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A review by taliesinrex
Uprooted by Naomi Novik
adventurous
dark
emotional
hopeful
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.25
Another great read from Naomi Novik. I just love the way she writes women and the way she writes about women - Agnieszka's inner world feels so fully fleshed-out from the start and Novik throws you right into it in all Agnieszka's insecurity, fear, and anger. Her portrayal of female characters and how they navigate their world never feels trite or preachy or flat to me, and the worlds in question are immersive with a real sense of both beauty and danger.
While I did love this book and don't feel quite right comparing it to Spinning Silver, I can't help but note that I think I did enjoy Spinning Silver just a little more, as sometimes the pacing of Uprooted had me a little perplexed. I felt myself flagging towards the end through the siege of the Dragon's tower - while it was a well-written segment it did run a little long and I felt a bit overwhelmed. While I also loved Kasia I would have loved even more if we got more development or insight into her character; her relationship with Agnieszka was a real highlight of the book and I think the story would have been made all the better by having her be slightly more active in some of the scenes she was in, though I also acknowledge the potential difficulty in portraying that without straying from the story truly belonging to Agnieszka.
Lastly, the romance - just like in Spinning Silver, you maybe wouldn't anticipate it working due to the bitter distaste Agnieszka and the Dragon have for one another but Novik expertly sets them up to challenge one another intellectually and emotionally. It pays off so well in the end. The tension is palpable between them and the open-ended but undeniably tender ending had me grinning like an idiot and reading the encounter three times over.
While I did love this book and don't feel quite right comparing it to Spinning Silver, I can't help but note that I think I did enjoy Spinning Silver just a little more, as sometimes the pacing of Uprooted had me a little perplexed. I felt myself flagging towards the end through the siege of the Dragon's tower - while it was a well-written segment it did run a little long and I felt a bit overwhelmed. While I also loved Kasia I would have loved even more if we got more development or insight into her character; her relationship with Agnieszka was a real highlight of the book and I think the story would have been made all the better by having her be slightly more active in some of the scenes she was in, though I also acknowledge the potential difficulty in portraying that without straying from the story truly belonging to Agnieszka.
Lastly, the romance - just like in Spinning Silver, you maybe wouldn't anticipate it working due to the bitter distaste Agnieszka and the Dragon have for one another but Novik expertly sets them up to challenge one another intellectually and emotionally. It pays off so well in the end. The tension is palpable between them and the open-ended but undeniably tender ending had me grinning like an idiot and reading the encounter three times over.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Death and Animal death
Moderate: Kidnapping
Minor: Sexual assault
the sexual assault is attempted but does not escalate before the offending party is knocked out