Official Review: Fire and Water by Jo Eshuys

Manang Muyang · Post by **Manang Muyang** » 15 Jun 2019, 19:21

[Following is an official OnlineBookClub.org review of "Fire and Water" by Jo Eshuys.]

3 out of 4 stars

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I am Maji, a teenage girl from the Water clan. I am in exile with my beloved Amoto of the Fire clan. You see, we had to leave our beautiful land, Wirrawa, because the elders wanted to separate us. Interclan marriage is not allowed by our sacred laws; that offense deserves death. Our childhood friend, Kiwanja from the Rock clan, was ordered to take us back to be punished. He found us at our first camp, but we escaped while he was sleeping.

Will Amoto and I survive in this dreary place? Will our love be enough to sustain us? Will the evil Griblins punish Wirrawa and the three clans for our disobedience?

Such is the premise of Fire and Water written by Jo Eshuys and illustrated by Craig Jackson. After reading the book’s Amazon page, I learned that it is based on a true story. This tidbit made the book more meaningful and memorable for me. While love has seemingly become a cheap commodity these days, Amoto and Maji risk life and limb to fight for their precious love. Teeming with touching declarations of love, this book is a must-read for us hopeless (and hopeful) romantics! And that evocative ending, particularly the last line, is one that will be remembered for a long time.

Aside from the heart flutters, what else can the reader get? Trust me! This book is a treasure trove. The illustrations are mesmerizing; the wonderful pictures (one on every page) make the world-building and the character descriptions effortless. I am certainly no art connoisseur, but those pictures had me spellbound with their exquisite colors, fascinating details, realistic facial expressions, and subtle humor. They spoke “a thousand words,” indeed!

Another jewel in the book is the poetry. Many of the characters, even the land of Wirrawa, have a chance to speak in verse. Almost all pages have poems; some are as short as three lines while others have several stanzas, but all are captivating. There are rhymes, and there are free-verse pieces. Many are unique; these include debates in verse, an acrostic, one with anagrams that the reader has to solve, a Mobius strip poem, and two haikus. Eshuys and Jackson really worked hard to give the reader an unforgettable experience.

While I gush about the illustrations and the poems, I’m afraid the book has its share of flaws. Different characters’ dialogues are many times in the same paragraph. There are erroneous punctuation marks, too. One poem is not too clear; two pictures may need tweaking to avoid inconsistencies. I wish these pesky issues could be addressed immediately, so the book can truly be outstanding. For now, the story definitely deserves 3 out of 4 stars.

I recommend Amoto and Maji’s love story even for teenage readers; there is nothing to censor in there. Fans of poetry will delight in the verses. Art lovers will be wowed by the pictures. Sentimental readers like me may need to prepare a box of tissues to cope with the mushy lines. Try this one for size: “Alone we are nothing; together we give the dark universe purpose.”

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Fire and Water
View: on Bookshelves | on Amazon

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Post by **kandscreeley** » 17 Jun 2019, 08:59

This almost seems a bit like a Romeo and Juliet (at least as far as the forbidden love). It must be true if they are willing to risk everything for it. Sounds like a great story. Thanks so much for the information!

Manang Muyang · Post by **Manang Muyang** » 17 Jun 2019, 09:11

kandscreeley wrote: ↑17 Jun 2019, 08:59 This almost seems a bit like a Romeo and Juliet (at least as far as the forbidden love). It must be true if they are willing to risk everything for it. Sounds like a great story. Thanks so much for the information!

The "star-crossed lovers" story is as old as time. But the authors' take on it is refreshingly unique. The pictures alone are well worth one's time with these forty pages.

sarahmarlowe randomeducator · 17 Jun 2019, 11:52

This seems like a wonderful book with a little bit everything good.

I enjoyed your review, especially the first-person intro. Yours are always informative reads.

Manang Muyang · Post by **Manang Muyang** » 17 Jun 2019, 14:34

sarahmarlowe wrote: ↑17 Jun 2019, 11:52 This seems like a wonderful book with a little bit everything good.

I enjoyed your review, especially the first-person intro. Yours are always informative reads.

Thanks for the wonderful comments. Yes, the book has a lot of good in it.

Ellylion · Post by **Ellylion** » 18 Jun 2019, 08:06

I found it interesting that the characters may speak in verse

I would like to check this one out even despite of all the punctuation mistakes. Thank you for a great review!

Post by **Alice Heritage** » 18 Jun 2019, 11:37

If the cover is anything to go by, the pictures are impressive. This sounds like a successful fusion of different trends.

kdstrack · Post by **kdstrack** » 18 Jun 2019, 12:55

The names of the clans made me think this would be some kind of mystical story. The story line and the illustrations sound amazing. Great review!

Manang Muyang · Post by **Manang Muyang** » 18 Jun 2019, 16:06

Ellylion wrote: ↑18 Jun 2019, 08:06 I found it interesting that the characters may speak in verse I would like to check this one out even despite of all the punctuation mistakes. Thank you for a great review!

Yes! I am sure you will have a wonderful experience in Wirrawa.

Manang Muyang · Post by **Manang Muyang** » 18 Jun 2019, 16:15

kdstrack wrote: ↑18 Jun 2019, 12:55 The names of the clans made me think this would be some kind of mystical story. The story line and the illustrations sound amazing. Great review!

There is some mystique, but the book is too short (only 40 pages) to explore that theme thoroughly. This is more of a love story. And what a lovely one it is.

Manang Muyang · Post by **Manang Muyang** » 18 Jun 2019, 16:26

ButterscotchCherrie wrote: ↑18 Jun 2019, 11:37 If the cover is anything to go by, the pictures are impressive. This sounds like a successful fusion of different trends.

While I was checking the downloaded copy, 4 stars kept ringing in my head. Those pictures are gorgeous! Based on the Amazon page, Craig Jackson spent years creating the large paintings for the book. I wish the authors could clear the errors quickly.

Helene_2008 · Post by **Helene_2008** » 18 Jun 2019, 19:58

I was surprised that you said this was based on a true story. I would have never guessed! Sounds like a good read. I can't imagine being betrayed by a childhood friend.

Manang Muyang · Post by **Manang Muyang** » 18 Jun 2019, 22:17

Helene_2008 wrote: ↑18 Jun 2019, 19:58 I was surprised that you said this was based on a true story. I would have never guessed! Sounds like a good read. I can't imagine being betrayed by a childhood friend.

The book was a great experience. I hope you can find the time to get to know Amoto, Maji and Wikanja. The two boys have loyal pet sidekicks, too, who play delightful roles.

P.S. Wikanja will surprise you.

Prisallen · Post by **Prisallen** » 19 Jun 2019, 08:12

This is definitely a different kind of adult book with pictures on every page and the characters speaking in verse. It sounds fascinating. Thank you for a lovely review!

Manang Muyang · Post by **Manang Muyang** » 19 Jun 2019, 13:27

Prisallen wrote: ↑19 Jun 2019, 08:12 This is definitely a different kind of adult book with pictures on every page and the characters speaking in verse. It sounds fastcinating. Thank you for a lovely review!

Totally fascinating. I read that this tandem has reaped many awards in their native Australia.