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The Girl of Fire and Thorns
The Girl of Fire and Thorns
The Girl of Fire and Thorns
Audiobook12 hours

The Girl of Fire and Thorns

Written by Rae Carson

Narrated by Jennifer Ikeda

Rating: 4 out of 5 stars

4/5

()

About this audiobook

“Rae Carson has proved she’s a master and has shaken up the YA genre.”—USAToday.com

The first book in Rae Carson’s award-winning and New York Times–bestselling trilogy! The Girl of Fire and Thorns is a sweeping journey full of adventure, sorcery, heartbreak, and power. Fans of Shadow & Bone and Game of Thrones, will devour this fantasy series.

Once a century, one person is chosen for greatness.

Elisa is the chosen one. But she has always felt powerless, useless. 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 her to be the chosen one, not a failure of a princess.

And he’s not the only one who seeks her. Fierce enemies, seething with dark magic, are hunting her. A daring, determined revolutionary thinks she could be his people’s savior. 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.

William C. Morris YA Debut Award Finalist

YALSA Best Fiction for Young Adults Top Ten Pick

Andre Norton Award Finalist

A Texas Tayshas Selection

Ohioana Book Award YA winner

Don’t miss The Empire of Dreams, Rae Carson’s action-packed return to the world of The Girl of Fire and Thorns!

LanguageEnglish
Release dateJul 24, 2012
ISBN9780062221834
Author

Rae Carson

Rae Carson is the author of two bestselling and award-winning trilogies, as well as the acclaimed stand-alone novels Any Sign of Life and The Empire of Dreams. Her debut, The Girl of Fire and Thorns, was named a William C. Morris Award finalist and an Andre Norton Award finalist. Walk on Earth a Stranger was longlisted for the 2015 National Book Award and won the Western Writers of America Spur Award. Her books tend to contain adventure, magic, and smart girls who make (mostly) smart choices. Originally from California, Rae Carson now lives in Ohio with her husband. www.raecarson.com

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Reviews for The Girl of Fire and Thorns

Rating: 4.026431718061674 out of 5 stars
4/5

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  • Rating: 4 out of 5 stars
    4/5
    Carson's writing style and general theme is extremely engaging, despite the fact that the plot occasionally bogs down and that there's a fat girl who becomes more slender before valuing herself (hence 4 not 5 stars). The overall 'vibe' of the book is reflective of Sharon Shinn's 'Samaria' series, a total win, in my opinion. The protagonist, Elisa, is a splendid character and Carson develops this persona exceedingly well (although I did hesitate over the metamorphosis of overeating). I have yet to understand why the delightful Humberto has to die, unless there's a strong reason in the sequel. Cosmé is an excellent foil for Elisa ~ I hope she reappears in the sequel.

    1 person found this helpful

  • Rating: 4 out of 5 stars
    4/5
    Ok, generic name. A princess is sent to marry the king one kingdom over to cement an alliance against invaders. He’s older and handsome, and she’s self-hating, fat and sixteen, and also the bearer of a Godstone, which gives her some kind of connection to divinity. Palace intrigue, kidnapping, and associated weight loss ensue, followed by her becoming the leader of a guerrilla band dedicated to fighting the invaders. It’s a decent coming-of-age story, but avoid if “she stops her disordered eating and loses weight due to privation and then keeps from regaining all the way to her previous weight due to self-confidence” will be a problem.

    1 person found this helpful

  • Rating: 4 out of 5 stars
    4/5
    For me, this is one of the most unique YA fantasy novels I've read in several years. On a prose level the writing is simply gorgeous--but not in a purple or cloying way. The protagonist, Elisa is a wonderful, everywoman, kind of character that not only teens but most adults can easily empathize with.

    Though Elise is a character of almost unquestioning faith, I really liked that the author also showed that Elise made decisions herself and had to suffer the consequences. Not everything can be attributed to nor blamed on a deity.

    A good solid read.
  • Rating: 4 out of 5 stars
    4/5
    Elisa bears the Godstone, a diamond-like jewel in her belly that marks her as destined to perform some great act of service in the future — if she can survive in the turbulent times ahead with war on the horizon. When she is secretly married on her sixteenth birthday to a king in a neighboring country, she finds herself thrust directly into that turmoil. I enjoyed seeing Elisa's personal transition. Her story, as much as it is about war, adventure, love, and magic, is also very much about growing up and meeting the challenges life puts in front of you, something especially difficult when you're young. In the beginning, she's struggling. She feels useless and like and outcast, believing her sister hates her and that her family is happy to be rid of her through marriage. She eats to sooth her emotions. She's a large girl and because she compares herself with her slender, graceful sister, she indulges in further self-loathing. Some readers might find her whiny, but I could sympathize with Elisa. Being a teenager can really suck. I know, I've been there. I've spend a fair share of my teenage days hating my body and feeling like an horrible, ugly unwanted outcast. Maybe that's a part of the reason why it was so cool seeing her grow as a person as she faced each new challenge, becoming stronger in confidence, body, and soul.Something I also really liked was the world-building and setting. The towns and people's names are inspired by the Spanish language and the people are generally dark skinned. The setting is jungles and the deserts and hills, so not the typical British Isles-style feudal fantasy. While the religion described in the book seemed a little too simple and too widespread with no competing belief systems, I appreciated that there were variations in how characters approached their belief. In fact, it's the variations in interpretation that causes much of the overall problems throughout the book. While far from a perfect read, The Girl of Fire and Thorns was enjoyable. I'll be picking up the sequel soon.
  • Rating: 4 out of 5 stars
    4/5
    Fans of strong female heroines everywhere, rejoice! "The Girl of Fire and Thorns" fits well into the recent pantheon of female characters who stand center-stage and bravely face adversity to save themselves and the people they care about. If you enjoy the works of Tamora Pierce or the Hunger Games series you will find much to like about this book, the first in a new series by Rae Carson. First, a few caveats. The plot does take a little while to thicken, the relationship between the main character Elisa and the king of a neighboring kingdom seems almost an afterthought, and the revelation of certain secrets seem more forced than organic to the story. Still, the way Elisa steps up to the challenge of becoming the savior of her people is satisfying and compelling - you will not be able to put this one down once the storyline really starts to take off. Elisa's desire to love and be loved resonates with the YA audience this book is written for, and most readers will eagerly await the next installment coming next year. I know I will.
  • Rating: 5 out of 5 stars
    5/5
    I loved this story, Elisa has come into her own. I wasn't sure where the author was going with this character in the first hundred or so pages. But in the end, I think she nailed it. I'm very excited to start reading book two; I only hope it doesn't let up. If you like Game of Thrones, I think you will love this story. 4.5 Stars if I had a choice.
  • Rating: 4 out of 5 stars
    4/5
    With the mysterious but mystical Godstone in her belly, Princess Lucero-Elisa has grown up knowing she has a special role to play, but she feels as far from a proper Godstone bearer as possible. Elisa is not beautiful or politically apt like her sister, and when she enters a political marriage with Alejandro, ruler of the neighboring kingdom, she’s immediately in over her head at the political games and shocking revelations surrounding her heritage and destiny. And yet, as Elisa learns more about her new people, she begins to invest in their—and her own—well-being with a strength that she never knew she had in her.After a rocky start, Rae Carson’s debut novel, THE GIRL OF FIRE AND THORNS, quickly grew into a YA fantasy tour de force, with an admirable complexity and characterization that makes it worthy of consideration from every high fantasy fan.Admittedly, approximately the first third of THE GIRL OF FIRE AND THORNS was difficult for me to get into. I found it hard to connect with Elisa and her predicament of being the plain and passive princess who is supposed to have a big role.The more I read, however, the more I respected—and then eventually loved—Elisa, her world, and the story. Elisa turned out to be a supremely capable protagonist of the highest caliber, who seemed to blossom with every page I eagerly absorbed. Her lifetime of dullness and dissatisfaction is what gives her clarity in her new role as a princess and Godstone-bearer that everyone looks to for inspiration and guidance. This is one heroine whose future, beyond the confines of this particular story, is quite clear: she will make a remarkable queen, mother, and wife, even if, happily, the first book in this trilogy leaves her future appealingly wide open.At first I wasn’t quite convinced that Carson’s fantastical world was on par with those of fantasy masters such as Tamora Pierce and Robin McKinley, but as THE GIRL OF FIRE AND THORNS unfolded, I was happily proven wrong. Elisa’s world is every bit as complex, logical, and entwined in tradition and lore as a fantasy world should be. As Elisa extends her horizons and understandings, so does the scope of the story and the fictional world.THE GIRL OF FIRE AND THORNS is one of those rare few YA speculative fiction books published nowadays that proves that writing and world-building can still be complex and intriguing without being completely “overwhelmed” by an underwhelming romantic plotline. I wasn’t sure at the beginning, but Rae Carson fully won me over, and I now eagerly await the next installment in Elisa’s adventures!
  • Rating: 3 out of 5 stars
    3/5
    3 .5 longer review to come soon
  • Rating: 5 out of 5 stars
    5/5
    Wow! Just wow. There's relatability, outstanding character development on par with any of the classical authors, girls are allowed to be both feminine and strong, men are permitted to be both masculine and gentle (without being effeminate). In spite of all of its realistic representation of human nature and the dark situations faced, the story is also very idealistic and hopeful. It is romantic without being explicit, passionate yet still respectful. It presents one of the fairest and most honest representative comparisons of a personal relationship with God vs. religion that I have read anywhere, including in Christian fiction. That's the thing. This book IS NOT Christian fiction although it is very similar to an allegory. It is not preachy. But it is not apologetic about its beliefs which are very important to the story. A very well balanced book - I can't wait to read the rest of the series!!!
  • Rating: 4 out of 5 stars
    4/5
    This book was pretty great. The main character was flawed, cared much too much about outer beauty but all in all grew as a person and it was a pleasure to read about it. The story was fast paced and never boring. In the first few chapters I wasn't sure if I was going to like the book but the action and storyline kept me interested. Great read :)
  • Rating: 5 out of 5 stars
    5/5
    Wow. WOW.

    I'm completely unable to put together a coherent thought, let alone a coherent review. I may attempt it later, when my brain recovers.
  • Rating: 4 out of 5 stars
    4/5
    I enjoy the occasional detour from urban fantasy into the realm of what I think goes by the term "high fantasy," but the main distinction is that the story is set in an imaginary world rather than the world we currently live in.

    So from that perspective, I enjoyed this story, as it gave me a tour of a new place and introduced me to new kinds of characters. The idea of a "Godstone" was interesting, as was the gradually unfolding mystery about what these stones really mean.

    I also always enjoy reading stories told from the POV of strong women, and Elisa certainly has her strengths (which include her conflicting desires and wavering faith, as well as her political insights). At first I was hoping that Elisa might turn out to be a "plus sized" woman who can still kick ass, but alas, it was not to be, and everyone's reaction to the slimmer Elisa were boringly predictable.

    Now that it's been a few days since I finished listening, I'd also say that the story dragged on too long in places, which is making me somewhat hesitant to start the next book in the series. But the popularity of this series will likely draw me in.
  • Rating: 4 out of 5 stars
    4/5
    I basically read The Girl of Fire and Thorns in a single day, because once I began, it was so engrossing that I couldn't bear to wait until the next day to finish reading. It is one of my favorite genres, which helps a bit - princess adventures with a touch of magic. (There's a little bit the "Farm boy" story and romance as well!)It really is an adventure story, with a lot going on. I can't really say that it is about any one thing, as there are a lot of things that it could be about - I don't think you could even limit it to being about the main character and our narrator, Elisa, since some of the topics are more general and are simply explored through her.Of course, if you read other reviews and synopses, some of the major topics become clear: religion, faith, destiny, self-confidence, body size/image, war, friendship, and trust.I think that Carson did a splendid job at handling the very many plot hooks and themes, and didn't really feel let down at any one point. I was surprised by some of her narrative choices, whether because she went an unexpected route, or because she did what I expected - but only after leaving very obvious red herrings. Since much of the foreshadowing came to play out very regularly, those red herrings were all the more surprising in the end.Speaking of the end, I think that while it was a bit rushed and a little beyond my ability to suspend belief regarding the stated passage of time, I thoroughly enjoyed that it is very bittersweet. Without spoiling too much, I hope, I found that the ending was hopeful and as positive for Elisa as it could be, considering the hardships she suffered to get to that point. I'm given to understand that there may be a sequel in the works, but I don't think a sequel is necessary at all. I am very happy to think of Elisa growing into a mature woman and capable queen (oops, spoiler?) with the pieces that were set out in the last chapters, and I don't need more. (I'll probably read a sequel anyway, though!)Two themes in the book had me wary before reading, worrying that it might be totally horrible and not my thing and I'd hate it. Luckily, this wasn't the case!The first item is the religious aspect. Elisa is very devout to her faith, and is, in fact, living proof of a supernatural God. There is a crystal or gemstone lodged in her abdomen that spontaneously and miraculously appeared at her nameday, and which burns hot or cold with no clear physical reason. While titled "religion" and all, I felt that this wasn't very indistinguishable from much magic in other books. The God and religion in The Girl of Fire and Thorns is very tangible and with an unmistakable presence.I did like the way Carson addressed religious schisms and fundamentalism, as well as different translations/interpretations of the religious texts. In the context of the story, the ultimate message to "continue to have faith and trust that things will work out as God intends, but there's nothing wrong with stepping up and trying to help things along" makes a lot of sense, though I'd think it's kind of stupid in a story based in our reality with no proof of the supernatural.The second item is Elisa's appearance, though again, a lot of it is helped by the context of the story. I hate the idea that in order to have self-confidence and happiness, one must be thin and conventionally attractive, and a lot of stories force their overweight heroines to slim down for no particular reason than to get that "happy" ending. But for Elisa, things are a bit different. While she is terribly overweight and unhappy about it in the beginning of the book, with doubt that anyone looks beyond her appearance even while having no motivation to change it (something so many of us can relate to!), and she does become much slimmer by the end, it isn't just for the "happy". Her weight loss is due to some pretty serious events and accompanies weeks or months of grueling physical exertion and not-quite-enough food. It is not a positive thing for her, though it does result in positive effects - being more physically fit and able to walk long distances or being able to fit into ready-made disguises more easily. In fact, much later, Elisa jokes that her new size is only temporary, but it seemed to me that she was only half-joking, that she accepts that she might gain much of the weight back - she often mentions how food is a comfort to her, and that and the lack of physical exertion needed as a member of royalty is part of why she became overweight in the first place. She also points out that she may have lost a lot of weight and looks better in clothes, but she's by no means conventionally attractive, with loose skin due to the sudden near-starvation, and I suspect that she's still a bit overweight, if not nearly as much so as at the beginning.On the whole, I found Elisa to be a very believable and sympathetic character. She is a princess and was raised as a princess, so is pampered and spoiled and a little self-centered, but she grows in the story, recognizes this, and attempts to improve these faults. But she's also quiet (a bit shy, really), observant, studious, and cares deeply about others. She does her best with what she has at hand, but isn't always successful, and sometimes makes the wrong choice.I could go on about many other things I found interesting in the book, from the other characters to the various relationships, but they can mostly be described as the more important they are to the basic workings of the plot, the more nuanced they are, without being wholly Black or White, which was very nice.I very much enjoyed The Girl of Fire and Thorns and can see why it's received so many positive comments, and why it took a month for my library hold to come in!
  • Rating: 4 out of 5 stars
    4/5
    Wonderful characters faced with hard choices. The book was really well done. The magic system and bellybutton gem were the only things that were hard to swallow.
  • Rating: 4 out of 5 stars
    4/5
    To be honest, I really did not think I would like this book. However, once I got to reading it, I read it to the end. 
  • Rating: 3 out of 5 stars
    3/5
    How you feel about this book relies heavily on how you feel about its main character. Which is neither a good thing nor a bad one, but I guess I was one of the few people who felt solidly neutral toward Elisa during the entire thing. She was shy and sheltered in the beginning, and then by the end her best trait is that she is loyal and incredibly empathetic - which is wonderful, to be sure, but for whatever reason, that was not enough to get me to really connect with her. There was nothing that really stood out about her, nothing that made me sit up and take notice. Amost every heroine in every book ever is loyal and empathetic. So this book became one of those books where you feel like you're watching everything happen from far, far away and you think, oh, that's interesting, I wonder what'll happen? But there is no burning desire to crawl closer to the scene and know.

    I did appreciate, at points, the gravity and seriousness that the author sets up the world and its problems. The problems, and the way they affect the characters, are incredibly realistic. I'm not sure if we really needed to see QUITE that much roaming around in the desert, but overall the writing style kept things moving. I alway love engaging takes on religion, so that caught and really is the reason my attention held for most of the book. I just wish it wasn't always SO serious. I would have really enjoyed a lot more humor and wit between the characters to help pass some of that time in the desert. But then...Elsa is just not a witty character.

    So, if you're looking for something somewhat engaging and serious, this is a great book! If you want a little more...balance in terms of humor and tension, I'd look elsewhere.
  • Rating: 5 out of 5 stars
    5/5
    Amazing Series! I'm on the third book and I love them as much as Divergent and The Hunger Games! A little slow to start, but I couldn't stop listening when it got to Part Two. I highly recommend this series. I am a professional, educated 34 year old woman with two kids and a passion for excellent YA dystopian series.
  • Rating: 4 out of 5 stars
    4/5
    Really it's 4.5 stars. My only complaint is perhaps it wrapped things up a bit quickly at the end, but overall, I loved this story. It has so many levels of meaning. It is classified as YAL but I think it certainly gives an adult plenty to think about as well. Looking forward to reading the second book in the series.
  • Rating: 4 out of 5 stars
    4/5
    This is a beautifully written first novel by Rae Carson. It is reminiscent of a younger, more toned down storytelling type such as Jacqueline Carey is known for in her Kushiel series. The language is so vivid and imaginative. I can picture every single thing that is happening in the book, like a little movie playing out in my head."Beside me, Ximena's gray bun has come loose and her hair swings below her shoulders."I am immediately intrigued by this gem that is somehow located in Elisa's bellybutton area. But I am guessing that is the point! It's very interesting how it reacts to Elisa's emotions and actions with heat and cold, almost as if it is a living creature, yet hard as stone.I think Elisa, the main character and heroine of this novel, is one of my favourite female characters in a long time. She is not perfect. She is not the ultimate slender and stunningly beautiful lead that is most often seen. She is "lumpy" and "awkward" and "clumsy", and she is much more likely for readers to be able to understand. Her sister is the family favourite and as such Elisa is often ignored and pushed aside, invisible.One of my favourite things about this book is that not only is Elisa described as an overweight girl, but it's not just pointed out once in the beginning of the novel and then never mentioned again, hoping the reader will forget she isn't perfect. It's brought up over and over again throughout the whole story, without being too obvious. It is noted in her actions, and in the way the people around her perceive her and react to her. It is amazingly woven in. "I feel so slow as I run toward my husband, my belly and breasts bouncing painfully with each step."As the story progress and certain things occur it is interesting how the author even works in some fluctuations in her weight, eating style and overall appearance and character as her life forces her down different paths. She experiences amazing growth throughout the story and ultimately works toward and deserves the strong role her character is placed in. And it's not just Elisa, all characters get equal treatment from the author with vivid descriptions and depth of emotion and overall character development. Every character is their own person who exists and struggles with their own stories, emotions and experiences their own growth.There is enough action in this story to keep even the most overactive boys sitting eagerly on the edge of their seat. Add to that all the mystery, intrigue and politics and you have the making of a great novel!Some parts of the story are highly predictable and therefore take the shock and awe out of what takes place. Also, many of the areas I found lacking flow and very jolting to the reader, hopping from one part of the story to another without any kind of warning pause or break. There are also some minor editing issues with missing words, incorrect words and spelling errors which jolt the reader from their reading flow, but as this is an ARC it is to be expected.
  • Rating: 3 out of 5 stars
    3/5
    This book has been on my to-read list for a while and I just had to start it. Unfortunately, it sounded better than it turned out to be. I felt like at the beginning the only thing that mattered was her weight. It seemed like on every page it was brought up one way or another. And to be honest that really bugged me because in the end it didn't entirely matter. Sure, health wise, she changed for the better, but it didn't seem to have a significant role in the sense of the overall story. I'm not saying she shouldn't have been fat to start out with, I'm just saying that it didn't need to be so prominent if it didn't play more of a major role in the story. The story did pick up again in part 2 and I thought it was finally gonna pick up a bit. It did, but then it would simmer back down again. The end did redeem the book a bit, but I felt it did end rather abruptly. The whole book, or at least the last half, we were expecting war and then the war seemed to end so quickly. Perhaps I just wasn't ready to read this book yet to fully appreciate it because I know many people speak highly of this book. Maybe if I continue on with the series I will enjoy it more.
  • Rating: 5 out of 5 stars
    5/5
    I loved the book! Loved it so much I did not put it down at all! One thing I enjoyed about this book is the amazing character growth and fulfilling her destiny. I love it when the characters grow so much. From being scared and weak, to something strong and unstoppable.So first, the plot line. I must say that right off from the start of the book I was hooked. Why? Well Ms. Carson did a great job on the plot pacing and the history of the characters. One thing I enjoy in a book is when the author can bring you into the story. Ms. Carson hooked me from the first few lines of her book. I loved the the characters came off fresh and strong. There were no drastic changes or confusing point of view changes. Just a great plot that kept you reading till the very end.The characters! OMG! I loved it when a character grows before my eyes. Love it even more when the character, fulfills his/her destiny. I can say that this characters grew so much not only in psychically strength, but in herself as well. Her strength in who she became in the end amazed me. While at first she is weak and scared, she become triumphant and strong. She learned who she is and what she had to become.The love in the book is very enduring. She lost friends, love, but she gained so much more in the end. I like how following her destiny lead her to somewhere greater, somewhere she never thought she be. Ms. Carson wrote an amazing book! This is something you must read. With great characters, and an action filled destiny, The Girl of Fire and Thorns is the book you want to read!
  • Rating: 5 out of 5 stars
    5/5
    Honestly, I'm not sure there are words to portray my love for this book. The awesomeness that is between the pages. It was truly a thing of beauty. Rae Carson is a genius. I felt like everything was exactly, exactly how it should have been. It's not often that through a story I'm thinking the whole time that the author is genius but I was in this one. Elisa was a character I truly, completely connected with. She had a personality that I loved and she was flawed. She was real. First of all, she struggles with her weight. She really really loves food and it's a comfort to her when she's stressed. How often do you see that in a young adult fantasy? Like NEVER! It made her more real. To see her go from having such low self esteem to finding her strength and her purpose was a fantastic journey. She was afraid, she was deathly afraid. But she pushed past her fear and her feeling of being inadequate and she did what she had to do when she had to do it. She was an amazing character. I really couldn't rave enough about her.Okay, so I'm struggling with words here. But let me see here what I can come up with. Okay, I mentioned I love Elisa. Well, all the characters in this book were perfect. Each role they played was perfect. Whether it was a good guy, a bad guy or just someone who needed to be there. It was perfect. The action, the plot, the story line. Perfection. I was on my toes the whole time. At one point in time I looked up and realized that an hour had passed since I'd last looked at the clock. I have small children! That's not good! Luckily they were just playing and being good, but it could have been bad! So be careful the book doesn't suck you in too much. The thing is, it will! I read the whole thing in a day. And it's fairly large at 400+ pages. This book is going on my favorite list. If I could get it higher than 5 stars I would. I absolutely loved it!
  • Rating: 4 out of 5 stars
    4/5
    This one was different. It was refreshing that the Love interests in this book were more realistic and that the focus of the story telling was on the heroine’s personal growth.
  • Rating: 3 out of 5 stars
    3/5
    Pros:
    * fun heroine
    * made me think of Spanish royalty
    * interesting concept

    Cons:
    * could not get the image of a troll doll out of my head
    * started with a bang, ended with a whimper

    On one hand, I really want to laud Rae Carson for not insisting her YA novel be a trilogy. However, I really feel like each part could have been fleshed out to be a stand alone novel. There were several interesting characters whose background was rushed through to advance the story, but could have unfolded at a more natural pace with additional pages.
  • Rating: 3 out of 5 stars
    3/5
    Hrrr... I really enjoyed aspects of this book. First, I have deep respect for the world building, I have an interest in medieval Christianity and though this book is high fantasy (and "God" is not necessarily the early Christian concept of "God" or even necessarily any earthy concept of God), there's a close similarity in the physicality (blood and body) of the divine power of the 'soldiers of God'. I hate the pansy way some other people (authors) are dealing with religious lore... Seriously? Read the bible. Or, study the crusades... Yeah, not your local Christian rock band. Anyho I think this book does a good job of reflecting the morbid nature of a religious war fought by opposing fatalistic zealots, defended by the blood and flesh of a holy vassal (...type person).
    I also respect this author's fearless taboo breaking: the character is over weight and has an over-eating disorder. Ok, I respect it, but I didn't really enjoy it. Nor how obsessively image conscious and self deprecating she is. I wouldn't change it... The author did a great job... But, I was just over it way before it ended.
    Also, the character's dialogue clashes with the medieval culture and setting strongly. It's disconcerting.
    s
  • Rating: 5 out of 5 stars
    5/5
    This was a SantaThing gift.I could hardly put it down and I wish the rest of the trilogy was already available. The writing is fantastic. Elisa is a great character, surrounded by other great characters. The story is fast-paced and easy to get caught up in. Definitely recommended!
  • Rating: 1 out of 5 stars
    1/5
    P19: The protagonist "pours" over a book. P31: An attack, rather than its victims, is "indefensible." P212: Another pouring. P214: "Task" as a verb. P244: "Staring into his eyes, something sparks on my gut." P359: The "reigns" of some carriage horses snap. P360: "Neither of them press the matter."

    The misuse of "like" as a conjunction I cannot yet ignore but it's so ubiquitous that mocking it in this seems unsporting.

    This shares the climate of Hero & Crown (not as severe as Dune) but this geography is slipshod. A pigeon can travel over a desert that a human crosses in a month in foot. Kidnappers are likely to recognize their hostage as their leader. A small village without many adults or any trade has abundant food.

    The fat thing, eh. Eating less and moving more will make you leaner, what a surprise! One person responds to her differently after she slims down but she sees through him, and everyone else is just pleased that she's tougher mentally and more capable physically.

    The *one* thing in the book's favor is that its religion has proof. *Something* puts a rock in the occasional navel and not just the body-piercing shop down the street.

    I do not like present tense narration.

    I don't understand why the ALA chose this as one of the best YA books of 2011.
  • Rating: 5 out of 5 stars
    5/5
    I really liked this book. If you like fantasy and female heroes who are down-to-earth, you will like this.
  • Rating: 4 out of 5 stars
    4/5
    I really, really liked this book. I thought it was well written and plotted and the characters were immensely interesting and entertaining. I was worried that they were going to have a Stockholm syndrome type relationship between the main character and her kidnapper, but luckily Carson was able to avoid that and instead create a unique relationship without pushing any of my buttons. I also found that the risks she (and the characters, of course) took were well thought out and while sad, the end was very rewarding and satisfying.
  • Rating: 4 out of 5 stars
    4/5
    Wow! What an amazing story of strength and perseverance! Elisa showed incredible fortitude and strength of character throughout the novel. I was really inspired by her transformation from royalty with little responsibility to nomad Malficio leader to queen of Brisalduce. I think her story could be very inspirational to many readers, particularly teen girls. I will definitely be recommending this story to my patrons and fellow librarians.One thing that bothers me greatly is that the cover image of the book looks nothing like the way Elisa is described. I wonder if they chose a much thinner model to appeal to a wider audience?