Once a century, one person is chosen for greatness.
Elisa is the chosen one.
But she is also the younger of two princesses, the one who has never done anything remarkable. She can't see how she ever will.
Now, on her sixteenth birthday, she has become the secret wife of a handsome and worldly king—a king whose country is in turmoil. A king who needs the chosen one, not a failure of a princess.
And he's not the only one who seeks her. Savage enemies seething with dark magic are hunting her. A daring, determined revolutionary thinks she could be his people's savior. And he looks at her in a way that no man has ever looked at her before. Soon it is not just her life, but her very heart that is at stake.
Elisa could be everything to those who need her most. If the prophecy is fulfilled. If she finds the power deep within herself. If she doesn't die young.
Most of the chosen do.
The way I read it ~
The Girl of Fire and Thorns is a coming of age story for Elisa. She's the second daughter of a King and feels like she isn't worthy of anything spectacular or can accomplish anything of great importance but she's so endearing in her doubt and lack of self confidence that I couldn't help empathize with her. She doesn't consider herself beautiful and was extremely jealous of her sister Alodia's natural grace or what she perceives as natural. I never really got to understand Alodia's character and at first instance (she was barely in the story) I detested her because she seemed callous and uncaring towards Elisa. But in retrospect, maybe that was older sibling tough love. And maybe Elisa needed it to become who she was by the end of the story. What Elisa did have going for her was her intelligence and her devout faith. If nothing else this fueled her emotions and guided her instincts, which could have led her all over the place.
Elisa finds herself thrust into a new life. She's married off unexpectedly and quite urgently to a man she doesn't know and has never met and moves to a new place where nothing and no one is who they seem. So of course she can't trust anyone and mostly,I think she couldn't trust herself to survive it. All of that drama is centered around the Secret! she holds and if it is revealed she's in mortal danger.
I truly began to enjoy the characters by the second half. I think I didn't know what to make of them or if to like any of them. I loved the progression of the story. As Elisa matured and came into her own, the scenery of the books changed with her. I clearly saw the evolution although there were one or two slumps in the story telling that I couldn't ignore and frustrated me to no end. I almost didn't finish the book. But I did. Why?
My Spidey-book sense.
It tingled along with my frustration because I knew there was more to the story and with two sequels, I was inevitably intrigued. Ultimately that is my downfall. Intrigue me enough Authors and I will read on!
I'm looking forward to the rest of this tale. It's without a doubt unlike anything I've ever read and maybe it isn't like most other fantasy books out there... Maybe (as I haven't read them all).
I like it. I like it a lot.
Oh and before I go... there was one part.
This part totally sucker-punched me. I couldn't breathe. I choked on my rage.
Why Rae Carson, Why?!!!
But then I really noticed 'dreamboat'.
You. Are. Forgiven.
 |
| RATED SWEET: 4 out of 5 Sugar cubes |
 |
| Reviewed by Leelo |
No comments:
Post a Comment