Reviewed by: _summering_
Book Title: Heart of Fire
Author's name: terraxxa

Cover: 10/10

The book cover? Perfect! Now, before anything else, I'm not an expert when it comes to underlying elements of graphic designs. So, I will just stick to how it impresses me as a simple reader who happens to be captivated by your cover. I'm not certain if it is intended or is it how you want to make the cover seem to look. I don't know if it's you who tricked me or my eyes tricked me... in a good way, so don't worry. What I see in your cover is like an ambiguous image or reversible figure for I have found two distinct images or forms as a subject. At first glance, it's like I was seeing two shadow figures at both sides who appear to be holding each other's hands. One silhouette, particularly the one on the left side, is the one holding the matchstick (or at least that's what appears to me). It was only after staring at it for too long did I realize that it was in fact a girl who's holding a matchstick in her right hand.

With all of these crazy observations aside, your book cover perfectly fits the theme and main topic of your story with just the right darkness applied to it. The chosen colors do not clash adding the right and simple effect to it. The title as well as the author's name and subtitle are just the right size of the font.

Title: 8/10

I love the title! It fits the story perfectly and the keyword for that is "fire" as our protagonist is so much involved with lighting fire on a matchstick. And what about "heart"? What relevance does it have to the entire story? As the story isn't yet complete, I still have to make out what it truly means as the chapters go on. But, I'm going to try to make my own analysis. Fire symbolizes many things and if we are going to relate it to the story in a positive way, it can mean hope and desire given the characters' circumstances. The heart gives life as it beats. Putting it all together, it can mean not letting your hope and desire burn out or lose its beat because the world around you changes it. But like what I have mentioned, I still have to see more of the story to know what it truly means.

Blurb/Description: 10/10

How can something short be complete? For me, your blurb is amazing and I cannot ask for more. You have managed to capture my interest in those two sentences, leaving room for questions and curiosity.

In the future, the actions of the human race have devastated the planet.

Indeed, human activities are responsible for the damage—either directly or indirectly—to the environment. By destroying nature, we destroy ourselves. I feel like this story isn't just like any kind of story, but an eye-opener to all of us.

On her seventeenth birthday, Aera strikes a match, igniting a bigger blaze than she could have ever expected.

Now, you have piqued my interest even more. Should we use the 'match' and the 'bigger blaze' mentioned in this sentence quite literally? Or is it figurative and symbolism used to describe something in comparison?

To sum it up, the blurb is effective and perfect!

Creativity/Originality: 10/10

You definitely have no problem with this. I love the creativity and originality you put in this book incorporated with different other elements that make it even more interesting. It's not all the time I read a story like this since I had started reading on Wattpad. Not the type of cliche plots that you'll eventually get tired of. This story has an essence, a substance, and is written with careful thought and deep care.

Throughout the chapters I have read, I am getting this kind of vibe from the movie The Lorax. The Lorax begins in a post-apocalyptic setting, a ravaged and desolate urban landscape. And yours is a different story, a different twist. I am utterly amazed how you have managed to come up with such an amazing plot (I assume there will be lots to come since the story isn't finished yet) from a one-sentence prompt as an entry for ONC.

With that aside, I want us to take a look at your chapter titles. Each of your chapter titles is amazing and I love how it conforms with the theme. The chapter titles such as burnt, spark, embers, ashes, flames, and so on are words related to fire. And I assume they are not words randomly placed as a title in every chapter. For example, Chapter 1 is titled Burnt because it has the scene when Aera first lit the match which takes her to a different universe.

The second chapter is titled Spark, maybe because Mason and Jack got a spark of recognition as they stare at Aera.

Embers are such a brilliant title. It can mean a lot of things. Embers are used as a metaphor for other things that are starting to fade. But what can it symbolize in the third chapter? Perhaps it is about environmental degradation? Mason shares to Aera how his father had told him stories passed down from his great grandfather; how the planet used to be breathtakingly beautiful but now it is on the brink of destruction wherein the air literally takes your breath away.

Ashes are the most frequent reminder of devastation, terror, and sorrow. It completely matches the entire chapter's mood as Mason and Aera try to piece together odd events about that other girl who looks like Aera. And as Aera narrates about the world full of darkness, it might be a premonition, more like she can travel to the future of what might happen to the world if the continuous destruction of the planet persists.

Well done for such creativity and bright ideas!

Plot flow: 20/20

Humanity knew their actions would inevitably have a devastating impact on the environment and the future of their species, yet they continued to exploit and poison the Earth.

I love how much of an impact your opening paragraph is. It is an interesting first line and captures the view of what's going on today. And it's a wake-up call to humans on how much destruction our planet is facing.

Heart of Fire is a novella that tells the story of a dystopian city living the consequences of humans' actions which devastates the environment. Imagine a place like Portsworth where everything is covered in soot. The buildings and people were all covered in dirt and grime. It matches the somber faces of the people who rarely smile. This story is more than fiction and if we can just compare it to how we live our life today, it's just sad how much we take everything for granted.

As the protagonist jumps into different worlds—not counting the world covered in pitch blackness—the landscape that she describes is heart-wrenchingly different. The world she has visited on the day of her birthday is a paradise that is green, lush, and vibrant. The environment she describes through her eyes is the epitome of the conservationist ideal: nature left alone, teeming with pureness and untainted beauty alone. The black-and-white contrast between the world she travels and her present world establishes a rigid moral conflict from the start. Nature is happy, innocent, and beautiful; whatever made Portsworth dark and gloomy must be the people's own doing.

It tugs at the heart how you've brought out how fragile human life is. You won't know that in one wrong move, everything will be gone like a candle snuffed out of its flame. And such there might be a possibility of an ideal universe out there where things aren't so bad. The pain we have felt in our own world is absent in a separate or parallel universe. That alone is enough lessons to care for what is given and around us because it is what keeps us living; what keeps us breathing.

As Aera was tempted to witness once more the beautiful scenery she once laid eyes on, she attempted to light a match again. But that one incident led her to meet Jack and Mason. Their fateful encounter is another bridge to finding out the mystery of lighting the matchstick which teleports Aera to another world. The connection between the worlds is much deeper than anyone can imagine. And how can their findings have their value in saving the future of Portsworth and most especially, Earth?

When it comes to the pacing and flow of the plot, it is easy to follow and the chapters are kept at the right length. You have thought well about the details and threads that connect your plot, especially the exchange of ideas and assumptions by the characters. The dialogues are real and natural as well. In addition to that, every time a chapter ends there's a tease and build-up of excitement.

There is something I'm just wondering about. How exactly did she get that power? Out of all the people, why her? That is what I am hoping to find out soon.

Character Development: 8/10

The vivid picture of the tough struggles of life is shown. With the people facing severe poverty, children like Aera who can take instructions at their age need to work to help their family survive in such hard situations.

"Getting older is nothing to celebrate," her mother told her.
"You don't need a cake. Be thankful to have any food at all," her father added.
She learned not to ask.

In this short dialogue, it can be observed that Aera's parents are practical, which is a typical setup in a family facing hunger and poverty. But on her seventeenth birthday—the one time she goes against her parents—she faces a different change and an odd event in her life. Determined to experience a celebration on her birthday, Aera settles on celebrating it by herself with the decision of stealing ingredients for the cake batter and going to Rosie's house.

Through brief descriptions and not overwhelming information, we can learn about Rosia and Aera's family through the course of their actions. Some writers tend to have an information dump when they want to introduce events and characters in the first part of the story. I love how you make your characters' actions and emotions real and I can say that they are quite relatable. When Aera compares her mom to Rosia's mom, most people at some point in their life wish that their parents are like that too.

Aera's inquisitiveness and her remarkably stubborn nature help her find out more. And her strong will and bravery to help even though her life might be caught in the strings of death, she'll volunteer herself to verify the signal between universes.

At first, it made me think why Aera doesn't want to go home anymore. Maybe because she doesn't want to bring back the life she has and she wants to escape. If it's something to do about her parents, I cannot see any issue at all aside from they haven't let her have a birthday celebration and how she envies Rosia for having such a sweet mother. Perhaps there could have been a deeper reason. In chapter 9, we have seen her mother's indifference and she hasn't been home the night before. So I was wondering if they hadn't been worried about her. Even his father, who I thought cared enough to ask where his daughter had been. But it seems like he cares more for the extra work than Aera herself. I wonder what made her hostile towards her child. And maybe in the future, I would like to see if there will be an improvement to their relationship. It might really hurt for Aera's part that the two strangers have cared for her more deeply than her own parents, her own blood.

Jack is one of the commendable characters. He can be what you call a 'good samaritan' that you can see in every news on television or viral social media posts. Well, he helped Aera when she fell unconscious in an alleyway. Although he, himself, hesitated a bit at first, he gives Aera a helping hand the moment she is seen unconscious in an alleyway when everybody else seems to don't mind. In their situation, the people have no time to think about the others. But with Mason and Jack helping an unconscious Aera, it's proof that there's still some humanity left. Don't forget about the jam and toast she was offered when in fact they've been facing a constant threat of starvation and the next meal was always uncertain. They're generous enough and selfless. In fact, this isn't the first time Jack has helped someone. He is always fond of giving people a helping hand and that is good.

Mason is such a wise and lovely soul. His memories are like a mirror and portal to how the world was before compared to their present time. He isn't the type of mad scientist who is desperate to gain results from multiple trials. In fact, he's more worried when Aera volunteers to help even if there's a high chance she will appear in a dangerous situation. But their present situation, according to Aera, is more hopeless so it is far more reasonable to try the tests.

We are yet to witness more changes and development of the characters as the story isn't yet finished and a lot more things will start to happen.

Writing style/Grammar: 9/10

Your writing style is impressive, simplistic, and not over the top. You have chosen words that are easy to read and understand. The use of effective and interesting imagery that work together in powerful conjunction creates a vivid world. The metaphors and simile are clever ways to bring and invite the readers into a clearer picture. The striking imagery and atmospheric detail capture the mood very well. Additionally, I love how you put cliffhangers at the end of each chapter.

There are a few of what I think are typographical errors. But, no. The errors are not that troubling to the point it affects the story. I also have spotted minor issues of misuse of punctuation, specifically the dash which could have been replaced by the em dash.
The elevator within, of course, was no longer functioning - it hadn't been in decades.
The elevator within, of course, was no longer functioning—it hadn't been in decades.
Other than these, everything is perfect and fine.

Genre relevance: 10/10

Definitely a mixture of sci-fi and fantasy genres. It also depicts other themes like dystopia and maybe a little bit of a mystery. So much is at play and I just can't get enough.

Reader's Enjoyment: 10/10

I absolutely enjoyed it! What an immersive read I had. It is enjoyable. The plot, the characters, the style of writing, they're all absolutely amazing! Your book is amazing and I'd gladly recommend it to others to read. A story with a lot of sense and full of inspiration. I got hooked until the latest chapter and I would love to see how the story ends.

Overall: 95/100

The author isn't afraid to provide a serious message in this book. Heart of Fire is a moving story that could be read to anyone at any age and still be meaningful. This novella gives a begrudging nod towards environmentalism, world-hopping, and a match that ignites discoveries.

~

Thank you for visiting "Scripturient : A review shop"

We hope you had a good experience! If you want to give your story for editing and enhance it, then please visit "Evermore : An editing shop" which can be found on our very profile. The link can be found here >>>
Do fill out a form if you're interested, Thank you!