Oh boy, what a ride. This book took me totally by surprise!

For the first half or so of the book it is seemingly about a boy trying to survive and prove himself to his father. Then, when you think you know what kind of book it is, it changes and becomes a story about society, how people view others that differ from them and how we have to keep true to our own quests for truth. Like I said – what a ride.

The plot centers around the infamous Gunpowder Plot of 1605, and young Thomas, who is drawn into the plot by his father and the need to receive his Mask – the key to his Color Powers. I must admit that the whole fantasy element felt a little flat in the beginning of the book. The magic system and “mythology” didn’t really add up or make sense in all cases when you really thought about it. The whole color powers and the reverence/fear for White Light was obviously a religious analogy, just as it was quite obvious that the Keepers and Igniters were actually Catholics and Protestants, but in the end I think it worked. It was needed to keep “real” religion out of it, and the colour magic was a good substitute.

This book is about morality, when it really boils down to it. It’s complex and not always confined to the YA-genre as it feels more mature (no, not like that) and complex. It also feels realistic, which might be because of its historical background and how it seems to follow the real events. It depicts struggles in society about religion, class and race in a nuanced way and was surprisingly, and refreshingly, raw and unapologetic.

Even though I didn’t like all parts of the book, it made a positive impression as a whole. Fawkes is an unusual ya-historical fiction novel that I definitely recommend to everyone! It will be released the 10th of July 2018, don’t miss it!

4.5/5 stars!

One-Line Summary:

All the best things of the Gunpowder Plot—treason, secrecy, Guy Fawkes, regicide, sword fights, and plague—with the added element of magic.

Summary:

At 16, Thomas Fawkes is set to take his Color Test and become a man. Soon, he’ll have bonded with a color and will enter the final stage of his color training as a masked person. There’s just one problem. Only his father can make his mask, and his father isn’t coming.

Maskless, cursed with the Stone Plague, and now turned out of his school with his dreams for the future shattered, Thomas vows to go to London, find his father, and demand the mask that’s owed to him. He succeeds in the first two, but his father insists he’s not ready yet for his mask. Even worse, Guy Fawkes is keeping secrets. The dangerous kind. The kind Thomas is determined to uncover.

Meanwhile, in London, fear of the Stone Plague is growing, and Keepers are being rounded up and executed for refusing to accept White Light and become Igniters. Convinced the plague is spread by Igniters, a group of Keepers, including Guy Fawkes, have hatched a plan. Kill the king, place a Keeper on the throne, and rid England of the plague. Simple, right?

Despite questioning his beliefs, Thomas joins the treasonous plot, sure that he’s fighting for good. As the plot thickens and more secrets come to light, he has his doubts. After all, conflicts have two sides, and each side has a perspective. He isn’t sure who’s right and who’s wrong, and worse than that, Thomas now has to find where he really belongs.

The Positives:

- HAVE YOU SEEN THE COVER? It’s SO PRETTY. Not that I judge books by their covers, of course. But if I did, well, I totally would’ve picked this book up … Oh, and look at that, I did! Funny how that works. Listen, there’s nothing wrong with the finer things in life, and this book cover is fine and should, therefore, be properly appreciated.

- Who said history couldn’t be fun? Brandes takes some of the most fun things about history—you know, plague, sword fights, and treason—and really brings them to life. Fawkes is set during the Gunpowder Plot in the early 1600s, and while I didn’t know much about the setting to start with, I was quickly immersed in it. The historical context was really significant, and it was clear the author did her research. More than I did, so I guess I’m taking her word that the research is correct, so maybe that doesn’t mean a lot. The point is, I did learn some neat facts through the story and it felt very authentic and pulled me right in.

- The plot really picks up around 65% of the way in. I say that because it was slow going to start with. I didn’t like the main character, which makes it hard, and I was confused about the world and what was going on. But around 65%? Stuff started going down. The stakes were raised. There was turmoil and mystery and lots of things going on, and I was SO ONBOARD. The payoff in the end was definitely worth it, but it took a long time to get there.

- Oooh Emma’s a mystery rolled in an enigma wrapped in a conundrum and then chopped into puzzled pieces … and I sort of love it? Also, she’s a badass. I mean, there’s this pesky fact of her being a woman, which was not a good idea in that time period, so that kind of sucks. But she’s a powerful color user and can hold her own in a fight against men. What’s not to love about that? There’s also a lot more to her than meets the eye, literally, but since I don’t want to give away any spoilers, we’ll leave it at that.

- I actually really like White Light as a character. He’s snarky and witty and sarcastic. We’d get along. Probably be BFFs. I definitely thought he added a lot to the story, though, and I loved the idea of giving him (her, it?) a voice.

- I will not give away any spoilers. I will not give away any spoilers. I will not give away any spoilers. I can neither confirm nor deny whether Thomas ever gets the mask he so desperately craves from the beginning of the book. All I can say is that if it were to happen, the manner in which it comes about would obviously be fantastic and more than I would have ever hoped for. Ahem. All of this is just conjecture, obviously. Move along.

The Negatives:

- I have a hard time believing Thomas is 16. He’s naive about pretty much everything. How did he manage to make it to 16 without learning anything except how to use a sword? Despite going to an Igniter school and supposedly having studied about colors, he’s never heard of White Light. I mean, the Igniter/Keeper conflict is pretty major, but no one’s teaching youth about White Light or the history behind either Igniters or Keepers? Since Igniters are in control, I understand not getting Keeper history, but you’re telling me they don’t teach any kids in school about White Light until they’re 17, after the Color Test, despite it supposedly being a major tenant in their beliefs? They don’t even talk about it?

- Thomas is just not a great person. Lest we forget, he reminds us constantly about his cowardice and how he lacks the ability to do things for the right reasons. All of which I can forgive because, hey, we’re all human. What really bugs me is the things he chooses to harp on. For example, when they’re witnessing a hanging, Emma tries to intercede on behalf of a child who looks about ten because he’s just a boy. Instead of this being a positive character trait, Thomas sees this as her choosing to save the black/African/colored kid and not speaking out to save the (adult, by the way) Keepers and how dare she! I just … what? I understand the Igniter/Keeper thing is a huge problem, but the things Thomas chooses to hate people for just don’t make sense to me. He’s also mad at his grandparents for announcing out loud in front of his classmates that his father wasn’t coming with his mask. Even though they tried repeatedly to pull him aside and he actively avoided them because he knew it was bad news, so they were basically left with no choice. Also, it wasn’t like the whole school wasn’t going to figure it out when he didn’t show up at the Color Test, so … I will say, though, that his personality shifted around the 75% mark, and from there on, I was onboard with him as a character. It was a pretty dramatic shift.

- Eh, I can’t follow Thomas’ line of thinking a lot of times. Since he’s the protagonist and point of view character, this is problematic. Talk to White twice before he knows any better, good things happen. Talk to White once when he shouldn’t, bad thing happens. Suddenly, he’s all dejected and spurned by White, blaming himself for bad things because he broke the Keeper code. What? A scientist he is not, because two positives and one negative do not lead to a negative conclusion.

- What’s up with the Igniter/Keeper beef? This isn’t well explained, in my opinion, at all. Igniters want to kill Keepers for refusing to use White Light, and Keepers are protectors of White Light, but it doesn’t say how. From what I can figure, White is the most powerful of all and controls the other colors, so how is it that Keepers keep it away from anyone? Especially since it talks to people telepathically and can read their thoughts and everything. The whole concept seems like hubris to me at this point, but I might buy it if there was any explanation behind it.

- I don’t understand the magic system. It’s fantasy, so maybe to some people it doesn’t matter, but darn it, if the system is going to be so specific, I want some idea behind it. I don’t need a full rundown, but it needs to feel embedded in the world, and here, it just doesn’t. Color magic only works if someone is wearing their mask. Why? Only a father can make their son’s mask and pass on the magic, and only a mother can make her daughter’s mask. Again, why? The rules are oddly specific, but there’s no reasoning behind them. Is magic gender specific? What happens if your mother has color magic and your father doesn’t and you’re male? I guess you’re just SOL, since it takes color power to make a mask?

- What the heck is White Light? It seems the Keepers basically worship it, but they kept it from the world because it was too powerful for humans to control. But it’s always watching them, according to Guy Fawkes, and can bless them and favor them, but they must never speak to it. Yet, Emma speaks to White Light and says that you can’t control it like the other colors. You have to ask it. So … I’m not seeing really a difference in belief? If it’s too powerful for humans to control but it can intervene and you have to ask it to do anything anyway and it has the ability to say no … aren’t those two sides of the same coin? Apparently, White Light taught the ancient Keepers how to speak to the other colors, which was fine and cool, but then certain Keepers rebelled and talked to White Light directly (which, as far as I can tell, all the Keepers were doing prior to this knowledge anyway) and encouraged the public to do so and they became the heretical Igniters. Ehhhhh. I get the feeling that White Light is supposed to be an allegory for God and Igniters are believers and Keepers are non-believers, but maybe that’s me just looking into it too much? I’m not a big fan of the allegory, personally, because it feels weak and not well developed, but the ties seem obvious enough. However, I don’t want to put words in the author’s mouth, and I have no idea what she was going for, so I’ll leave it at that.

Overall:

I was SO EXCITED to read Fawkes, and I don’t think it entirely lived up to my expectations (I may have had pretty overblown expectations, admittedly), but I’m not entirely disappointed, which I feel like is a good balance when you’ve hyped a book up. It started out slow and took a while to really get into it, as I said, but once stuff really started rolling, I didn’t want to put it down. My biggest sticking points were the need for greater worldbuilding and the confusing magic system, but I thought the plot was quite unique and I loved the idea of it. Despite that, it was still an enjoyable read.

Disclaimer: I received a free eARC copy of this from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

This book tells the story of the Gunpowder Plot with a fantasy twist. The story follows Thomas Fawkes, the son of Guy Fawkes, the man who gets most of the credit (or blame, depending on how you look at it) for the plot in 1605 to plow up the English Parliament, and is the namesake of Guy Fawkes Day. Thomas becomes involved in the plot in the hope of curing the plague that has infected his eye, and is turning it to stone. Also, in this world magic and power is tied to colors and represented by masks that people wear. By aiding in the plot. Thomas hopes to be given a mask and color magic.
I enjoyed the historical aspect of this book, but I did not enjoy the fantasy element as much as I thought I would. I understand it is symbolism and metaphor for what really happened and the reasons for it, but I thought it was just strange the way it worked, and it became tedious how much Thomas went on about wanting color power and a mask. I would recommend it to someone who likes young adult novels, and enjoys a fantasy element.

I love when history merges with fiction! And Nadine Brandes does that exceptionally well in Fawkes.

Meet the infamous Guy Fawkes, a real man involved in an attempt to kill King James in the Gunpowder Plot of 1605. Among the other numerous historical characters, we are introduced to a handful of well-developed fictional characters who add dimension to a rather gruesome time period of England's history.

Through the fantastic imagination of Ms. Brandes we're transported to the murky streets of London where great care was taken to detail a setting so real it required little imagination to visualize each scene. The fantasy element is not overdone and gave me no pause as I allowed the story to draw me into a world where color can be given the power to separate or unite. It took me well into the novel to figure out whether that element of the plot was antagonistic or protagonistic to the story. I think that might've been my only issue with the story overall. The amount of detail and story-building is quite heavy through most of the book (3/4) and left me anxious for the action (1/4), which came mostly towards the end. I don't think this prohibited me from enjoying the book and is probably mostly personal preference.

I enjoy learning about something new and I love that Ms. Brandes took some creative freedom fictionally to bring life to a historical event. I think this book bridges genres in a unique way bringing fantasy, history, mystery, suspense, romance, and even some political expression together in a story where characters live bravely or die in the truth of their beliefs, false or not.

**I received this book from netgalley in exchange for my honest review.

At first I thought it was a typical fantasy dystopian book and I almost put it down a lot of times in the beginning but when I got into the middle, being so confused what to believe in, It started to intrigued me as I got into the world and how the color power works I enjoyed it so much. The plot is simple but a page turner. The characters are well developed and enjoyable to read specially when white is starting to get in his head. Thomas have his own mind and that’s what I like about him, seeing two sides of the story and standing up for what he believes in even if all of the people he knew against it.

The action kicks off straightaway in Fawkes, and right from the start, I found myself drawn into Thomas' world. Thomas isn't always the classic hero--he can be petulant--but that made me like him more, because he felt real. After all, no one is actually as perfect as some YA heroes would have us believe. Brandes does a wonderful job of blending her fantasy setting with the true events of the gunpowder plot, and the world building as a whole was well done. There is a romance, but it doesn't take over the story, and the pace throughout was good, with plenty of action moving the story along. I would definitely read more from this author in the future. Check out Fawkes if you are looking for a captivating YA historical fantasy adventure-romance.

Remember, remember, the fifth of November

The cover was really cool to start with but it is even better now that I know the story. It has so much more meaning behind it. I can't wait until I get my hardcover copy!

Some of the characters might have started off acting foolishly but I really enjoyed the character arcs (they need to start off with room for improvement after all). Their struggles were real and there were reasons for how they changed their beliefs.

I really liked Emma. She has such depth to here character and there is just so much to her story. I love how she cares for people and values life where so many others are throwing it away.

Thomas battles with whether actions matter or just the intentions and end goals that people have. What does it mean to fight for what you believe? What does it mean to fight for truth?

The villains were also nicely villainous.

As historical fantasy, it was something I don't think I have come across before. It was fairly close to the actual historical facts (obviously with a bit of a twist to them though). It made me understand the Gunpowder Plot heaps better. I will admit that halfway through the book I did a little research... (not too much though because I did not want spoilers just to confirm what I suspected).

Before I read the book I wondered how Nadine Brandes would intertwine faith into a fantasy book. Not anymore. She did it perfectly again. Like in A Time to Die and the rest of the Out of Time series you get to go on a journey with the characters as they discover more about their beliefs and others beliefs... about the truth.

"Be seekers of the answers and the truth. To be above the influence and opinions of the outspoken."

Content wise, there was a little violence but not an unnecessary amount. When you are planning to blow up parliament you end up in the company of some more unsavory men. People do get murdered in the story (not in the most pleasant ways) but worst ones are not shown happening (characters find out afterwards or leave before it happened). So people die, there is a bit of blood and stone, but I did not have any issues with it.

I received an ARC of this book in exchange for my honest review.

publisher synopsis: Thomas Fawkes is turning to stone, and the only cure to the Stone Plague is to join his father’s plot to assassinate the king of England.

Silent wars leave the most carnage. The wars that are never declared, but are carried out in dark alleys with masks and hidden knives. Wars where color power alters the natural rhythm of 17th century London. And when the king calls for peace, no one listens until he finally calls for death.

But what if death finds him first?

Keepers think the Igniters caused the plague. Igniters think the Keepers did it. But all Thomas knows is that the Stone Plague infecting his eye is spreading. And if he doesn’t do something soon, he’ll be a lifeless statue. So when his Keeper father, Guy Fawkes, invites him to join the Gunpowder Plot—claiming it will put an end to the plague—Thomas is in.

The plan: use 36 barrels of gunpowder to blow up the Igniter King.

The problem: Doing so will destroy the family of the girl Thomas loves. But backing out of the plot will send his father and the other plotters to the gallows. To save one, Thomas will lose the other.

No matter Thomas’s choice, one thing is clear: once the decision is made and the color masks have been put on, there’s no turning back.


Upon finding this book on NetGalley, I requested it right away. It had so much potential I was immediately excited about it. However, the book was a lot of work to read. Thomas was not an interesting character, but almost like a spoiled brat throwing a tantrum. The "color magic" was confusing, and Thomas's smarts are drawn into question when his "eye" is seen by someone and instead of leaving, he goes to sleep, without clothes on ? I feel like this book could be really exciting and amazing, but the beginning really needs some help.

I received this copy from the publisher via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

An interesting historical fiction with plague, assassins, and intrigue

This book started abruptly and I could never get fully into it. The main character and the world building was interesting but it all fell flat with confusing explanations of the colors and what these things meant for the characters. I honestly didn't make it all the way through this book.

My excitement for the book I thought would be the first 5-star-rated one of the year 2018? Gone. Completely gone.

First reason: colour powers.
Now, considering that it's an historical fiction and not just some high fantasy novel, considering it's not meant for children, and considering that this colour thing has been already used and used by many other authors... it was really not the best choice that could have been made, if you ask me. And although going on with the book I appreciated it a bit more, considering that there is actually something different from all the other novels where colours are involved, it made me take the hole story less seriously. Of course, this is not exactly positive when the main plot consists in... well, a political plot.

Second reason: Thomas Fawkes.
"He said I could trust you. But I'm not sure. I'm not sure he ever saw the Thomas I'm seeing now - afraid. Selfish. Evasive." She lifted her chin. "Stone cold."
This quote from Emma, one of the main characters, sums briefly who I had to deal with. Some fickle, whimsical, terribly selfish, reckless, grumbling, impulsive boy with victimism complex whose aim is just to obtain a cure for his own plague. Who cares what happens to England as long as he is totally healed?
I'm still wondering how I managed to go on till the end with that brainless puppet carelessly distroying lives with his couldn't-care-less attitude.

Aside from that, though the historical backgroung - the Gunpowder plot - should have made me totally absorbed in the novel, I actually found myself pretty bored most of the time because of the slow pace. I simply didn't feel involved enough to enjoy the story, and this is a real pity.

There is something I did enjoy though, and I'm referring to Emma. She should have been the real main character, as if it's true that she's got her own flaws too (and what character is without any kind of flaw?), at the same time she's such an amazing, inspiring girl who doesn't let anybody chain her because of her past or her sex. The more pages I read, the more I appreciated her initiative, strong will and indipendence.
She's not some kind of idealist who can't see the horrors and unfairnesses in front of her: on the contrary, she's well aware of them and is ready to cope with them.

"Take a breath Thomas. There has always been fear. There will always be fear. It's up to us to stand us tall, even when the fear demands we bow to it."

Come explore the magical streets of London in this book set during Gunpowder plot of 1605.

Thomas Fawkes wants his mask. It's his right and, hopefully, it will finally give him the power to remove his plague.
However, on the day of his test, the unthinkable happened and Thomas is expelled. Maskless and plagued? That's the worst lot anyone can carry.

So off he runs to London in search of the only person who can help him, his father Guy Fawkes, England's bravest and fiercest soldier. Blinded by his selfishness, Thomas is capable of doing anything to achieve the mask. And so he's seen mixed up in the plot to take down the crown and install a new monarchy under a Keeper. To prove his worth, Thomas looks for employment in an Igniter home, only to be forced to spend time with the girl who once called his attention.

In a world divided between Keepers and Igniters, power and control, Thomas will be tested at every corner to not fall for the powers of White Magic and to see people for more than they appear to be. Then, only then, might he find what it really means to fight for a cause.

Full of twists and turns, this book will surprise and astound you through each turn of the page. The most amazing part might just be how solid the historical facts are even though the plot is set in a fantasy world.

I have to admit, I struggled with about 1/3 of this book. Thomas is not exactly the most likable character out there. For a lot of this book, he is really selfish, petty, childish, and a little insufferable. Sure he might have a reason to have that chip on his shoulder, but he acts as if everybody should thank him for his presence just because of his surname. The other reason I struggled with this book is that all I know about Guy Fawkes and the Gun Powder Plot is from V for Vendetta and the poem. Beyond that nada.

https://www.goodreads.com/review/show/2271806685?book_show_action=false

I so wanted to love this novel, and I enjoyed it, but it wasn't love.
The characters are well rounded and deep, the plot is original and moving and I love that the language used fits the time in which the book is situated.
However I feel that the Victorian language used, takes a little away from the novel and I fear it will turn younger YA readers away from this novel.
All in all a good book! Definitely make sure you have a few days to really delve into this monster!

Spoiler Free review!

This book is absolutely brilliant!!!
FAWKES is an exquisite hybrid of history and fantasy that is impossible to put down!
I was blown away by brilliant originality of the plot and am beyond impressed with the author's writing, which made me feel transported right in the middle of all the action.
There are so many wonderful layers to this story. It is a book I know I will re-read multiple times and each time discover a new favorite part.

History absolutely comes alive in this book! The sights and smells are so vivid and every character is distinct and memorable. I felt the characters joys and agonies, which to me is the hallmark of an exceptional story.
I've always wanted to travel back in time and now that I've read FAWKES, I am convinced that I have!!!
What an adventure!!!!!
So captivating and profound! Easily one of the most wonderful books I have ever read. (And I've read more stories than Hermione and Belle combined!)

Even if I spent all day listing the great aspects of FAWKES, I still would have more remaining to compliment it on. It is GENIUS!!!!!
To read it is to LOVE it!!!! To read it again is to love it even more!!!!!

You know a book is good when I was up until 1:00am on a work night to finish it! 😬🙈 But guys, seriously, it's soooo good! A curse, a plot, a mysterious voice, and history sometimes turned on its head are just a few of the things that make this book absolutely amazing, so READ IT!!! ❤️

What a great and beautifully written take on the infamous Guy Fawkes and the group of men who organized the Gunpowder Plot of 1605 with a bit of a fantasy twist that unleashed my inner history nerd.

“Fawkes” begins in a prestigious school that helps young adults choose their color which in this fantasy setting determines a different set of powers they will have control over depending on which color chooses them. Thomas Fawkes is hoping to get the color he wants and his own signature mask created by his father Guy in order to seal the deal and hide his affliction of the stone plague, but quickly things don’t turn out the way he planned and he finds himself alone and ends up on a path towards the would be revolution.

The magic aspect is a great element to stand in for the religious conflict that was the actual root behind the assassination attempt while also conveying a different strength each character had within themselves and what they brought to the table and how people usually ended up being more than what you saw on the surface. It was also interesting to see how both Thomas and Emma managed to each represent other ugly aspects of human history with their individual attributes outside of magic that made them different.

As a giant dork, and someone who only knows the story of Guy Fawkes from the poem I spent a good amount of time googling each new character as they were introduced just to see how much was accurate and who came about with artistic liberties and apart from John Hawkins who was a bit of a side eye with how he’s portrayed, the rest were so on point that it made it even more interesting to see how fact and fiction were woven together with fantasy to create a strong final piece.

This book was a bit of a surprise and I’m glad I got a chance to read it and anyone hoping to explore a new world of magic, betrayal and revolution with the men, and a badass woman, behind the iconic masks look no further and thankfully you won’t have to wait until the 5th of November to get it.

**thank you to the publishers and netgalley for providing an arc in exchange for a fair and honest review**