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jessalynn_librarian 's review for:
The Crown of Embers
by Rae Carson
I'm continuing to enjoy this excellent fantasy series (starting with [b:The Girl of Fire and Thorns|10429092|The Girl of Fire and Thorns (Fire and Thorns, #1)|Rae Carson|http://d.gr-assets.com/books/1323448113s/10429092.jpg|13282366] - and you do need to go in order). It features one of those fantasy worlds that you can just sink into, trusting the author to have her world-building in order. It's also a pleasant change from the more common northern European-inspired fantasy worlds - this is a world of deserts and tropics and heat, and the setting is key to the rest of the story.
Carson also has a knack for complex, conflicted characters. Most impressive, to me, is the way spirituality is a key component of the story - both in terms of who Elisa is as a person and a ruler, and in terms of creating a believable fantasy world.
This second volume ends on something of a precipice - we're not quite hanging off the side of the cliff, but the fates of several characters are up in the air. You can bet I'll be picking up book three when it's published!
In terms of audience/age level, there's some frank conversations about sex, but it's all either in the past or hypothetical - no one actually has any. Violence is the typical fantasy stuff, assassination attempts and magical stuff, with real, painful consequences.
As with the first one, I'd definitely recommend the series to fans of [a:Kristin Cashore|1373880|Kristin Cashore|http://d.gr-assets.com/authors/1273894652p2/1373880.jpg] and [a:Robin McKinley|5339|Robin McKinley|http://d.gr-assets.com/authors/1314406026p2/5339.jpg] (although, stylistically, I think this has more in common with Cashore). It's also a series I've been recommending to adults who are discovering YA fantasy and want something that's a balance of fun reading and depth.
Carson also has a knack for complex, conflicted characters. Most impressive, to me, is the way spirituality is a key component of the story - both in terms of who Elisa is as a person and a ruler, and in terms of creating a believable fantasy world.
This second volume ends on something of a precipice - we're not quite hanging off the side of the cliff, but the fates of several characters are up in the air. You can bet I'll be picking up book three when it's published!
In terms of audience/age level, there's some frank conversations about sex, but it's all either in the past or hypothetical - no one actually has any. Violence is the typical fantasy stuff, assassination attempts and magical stuff, with real, painful consequences.
As with the first one, I'd definitely recommend the series to fans of [a:Kristin Cashore|1373880|Kristin Cashore|http://d.gr-assets.com/authors/1273894652p2/1373880.jpg] and [a:Robin McKinley|5339|Robin McKinley|http://d.gr-assets.com/authors/1314406026p2/5339.jpg] (although, stylistically, I think this has more in common with Cashore). It's also a series I've been recommending to adults who are discovering YA fantasy and want something that's a balance of fun reading and depth.