Book review
Premise: Rusty, a young kittypet, often dreams of what life would be like in the forest near the Twolegplace he lives in. One fateful evening, he gets the opportunity of a lifetime when he encounters ThunderClan warrior cats, and they invite him to join their Clan. Rusty agrees, and receives a new name along with his apprenticeship: Firepaw. Little does the brave young tom know that the adventure that awaits him will be one filled with treachery and danger. Moreover, Firepaw’s arrival in ThunderClan will prove not just timely, but prophetic.
Story/Writing: I actually have read this book before, even though that was years ago, back when I was still in middle school. And having read – counting this one – twenty-one titles, man, do I wish I’d stuck with this series. I guess back then I didn’t have the patience needed to get through such long books, but that’s irrelevant! I had a blast reading it! It was also interesting reading it having read the super editions and short stories about a lot of the cats that appear in this book. So I did kind of know what was gonna happen. But that didn’t make it any less intense! In fact, it felt like I was truly reading this story for the first time. It was written in a way that I could see throwing readers off when they first read it. Since this is also the first book ever published in this series, I think it does a great job introducing this amazingly well-designed world and its mythology. One reason it worked is because we learned about it along with our main character. It can also get pretty intense and even a little bit violent, which goes to show the authors have faith in the reader’s intelligence.
Characters: The characters in this book are too many to count. By that I mean, they’re all memorable, they’re all distinct, and they’re all interesting. As is the case with the books I’ve read earlier, they feel really human while staying true to their feline nature. And as I wrote earlier, this book does have a ton of characters I already read plenty about before this, so it was kind of cool reading this while knowing those characters’ backstories. If anything, it kind of added a whole new dimension and level of depth to the story. I mean, yeah, it’s always fun to have big revelations about a character, but it can also be fun knowing what they’re like already.
Firepaw – I consider Firepaw this series’ Harry Potter, given the prophecy about him, his personality, and how we’re introduced to this new world through him. And he was a great protagonist! He’s young but quick to learn, flawed but always good-hearted, loyal to his Clan but not rigid, and ambitious but not willing to hurt others to get ahead (Unlike some other cats!). From the beginning, we see how different he is from other kittypets – and not just because he wasn’t fixed – especially if you’ve been reading them in chronological order like me. He’s okay with his life at first, but he clearly wants to be part of some grander purpose. And when he does find that grander purpose by joining ThunderClan, he adapts like he’d been born in it to begin with. I also liked that, while certainly respectful of his elders, he’s bold and voices his opinions often. He’s quick to learn someone’s true nature, even if he doubts his judgment. Firepaw grows a lot throughout the book, and by the end of it, I was totally behind him. He’s won me over and is clearly going to be a noble, charming warrior and hero. I can’t wait to see where he goes!
Graypaw – If Firepaw is like Harry Potter, then Graypaw is like Ron Weasley. But he doesn’t just act as Firepaw’s best friend and guide. His joking nature adds some much-needed levity to certain scenes. At the same time though, he knows when to get serious and is just as ambitious as Firepaw to become a great warrior. I liked that he was willing to trust Firepaw in dire situations, showing that he’s also a good judge of character. I also liked his bond and father-son relationship with his mentor, Lionheart. If anything, given how Graypaw grieves over his beloved mentor’s death, he was probably more of a father to Graypaw than the latter’s own father was. Long story short, Firepaw couldn’t have asked for a more devoted and caring friend!
Ravenpaw – I felt for Ravenpaw throughout the whole book. From the start, you can tell something is weighing heavily on him. And for me, having read the novella ‘Redtail’s Debt’ before this, it was kind of heartbreaking. In the novella, he seemed just as eager to become a warrior as Graypaw. But given he knows the truth of Redtail’s death – and specifically that his mentor, Tigerclaw, is the true murderer – his innocence has been shattered and he constantly has to watch his back. Yeah, you can fault him for not telling anyone that it was Tigerclaw who murdered Redtail. But if you remember his reasoning, Tigerclaw was charismatic and loved by the whole of the Clan, including Bluestar. It’s likely he wouldn’t have been believed. Not to mention, he probably knew Tigerclaw would kill him if he even made the attempt to tell. In the end though, while it is sad that he had to flee his own Clan, I’m glad he found a safe haven with Barley.
Bluestar – I’d admired and respected Bluestar when I first read this – even as I was baffled at how someone as wise as her could be blind to Tigerclaw’s nature – but having read her super edition, she’s now one of my favorite characters in the series, and I can’t completely fault her for her ignorance. Leaders can be wise, but they’re never infallible. That said, I liked that she was at least a little suspicious of Tigerclaw, given she appointed Lionheart as deputy after Redtail, and only when Lionheart died as well did she appoint Tigerclaw. And if you were reading this for the first time, the way she’s written, you can tell she’s faced a ton of challenges and trials throughout her life to become as strong and wise as she is. Not to mention, it’s pretty cool that she trains Firepaw herself, given she believes him to be the answer to StarClan’s prophecy. She’s tough, but fair.
Tigerclaw – While I already knew before reading this that Tigerclaw was the real killer, I liked the way he was written in the beginning. Again, if you’re reading it for the first time, there does seem to be something off about him, but you don’t immediately suspect him. If anything, it shows how good he is at covering his tracks, though of course he’s ultimately not as good as he thinks he is. I’d also read about him before in previous titles, so his arrogance and deceitfulness didn’t surprise me. But that’s not at all a bad thing! Villains can be pretty charismatic, clever, and convincing. He clearly has lost all sense of remorse, guilt, and empathy. But a hero is only as good as their villain, and I can’t wait to see how he’s brought down!
Yellowfang – As was the case with Bluestar, I liked Yellowfang when I first read this. But having read her backstory in the super edition ‘Yellowfang’s Secret,’ she’s also one of my favorite characters in the series. I remember reading the scene where she and Firepaw first run into each other, and I was like, ‘Geez lady, what’s your problem?’ And her super edition shed light on the whole thing. Given everything she’s been forced to endure and suffer, it’s kind of miraculous that she didn’t become as evil as Mapleshade. By the time she’d met Firepaw, she’d lost her faith in StarClan, but they hadn’t lost faith in her. She’s willing to stand up to her Clan and her monster of a son to help the one that held her captive. The lengths she’s willing to go through to prove her loyalty gave me nothing but respect for her.
Various Other Characters – The rest of the cast might be a bit numerous for some, but I really liked them! Dustpaw and Sandpaw may have made fun of Firepaw and his kittypet roots, but it’s quite a bit of fun knowing that Sandpaw will become Firepaw’s mate. I also really liked the noble warrior Bluestar had raised her nephew Whitestorm to be, and how he could command a patrol and take leadership with ease. Even if Darkstripe and Longtail don’t know Tigerclaw is lying, they feel like his lackeys. And I wish we’d gotten to see more of Spottedleaf! She was so sweet and kind and she died far too soon! Curse you and your cowardice, Clawface!
Overall: Even if this is technically the second time I’ve read it, this book is still a ton of fun and a fantastic first volume of the ‘Prophecies Begin’ arc, as well as a spectacular introduction to the series back at the very beginning. The Erin Hunter team has gifted the world with their skill in writing, storytelling, and characters. I can’t wait to finally read the rest of the arc after a decade-long break from it.
- Goodreads rating – 4.31
- REVIEW – Historyprincess