“The world isn't black and white, Ember. It's a million shades of gray, and sometimes, the right thing is the hardest thing to do.”
— Gareth's advice to Ember about moral ambiguity.
Archivist's Choice
Elemental
Brigid Kemmerer (2012)
Genre
Fantasy / Science Fiction / Young Adult / Romance
Reading Time
50 min
Key Themes
See below
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An air Elemental and an earth Elemental, whose families are sworn enemies, fall into a dangerous, forbidden romance.
Synopsis
Seventeen-year-old Emily Morgan, a low-powered air Elemental, takes a summer job that puts her near Michael Merrick, a powerful earth Elemental. Despite her family's warnings and their desire for Michael's death because of his city-leveling power, an attraction starts between them. As they navigate their forbidden connection, they find themselves caught between their feelings and their elemental communities' expectations. Their secret meetings and growing bond lead to family interrogations and a dangerous encounter, forcing Emily to make a choice that could have fatal consequences.
Reading time
50 min
Difficulty
Easy
Pacing
Fast
Mood
Romantic, Suspenseful, Intense
✓ Read this if...
You enjoy forbidden romance between characters with supernatural powers, a blend of fantasy and sci-fi, and a fast-paced Young Adult story.
✗ Skip this if...
You prefer complex world-building over character-driven romance or are looking for a lengthy, intricate plot.
Plot Summary
A Summer Job and Forbidden Attraction
Seventeen-year-old Emily Morgan, an Air Elemental with minimal power, takes a summer job at the rich Merrick estate. Her family, especially her older brother Tom and Aunt Carol, strongly disapproves of her being near the Merricks. Their dislike is because of Michael Merrick, a powerful Earth Elemental, whose family Emily's Air Elemental clan considers a dangerous enemy. Despite her family's warnings, Emily is drawn to Michael. Their first interactions are tense, hinting at a forbidden attraction they both try to suppress. Emily knows the potential risks of their connection, but Michael's appeal is hard to resist, setting the stage for a summer of danger and growing romance.
First Encounters and Unspoken Tensions
Emily and Michael's first encounters at the Merrick estate are full of tension. Michael is initially quiet, almost guarded, but his interest in Emily is clear. Emily tries to keep a professional distance, yet she is captivated by his strength and quiet intensity. She watches his control over the earth around him, a stark contrast to her own weak air abilities. Their conversations are short but meaningful, often hinting at the unspoken history and animosity between their families. Despite the clear divide and the danger it represents, a mutual attraction begins to grow, creating an internal conflict for Emily as she tries to balance her family's warnings with her feelings for Michael.
A Secret Rendezvous
Unable to ignore their growing attraction, Emily and Michael begin meeting in secret, away from their families. These meetings allow them to speak more freely about their lives, their elemental abilities, and the burden of their families' feud. Michael shares his frustrations with the constant conflict and the expectations placed on him as a powerful Earth Elemental. Emily, in turn, shares her feelings of inadequacy due to her weak air abilities and her wish for a normal life. During these encounters, their physical connection deepens, marked by stolen glances and tentative touches, further solidifying their forbidden relationship and increasing the risks of their secret affair.
Family Interrogation and Growing Suspicion
Emily's family, especially her Aunt Carol, becomes suspicious of her summer job and her interactions at the Merrick estate. Aunt Carol, a strong believer in the elemental divide and the dangers of Earth Elementals, questions Emily intensely about her time there. She repeats the long-standing feud between their families and warns Emily about Michael Merrick, calling him dangerous and untrustworthy. Tom, Emily's older brother, also expresses his concerns, though more gently. These family pressures make Emily feel trapped and guilty, forcing her to be more secretive about her meetings with Michael, even as her feelings for him grow stronger, intensifying the conflict between her loyalty to her family and her heart.
A Moment of Vulnerability
During one of their secret meetings, Michael talks to Emily about the pressure he faces as an Earth Elemental. He tells her about the constant scrutiny and the expectations to use his power responsibly, even as he struggles with its destructive potential. He expresses a desire for understanding and acceptance, something he feels is denied to him by the ongoing feuds. This vulnerability deeply affects Emily, who understands the burden of elemental power, though from a different angle. His honesty strengthens their emotional bond, making Emily realize that Michael is more than just the dangerous enemy her family describes. This revelation further complicates her moral dilemma.
A Dangerous Encounter
Emily and Michael have a close call during one of their secret meetings. While sharing a quiet moment, they are almost discovered by someone from the Merrick estate, or perhaps an Air Elemental scout. The near-discovery frightens them, making them aware of the constant danger they are in. This incident reminds them of the severe consequences if their relationship were revealed. It highlights the instability of their situation and forces them to confront the reality that their forbidden romance is not just a secret, but a potentially life-threatening one, pushing them to be even more careful in their future interactions.
The Weight of Expectation
As her feelings for Michael deepen, Emily feels increasingly torn between her family's expectations and her own desires. Her family, particularly Aunt Carol, continues to pressure her to maintain the elemental divide and see the Merricks as enemies. Emily feels the weight of generations of animosity and their warnings. At the same time, her connection with Michael offers a glimpse of a different future, one where elemental differences do not dictate relationships. This internal conflict causes her significant emotional distress, making her question her loyalties and her understanding of the world she grew up in. She struggles to reconcile the image of Michael as a 'dangerous' Earth Elemental with the kind and vulnerable person she has come to know.
A Plea for Understanding
Driven by her growing feelings for Michael and a desire for peace, Emily tries to challenge her family's prejudices. She suggests that Michael might not be the monster they believe him to be, hinting at his true character and the potential for understanding between the elemental families. However, her attempts are met with firm resistance and dismissal, particularly from Aunt Carol, who sees her words as dangerous naivety. Her family's unwavering stance reinforces the deep-seated animosity and the difficulty of overcoming generations of conflict, making Emily realize the immense challenge of their situation and the seemingly impossible barriers to their love.
The Threat of the Elders
Whispers of Emily and Michael's forbidden connection begin to reach the elemental elders, from both the Air and Earth clans. News of a potential cross-elemental relationship, especially between two powerful families, causes alarm and condemnation. This escalates the danger for both Emily and Michael, as the elders are known for their strict adherence to elemental laws and their willingness to enforce them with severe consequences. The threat of official intervention looms, putting immense pressure on the young couple and forcing them to confront the reality that their secret may soon be exposed, leading to devastating repercussions for them and their families.
A Difficult Choice
As the elemental elders close in and the danger grows, Emily faces a difficult decision. She realizes that her relationship with Michael not only puts her own life at risk but also endangers her entire family, who could face consequences for her actions. The weight of this responsibility, along with her deep love for Michael, creates an unbearable internal conflict. She must choose between her loyalty to her family and the potential destruction they face, or leaving Michael to protect them. This climactic moment forces Emily to confront the true cost of their forbidden love and the sacrifices she may have to make.
Principal Figures
Emily Morgan
The Protagonist
Emily begins as a somewhat naive and powerless Air Elemental, but through her forbidden love, she grows to challenge her family's prejudices and finds her own strength and conviction.
Michael Merrick
The Protagonist/Love Interest
Initially guarded and burdened by his power, Michael opens up to Emily, revealing his desire for peace and understanding, and demonstrating a softer, more human side.
Aunt Carol
The Supporting/Antagonist (ideological)
Aunt Carol remains steadfast in her convictions, serving as a static force representing the entrenched prejudice Emily must overcome.
Tom
The Supporting
Tom's arc is less pronounced in this short story, primarily serving as a concerned brother who reinforces family warnings.
Themes & Insights
Forbidden Love
The main theme is the powerful attraction between Emily, an Air Elemental, and Michael, an Earth Elemental, whose families are enemies. Their love challenges generational feuds and societal expectations, creating great internal and external conflict. This is clear in their secret meetings and the constant threat of discovery, as seen when they are almost caught together, highlighting the high stakes of their connection.
“He was dangerous. Off-limits. And completely irresistible.”
Prejudice and Generational Feuds
The story explores the theme of inherited prejudice between the elemental clans. Emily's family, especially Aunt Carol, dislikes Earth Elementals, instilling fear and distrust in Emily. This prejudice is a major barrier to Emily and Michael's relationship, showing how ingrained beliefs can dictate relationships and continue conflict. The family's warnings against Michael, despite Emily's growing understanding of him, show this theme.
“Her family didn’t just want her to stay away from him. They wanted him dead.”
Identity and Belonging
Emily struggles with her identity as a weak Air Elemental and her place within a powerful elemental family. Her lack of significant power contrasts with Michael's great strength, leading to feelings of inadequacy. Her forbidden love also challenges her sense of belonging to her family, making her question the traditions and prejudices she grew up with. This internal struggle is clear as she tries to balance her family's warnings with her growing feelings for Michael.
“As an air Elemental, 17-year-old Emily Morgan doesn’t have much power. That’s okay—she knows what happens to kids who do.”
The Burden of Power
The story touches on the responsibility and isolation that comes with elemental power, especially through Michael's character. His ability to 'level cities' makes him dangerous, but also burdens him with expectations and fear from others. He expresses his frustration with the constant conflict and the pressure to control his destructive potential, revealing a desire for understanding rather than fear. This is highlighted when Michael confides in Emily about the pressures he faces.
“He’s an earth Elemental, one with enough power to level cities. Which makes him sexy. Dangerous. And completely off limits.”
Plot Devices & Literary Techniques
Forbidden Love Trope
A romance between characters from rival factions, creating inherent conflict.
This classic trope is central to 'Elemental,' as Emily (Air Elemental) and Michael (Earth Elemental) fall in love despite their families' generations-long feud. This device immediately establishes high stakes and conflict, both external (family opposition, threat of elemental elders) and internal (Emily's loyalty vs. desire). It drives the narrative forward by constantly threatening to expose their secret, creating tension and dramatic irony as readers know the danger they face.
Elemental Magic System
A system where characters wield powers associated with natural elements.
The elemental magic system provides the foundational framework for the world and the conflict. It establishes the inherent differences and perceived dangers between characters, specifically the Air and Earth Elementals. Emily's weak air powers versus Michael's immense earth power creates a dynamic contrast and contributes to her feelings of inadequacy, while Michael's power is a source of both attraction and fear. This system is the root cause of the family feud, making it a critical plot device.
Star-Crossed Lovers Motif
Two lovers whose relationship is doomed by external forces.
Similar to forbidden love, this motif emphasizes the preordained nature of the obstacles facing Emily and Michael. Their love is 'star-crossed' not by fate in a cosmic sense, but by the deeply entrenched, ancient feud between their elemental families and the rigid societal structures of their world. This device heightens the tragedy and emotional impact of their struggle, making their eventual difficult choice feel inevitable given the overwhelming external pressures from their families and the elemental elders.
Critical analysis
Notable Quotes
“Fear can make you do terrible things, but it can also make you brave. It just depends on what you choose.”
— Ember reflecting on her actions and motivations.
“Some secrets are meant to stay buried, no matter how much you want to dig them up.”
— Ember considering the dangers of uncovering the past.
“You can't save everyone, but you can fight for the ones you can.”
— Gareth's pragmatic view on their limited power.
“Trust is a fragile thing, easily broken, and almost impossible to mend completely.”
— Ember's thoughts on betrayal and its aftermath.
“Sometimes, the monster isn't under your bed. Sometimes, it's the person you thought you knew best.”
— Ember's realization about a familiar character.
“Love isn't about perfect. It's about finding someone who sees your flaws and still thinks you're worth it.”
— Ember's developing understanding of romance.
“Power corrupts, but not everyone who wields it is corrupt. Some fight it every day.”
— Gareth discussing the nature of elemental power.
“Hope is a dangerous thing, Ember. It can keep you going, or it can shatter you completely.”
— Gareth's cautious perspective on optimism.
“Even the strongest walls can crumble if the foundations are weak.”
— A metaphor used to describe the stability of their society.
“There are no easy answers, only choices, and every choice has a consequence.”
— Ember grappling with difficult decisions.
“Sometimes, the truth hurts more than any lie, but it's still the truth.”
— Ember confronting a painful revelation.
“We are all made of elements, Ember. And just like them, we can build, or we can destroy.”
— A thematic reflection on human nature and elemental powers.
“The past doesn't define you, Ember. What you do now, that's what matters.”
— Gareth encouraging Ember to look forward.
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Key Questions (FAQ)
The core conflict revolves around Emily Morgan, an Air Elemental, falling for Michael Merrick, a powerful Earth Elemental, despite her family's long-standing animosity towards Earth Elementals and their desire to see Michael dead. This forbidden romance is set against a backdrop of ancient Elemental feuds and the looming threat of Michael's uncontrollable power.
About the author
Brigid Kemmerer is a New York Times bestselling author known for her captivating young adult fantasy novels. Her "Cursebreakers" series, including "A Curse So Dark and Lonely" and "A Heart So Fierce and Broken," has garnered critical acclaim. Kemmerer also writes contemporary YA, often exploring themes of love, loss, and resilience with a distinctive voice.
