Fire is a human variant, called Monsters by all the other humans. Her power is the ability to control minds--& to have a strong effect on all who see her, either intense love or intense hate. Her father killed all the other human Monsters and was ruthless in his control of the events in the kingdom. Fire would do anything to not be like him, yet she also strongly loves him as the only person who doesn't make her feel like a freak. Fire is a strong woman with a caring heart, haunted by nightmares of Monsters.
I haven't yet read Graceling, but Cashore gave enough info that I understood that country. Most of the novel takes place in another kingdom, & it is the Graceling Prologue that helps us feel "I know who that mystery person is" as Fire's story progresses.
Cashore's writing pulls me into the story, and contains many gems. The only one I was alert enough to note is "From the warmth of her fondness for her horse she constructed a fragile and changeable thing that almost resembled courage. She hoped it would be enough." (p.175)
The book is billed as YA, probably due to the rather young characters (Prince Brigan is 22, Fire is younger, tho I didn't note her age), and has free sexual behavior, tho not explicit, which all parents might not approve for their younger YA. I like that there are references to Fire's monthly bleeding, which I haven't read in many other books and which I see as affirming for youing women to read.
2011 review. ( )

Surprised me - this was not a sequel - but a Prequel to the first book -
very good too! ( )

This was a good book (around the same quality as Graceling). Perhaps my main qualm was that the book used Fire's beauty as the major plot device the entire time. The idea that someone is "so attractive that it causes problems" is interesting for a while, but when it became the entire book it got tiring. Also, the plot was a little too straightforward. I could have guessed it from page 20 (give or take some side-trips that Fire takes), which is a little frustrating from a literary perspective... ( )

Did NOT like this one at all. ( )

Väga veider, ma lausa ütleks, et kergelt skisofreeniline lugemiskogemus. Raamat ise märksa nõrgem kui sarja avaosa "Gracling" (eesti keeles "Võluvägine"), aga käest ära panna ei saanud.
Sündmustik suuremas osas etteaimatav, kangelanna ebausutav, stamp stambi otsa, aga kirjutatud oli nii oskuslikult, et aga mida kaugemale jõudsid, seda enam haaras. Huvitavaim osa raamatust oli kahtlemate kõik Lecki lapsepõlve puudutav, kahjuks oli see kogu Fire põhijoontes romantilisele loole üsna kunstlikult külge poogitud. ( )