Book Review: Island of Fire (The Unwanteds #3)
Island of Fire improves on the first two books in the Unwanteds series. In the earlier books, the story sometimes felt slow, and I did not always have a clear sense of where everything was going. We learned about Artimé and Quill, and there were battles and struggles to survive, but I never quite felt that there were heroes yet. That changed for me in Island of Fire. In this book, Alex and the other Artiméans have lost much, and they have had to step up and be brave. I see them becoming heroes and leaders. They are not just a people; they are family and friends to each other. And that is the biggest difference between Artimé and Quill. As we learn in this book, it is also the difference between Artimé and Warbler, also known as the Island of Silence.
As the story begins, Alex and the Artiméans have many problems to face. Artimé is gone, Mr. Today has been killed, Alex is the new mage of Artimé with the responsibility to lead and somehow restore it, Alex’s brother Aaron has attacked and taken power in Quill, and Lani and Samheed have been captured on Warbler. Much of the story is about dealing with each of these problems, one at a time. Alex cannot fix everything all at once, and that is part of what makes his new role feel so heavy. There are too many problems, too many people depending on him, and too much that he does not yet know how to do. As a reader, I was captivated and wanted to know what would happen next.
We really see Alex grow into a leader in this book. However, he also feels the burden of his role very strongly. This responsibility has been thrust upon him suddenly, and he feels the full weight of trying to lead Artimé and fix what has happened. He wants to be the leader they need, but he does not always know how. He does not want others to see when he is unsure or overwhelmed, but that also makes it harder for him because he cannot carry everything alone. In those moments when he breaks down among his friends, they are truly able to help him.
Alex has great love and loyalty for his friends. He and the other Artiméans have a bond of family and friendship, and they are willing to put themselves in danger to save those they love. The rescue of Lani and Samheed especially shows this, as it requires courage, planning, and trust.
This book was very engaging, and I was happy to see the series pick up and get better. It kept me wanting to know what would happen next. So far, this is my favorite book in the series. I would recommend it as an engaging middle-grade story about family, friendship, loyalty, rescue, leadership, and heroism.