Firelight

Emily, the protagonist of the Amulet series, continues her quest to free Alledia from years of conflict and to understand her powers as a Stonekeeper. In this installment, Emily and her allies believe that accessing lost memories can help them get to the heart of the war they are fighting. They hope to uncover the events of Trellis's mysterious childhood, knowledge they can use against the Elf King. However, what they discover is a dark secret that changes everything. Meanwhile, Emily's brother Navin continues his role as Commander of the Resistance, traveling toward the elf kingdom of Valcor.

The characters in Amulet are drawn manga-style, with wide eyes and spiky hair. They populate detailed and epic Alledian landscapes, depicted in rich jewel tones of red, blue green, and purple. Quick cuts between panels, many of them wordless, create a cinematic feel. Whimsical robot and animal characters such as Cogsley, Dagno, and Enzo add some humor to the largely dramatic and serious tone, which makes for complex and abstract plot lines. Our heroes travel into memories, find memories buried in those memories, then learn that most of them are manipulative illusions. Nothing in the Amulet universe is ever what it seems.

Those who have read the entire series will enjoy these complexities, but those unfamiliar with the previous installments should catch up before picking up this volume. "Amulet" fans will find the same vivid illustrations, endearing characters, and sophisticated plotting as in previous volumes.