*crickets chirp* *paint dries* *grass grows*
So anyways, for those of you who haven't read the Bloodlines series yet, it's actually a spin-off of one of Richelle Mead's other series, Vampire Academy. Same universe, a few of the same characters, different narrator, different setting. (Personally, I think I like Bloodlines more, but they're both really well done. I'd recommend starting with VA, but it probably wouldn't affect you too much to start with Bloodlines and then go back.)
Quick recap: Sydney's an Alchemist, a human who knows about the existence of vampires and has sworn to protect the world from their evil. The Alchemists have an uneasy alliance with the Moroi vampires, who are seen as less of a threat because they don't kill when they feed and aren't soulless death machines like the Strigoi vampires. Adrian, Sydney's boyfriend, is Moroi royalty and can wield spirit, though it affects his mental stability. No one can know that Sydney and Adrian are together, because it would get Sydney in deep trouble with the Alchemists - like "brainwashing you until you believe all our principles again" trouble.
Oh, and Sydney's also discovered she can do magic. Which would also get her in deep trouble with the Alchemists. They don't really like things that are different, the Alchemists.
So, in this installment, Sydney and Adrian switch off chapters as they narrate, which is different from the just-Sydney style of the last three books. They've been working with a group of rebel Alchemists to "break" the Moroi-blood-infused tattoos the Alchemists receive once they're assigned to their first job, because those tattoos are enchanted to compel the Alchemists into obedience. Sydney got her tattoo broken already, but she decided not to get the second, blue tattoo that would prevent her from ever being "resealed" with another golden Alchemist tattoo. She'd rather work from the inside to exterminate the corrupted Alchemist ideals, though she runs the risk of being discovered.
Thankfully for her, she learns that wielding magic affects her system enough that she should be immune from any more Alchemist tattoos. Inez, the elderly witch who tells her this, also lends Sydney a few spellbooks that might help her learn how to create the immunity enchantment that's in the ink of the blue rebel tattoos, which would be incredibly helpful for them. (Currently they're forced to go to Mexico to get the ink, which is fun but not super convenient.)
Sydney manages to whip up a batch of the enchanted ink in between classes, dates with Adrian, and her other problems, which include helping the Moroi use spirit-infused blood to "vaccinate" others against becoming Strigoi and keeping her little sister in the dark about just how much she actually likes these vampires. If Zoe learned that Sydney wasn't as good of an Alchemist as she pretends to be, she'd be sent off for "re-education" in the blink of an eye.
Problems arise, however, when Sydney and Adrian decide to meet up with Marcus, the leader of the rebel Alchemists, and that's as much as I'll say about the ending of this novel.
Now, for my personal feelings on this novel: *loud, prolonged shrieking*
That's not enough for you?
First and foremost, I've got to say that Sydney Sage is one of my favorite protagonists ever. Her sense of humor and general outlook on life is a lot like mine, which makes it easy for me to race through these novels. Her relationship with Adrian is also refreshing, because it feels healthy. They look out for each other, they tease each other, and they both seem to understand the other better than anyone else could. Sydney and Adrian are definitely in my Top 5 Favorite Fictional Couples List.
I'm also in love with basically all of the side characters in this series, especially Sydney's teachers. Malachi Wolfe, the speed-skating-javelin-throwing expert, and Jaclyn Terwilliger, history teacher by day and witch by night, are truly hilarious. I kind of want a novel only about Wolfe's life, if the anecdotes he tells are true. It would be an adventure and a half. The only character I want to punt into a flaming volcano is Sydney's dad, but hey, maybe he'll redeem himself someday.
(I doubt he'll ever redeem himself someday. In fact, it would feel pretty cheap if he did.)
I could also go on for days about how Not Okay I am with the ending of this novel, but it would mostly be incoherent screeching and lots of tears, so I'll save you the spectacle. Silver Shadows cannot possibly get here fast enough!
Overall, The Fiery Heart by Richelle Mead is engaging, funny, and heartbreaking - a great continuation of a fantastic series. 5/5 stars, infinity tears.
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