Idolfire is a sapphic roadtrip fantasy novel, written by Grace Curtis and published by DAW Books. A quest adventure with two characters from really different backgrounds with a slowburn romance that suits perfectly into a vibrant world inspired by the Fall of Rome, with very different cultures and with some bold craft choices, such as the second person used for certain POV.

On the one side of the world, Kirby from Wall's End, is searching for redemption, starting a journey leaving all behind to find what has been of their goddess, trying to fix the curse that tore her life apart; on the other, Aleya, written as a mistake by her family, has been given an opportunity to prove her worth and ascend to the throne. Both are set in the path to Nivela, a city that once had the power of conquering the world; fate has a strange way to act, and for both, the journey will change their lives, even if they initially resist to travel together.

Kirby was probably my favourite character in the book: intelligent, and a bit mad, but also with the determination to learn and persevere; in our pair, she's the golden heart. In comparison, Aleya is colder, really stubborn, but she grows so much across the journey, accepting that sometimes she's not sure of everything, and that asking is not weakness. The sapphic romance between our characters is the classic definition of a slowburn, but in this particular book, it fits super well, as it is so natural, especially with all the edges and small fights between them.
There's a third character that deserves a mention, Nylophon: the prototypical Spartan coded soldier. A character that is always ready for fighting, who doesn't see any other kind of life for him; however, Curtis paints an excellent character arc, even giving him an adequate ending that is also one of the highlights of the book.

The world itself is another aspect I would like to talk a bit: as we are travelling across it, we have the opportunity to immerse ourselves, the richness in the cultures, and how each place has developed in different ways, all coded into their rituals and lifestyle. The magic system is partly a cautionary tale and also a great narrative vehicle, as it points to how dangerous worshiping can become, but it plays well into the story; kudos for the originality.
The pacing lands on the slower side of the coin, but it suits well with the kind of epic roadtrip that our story is; and it allows us to enjoy a bit of the journey.

Idolfire is an excellent fantasy novel, perfect if you are looking for a story that takes its sweet time in favour of working on its characters, with a slowburn sapphic romance in the center of all and an incredible worldbuilding. Can't wait to read the next Grace Curtis' book!