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A review by cloudbooks
Uprooted by Naomi Novik
adventurous
inspiring
mysterious
reflective
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
4.5
A girl from a small village is whisked away by a dragon. When it turns out she's a witch and she can perhaps turn the tide in the ancient war against the cursed woods that constantly seek to devour, things change. When her best friend is taken by the woods, she's suddenly no longer just a village girl with a small gift for magic.
This was such a good read! I really loved the setting of the story. A sentient wood as the villain? Yes please!
The bad:
There wasn't much bad in this book. The other wizards the main character meets are all annoying and that never changes. I also disliked the sudden angry sex scene. The weird romance going on between Agnieszka and the Dragon seemed unnecessary. Agnieszka as a main character feels a little flat too but at this point I'm sure it's the format of the narrator that makes it so. First person narration almost always somehow causes me to feel like the main character is flat.
The good:
There's so much good but I mostly enjoyed the woods. We've heard about dark woods and evil woods and it's always just an invisible enemy just acting through plants. This one has a story behind it and it acts with purpose other than accidental kills.
I also loved Agnieszka and Kasia's friendship. The way platonic relationships matter as much as romantic ones, if not more, really eased my dislike for the odd romantic relationship going on too.
Overall, this book is so good. It's a book I'll definitely pick up again!
This was such a good read! I really loved the setting of the story. A sentient wood as the villain? Yes please!
The bad:
There wasn't much bad in this book. The other wizards the main character meets are all annoying and that never changes. I also disliked the sudden angry sex scene. The weird romance going on between Agnieszka and the Dragon seemed unnecessary. Agnieszka as a main character feels a little flat too but at this point I'm sure it's the format of the narrator that makes it so. First person narration almost always somehow causes me to feel like the main character is flat.
The good:
There's so much good but I mostly enjoyed the woods. We've heard about dark woods and evil woods and it's always just an invisible enemy just acting through plants. This one has a story behind it and it acts with purpose other than accidental kills.
I also loved Agnieszka and Kasia's friendship. The way platonic relationships matter as much as romantic ones, if not more, really eased my dislike for the odd romantic relationship going on too.
Overall, this book is so good. It's a book I'll definitely pick up again!
Content Warnings
Moderate: Death, Fire/Fire injury, Violence, and War