Balefire (novel series)

Balefire is a fantasy novel series, published in the United States, Canada, UK and the Netherlands (as Vuurbaken), by Cate Tiernan, the author of the Sweep (aka Wicca) series. In 2006 the American Library Association picked A Chalice of Wind as one of their notable children's books for that year.

Plot summary

After seventeen-year-old Thais (pronounced Tye-ees) Allard loses her widowed father in a tragic car accident, she is forced to leave the only home she has ever known. She moves to live with a total stranger in New Orleans, which greets her with many secrets and mysteries. However, none of these moments are as unbelievable as the one in which she unknowingly comes face to face with her identical twin, Clio Martin (pronounced Mar-tahn). Thais soon learns that she and her twin come from a family of witches and that she possesses astonishing powers. Both Thais and Clio have a key role in Balefire - the coven in which they are born into. However, fiery Clio is less than thrilled to have to share the spotlight, but the twins must learn to combine their powers in order to complete a rite that will transform their lives and the coven forever.

The Series

1. A Chalice of Wind
2. A Circle of Ashes
3. A Feather of Stone
4. A Necklace of Water

Reception

Critical reception to the Balefire series has been positive. Of the first entry in the series, the School Library Journal praised Tiernan's characters and Booklist wrote that the "action builds toward a tantalizing twist that will leave readers eager for future books".

Main characters

Thais Allard

One of two twins, Thais was born on November 23 shortly after midnight. She was raised by her father, Michel Allard, in Welsford, Connecticut until he died in a car accident. Thais is the more responsible of the two sisters, always following the rules. Upon discovering the existence of her twin sister, Thais moved in with Petra and Clio, where she began to learn witchcraft. Thais's astrological sign is sagittarius and her element is water. Like Clio, Thais was unknowingly dating Luc-Andre Martin at the same time as her sister and broke up with him upon finding out. At the end of the novel she resumes a friendship with Luc.

Clio Martin

The second of two twins, Clio was born shortly before midnight on November 22 and was raised by her grandmother/ancestor Petra Martin. Clio is more irresponsible than her twin and at the beginning of the series is also the more knowledgeable about witchcraft. Her astrological sign is scorpio and her element is fire. At the beginning of the series, she begins to date a boy named Luc-Andre Martin and later finds out he was also dating her twin sister at the same time.Throughout the series, she fights her feelings toward Luc and later develops feelings for Richard Landry. At the end of the last book, Clio chooses Richard.

Petra Martin

Petra is the grandmother and ancestor of the twins. She separated the twins at birth and had promised their mother, Clemence, that she would keep the twins safe before she died. She is over 240 years old and her element is fire. She is a very, very powerful witch and healer. Petra had two daughters, Melita and Cerise. During a ritual that was performed by her oldest daughter, Melita, her younger daughter Cerise died during childbirth. The ritual, however, made her and eleven other people somewhat immortal.

Luc-Andre Martin

Luc-Andre is cousin to Melita, nephew to Petra, and brother of Sophie. He has never truly cared for anyone other than his sister and tends to use people, which changes when he meets Thais and Clio, his soul mates. Luc claims to love Thais, much to the anger of Thais's love interest of Richard. At the end of the series he and Thais resume a tentative friendship.

External links

• Balefire - Cate Tiernan Wiki Balefire category on Cate Tiernan Wiki
• Fire Fairy Balefire Page- Cate Tiernan fansite