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3.68 AVERAGE
3.68 AVERAGE
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
I'm rereading my middle school favorites and this lived up, it really did. Can't wait for the rest
I really enjoyed this book. There were parts that were a little slow, but overall it was good. Everything you need in a book was here: kidnapping, court gossips, romance, friendship, treason, war, and strategy. I loved how Elisa grew as a person throughout the book. Why do all the authors have to kill off my favorite characters?!!? I'll definitely read the second one :))
Wonderful
honestly I couldn't find anything to dislike other than the breaking of my heart when beloved characters died. Elisa is one of the most likeable heroines I've ever read and she truly grows throughout the book. She does not have the traditional looks of a young female hero or princess or queen or rebel leader but grows into her roles and leaves room for more growth.
honestly I couldn't find anything to dislike other than the breaking of my heart when beloved characters died. Elisa is one of the most likeable heroines I've ever read and she truly grows throughout the book. She does not have the traditional looks of a young female hero or princess or queen or rebel leader but grows into her roles and leaves room for more growth.
I really liked this book, I just wish she had stayed fat and had accepted her body and learned to love it
So this was not my favorite read of 2020 or overall. There was good character development in Elisa and her friends that helped her. I enjoyed their interactions. This was not a romance novel more like a prophet book. It's okay but it gets boring when the chosen one doesn't know anything therefor in the dark and clueless. But Elisa was able to be brave and stepped up to the plate. Her husband was useless and her kidnapper was sweet and unfortunately, both did not make it. This book left you in a good ending and I feel that I will not read the next ones but if I do find time to read what happens to Elisa and her love life when she is grown up. Kinda disappointed that this book I had really high hopes of when it was first published did not live to what I imagined it to be. The battle was easily defeated by a confusing magical movement. Don't want to be mean about the book but I guess it was not my cup of tea but I did appreciate that the main character was plus-sized and was able to grow confidence about it even though she loses the weight.
Strong character development:
Yes
I loved this book as a teenager and if anything, that nostalgia is pulling my rating up. Unfortunately the way that race and weight were handled in this were not to my liking at all and are problematic.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Death, Eating disorder, Fatphobia, Blood, Kidnapping, Religious bigotry, Fire/Fire injury, Injury/Injury detail
Moderate: Adult/minor relationship, Infidelity, Death of parent
Minor: Rape
This book reminded me of Robin McKinley's Damar series, which is one of the highest compliments I can give. Carson shows both an intricate knowledge of the more meta rules of the genre along with an equally excellent intuition of where to break with them in order to move the plot along. Her world and the characters within it are rich and vibrant and I would like to spend more time on this review, but I have to go and see if I can get my hands on the second book right now.
EDIT: And, because the Gods love fools who love procrastinating, The [b:The Crown of Embers|10816908|The Crown of Embers (Fire and Thorns, #2)|Rae Carson|http://d202m5krfqbpi5.cloudfront.net/books/1335241091s/10816908.jpg|15730581] is currently $1.99 for Kindle.
EDIT: And, because the Gods love fools who love procrastinating, The [b:The Crown of Embers|10816908|The Crown of Embers (Fire and Thorns, #2)|Rae Carson|http://d202m5krfqbpi5.cloudfront.net/books/1335241091s/10816908.jpg|15730581] is currently $1.99 for Kindle.
The fat rep and the way religion was handled took a pretty ok book down to a borderline harmful book for me. No shade, the writing is good, and the story could have been awesome, but this had a lot of things for me that PERSONALLY don't do me any good.