Unlocking Fire

“Unlocking Fire” is a novella offering a unique reimagining of the Bluebeard tale, blending elements of fantasy and romance to immerse readers in a world brimming with mystery and charm. While the characters are intricately developed and evoke profound emotions, the story’s brevity limits the opportunity to delve deeper. Despite occasional shortcomings, the captivating world-building keeps readers engaged, albeit with occasional moments of uncertainty.

The evolving relationship between the resilient female protagonist (Ansa) and her male counterpart (Alexei) provides a fresh perspective on traditional romance, delicately balancing between immediate connection and gradual development. Despite its concise length, the author skillfully integrates significant character growth, drawing readers into the intricate emotional journey.

While the conclusion neatly ties up loose ends, it also hints at further narrative possibilities to be explored in the eagerly anticipated sequel. Despite some grammatical errors, the engaging writing style sustains anticipation for future developments. Ultimately, while some readers may yearn for deeper immersion into the story’s world and characters, the novella assures an enchanting experience for enthusiasts of fairy tale retellings and fantasy romance.

Unlocking Fire | Rating: 3 Stars | Genre: Fantasy / Romance | Tags: Fairy tale retelling, novella, fantasy romance | Author: Liv Strom | Publisher: SM Press | Pages: 128 | ISBN: 9783907446072 | Purchase
Author: Liv Strom
Liv Strom is a Swiss-Swedish writer of speculative fiction, often featuring strong women. Her stories have appeared in Apex, Hexagon SF Magazine, and Mystery Magazine, among others, and been included on Tor's Must-Read Speculative Fiction and reviewed on Locus.
Her first novel The Last Spiritwalker is a dark contemporary road trip where no one is safe, while her Tales of Bones and Roses series retells fairytales in the city of Tal, where epic fantasy and romance meets.

When not writing, she raises her three wild children on fairy tales.