Welcome to another #TeenTuesdays Book Talk! This week's book: We Set the Dark on Fire by Tehlor Kay Mejia!
Dani lives in a divided society. Those with wealth live inside the walls, and those in poverty live outside and struggle to find their next meal.
Dani attends the Medio School for Girls, where girls from wealthy backgrounds are primed to marry a wealthy man. There are two groups: Primeras and Segundas. Wealthy men are assigned one Primera wife and one Segunda wife - all three are to live in harmony to appease the gods.
But Primera Dani has a secret - she comes from a poor family outside of the walls, and her parents lied about her background in order to secure a successful future for their daughter. After confiding her secret in classmate Carmen, a Segunda, she finds she can trust no one while Carmen now constantly bullies her.
Life becomes worse when it is announced that she is set to marry Mateo Garcia, a shady jerk by all standards. The icing on top comes when it is announced that Carmen will be his Segunda.
When a boy named Sota, part of the resistance group called La Voz, approaches Dani and blackmails her into becoming a spy for them - what path will she choose? Will she stay a dutiful Primera to her husband, or chance it all to do what's right? And will she find a new hope - and love - in Carmen?
Callie's Opinion: Everyone has secrets, and this story is no exception! The suspense of newlywed spy Dani possibly getting found out made this a page-turner. Figuring out other characters' secrets and motives was fun. However, the relationship forming between Carmen and Dani felt forced - Carmen had bullied her for years, but now there's an attraction there after she simply apologized? Dani can't decide if she should trust Carmen, while I can't decide if I like the main character anymore. We all make dumb decisions when we fall in love, but as the reader, I got frustrated. The plot ends on a cliffhanger - setting itself up for a sequel.
We Set the Dark on Fire by Tehlor Kay Mejia is available in our library and on OverDrive! You can also find the sequel, We Unleash the Merciless Storm, on our shelves today!