Together We Burn

Though I don’t read much YA anymore, one author I’ve enjoyed is Isabel Ibañez. Her third novel, Together We Burn, came out last year, and I’ve been eager to get to it. Set in a Spain-inspired world, it follows a flamenco dancer who must learn to fight dragons in order to save her family home. 

Summary

One year ago, Zarela’s mother was killed after a horrific accident at a dragon fighting event. She was the one who danced flamenco before each show, and now Zarela has taken over the role. Her father still fights as the Dragonador. But tragedy has struck again: their dragons somehow got loose, Zarela’s father has been critically injured, and her family home and business may be lost to them. The only way Zarela can see to save her family’s legacy is to become a Dragonador herself. To train her, she hires Arturo, a man who’s reluctant to work with her and continuously disdainful toward her. As the next big event looms closer, Zarela is working to uncover who sabotaged her family and how she can reclaim her family’s respect in the community. 

Review

One of the main reasons I was excited to read Together We Burn is because of its setting in a medieval Spain-inspired world. I love Spain, and it’s always such a rich setting for historical fantasy. Here, the country is called Hispalia, and instead of a tradition of bullfighting and matadors, theirs is a tradition of Dragonadors fighting dragons. Flamenco is another cultural element highlighted here (unchanged!), and there’s a hint of magic in the form of witchcraft and simple spells. 

Zarela is a daughter of both cultural traditions: Her mother danced flamenco before each dragon fighting event, and her dad acted as the Dragonador. Since her mother died a year ago, Zarela has tried to fill her shoes by dancing flamenco like her. But now, after an unprecedented tragedy in her family’s stadium leaves her dad critically injured and many dead, Zarela has to step up as Dragonador, too. Her family may have been the victims of sabotage, if only Zarela could prove it. In the meantime, she’ll need all the help she can get, and the endlessly grumpy dragon hunter Arturo is her only hope. He reluctantly agrees to train her in a last-ditch effort to save her family’s reputation and their ancestral home. 

Together We Burn has all the setup to be an exciting and engaging book, but it’s a bit slower paced than most of Isabel Ibañez’s books. The story unfolds rather predictably, and most of the action comes down to Zarela’s training sessions with Arturo and conversations with the dragon guild. The characters, too, aren’t the most captivating. Zarela is exhaustingly spunky, and Arturo is grumpy and closed off without the charm or mystery that makes you want to get to know him more. (Their enemies-to-lovers relationship would have worked better if they were a bit more likable or nuanced.) Even the reveal of the real culprit behind the sabotage is rather straightforward and cliche. 

Despite that, there are plenty of things I really liked about this book. First is the discussion around dragon fighting and why killing for sport is so horrific. As with the author’s other books, Together We Burn starts off with a protagonist whose world views may be a bit off. Zarela is of the perspective that dragons are evil monsters and dragon fighting is necessary. Given her family’s legacy, it’s no wonder she’s pro-dragon fighting. Arturo is against it, and it takes some time for Zarela’s views to shift. This is all parallels the ongoing discussions in Spain today surrounding bullfighting. It’s a long-standing piece of Spanish culture, but it’s also animal cruelty and a “sport” that should be retired. While it’s on the decline, there are still places where bullfighting continues. 

Another thing I loved is how the flamenco dancing and dragon fighting play off each other and evolve throughout the book. How can Zarela honor both of her parents? How can she save her family legacy, but also find a new path that causes the least harm? On top of these Spanish cultural elements, I also love how this book infuses Spanish words throughout. This is true of all of Isabel Ibañez’s books, and it’s always a joy to read it and practice my own Spanish skills. 

Final Thoughts

Together We Burn has a lot of great things to offer, from good world-building to thoughtful discussions around bigger topics. It’s not quite as engaging due to some pacing issues, but it’s still an enjoyable read.

Get the Book

You can buy Together We Burn here – it’s available as a hardcover, paperback, ebook, and audiobook.

Together We Burn by Isabel Ibañez
Audiobook Narrator	Ana Osorio
Audience	Young Adult
Genre	Fantasy
Setting	Spain-Inspired World
Number of Pages	368
Format I Read	Audiobook; Hardcover
Original Publication Date	May 31, 2022

Official Summary

Isabel Ibañez’s Together We Burn is a lush, enchanting standalone fantasy inspired by medieval Spain, filled with romance, adventure and just the right amount of danger.

An ancient city plagued by dragons

Eighteen-year-old Zarela Zalvidar is a talented flamenco dancer and daughter of the most famous Dragonador in Hispalia. People come for miles to see him fight in their arena, which will one day be hers. But disaster strikes during one celebratory show, and in the carnage, Zarela’s life changes in an instant.

A flamenco dancer who must become a dragon hunter to save her family legacy

With the Dragon Guild trying to wrest control of her inheritance from her, Zarela has no choice but to train to become a Dragonador. But when the most talented dragon hunter left in the land — the infuriatingly handsome Arturo Díaz de Montserrat — withholds his help, Zarela cannot take no for an answer. Without him, her world will burn.