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4.01 AVERAGE
4.01 AVERAGE
Uprooted was a very different book than the books I usually read. Despite being fantasy, it was more "earthly" (pun intended)! And I loved it. It was strange, unexpected and somehow still so beautiful. And I never read anything regarding Polish culture, so I learned a lot and it was very interesting!
adventurous
emotional
mysterious
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
No
Agnieszka has lived in her village for all of her life; It is nestled in a valley alongside a river, but it is bordered by the Wood; a dark place full of powerful magic that casts its shadow over the whole kingdom. But Agnieszka has other things on her mind; she has almost reached the age of 17, and she will stand with her friends at the next choosing when the Dragon makes his appearance. Her greatest fear is that she will loose her closest friend, Kasia, who everyone thinks has the qualities that this wizard will demand. When girls are released a decade later, they stop briefly in their home before leaving the village for ever. The speculation as to what has happened to them terrifies her almost as much as succumbing to the forces that haunt the Wood.
But her fears are unfounded, because what the Dragon seeks with the girl he chooses is not visible beauty, but one with a natural magic deep within her soul and that is the one thing that Kasia doesn’t have.
So begins a original and imaginative fantasy that is unlike anything that I have ever read before. I loved the natural magic that she uses in the book and the way that they use it to combat the elements in the forest. It is deeply rooted in the myths and legends of forest lore from European history and the way she portrays the Wood is almost like a character itself, drawing and evoking the subconscious, primeval fears of the forests that we all have. The plot was reasonable, but a tad predictable and the characters were fairly good, with qualities and flaws in equal measure. The most disappointing bit was the end, which fizzled out for me, hence four stars. Otherwise really enjoyable.
But her fears are unfounded, because what the Dragon seeks with the girl he chooses is not visible beauty, but one with a natural magic deep within her soul and that is the one thing that Kasia doesn’t have.
So begins a original and imaginative fantasy that is unlike anything that I have ever read before. I loved the natural magic that she uses in the book and the way that they use it to combat the elements in the forest. It is deeply rooted in the myths and legends of forest lore from European history and the way she portrays the Wood is almost like a character itself, drawing and evoking the subconscious, primeval fears of the forests that we all have. The plot was reasonable, but a tad predictable and the characters were fairly good, with qualities and flaws in equal measure. The most disappointing bit was the end, which fizzled out for me, hence four stars. Otherwise really enjoyable.
adventurous
dark
mysterious
relaxing
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
adventurous
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Plot
Strong character development:
No
Loveable characters:
No
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
adventurous
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
I stuck with it. Her writing improves 1/2way thru.
Uprooted manages to be a fun and charming fairytale while also having some truly horrific and disturbing horror elements. Of Novik’s books, I feel Uprooted was the most connected and well-developed. 4.5 stars rounded up.
I’ve read several of Novik’s novels and while I have enjoyed them all, I find them to be a bit detached/emotionally shallow. I think it’s because they are all in first person, but much of the action is either summarized in the moment or described after the fact by the main character/narrator. You get to know the MC well because you’re always in her head (all have been female), but her relationships with other characters are often abbreviated. We are told, not shown, and that always feels less real to me.
As a note, I got the audiobook from my library and the performance was not my cup of tea. The reader made a lot of distracting choices when it came to pacing, emphasis, etc. and I had to abandon it and switch to a print copy.
I’ve read several of Novik’s novels and while I have enjoyed them all, I find them to be a bit detached/emotionally shallow. I think it’s because they are all in first person, but much of the action is either summarized in the moment or described after the fact by the main character/narrator. You get to know the MC well because you’re always in her head (all have been female), but her relationships with other characters are often abbreviated. We are told, not shown, and that always feels less real to me.
As a note, I got the audiobook from my library and the performance was not my cup of tea. The reader made a lot of distracting choices when it came to pacing, emphasis, etc. and I had to abandon it and switch to a print copy.
I was so excited to read this book based on a number of lists discussing great new fantasy novels. While I enjoyed it, I don't think I can say I feel it's a new "great". The story dragged on in parts and could have been tightened to keep the pace going. The "twists" and "answers" were mostly predictable and unoriginal. It was a solid read that kept me engaged enough to finish it but not racing to the kindle to pick it up and finish.
I really wanted to say that I loved this book.
I liked the idea. It's pretty standard and nothing ground breaking, but I liked it nonetheless with its small changes to standard magic systems. I did put many things aside over the course of a few days to read this as I was quite engaged at the beginning.
Biggest problems for me:
- Importantly, the dragon isn't a dragon. He's not a shapeshifter. He's just a mage that lives in a tower that they call "the dragon" for no reason.
- My biggest problem: About 1/2-2/3 in, there was an abrupt setting change from the forest to the castle, which I just couldn't bring myself to care about (from fantasy and magic to court politics!). I skipped about 50 pages until it went back to fantasy.... but those middle pages.... I realize that the author needed to introduce new characters from court, but it felt like I was suddenly reading a different book.
- I hated the characters. The main character was chosen to learn magic and spent most of her time complaining, "I don't want to learn magic, I hate this." The Dragon is just a verbally abusive jerk. Who are we supposed to like or relate to? There's no development or growth from any of the characters, and I couldn't tell the side characters apart. But there was also an abrupt lust / love that seemed to happen only because it... happens in all fantasy novels? Like, they HATED each other and suddenly sex. I have no idea where that came from. It just... happened. No romance; no hints; no sidelong glances or slow changes; just "we hate each other" and then... they didn't.
I liked the idea. It's pretty standard and nothing ground breaking, but I liked it nonetheless with its small changes to standard magic systems. I did put many things aside over the course of a few days to read this as I was quite engaged at the beginning.
Biggest problems for me:
- Importantly, the dragon isn't a dragon. He's not a shapeshifter. He's just a mage that lives in a tower that they call "the dragon" for no reason.
- My biggest problem: About 1/2-2/3 in, there was an abrupt setting change from the forest to the castle, which I just couldn't bring myself to care about (from fantasy and magic to court politics!). I skipped about 50 pages until it went back to fantasy.... but those middle pages.... I realize that the author needed to introduce new characters from court, but it felt like I was suddenly reading a different book.
- I hated the characters. The main character was chosen to learn magic and spent most of her time complaining, "I don't want to learn magic, I hate this." The Dragon is just a verbally abusive jerk. Who are we supposed to like or relate to? There's no development or growth from any of the characters, and I couldn't tell the side characters apart. But there was also an abrupt lust / love that seemed to happen only because it... happens in all fantasy novels? Like, they HATED each other and suddenly sex. I have no idea where that came from. It just... happened. No romance; no hints; no sidelong glances or slow changes; just "we hate each other" and then... they didn't.