WE ARE THE ASHES, WE ARE THE FIRE

The brazen younger daughter in a family scorched by tragedy examines the ashes of the aftermath.

Em Morales is closely bonded to her older sister, Nor. When Nor is violently raped at a frat party, Em goes hard for #JusticeforNor—most significantly by convincing Nor to take her case to trial rather than accept a plea deal. A jury finds the defendant guilty on multiple counts, but a judge releases him based on time served, leaving the entire Morales family devasted. After Em makes friends with witty theater and medieval history nerd Jess (who uses they/them pronouns), she begins writing a fictionalized verse account of the life of Marguerite de Bressieux, a 15th-century noblewoman-turned-knight who avenged the horrific deaths and rapes of her family, adorned by Jess’ illustrations inspired by illuminated manuscripts. McCullough has created an absorbing firecracker of a young woman who bleeds rage and grief as she wrestles with transcending not only her sister’s trauma, but society’s general malevolence toward women. The effect is engrossing, especially as Marguerite’s and Em’s stories become intertwined. With a focus on those who surround victims, McCullough underscores the importance of collective healing. Kobabe’s illustrations elicit the medieval era, but the delicate, rounded lines do not match the grit of Em’s words. Em and Nor are biracial, with a presumably White mom and Guatemalan immigrant dad.

Intense, unrelenting, and inspiring.