![]() Through Will, we learn about the personal baggage and complex, morphing ideologies that tie the three together. Furthermore, Will’s deep and ongoing obsession with Phoebe is revealed. This results in Will providing more access to other characters than would be possible without conjecture. Will’s point of view is most prominent throughout the novel and he often has to fill in gaps in the story using his knowledge of Phoebe and John. Phoebe, uncharacteristically, appears to be a true believer, whereas Will plays along in hopes of holding onto his crumbling relationship. Over time, the couple is sucked into a radical cult led by John Leal. Coming to college after a horrific car accident that killed her mom, Phoebe still feels immense guilt, having been behind the wheel. Set primarily at the fictitious Edwards University, The Incendiaries follows the romance between undergrads Will Kendall, a former Christian fundamentalist, and Phoebe Lin, a Korean-American party girl who once hoped to “be a piano genius” and left Seoul with her mother at a young age. I don’t use the first person much when writing about books, but to make a quick exception-I love this book and you should read it. The writing is superb, the story is brilliant, and the mechanical elements blend with the larger structure to create a work that is cohesive, exhilarating, and impressive. ![]() Kwon’s The Incendiaries is the rare debut novel that excels on every level. ![]()
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