Genre: Christian fantasy (young adult, I think, but adults would enjoy it too)

Overall rating: 4.5/5

Literary Value: 4.5/5 The writing in Embergold served the story well, but my favorite books are the ones where I occasionally stop to reread a particularly beautiful passage. Embergold didn’t make me do that, but it was still well-written and held my interest.

Worldview: 5/5 I loved how the main character wrestled with the theology of the cross, doubting in God’s existence because a good God would never allow such terrible things to happen. The resolution of that subplot was very satisfying! I also loved how the author didn’t portray any group of people as being completely good or completely bad. Even evil characters have moments of goodness, and the protagonists are still sinful. I also loved that the “enemy” country had several honorable soldiers—a refreshing change from stereotyped evil empires!

Enjoyability: 4.5/5 It took a little while for me to get into Embergold since it opens with a lot of backstory. But once the plot started moving (about a fourth of the way through), I couldn’t put it down! (And all that initial backstory is essential to know later on!) The characters were exceptionally well done, especially the two protagonists. And I absolutely loved the subtle hints of Beauty and the Beast throughout!

Caveats: I don’t recall any profanities or excessive violence. There’s some action and suspense, but nothing too extreme. Sensitive readers might find the magic system a little disturbing—the power of magic comes from the blood of other people, made most powerful only by killing others. Of course, that’s seen as evil, and it’s never shown on the page. There’s also some implied domestic abuse, but very little is actually on the page. I’d probably recommend Embergold for 15+ because of some of the weightier themes throughout, but mature tweens or younger teens would be fine with it as well.

Other books by the author: Rachelle Nelson is also the author of Sky of Seven Colors, which I read and enjoyed. Embergold was definitely my favorite of the two (Sky of Seven Colors is portal fantasy, which isn’t my favorite), but if you like Embergold, Sky of Seven Colors is definitely worth checking out!

Have you read Embergold? Let me know in the comments below!