by Victoria Lee
Publisher: Skyscape
Publication Date: March 1, 2019
Waking up alone in a hospital bed in Carolina, a country in what was once the United States, sixteen-year-old Noam Álvaro is now a technopath thanks to the deadly viral magic that killed his family. This attracts the Minister of Defense, who invites Noam to serve his country by training to become an elite magical soldier. But as the son of undocumented immigrants in a country whose Prime Minister promotes nothing but oppression of immigrants, the last thing Noam wants to do is help the government. So when Noam accepts the minister’s offer to teach him the science behind his magic, he secretly plans to use it against the government. But when he meets the minister’s ward, Noam becomes less certain that what he’s doing is right. Stuck between his longing for change and wish for love, Noam must decide if trust is a thing he can give out liberally, or if the more he lends his heart out, the faster his world might come crashing down around him.
Written with so much emotion and power, THE FEVER KING is packed with amazing prose and beautiful storytelling. One aspect that captivated me from the start was the book’s ‘dark characters.’ Nowadays, it is common for publishers to claim that certain books contain ‘dark’ characters/themes. Often when books are marketed as ‘dark,’ they don’t quite deliver, leaving readers disappointed. This is not the case with THE FEVER KING. From page one, it is clear that the author is well-practiced in writing emotion, as a prominent sense of sorrow can be felt as Noam navigates the book’s mysteries. And even when something ‘light’ occurs, the sense that something can still go wrong is prevalent. One of the ways that the author achieves this is through the articles included at the ends of some chapters. The true definition of dark and clinical, these articles chronicle the trauma of one of the characters while helping to promote the overall feel of the book, establishing its dark history. Horrid descriptions of terrifying experiments and twisted recorded conversations are featured through these articles, making the reader wonder just how destructive and horrifying this world is.
The articles would mean nothing without the setting. In a post-war Carolina, the world is in shambles. While there are some ‘good’ parts to some of the cities, most of the people live in disease-ridden ruin and struggle to survive because of the poor treatment they receive. The majority of these people are citizens of the country lining Carolina’s border—Atlantia. Fleeing their home to pursue a better life in Carolina, they’re given few if any rights, treated horribly, and left to die from the viral magic. Being Atlantian is a big part of Noam’s identity, as he’s been fighting for Atlantian rights for as long as he’s been alive. I found it interesting how Lee wove immigration into her book in a way such as this. Readers will appreciate how she didn’t just mention it once and let it be, but fully ingrained it throughout the book, showcasing the horrid and disgusting lengths to which some leaders might go to prove a point or please the wealthy.
This was seen in the character of Noam and how he dealt with various events. As I mentioned before, Noam was raised in fear of the Carolinian government because of what they do to his people. But he is also proactive in his fight against them, doing all he possibly can to help. And though now living in the government’s building, his pain and motivation doesn’t lessen. Noam is a character who would appeal to many in this sense because of the sheer motivation and anger that pushes him to act. I loved how he embodied all those who are marginalized and pushed down. Lee continues in this spirit with her side characters as she gives them each their own characteristics and personalities. With them, Lee took some themes from the main cast and carried them over to the rest of the characters. I loved how she didn’t just write them for the sake of writing them, but wrote them to be a part of the story.
Another, much needed, aspect of this book was the Jewish and LGBTQ representation it had. Though LGBTQ+ and Jewish characters/themes used to only be popular in contemporary novels, they are slowly starting to make their way into fantasy, which readers will enjoy thoroughly in THE FEVER KING.
One important world-building aspect to mention in THE FEVER KING was its magic system. Unlike anything else I’ve ever read, I was completely obsessed with how the viral magic was something people feared, not sought. With most books that I’ve read, having magic is something that is wanted and held on a high pedestal. But in THE FEVER KING, it was something to run from. I thought that this added yet another dimension to the darkness of the book, but also increased the urgency of which Noam must save his people. Never have I thought that a book’s magic system would serve as almost an antagonist, which was something I enjoyed greatly in this book.
If you are looking for a fresh twist in YA, THE FEVER KING will serve as that perfect speculative fiction sci-fi/fantasy book that you’ve been looking for. Recommended for ages 14+ because of mild language and adult themes.
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