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A review by myleejmiller
Enna Burning by Shannon Hale
adventurous
challenging
emotional
lighthearted
relaxing
sad
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
5.0
Enna has always been an energetic person, but when her brother brings home the secret to a power which eventually destroys him, she finds herself stuck between two choices. One, to forget her brother and stay out of the war between her homeland's friends and an opposing force. Or two, learn the secrets of the fire which her brother died for, protect her homeland, get revenge... and perish in the process. When Enna's mistakes multiply and her friends' lives are put at risk, Enna faces more than the threat of destroying herself. She faces the reality of others abusing her power for their own gain.
Enna Burning has been a book I've had on my shelf for years but never had the motivation to read. As a kid, I read a lot of middle grade and only recently (after the unreadable days of High School) got back into reading. In that time, I discovered many authors and (sadly) forgot about Shannon Hale's work. I have never been gladder to have returned to an old, familiar voice in the literary world.
This book was both nostalgic for me and incredibly inspiring. As a writer myself, I completely forget that The Goose Girl, book one in The Books Of Bayern series, had inspired much of my current writing style. One of my favorite parts of Hale's work is the way she uses word choice and prose to build up and beautify her fictional worlds. Especially in The Books Of Bayern, I see so much attention to detail through the use of verbs for inanimate nouns and the way Hale creates a world based on emphasized movement. It made the novel easier to read and easier to enjoy.
The only regret I have is that I didn't read this book sooner. Although my current TBR is massive and it may take me a bit to read the rest of this series (and, hopefully, Hale's other work), I cannot wait to dive into the rest of these characters' lives and the adventures which Hale has crafted with such masterful paintbrush strokes of prose. Hale's voice is unmistakable, and her works are world changing. I cannot thank her enough for the joy her stories have brought me (and others in my life). Definitely worth the read (and reread, too!)
Enna Burning has been a book I've had on my shelf for years but never had the motivation to read. As a kid, I read a lot of middle grade and only recently (after the unreadable days of High School) got back into reading. In that time, I discovered many authors and (sadly) forgot about Shannon Hale's work. I have never been gladder to have returned to an old, familiar voice in the literary world.
This book was both nostalgic for me and incredibly inspiring. As a writer myself, I completely forget that The Goose Girl, book one in The Books Of Bayern series, had inspired much of my current writing style. One of my favorite parts of Hale's work is the way she uses word choice and prose to build up and beautify her fictional worlds. Especially in The Books Of Bayern, I see so much attention to detail through the use of verbs for inanimate nouns and the way Hale creates a world based on emphasized movement. It made the novel easier to read and easier to enjoy.
The only regret I have is that I didn't read this book sooner. Although my current TBR is massive and it may take me a bit to read the rest of this series (and, hopefully, Hale's other work), I cannot wait to dive into the rest of these characters' lives and the adventures which Hale has crafted with such masterful paintbrush strokes of prose. Hale's voice is unmistakable, and her works are world changing. I cannot thank her enough for the joy her stories have brought me (and others in my life). Definitely worth the read (and reread, too!)