I was promised serious Xena vibes with this one, and it didn't disappoint. But make no mistake, this book is a story all on its own and goes in many different directions that are far from the Warrior Princess.
There's Aleya and Kirby, and their paths cross in a world full of gods and history and magic, and they go on a hero's journey together...for a time.
There's even a third person with a sad past and the need for redemption, and another voice that will not be revealed until the end.

It's character driven and it's sweet, but also tragic at times.
I loved this book, even though it took a while for me to kick in. And I especially loved the least 15% or so. I had not expected this.

4/5 stars

Thank you @netgalley and @dawbooks and @hodderbooks for the eARC!

#Idolfire #Netgalley #Bookstagram

As a big fan of Grace Curtis's previous books I have to say I was a tad let down by this one. When she announced her next release would be fantasy I did think it was a shame, as her scifi books are brilliant but I had faith. Unfortunately for me, this one ended up being very generic and forgettable, and sadly didn't have anything that set it apart as unique from competitor titles in the fantasy space.

I will say, i think Curtis is a great writer. Her use of language and the way she plays with POV is very unique and enjoyable, I just didn't really warm to the characters and I found the plot quite boring. Our main characters don't even meet until the 30% mark and we don't even get to meet the other POV character until about 50% in. The plot structure also felt a bit repetitive and I didn't really believe the growing intimacy between the main three.

In terms of the romance, it was ok. I felt like there was a potential spark but I wasn't really kicking my feet over them together. When they eventually did kiss it was a bit of a let down, it just sort of happened a la: "And then they kissed." And that was the end of the chapter 😅

I will say I LOVED the ending however. And I won't say anything else on that as I don't want to spoil anything.

I would recommend this if you like the "hero's journey" format and arent too bothered about romance and characters having a lot of depth. Like I didn't hate it, I just expected a bit more from Curtis based off of her previous work. But as I've said, not a bad book, just maybe not my cup of tea.

3.5 stars rounded up to 4.

I think it’s very hard to write an epic fantasy adventure, particularly a there-and-back, that feels fresh and new and exciting, and yet Curtis has done just that. The warmth, the joy, the *art* of IDOLFIRE made it a delicious reading experience that I took pains to savour over many weeks. There are shades of Tolkien and Avatar: The Last Airbender and modem fantasy favourites like The Jasmine Throne and The Unbroken, rooted in real-world history that culminate into something so carefully, loving crafted that I think fans of Curtis’ sci-fi books will have no trouble following her on the path to Nivela with Kirby and Aleya. Add to it the sapphic slow-burn of it all, and this might just be my favourite read of the year.

I thoroughly enjoyed this book. It mixes gods, religion and fantasy very well.

Kirby is all heart and brings such a warmth to this story, while Aleya comes across sharp and a little arrogant, but it’s her past and quest that has shaped her this way. The true surprise was the 3rd somewhat main character who I really ended up adoring, I hope despite what happens that they show up in a book 2.

4.5 stars

When I first started reading Idolfire, I wasn't quite sure what to expect. Structurally, I think this is a unique take on the hero's journey - in this book's case, the journeys of both Aleya and Kirby, coming together - on their quest to find the city of Nivella. But pretty much by chapter three, I found myself falling in love with the characters and this story. And the world-building...let me tell you, it was simply incredible. As Aleya and Kirby follow the trail of the lost city, they find themselves in many places marked by the Nivellans. The city is very much imbedded into the core of everyone who resides in the world - it is marked by symbols, road markers, mythical stories and more.

The story feels very character-driven. By centering Aleya and Kirby (and eventually Nylophon), Idolfire paints a wondrous picture of three different perspectives, each coming from very different lands, undertaking the same journey. Aleya, the headstrong princess with aspirations to rule, fighting against the machinations of an arrogant council (and her uncle). Kirby from the World's End, a small village much further than anything you can think of, going on this journey for her brother. Nylophon of Cartha, a deadly mercenary soldier with a sad past. The three characters feel very distinct and that, for me, really cemented this book.

Oddly enough, I would say, even enjoying the worldbuilding as it is, I would have loved it even more if we had gotten more of that mysterious second person POV (no spoilers but when you read it, you will know what it is). I think it adds a certain charm to the book and I would have read chapters more from that perspective, especially if they were narrating the history of the world.

But all in all, Idolfire was a pretty good adventure fantasy and I am glad that I got to read it this early. I will definitely be getting a physical copy when it releases!

I went into Idolfire with some misconceptions (probably all of my own making) which altered my reading experience. Based on Grace Curtis' previous works I was expecting, if not an outright scifi novel, a fantasy novel which still leaned on those tropes. In contrast, Idolfire is closer to Robin Hobb than Grace Curtis' previous works. None of this is negative at all, but it meant that it took me a little longer to really become involved in the tale. The pacing meanders.slowly during the epic journey which makes up the majority of the plot, but falters slightly when it picks up speed for the ending, which felt rather rushed. I enjoyed Kirby and Aleya as characters, and particularly watching them learn to interact with and understand one another. However, I found it incredibly difficult to warm to Nylo, regardless of how much redemption or explanation for his character was given. This was an absorbing book, with fascinating world-building underpinning it - however, for me, it was a case of right book wrong time.

Kirby is from Wall's End, and needs to go to Nivela to break the curse on her home hamlet. On the other side of the world, in Ash, Aleya is sent on a quest to Nivela to be fully accepted into her family. On the way there, they (obviously) run into each other, and quite a few other people.

The first 30 pages of Grace Curtis' latest sci-fi novel were really confusing. Then I realised this is in fact her first fantasy novel, and things started making a lot more sense. I probably should've looked beyond the author's name before starting to read.
Anyway, this was very, very good. I will keep thinking about it for a while, and almost certainly end up rereading it more than once. Als seems to be a habit with Curtis, the reader doesn't know any more than the main characters about what's going on, and frequently quite a bit less. All you can do is go along for the ride. The world building is exquisite, the narrative format is interesting, the writing style is straightforward, and the underlying ideas are complex. 9.5/10, and that last 0.5 is because I can't read the name 'Kirby' without thinking Super Mario.

Many thanks to Hodder & Stoughton for the e-arc provided via Netgalley

Thank you to NetGalley and Hodder & Stoughton | Hodderscape!

I first heard of this book through CL Clark, who mentioned that it gave off Xena vibes. As any sapphic who has consciousness in the early 2000s-- that's a very high bar. AND YET IT WAS DONE. It's not a direct 1:1 correlation, but it is THERE. The warrior, fighting for a better life for others, commanding and deep-voiced, knowledgeable, and with an imperial family helping or harming her. The open-eyed dreamer, coming from a rural area, bright-hearted and needing adventure, needing to find what can happen. The warrior, unable to push her away, let alone resist her.
Their friend, a young man struggling to be the warrior he's told he ought to be. Trying and failing and trying and failing, with the same sort of understanding that something is wrong with his world.

Their courage will change the world. But they must fix it-- and it is deeply broken, Kirby's village cursed from losing their god, Aleya fighting to prove herself against her heritage.
As they walk across impossible landscapes, find broken cities, and interact with different peoples, it's a journey that feels both vast and intensely small, a bit of life in a world that does not revolve around them. Nivala itself has its own secrets, after all....

Grace Curtis, you've made a believer out of me.

Curtis has done it again! I think she's became one of my favourite authors after all these successes. Idolfire is her first foray into a more traditional format and is a great success.

We follow two characters, Kirby & Aleya. Kirby comes from a ruined village, their god stolen years ago by what is essentially a fantasy Roman empire. Her brother was preparing to save her before becoming distracted despite their home withering away. Aleya is an heir to the throne in her city and needs to go through a process known as 'The Calling' to secure her place as the successor to the crown.

Two unlikely characters find one another in an epic fantasy roadtrip. They encounter many obstacles along the way, rampant gods, war, mercenary parties, cultists, a commander with a vendetta and betrayals. They also find unlikely friends, uncover secrets and love.

This story was masterfully crafted and reads so well, I highly recommend people pick this one up!

Thanks to Netgalley & Hodderscape for this arc.

An epic quest! Sapphic heroes! A deeply annoying but somehow endearing antagonist-turned-companion!

In Idolfire, Grace Curtis crafts the most beautiful world filled with stolen gods and terrifying magic, and sends two very different but equally lovable main characters on their merry way. I devoured it.

Kirby and Aleya both want something back from the Nivelan empire which once controlled the world but has since mysteriously gone quiet. This story is their journey across the world to retrieve what was taken from their people.

It reminded me a bit of the spear cuts through water in that it’s a hero’s journey with queer lovers that plays around with structure and tense of storytelling.

Worldbuilding is definitely a strength. I loved the description of all the places and cities they travelled through, and how Nivela left its mark as a stain across the landscape through their conquest.

This is a cosy sapphic fantasy, very PG rated, though the stakes do feel sufficiently high to keep it interesting.

It is now a fact of life; I will devour everything Grace Curtis writes, without question. Everything she writes is simply outstanding, fantastic, and worthy of your time and energy. Idolfire is no different - pick this one up asap!