s interactions with Giang have new nuances that don’t get picked up without the full story and it’s nice to go back and see what I missed the first time around.

Ephteria as a whole aside, Thanh’s main internal conflict is the return of her old lover Princess Eldris. There’s a delightfully biting dance that occurs between the two as Thanh battles between wanting to return to ex’s side and the knowledge that doing so may betray her country, or neighboring ones. De Bodard manages to put much tension and despair in so few pages as we watch Thanh war with herself, and the strong theme of colonialism is present even here through an underlying hint of a potentially abusive relationship that Thanh has found herself in.

My main complaint with Fireheart Tiger (as is with most novellas) is that I wish it had been longer. Full-length novel longer. There’s a large world surrounding The Fireheart Tiger that we don’t get to delve into given its scope and I would have loved to see more of its world. Eldris and Thanh have a lot of history together from Thanh’s time in Ephteria that gets teased and referenced, and I wish we could have gotten a chance to really delve into that period of Thanh’s life. There’s a lot of baggage between the two characters and certainly something burning between both of them. Also getting to see the tender first meet-up of a budding relationship interspliced with the Thanh and Eldris of now would have amplified the angst by tenfold and I’m always for that. Instead, the pacing feels somewhat rushed, especially towards the end, where decisions and reversed decisions are made between single conversations and now allowed time to properly set in a reader’s mind.

Overall, I rate this book a 4/5. I loved the character de Bodard has crafted in Thanh, warring between protecting her country and the return of a lover she thought she’d left behind. It was fascinating to explore the strong themes of colonialism echoed throughout this novella, but like many novellas, I wish it were longer to really let the hard-hitting, emotional moments settle.

I was expecting Fireheart Tiger to be a romance between two women with the odds stacked against them, confronting colonial politics and prejudices to find unexpected balance. It isn’t, exactly – and I liked it all the more for where it goes instead. Thanh is a heroine who went straight to my heart from the opening sentences; so isolated, so uncertain, so in need of love - and I enjoyed her journey through the pitfalls of romance and filial duty to find her inner strength with support from an unexpected friend. Aliette de Bodard is a mistress of the art of writing emotionally loaded scenes and gorgeous prose freighted with feelings; Fireheart Tiger is sure to appeal to long-times fans and romance readers alike.

I'd like to start this review with the AO3 content warnings and tags that the author wrote herself:

[tw-abuse, tw-assault-non-explicit] sword lesbian, diplomat lesbian, sunshine girl, fire girl (who is also sunshine girl), colonialism, sapphic shenanigans, symbolically unsubtle chess, garden flirting & more, drawn sword, tea on fire, scary tiger

If you didn't know, AO3 is a fan-fiction website and their tagging system is godly. I need all books from now on to be described in this way, THANKS.

I'm gonna keep this review real short, since the novella itself is very short. I don't want to say too much and ruin the experience of reading it!

Aliette de Bodard's writing is beautiful. It reminds me a lot fo Nghi Vo's writing. They both have their own distinct style of course, but both are so beautiful and lyrical that I just want to read their prose forever. She also manages to pack a lot of things in a tiny little novella - which you can see from the AO3 tags. Lesbian princesses, betrayal, mother/daughter relationships, magic, political machinations, and more. All things that I love!! Also, there is a definite element to the story that is similar to Howl's Moving Castle - which I LOVE. And!! I love that the main setting was totally Vietnamese inspired. Hell yes to Asian fantasy settings.

I really liked all of these elements! However, at the end of the day my major complaint is that it was just...too short. Like yes, it is a novella, but it's even short for a novella. Also, it's short in a way that makes it feel a little underdeveloped. I needed a bit more world building and time to get to know more about the characters, since they fell a little flat. But other than that, I really liked this novella and will absolutely be reading more of de Bodard's work.

This was a fascinating novella with a unique format, impressive character development, and adorable romance. It reads like a fairytale from your childhood, but with a more modern twist. The ending was totally unpredictable and excellent; it's such a gripping tale that you could read it in only a few hours. Highly entertaining and intriguing in every way.

<I>Thanks to NetGalley for providing me with a copy of this book in return for an honest review.</I>

While I have read and deeply enjoyed Bodard before, this one was a bit of a swing and a miss for me. Initially I really liked it. The world building was good, especially the magic part, and I liked the complexity of the characters. Unfortunately, as the story went on, the characters and relationships became rather simplistic. By the end each person was unequivocally either Good or Bad, and it felt a bit like reading an after school special about proper partners. The main characters consistent inner monologue also did not help since it just went over and over again circling, what felt like, the same three items.

I think, though, that readers that do not mind a bit of insta-love and love triangles will find this a more enjoyable read than I did. If you don't like those, I suggest trying Bodard's excellent <I>Servant of the Underworld</I> instead.

Fireheart Tiger by Aliette De Bodard is a sapphic romantic high fantasy novella. But it's also so much more than that.

Set in a Vietnam-esque world, our main character Thanh is the youngest princess of Bình Hải who was kept as a captive princess in Ephteria and is treated as a pawn in her own country. She's neither a warrior or a politician like her sisters - she's the princess who was sent away, who came back, not brash and confident, but quite and thoughtful.

She's entrapped in a love triangle with her former lover Eldris and her fire wielding magical friend Giang. Between the two you'll come to love Giang and will observe the toxicity of Thanh's relationship with Eldris - the princess of Ephteria.

As it's a novella you won't find a descriptive world building taking place which at times you'll yearn for, being a Tolkien's fan I think this is something I always look forward to in books - to live in the stories I read, to explore more of their world.

The fire element explored through Giang's character reminded me of Rin from The Poppy War though this time the power to wield fire has nothing to do with a God yet control over it is in equal measures minimal.

You'll sympathize with Thanh as she tries to make a place for herself in the world and discovers love in various forms. You'll enjoy the discussion of imperialism and colonialism. But most of all you'll be delighted to read a sapphic romance with South Asian representation.

Though I do believe that the story would've been more impactful had it been a novel instead of a novella for which I rate Fireheart Tiger a solid 3 bookmarks. I think a full format of the story would've allowed the author to write more about a post-colonial Vietnam and elaborate on a romance which goes beyond calling the love interest as sister. Don't get me wrong the story is great but I wanted more from this story which comes out on 09-Feb.

I'd like to thank @tordotcompub for providing an e-ARC of the novella.

A neat novelette with elemental magic, sapphic love, and the power dynamics of political intrigue. The writing was solid but didn't particularly resonate with me. I enjoyed the world building and what the author was able to accomplish in so short a work.

This novella was so beautiful!

For 96 pages, this beauty packs quite a punch. I think it struck the perfect balance between providing just enough information to make the world incredibly vivid in my head, while still being able to focus on character development and a plot which had me reeling at the end.

Honestly, this book reminds me of the quote, "Though she be but little, she is fierce." It's short and involves quite a lot of aspects to be honest, but it was emotional, impactful, and ultimately, hopeful.

It's also sapphic and features politics and betrayal, and it also manages to discuss the effects of colonialism and imperialism. It also neatly dissects and compares Western individualistic notions versus the more collectivist norms of Eastern communities (a theme I will never get tired of seeing in books, tbh), so basically this novella just has everything I enjoy!

While this novella is strong and lovely all on its own, I wouldn't say no to a novel featuring this world and these characters.

TWs: Abusive relationship

Few things could call to me more than “sapphic romance set in a reimagined pre-colonial Vietnamese fantasy world”. Promising a political/cultural clash enveloped by a romantic exploration of the self, Aliette de Bodard’s latest novella is a short book that goes by in an incandescent flash of fire (yes, I love metaphorical puns and I will make them myself if I have to).

No matter how much I wanted it to linger, I read it in about an afternoon because I couldn’t keep put it down for long; even when I did, it slithered into my mind. Every time I put it down (because, you know, adulting sucks), I wanted to, needed to see it to its end.

In this fairytale-esque story, a princess must act as the diplomat for her people, as she navigates the demands of the colonisers who have come to cunningly demand more strategic control of her country’s borders. Thanh is the perfect appointee for the job; sent to the invading country of Ephteria as a child, she knows the workings of their court intimately, and more so those of their princess, Eldris. She is both invaluable to the trade talks as a shadow in them, shaded by her own self-doubt and the accomplishments of her sisters.

Pitched by the publisher as Howl’s Moving Castle meets The Goblin Emperor, Fireheart Tiger is a story all about reclaiming yourself in the face of more than one type of colonisation, and about how culture and personhood interconnect. It introduces a mythological feel to it that renders its fantastical wonder to a story that is already captivating.

Thanh’s narrative speaks of devious political interests hidden behind offered hands (something that has always been timely) while also being a deeply intimate journey about finding oneself among the rubble of one’s insecurities and fears, and as such, reclaiming individuality and freedom from more than one type of oppressor. Sometimes that freedom comes quietly and resolutely, and sometimes in order for that freedom to rise, one must burn and start anew.

Aliette shows us both sides of that transformation, delivering romance, politics, and promise in an instant shot of satisfaction and wonder. In the shortness of its 112 pages, the world is richly built and the relationships between both neighbour and foe craft tension into a story that slowly unravels to subvert all of the reader’s expectations.

Fireheart Tiger is a great, vibrant story with lots of magic, betrayal, and complicated relationships that deal with themes of filial piety, duty, colonisation, and individuality, bursting with the tender, romantic relationship that unfolds throughout.

I enjoyed this novella a lot! It covered a lot of ground in a short amount of space, capturing shifting and complex relationships and politics in just a few sentences. I've seen comparisons to Howl's Moving Castle, perhaps because of the fire elemental, but the book felt more similar to Ghost Bride by Yangzhee Choo (for the frenzy of a girl learning as she goes and the sort of fable feel), Gideon the Ninth by Tamsyn Muir (for the kind of toxic relationship and the politics), or This Is How You Lose the Time War by Amal El-Mohtar and Max Gladstone (for a novella centered on a queer relationship).

This is a beautiful tale of love, betrayal, family, and honor. It circles around Thanh a princess who was sent as a child hostage to a foreign nation (Ephteria), but with an eye to learn all she can about this empire. Whilst there a terrible fire destroys the palace she was housed in, left for dead she escapes with the help of servant called Giang. After the fire Thanh came to the notice of the beautiful, bold princess Eldris of Ephteria who pursues Thanh and does not take no for an answer!
Years later Thanh returns to her home nation and her mothers imperial court. There she struggles to overcome her reserve and to be recognized by her mother as the skilled negotiator she has become. Thanh, Eldris and Giang are entangled once more and Thanh learns that politics and love are a corrosive mix...but true love can be found in unexpected places.
I love the feel of this story, gentle yet powerful and especially the Asian heritage which shines through.

This was a bit hard to get through. The characters were flat and uninteresting. the romance didn't make sense. It felt rushed and forced. Perhaps because it was merely a novella it lacked the pages to develop everything. The love triangle was terrible. I could see that the book was trying to get me to feel certain things but it was wholly unsuccessful and instead resulted in my resentment towards it all.

Heading into Fireheart Tiger I was expecting it to be a full-length novel, so I was surprised when I realised that it was only a 100 page novella. But I was amazed at how much I enjoyed reading Fireheart Tiger, it had the majority of things that I want from a 300 page novel, yet it was a third of the size.

I wasn't expecting the characters to have as much depth as they did; because I immediately felt attached to them and their stories. I liked Thanh as a main character, but she did start to annoy in the middle of the book because she seemed very stuck in her ways and didn't want to get herself out of it. I would have loved to have found out a bit more about Giang and her origins because I think that would have made the story even better for me and given me a much better understanding of the fantasy elements.

While I liked the relationship within Fireheart Tiger, it did feel a little bit undeveloped. I would have loved to see more interactions between the two characters as I think that would have allowed me to believe in their relationship. I did feel that it progressed incredibly quickly without them spending any real-time together.

One thing that I did absolutely love was Aliette De Bodard's writing style. She has a very calming writing style that helped with the type of story she was trying to tell. It also flowed really nicely, which helped make sure you didn't notice how short the novella is.

I would have loved there to have been quite a bit more world building, as I felt that there was quite a bit that Aliette De Bodard could have done with the story. I would have loved to have learnt more about Thanh's time in Ephteria and what led to her being sent there in the first place. I would have also loved to have learnt more about Giang and her powers.

Overall I enjoyed my time reading Fireheart Tiger, and I definitely think that I will pick up more of Aliette De Bodard's work in the future.

Aliette de Bodard's latest novella, Fireheart Tiger, is a thrilling, moving, and fast-paced read. One that blends politics with duty, love, and the determination to do what is right.

Thanh has always been the quiet and thoughtful sort. A trait that became more pronounced after she was sent away to another kingdom. Now she's home, and she's struggling in her new role as a diplomat.

Not because she lacks the skills or intelligence, but because nobody seems willing to listen to her. Least of all her mother. That is, until a series of events changes everything. And it all starts when Thanh's secret ex-lover, Princess Eldris, arrives.

“Thanh exhales, and leaves the room – though she already knows that the fire will come back.”

I cannot get over how quickly Fireheart Tiger flew through my mind and soul. It was a beautiful and compelling read – one that is certain to touch the hearts of anyone who has ever questioned their place, their loyalty, or their love.

Oh! I didn't mention the best parts! Fireheart Tiger is pitched as a blend between The Goblin Emperor and Howl's Moving Castle, but with a sapphic twist. So what more could you possibly ask for? And yes, having read the novella, it lives up to all of those promises. And then some.

Thanh's narrative is delightfully written. It's so easy to appreciate who she is, and what she is struggling against. More than that, the words themselves really do seem to flow across the pages.

I think that is the main reason why this read seemed to happen in the blink of an eye for me. One minute I was sitting down to read, the next I was blinking and looking around the room, as I had hit the final page of Fireheart Tiger.

So, was it worth it? Yes, a hundred times over. I truly did enjoy this read, and am looking forward to reading more of Aliette de Bodard's works in the future.

Being burnt out really makes you appreciate short books. One that I recently enjoyed was Fireheart Tiger by Aliette de Bodard. This book is advertised as a mix between the Goblin Emperor meets Howl’s moving castle in a land inspired by pre-colonial Vietnam. This book features a saphic love triangle and a matriarchal society, and explores the themes of colonization, first love, filial duty, and unhealthy relationships, which is a lot for a book that’s only 106 pages.

Princess Thanh (Tawn), a name that means ‘blue’ or ‘brilliant’, is involved in negotiations with Ephteria, her first love’s country, on behalf of her mother’s court. She spent her teenage years in Ephteria’s court as a guest, or a political hostage, and became romantically involved with Crown Princess Eldris. Thanh returned after a fire burned the palace in Ephteria to the ground, and now she faces Eldris as she tries to give the more powerful Ephteria as little as she can in negotiations while avoiding war and managing her feelings.

One thing that some people think this book doesn’t do well is character development. They say that the characters were a bit under developed. I don’t think this was the case. In a novella we have a limited amount of time to spend with the characters and I think that was a big reason that some readers didn’t resonate with the characters as much as they may have liked. I know when I was reading Elantris I didn’t like Sarene until the end of the book after I had gotten to know her a lot, but I empathize with Thanh because the scope of the story was directly related to her internal conflict. Thanh has to balance her role as her mother’s political pawn and duty to her mother’s country with her personal feelings for Eldris. She loves Eldris and wants to be with her, but Eldris is the crown princess of a country that’s trying to colonize Thanh’s country. Thanh’s mother expects her to fight for her country’s existence, because in these negotiations she is literally fighting for her country’s life. Thanh suspects that Eldris might not have pure intentions with her, but doesn’t want to believe it. It’s a very harrowing place to be in, especially since Thanh is just a teenager. I think this conflict is the main theme of the story. Eldris isn’t overly developed because she’s really meant to be a symbol of colonialism and how the uneven power dynamics can make even the most wonderful offers into traps for the weaker country.

The love triangle was cute, but the fire elemental calling Thanh ‘big sis’ was a little weird to me given the ending of the story. Overall, I enjoyed this short story and it made me want to check out the author’s other work. This story tied in the thematic elements closely with the plot in a very tight story arch, and was able to say a lot in very few pages.

A compelling story of passion and searching for one’s place in the world, illuminated with Aliette de Bodard’s typically vivid prose. Strong characterization all around, with a particularly sympathetic main character and a fascinating antagonist. Highly recommended.

Bookstagram Review:

Are there any novellas you are looking forward to this year?

Fireheart Tiger is a Vietnamese-inspired fantasy with a sapphic romance that examines early colonial influence on a country and it's people. It is also out on February 9th from @tordotcompub (thank you for the e-ARC!)

Thanh's mother sent her away to the Ephterian court (as a veritable hostage) as a child. Now, back home, Thanh is once again thrust into Ephteria's politics and back into Eldris, an Ephterian princess who Thanh was once involved with.

I enjoyed Thanh's complex relationship with her mother, her feelings of inadequacy in the face of her sisters' accomplishments, and the way that her quiet nature causes her to be overlooked and scorned. It was also really great to see South-East Asian representation in fantasy, a lot of Asian-Inspired fantasy is focused more around East Asian, particularly Japan, China, and Mongolia.

As usual, with a novella you aren't getting a super in-depth look into the world, the characters, and the relationships. I felt a little lost at times, like I had missed something. I also felt like certain relationships seemed to come out of nowhere without any real build up.

However, I still enjoyed Fireheart Tiger for the most part, and I liked thinking about the larger implications of each character's actions.
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Blog Review:

Fireheart Tiger by Aliette de Bodard is an Asian-inspired fantasy novella that comes out on February 9th! More specifically, it is a Vietnamese-inspired fantasy which examines colonial interests on the country. A huge thank you to Tor.com Pub and Netgalley for the e-ARC!

Fireheart Tiger follows princess Thanh. As a child her mother sent her to the Ephterian court as a veritable hostage. She believes her mother considers her less valuable than her sisters.

She has been back in her home country for years, but her knew role in a negotiation brings her face to face with Ephteria again. The country comes in the form of Eldris, an Ephterian princess with whom Thanh had an affair. But Eldris isn't the only piece of Thanh's past that has materialized.

Overall, I enjoyed Fireheart Tiger. As a novella it is a quick read, but you don't get an in-depth view of the characters for the same reason. The worldbuilding is also somewhat slim. At times, I felt like I was grasping at straws, trying to piece together things we weren't told. But, I felt like I got a better feel for the characters and relationships than in Silver in the Wood.

Thanh is a character that some people will enjoy, and others won't. I fell into the earlier camp, thank goodness! I thought she was an interesting look into her world. Her charged relationship with her mother brought a unique voice to the story, and one I could appreciate.

I did have a couple problems with the book. Not that they were problematic elements. Just things that bothered me. Eldris, as a character, is a representation of a colonial force. But, we don't see her controlling or abusive behaviour until another character points it out and suddenly her actions are in stark contrast to what they were before. I would have liked to see more hints of her behaviour throughout the text, not only at the pivotal moment.

My second issue is a spoiler, I'll hid the text in case you don't want to see it!

Unfortunately, I just didn't see any chemistry between Thanh and the fire spirit, Giang. I think part of the issue for me was that they called each other little sis and big sis...but then also had a romance? It also felt like the romantic implications came out of nowhere. It was zero to 100 real quick.

I would still recommend Fireheart Tiger for a quick, sapphic, Vietnamese-inspired read! This isn't a fantasy setting that we see a lot of, most Asian-inspired fantasy focuses mainly on Japan, China, Mongolia, and a occasionally a little Korea thrown in, so it was great to see some South-East Asian representation in this genre.
It really all comes down to what you are looking for in a novella. I thought Fireheart Tiger was fun and interesting, despite some issues I had with it.

ARC provided by Tor.com and NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

I had heard that this was sapphic fantasy, romance inspired by pre-colonial Vietnam, and I was so excited to read it. However, I think it's important to adjust your expectation if you're going in expecting a sapphic romance. While romance plays an important role in the story, it isn't the most important aspect. In this story, we're following the main character Thanh who's dealing with the trauma of sent off to a conquering nation as a political pawn. She also deals with PTSD as a result of a fire that nearly killed her. The story focuses mainly on the threat of colonization Thanh's country faces and the political machinations that happen as a result. This story deals heavily with themes of trauma and colonization, and if that sounds interesting I highly recommend picking it up.

The strongest aspect of the story was the writing style. The prose was gorgeous without being overbearing. The author has a very soft writing style that lends itself well to the type of story she was trying to tell.

Personally, I found it difficult to relate to Thanh as a character. I found her to be passive throughout the majority of the story. Thanh, more often than not, let things happen to her rather than taking charge of her own life. Granted, as I said before, Thanh is dealing with a lot of trauma from her past, so this could be the reason why. However, this is my least favorite character archetype to follow. In general, I found it difficult to feel attached to any of the characters in the story.

In the end, I think this is a well crafted and thought-out story. However, I dod feel that this isn't a story that's for everyone. If you're interested in gorgeous prose, themes of colonization and trauma, or a quiet, soft fantasy inspired by pre-colonial Vietnam then I would highly recommend picking up Fireheart Daughter.

Fireheart Tiger by Aliette de Bodard is a standalone fantasy novella set in a matriarchal society inspired by pre-colonial Vietnam. It's quite short, and I was disappointed that I didn't get to spend more time in it's world.

Fire burns bright and has a long memory….

Quiet, thoughtful princess Thanh was sent away as a hostage to the powerful faraway country of Ephteria as a child. Now she’s returned to her mother’s imperial court, haunted not only by memories of her first romance, but by worrying magical echoes of a fire that devastated Ephteria’s royal palace.

Thanh’s new role as a diplomat places her once again in the path of her first love, the powerful and magnetic Eldris of Ephteria, who knows exactly what she wants: romance from Thanh and much more from Thanh’s home. Eldris won’t take no for an answer, on either front. But the fire that burned down one palace is tempting Thanh with the possibility of making her own dangerous decisions.

Can Thanh find the freedom to shape her country’s fate—and her own?

This was a fun and interesting read, with a reasonable dose of moderate peril. We have the princess Thanh, who is the spare royal child and now in a position to negotiate an alliance between her country and the country she was fostered/hostaged out to when she was younger. She still has not mentally recovered from a fire that she narrowly escaped while she was in the other (Western imperial analogue) country, not least because fire seems to follow her around in a magical way.

The story focusses closely on Thanh and her relationships with her mother, the Queeen, with her friend/lover, the foreign princess, and with the mysterious servant girl with whom she escaped the near-fatal fire. Most of the challenges Thanh faces are social, and I don't want to say too much more and spoil this relatively short read.

I enjoyed this novella a lot. I read it at a time when I wanted something fun and relaxing to read, and this book delivered. I recommend it to fans of asian-inspired fantasy and lesbian romance. If you feel that you would be troubled reading a book with literally zero men in it, this may not be the read for you.

4.5 / 5 stars

First published: February 2021, Tor.com
Series: Don't think so
Format read: eARC
Source: Publisher via NetGalley

“That feeling of being seen, of being valued for who she is and not for what she can be bargained for. She remembers how good it felt, like an awakening.”
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3.5 ⭐️ Ecopy provided by NetGalley.
This is such a cute short story about love and the importance of believing in yourself. Thanh has never felt good enough, her mother sent her to the enemy as an offering when she was a child without regretting it a bit. After a terrible incident she returns home and still her mother doesn’t show her any affection. It is normal she looks for approval anywhere, in particular when it comes from the gorgeous princess Eldris, the future queen of the empire that is threatening to move war against hers. It does sound so romantic when Eldris asks Thanh to marry her but the truth is she only treats her as a thing. She just wants to show her off and she doesn’t try to understand her or to push her to be better or to believe in herself. Everyone can see she feels superior than Thanh and she acts as if she is so generous giving her the opportunity to become her wife! This story teaches us how important it is to find people that not only tell that they love you, but that are capable to show it and make you feel a better person.. if this comes with a bit of fire magic, this is only a plus. I just wish this were a bit longer, to be able to get more attached to the characters.