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4.18 AVERAGE
4.18 AVERAGE
What a great improvement in the writing! A few things were done by the MC that I would personally have done differently, but overall a very quick, enjoyable read. I’m so impressed at how much Rae Carson’s writing improved in just one year!
Wow. Still have a book to go, so this may be premature, but I'm fairly certain this is one of my new favorite series. I adored the first book, and this one far surpassed it. Elisa, a strong character who goes through much character development in book one continues that development in spades during the course of book 2. She deals with the ramifications of the ending of the last book with grace, determination, brilliance and caution as one would expect Elisa to. Our side characters develop wonderfully, the pace is near perfection and my new favorite OTP is born. Please pick up this series if you haven't already. I doubt it'll disappoint you. I am so heartbroken, even more so than I was in book one, over this ending and am itching to get my hands on book three!
3.5 Stars.
*Mild Spoilers Below*
Plot: Much like the first book, this one started slow for me but picked up about 1/4 in. The plot is really interesting, and there aren't a lot of unnecessary side plots. It did get a little too religious for my taste occasionally, but that wasn't a huge issue. My big issue with the plot was the romance angle. All of the reasons for Elisa and Hector not to be together seem so contrived and don't make a ton of sense - there was really no reason they couldn't have been together for almost all of the book. It feels like Carson uses the will they/won't they relationship storyline to add tension, and I wish she had either created better reasoning for why Elisa feels she has to not be with Hector, or that she had just scrapped the relationship angst.
Characters: I love Hector and Mara. They're both really great characters, and I like how they're loyal to Elisa but also true to themselves. Elisa, however, bugged me so much in this book. I think it was largely because of all of her "oh I can't tell Hector. I can't be with Hector" drama. I also completely could not stand Ximena in this book. I did like Tristan a lot, and I like the young prince, so I hope both are featured more heavily in book 3.
Overall: This was definitely a disappointment after book 1. Really the only thing that kept me from absolutely adoring book 1 was all the weird focus on weight, but book 2 frustrated me so much. I definitely will read book 3 because the plot does interest me and I really like a lot of the characters, but if I hadn't loved book 1 as much as I did I probably wouldn't keep reading. (Just kidding - I probably would because I need to see Hector get to be happy with Elisa.)
*Mild Spoilers Below*
Plot: Much like the first book, this one started slow for me but picked up about 1/4 in. The plot is really interesting, and there aren't a lot of unnecessary side plots. It did get a little too religious for my taste occasionally, but that wasn't a huge issue. My big issue with the plot was the romance angle. All of the reasons for Elisa and Hector not to be together seem so contrived and don't make a ton of sense - there was really no reason they couldn't have been together for almost all of the book. It feels like Carson uses the will they/won't they relationship storyline to add tension, and I wish she had either created better reasoning for why Elisa feels she has to not be with Hector, or that she had just scrapped the relationship angst.
Characters: I love Hector and Mara. They're both really great characters, and I like how they're loyal to Elisa but also true to themselves. Elisa, however, bugged me so much in this book. I think it was largely because of all of her "oh I can't tell Hector. I can't be with Hector" drama. I also completely could not stand Ximena in this book. I did like Tristan a lot, and I like the young prince, so I hope both are featured more heavily in book 3.
Overall: This was definitely a disappointment after book 1. Really the only thing that kept me from absolutely adoring book 1 was all the weird focus on weight, but book 2 frustrated me so much. I definitely will read book 3 because the plot does interest me and I really like a lot of the characters, but if I hadn't loved book 1 as much as I did I probably wouldn't keep reading. (Just kidding - I probably would because I need to see Hector get to be happy with Elisa.)
It took me a few tries to get into this book, I think because I waited so long after reading THE GIRL OF FIRE AND THORNS. However, after the first couple of chapters, when I'd fallen back into Rae Carson's world, I was HOOKED. The writing is incredible and Queen Elisa is one of my very favorite YA heroines of all time. She's strong and vulnerable and real and I absolutely love watching her grow into herself and her power. This book is a perfect blend of action, romance, and intrigue...I absolutely loved it and will be starting THE BITTER KINGDOM immediately. I can't wait to see how the series ends!
I enjoy the world crafted for this series, but the religion thing is creepy.
Our protagonist was born with a stone in her gut—a large one that, if you had her permission to touch, would pulsate and exhibit different temperatures depending on how close she is to the source of its power. Those who are born with such a stone inside them become the ruler of their empire, but they generally die young.
Elisa insists she’s not going to die young, but in this second book of the trilogy, she faces several crises, including betrayals in her kingdom and a crisis in leadership that enables her followers to assume she’s not worthy to lead. Predictably, she must perform a quest. She must travel to the source of the magic that governs the stone in her gut.
I’ve made this seem more shoddy than it is. I enjoyed the book. There is a romance element here between Elisa and her guard, and you need the third book to see how that all turns out. This was worth my time, and the narrator was fantastic.
Our protagonist was born with a stone in her gut—a large one that, if you had her permission to touch, would pulsate and exhibit different temperatures depending on how close she is to the source of its power. Those who are born with such a stone inside them become the ruler of their empire, but they generally die young.
Elisa insists she’s not going to die young, but in this second book of the trilogy, she faces several crises, including betrayals in her kingdom and a crisis in leadership that enables her followers to assume she’s not worthy to lead. Predictably, she must perform a quest. She must travel to the source of the magic that governs the stone in her gut.
I’ve made this seem more shoddy than it is. I enjoyed the book. There is a romance element here between Elisa and her guard, and you need the third book to see how that all turns out. This was worth my time, and the narrator was fantastic.
One of the best sequels I've read! I loved the incredible character growth throughout and the romance. I love how much Elisa learns about herself and what she needs to do throughout the book instead of just being told. She's such a strong character. I loved it! I can't wait to start The Bitter Kingdom!
I really enjoyed this. I couldn't stop reading until my eyes would no longer stay open. This series has been tremendous so far. I can't wait to read the next, literally, ok starting it right now. Oh, and that last line was like a punch in the gut. Loved it.
Summing up this book is very difficult because there are so many twists and turns that it is impossible to even hint at all of the major plot points, but I'm going to give it my best shot. I think this review is pretty spoiler free in terms of this book, but if you haven't read The Girl of Fire and Thorns yet, you will probably want to stop reading this review right now and start reading The Girl of Fire and Thorns.
The Crown of Embers picks up Elisa’s story a couple months after Alejandro’s death on the day of Elisa’s birthday parade. The parade is disrupted when an animagus appears quoting scripture and demanding that Elisa surrender herself to the Invierno, the nation whose army Elisa and her people had defeated in The Girl of Fire and Thorns. He threatens the lives of all of the people of Joya d’Arena if she does not comply and punctuates this warning by setting himself on fire while the whole city looks on in horror. Elisa later finds out that the Invierno believe that they need Elisa, bearer of the Godstone, in order to find zafira, which can be defined both as the magical power of the world and the “the place where the wellspring of power bubbles to the surface” (197). It becomes clear that the Invierno don’t want to assassinate her because they believe they need the living bearer of the Godstone to accomplish their purpose, but they will do whatever it takes to take control of her. Terrifying as this is to contemplate, Elisa soon realizes that the Invienro are not the only enemy that she has to fear. There are people in high places who do not support her and who are maneuvering to gain power for themselves. Members of her Quorum are pressuring her to begin allowing men to court her so that she can make a political marriage that would benefit the country. Though Elisa clearly has feelings for Hector, the head of her royal guard, she knows that she has no choice but to marry for her country, so she begins accepting suitors, one of whom is Conde Tristan of Selvarica. It soon becomes clear that Tristan may not be a good match, but Elisa decides to fake an engagement to him in order to have an excuse to leave Joya d’Arena and pursue the zafira in hopes that it will help her defeat the Invierno and secure the fate of her country.
The Crown of Embers is the second book in a trilogy, and readers should definitely start with the first book – The Girl of Fire and Thorns before diving into the sequel. Carson has written a novel that is action packed without sacrificing character development and complexity. To solve the mystery of the zafira and its connection to Elisa’s Godstone, Elisa and her friends must piece together information from ancient religious texts, some of which have only recently been discovered. It’s an intriguing mystery, but the author is also making a more universal statement about the different ways that people interpret the same text, especially where religion is concerned. A connection can definitely be made between the Invierno, perfectly willing to die a fiery death to make a point, and the religious zealots of our world.
Elisa is a complex and imperfect character, whom readers will root for even as she makes mistakes because it is clear that she wants to be the best person (and queen) that she can be. The secondary characters – in particular Storm, Ximena, Belen, and Hector - are also complicated individuals with various and sometimes conflicting motivations. Their allegiances to Elisa having varying contexts and within each of them lies the capacity to do her both good and harm whether it is intended or not.
The author should be commended for her depiction of Elisa’s sexuality as well as that of other characters in the book. Instead of focusing on the bodice-ripping desire of a passionate moment, Elisa actually contemplates her own physical desires, discusses sex with a trusted friend, and plans to use protection should the moment arise.
I really enojoyed this book and am looking forward to the next installment in the series. Highly recommended!
The Crown of Embers picks up Elisa’s story a couple months after Alejandro’s death on the day of Elisa’s birthday parade. The parade is disrupted when an animagus appears quoting scripture and demanding that Elisa surrender herself to the Invierno, the nation whose army Elisa and her people had defeated in The Girl of Fire and Thorns. He threatens the lives of all of the people of Joya d’Arena if she does not comply and punctuates this warning by setting himself on fire while the whole city looks on in horror. Elisa later finds out that the Invierno believe that they need Elisa, bearer of the Godstone, in order to find zafira, which can be defined both as the magical power of the world and the “the place where the wellspring of power bubbles to the surface” (197). It becomes clear that the Invierno don’t want to assassinate her because they believe they need the living bearer of the Godstone to accomplish their purpose, but they will do whatever it takes to take control of her. Terrifying as this is to contemplate, Elisa soon realizes that the Invienro are not the only enemy that she has to fear. There are people in high places who do not support her and who are maneuvering to gain power for themselves. Members of her Quorum are pressuring her to begin allowing men to court her so that she can make a political marriage that would benefit the country. Though Elisa clearly has feelings for Hector, the head of her royal guard, she knows that she has no choice but to marry for her country, so she begins accepting suitors, one of whom is Conde Tristan of Selvarica. It soon becomes clear that Tristan may not be a good match, but Elisa decides to fake an engagement to him in order to have an excuse to leave Joya d’Arena and pursue the zafira in hopes that it will help her defeat the Invierno and secure the fate of her country.
The Crown of Embers is the second book in a trilogy, and readers should definitely start with the first book – The Girl of Fire and Thorns before diving into the sequel. Carson has written a novel that is action packed without sacrificing character development and complexity. To solve the mystery of the zafira and its connection to Elisa’s Godstone, Elisa and her friends must piece together information from ancient religious texts, some of which have only recently been discovered. It’s an intriguing mystery, but the author is also making a more universal statement about the different ways that people interpret the same text, especially where religion is concerned. A connection can definitely be made between the Invierno, perfectly willing to die a fiery death to make a point, and the religious zealots of our world.
Elisa is a complex and imperfect character, whom readers will root for even as she makes mistakes because it is clear that she wants to be the best person (and queen) that she can be. The secondary characters – in particular Storm, Ximena, Belen, and Hector - are also complicated individuals with various and sometimes conflicting motivations. Their allegiances to Elisa having varying contexts and within each of them lies the capacity to do her both good and harm whether it is intended or not.
The author should be commended for her depiction of Elisa’s sexuality as well as that of other characters in the book. Instead of focusing on the bodice-ripping desire of a passionate moment, Elisa actually contemplates her own physical desires, discusses sex with a trusted friend, and plans to use protection should the moment arise.
I really enojoyed this book and am looking forward to the next installment in the series. Highly recommended!
Great small scale prose, good pacing. The overall story picks at the hero's journey in ways that seem a little forced, like the writer is deliberately stepping away from the flight of the wild gander.