Hey Bibliofriends!

This week’s Biblioshelf Musings are about This Golden Flame by Emily Victoria. If I’m being perfectly honest, the reason I picked up this book was because it has been sat on my TBR shelf for so long and I needed to clear out a bit of space. Also, being a YA SFF standalone was a bonus as it meant I wasn’t in danger of adding any sequels to my ever-expanding TBR. Read on to find out more in my spoiler-free review!

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Synopsis (from Goodreads)

Orphaned and forced to serve her country’s ruling group of scribes, Karis wants nothing more than to find her brother, long ago shipped away. But family bonds don’t matter to the Scriptorium, whose sole focus is unlocking the magic of an ancient automaton army.

In her search for her brother, Karis does the seemingly impossible—she awakens a hidden automaton. Intelligent, with a conscience of his own, Alix has no idea why he was made. Or why his father—their nation’s greatest traitor—once tried to destroy the automatons.

Suddenly, the Scriptorium isn’t just trying to control Karis; it’s hunting her. Together with Alix, Karis must find her brother…and the secret that’s held her country in its power for centuries.

My Musings

This Golden Flame blends Ancient Greece history with Artificial Intelligence exceptionally well. The story is told is told through the split narratives of Karis and Alix and each of their viewpoints offer differing glimpses to the world around them.

Karis is practically enslaved as a member of the Scriptorium – classical Greek architecture and columns surround her and references to her himation really put you in the mindset of Ancient Greece. Whilst her values and motives come across quite strongly, I found her to be a little nondescript throughout the first half to two thirds of the story. She seems to be a character that despite being driven to find her long lost brother, seems to have lost her way herself. I found her quite difficult to warm to until she had forged relationships with other characters in the story.

Alix on the other hand was a brilliant character. Without stereotyping Automatons, I couldn’t help but see him as a cross between C-3PO and David from the film A.I. Artificial Intelligence. Emotions pour out him, all over his dialogue which I found incredibly intriguing considering he is meant to be programmed and without conscience. I loved seeing his perspective on the world and the vulnerabilities he exuded made him an endearing character.

When we first come across Karis (who is on a mission to discover the whereabouts of her long lost brother), we see her attempting to wield runic magic. The introduction of this plot device, paves the way for the central themes of manipulation and control which are integral to the whole story. Runes are used to unlock buildings, automatons are carved with runes which feature as their main operating instructions and they are even used as a way to try and control the rebels within society. The idea of authority and having power over people or automatons is driven by the usage of runes and this compelling and poignant convention was really hammered home through the voices of the characters and the overarching plot. Bear in mind, this being YA fiction, we don’t delve too far into the nitty-gritty of sentient rights and politics, however Emily Victoria balances these points really well with the whole tone of her story.

The pace was pretty steady throughout. There was enough action to keep pushing the story forwards and character relationships were driven at an appropriate rate and in enough detail. By the ending of the story, things become a gradually more tense as we head towards the final showdown. All-in-all, events were concluded satisfactorily with no major twists or surprises. The resolution gives enough closure over the futures of the characters which is exactly what I need from a YA standalone. Overall, the main enjoyment factor for me in This Golden Flame was the balance of the ancient and the futuristic. It’s quite a unique concept that I haven’t yet come across in the rest of my readings and made for an entertaining read.

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