Remember, remember the fifth of November. You’ve heard that one before, right?
I’ll be honest, I didn’t know that much about Guy Fawkes before I watched V for Vendetta a few years ago. After I watched the movie, I went looking for books about the Gunpowder Plot, but there wasn’t much out there. So I was pleasantly surprised to discover that somebody had decided to finally take a look, albeit through the lens of fiction, at this interesting moment in history. I was not disappointed.
Fawkes: A Novel (2018)
Written by: Nadine Brandes
Genre: Fantasy
Pages: 448 (Kindle)
Publisher: Thomas Nelson
Disclaimer: I received a complimentary copy of this book from Thomas Nelson through NetGalley. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.
Why I Chose It: While perusing the books on offer at NetGalley, I was drawn to this particular cover. What can I say, I’m fond of masks. Once I read the premise, I decided that I couldn’t wait to see what spin Brandes might place on this piece of history.
The premise:
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.
No spoilers
Discussion: I enjoyed this novel. It was a fun read! I want that to be clear. That said, I need to address a few of the problems that I had here.
I understand that writers take artistic and stylistic liberties with their fiction, especially in historical fiction. That said, there were some moments that completely threw me out of the idea that this story was supposed to be taking place in the seventeenth century. These always took place when a certain “character” was speaking. I don’t expect authors to actually write historical fiction in Olde English (can you imagine how difficult that would be?), but I also don’t expect to see a sarcastic side character speaking as if it is fresh from 2018 and full of snark. I like snark. I also like a bit of consistency with my storytelling. Therefore, having one character who was so modernly antagonizing at some points and mystically wise during others made me a little discombobulated. That character? Is the voice of white light. Stay with me here.
The premise mentions “color powers,” and what that refers to within the context of the novel is the idea that, in this version of history, humans are almost all capable of practicing magic by bonding with different colors. These colors, it seems, can speak to the people that bond with them most closely. Each color has its own purpose and uses. When a teenager finishes their education, their same-gendered parent presents them with a handmade mask that allows them to control colors and use their power (mothers make masks for their daughters and fathers for their sons). I liked the entire idea of color magic, but it wasn’t fully explored or explained enough for my own taste. I wanted more information, but sadly never got it, as our protagonist is young and still learning about this magical practice himself.
I was a little disappointed by the lack of female characters. There was exactly one named female character who was a part of the story. Naturally, she was also a love interest. I was more than a little disappointed when the dialogue included the phrase “worry like a woman.” I realize that the time period of the story had certain views, but if Brandes can address racial issues, why not add a more progressive stance on feminism as well? The notes at the end of the novel state that Brandes wished to be as close to history as possible, and that’s fine. Still, a fierce woman joining the Gunpowder Plot would have been an excellent addition, in my humble opinion.
That said, what Brandes ended up focusing on the most — Thomas and his desire for a relationship with his father, true power, and a way to rid himself of the Stone Plague — made for a great YA book. The coming-of-age aspect of the story was nicely framed around Thomas and his conflicting beliefs: follow what his father taught him or follow his own instinct? This is an important decision that teenagers and young adults must all make at some point, and the fact that Thomas’s internal struggle had potentially dangerous real-world consequences made the story of his growth compelling.
In conclusion: As I stated when I began this review, I enjoyed this book a great deal. Yes, I had some issues, but it was a fun story. I’m not sorry that I read it, and I’ll be looking for more of Brandes’ fiction in the future. And, even though the story wrapped up very nicely at the end, I hope there’s a sequel. I’d like to see more of Thomas and maybe learn more about color magic.
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