Publishers Weekly
02/01/2021
Orphaned Karis has spent seven years as a servant to the Scriptorium, a caste of scribes who rule the island nation of Eratia. Though she is supposed to be ignorant of Scriptwork, the system of rune magic that animates the land, she has been secretly teaching herself—a dangerous task, particularly since her older brother was taken away for getting on the wrong side of the Scriptorium. For centuries, the scribes’ primary aim has been to discover the lost secret of automaton magic in order to control Eratia’s ancient robotic army. When Karis discovers an automaton hidden in a cave, she accidentally wakes it. Alix, the automaton, displays both emotion and intelligence, shattering Karis’s preconceptions, and the two delve into the mystery of his origins, a journey that leads them to discover rot at the heart of the Scriptorium itself. Victoria weaves a range of sexualities into her debut, including an asexual, aromantic protagonist and a gay couple. Left vague, some elements of worldbuilding lend confusion; nevertheless, this fast-paced standalone novel features intriguing concepts and a thoughtful exploration of what qualifies one to be “alive” and “human.” Ages 12–up. Agent: Rebecca Strauss, DeFiore and Company Literary Management. (Feb.)
From the Publisher
"This Golden Flame examines the perils of power and the magic of friendship for a fun-filled adventure. With a delightful cast of characters and an explosive plot, fantasy fans won't want to miss this one!"—Rosiee Thor, author of Tarnished Are The Stars
"With intricate worldbuilding and a delightful cast of characters, Emily Victoria's This Golden Flame was a page-turning adventure I thoroughly enjoyed. I loved getting lost in Karis and Alix's world as they uncovered the dark secrets of their country's past and found strength and purpose in being true to themselves."—Audrey Coulthurst, author of Of Fire and Stars
“A slow-burn fantasy about found family, friendship, and the struggles of finding oneself, This Golden Flame is perfect for fans of classic YA fantasies and automatons with hearts of gold.”—Linsey Miller, author of the Mask of Shadows duology and Belle Révolte
“Victoria creates a world in which questioning history and fighting for the good of all takes center stage… It’s a refreshing adventure…for readers seeking a unique twist in the fantasy genre.”—School Library Journal
“Victoria creates an engaging narrative with enough fantasy and science fiction elements to satisfy fans of both genres… A colorful fantasy with ancient Greek influences that is a delight to read.”—Kirkus Reviews
School Library Journal
10/01/2020
Gr 8 Up—Eratia used to be powerful. Giant bronze automatons, built and controlled by Scriptorium runes, protected the archipelago of islands until 200 years ago, when the Great Lapse shut them all down. Karis is an orphan acolyte forced to work for the Scriptorium; the organization charged with restoring the automatons. Karis dreams of escaping the Scriptorium and tracking down her older brother. She gets her chance when a mishap leads her to discover and revive a human-sized automaton, Alix, with a shockingly sophisticated personality. Fleeing under the cover of night, Alix, Karis, and fellow orphan Dane begin a journey to reclaim Eratia's past and save its future before the Scriptorium catches up to them. Victoria creates a world in which questioning history and fighting for the good of all takes center stage. Wording (such as himation, agora, and chiton) places Eratia in a fantasy version of the ancient Mediterranean (circa Hellenistic Greece) tweaked with middle-ages weaponry. The story's foundation and plot move smoothly, and yet the climax and subsequent resolution feels disappointingly rushed. Despite this, it's a refreshing adventure that centers overall human connection rather than specific romantic relationships. The ethnically diverse cast is led by Eratia native Karis and teddy-bear automaton Alix as the book's narrators. Karis is ace and other LGBTQ+ characters are introduced throughout. VERDICT This Full Metal Alchemist meets Ancient Greece story is for readers seeking a unique twist in the fantasy genre.—Emily Walker, Lisle Lib. Dist., IL
Kirkus Reviews
2020-11-26
Karis and Alix join forces to flee the authoritarian Scriptorium.
Unwilling acolyte Karis discovers Alix, a working automaton, the last of his kind left after Scriptmaster Theodis betrayed the Scriptorium over 200 years ago by initiating the Great Lapse that brought an end to the Scriptorium’s supremacy. Chafing under the control of the Scriptorium, Karis makes a deal with Alix: They will escape together and Karis will find her missing brother, Matthias, who was sent away years ago for trying to protect her. There’s only one snag—Theodis created Alix, but Alix remembers nothing of the master’s betrayal. The narrative examines what it is like to have your personhood denied, both through the perspective of Alix as an automaton and through those of the slaves of the Scriptorium. Bonds of friendship are tested again and again, and questions of betrayal and emotional distance are asked. The pacing remains tightly controlled, staying mostly steady with quick bursts of action and labyrinthine plot twists. Victoria creates an engaging narrative with enough fantasy and science fiction elements to satisfy fans of both genres. Karis is an aromantic asexual, and her relationship with Alix remains strictly platonic. The main cast is left racially ambiguous, and the world contains diversity in race, sexuality, and gender; Matthias has a visual impairment.
A colorful fantasy with ancient Greek influences that is a delight to read. (map) (Fantasy. 13-17)
