Reviewed by me for Reader’s Favorite.
A Violet Fire marks the beginning of The Chronicles of Avignon Trilogy by Kelsey Quick. And what a gripping beginning it is! The author has imagined a world where vampires rule, and humans have been turned into nothing less than slaves and food for vampires. In this world, vampires have created breeding houses called Saya. Children born in Saya have no means of knowing what is a normal human being’s life; they are brainwashed to believe that serving their vampire master is the noblest act. Wavorly was not born in Saya. She lived a normal life until one fateful night when vampires killed her parents, and she was held captive by Anton Zein, one of the five highest-ranking officials in Cain.
Like all the girls of her age, she was sent to Nightingale’s School of Infantry Supply, where she was stripped of her name and given a new identifier: Z29734. They captured her, but even the fearsome vampires could not capture her spirit. Wavorly has made it her mission to escape her captors and no longer be a slave to anyone.
Escaping her captors is a hard task in itself, but her emotional attachment to Savvy, her only friend in this hell, has made her task even harder. Wavorly does not wish to leave Savvy behind, but the brainwashed Savvy does not understand Wavorly’s need to escape a perfect place. However, Wavorly is determined to find freedom regardless of each complication. After her third failed escape plan, she has to face the consequences by none other than her captor, who was her savior, too, Lord Anton Zein.
A Violet Fire by Kelsey Quick is one of the most gripping tales I’ve ever come across. This bizarre world that the author has created is truly fascinating and horrid. The idea of humans being reduced to nothing more than food is daunting. In such a world, placing a free-spirited Wavorly is well thought and refreshing. Her quick wit is a welcome contrast in the gloomy world of vampires and slave humans. She is a headstrong girl, who does not choose an easy way out to make things more comfortable. She does not hold back her tongue.
There are times when she observes a vampire acting in a noble manner, still, she does not let her feeling deter her from planning her freedom. Needless to say, Wavorly is my favorite character due to all of these qualities. Her thought process is in sync with her circumstances, and the author has done a praiseworthy job of keeping her an authentic free-spirit.
