INTO THE FIRE

A woman seeks her place in a tangled web of secrets and family history in Webb’s fantasy novel, one in a series.

Freya O’Neill has just begun to grapple with the immense powers she’s inherited (“I continued to struggle with the idea that I’d been given an intense power as a healer, but could be responsible for intense destruction if left untrained”). Pregnant with twins, she and her family and friends in Everglenn in British Columbia delve into historical research to unravel her family history. When an old enemy abducts Freya from a family wedding, her loved ones follow cryptic clues to discover her location. Meanwhile, Freya endures a brutal journey overseas, winding up in rural Ireland in the hands of ruthless clan leaders who are intent on using her to fulfill an ancient prophecy. Her rescuers must navigate dangerous territory to secure her release as Freya struggles to piece together her fractured family history to protect herself and her unborn twins. The multiple mysteries about the past position Freya for the final showdown to protect her daughters’ futures. This is an imaginative, vividly realized modern fantasy novel that draws heavily from Irish folklore to create the history of the clans Freya is tied to. The story barrels forward at breakneck speed, steadily increasing in tension while leaving lots of plot details for the reader to keep track of. The cast of characters is mostly familiar, as this is the second book in a trilogy, and their dynamics are well established. (Their deep bonds and interconnectedness are the story’s beating heart.) Freya is an easy protagonist to root for, but given how much focus is given to her powers, it’s frustrating that the plot frequently deprives her of agency in key moments. She spends most of the novel a captive, severely injured and ignorant of most of the backstory. Most of the action is shaped by other characters, forcing Freya into a passive role, though the ending suggests she may come into her own in the upcoming final installment.

An exciting but uneven fantasy series installment that sets the stage for an explosive conclusion.