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mamamelreads 's review for:
Finnikin of the Rock
by Melina Marchetta
Like all Melina Marchetta books that I have read, Finnikin of the Rock is complicated ... and yet not complicated. The themes of this story are universal. What makes us who we are? What happens to our identity when we are torn from all that we have known and loved? Where does our responsibility lie when there are so many who are looking to us for hope? Is it better to settle for security when there is a chance for justice and renewal that could come at great loss? All of these great themes are explored in this epic fantasy tale of a boy who has been torn from his beloved homeland after his royal family was killed, replaced by a false king, and then cursed, preventing anyone from entering the gates, and making all those outside the gates into exiles.
Finnikin once was a great friend to the future king, and now he wanders among the exiles with his mentor Sir Topher, the king's First Man, learning the many languages of the land as he records the names of those who have been lost. Along the way he is called to a place where he meets Evanjalin, a novice who can walk in the dreams of others, and seems to have news that there is still hope for the kingdom. To explain more about the plot of this story would take pages and pages. There is a lot to the story, but all lines come together wonderfully by the end of this book to create a rich and detailed adventure full of intrigue, action, and romance that warms the heart.
This is definitely a rich fantasy novel, so there will be some out there who just will not be able to enjoy this. If you don't like fantasy, this book will be difficult for you. This is a book about a journey, a physical journey as well as an emotional and almost spiritual journey. So there is going to be a lot of time spent wandering. Some might not appreciate this so much. But if you can get past those initial feelings and allow yourself to be patient, growing along with the characters as they travel, I think that you will find much to love about this story.
The characters are wonderful. Finnikin is the right mixture of strength and naivety. Naive, not because he hasn't had lots of life experience (these poor people have had more life experience than anyone should ever have to have) but because he is still learning exactly who he is and how he is meant to fit into this new world of his. Evanjalin has secrets, and I'm not going to reveal them. However, I will say that once I learned what those secrets were, I really, really wanted to go back and re-read the entire novel with that knowledge. I often feel that way at the end of Melina Marchetta's books. The supporting characters are wonderful as well, and they add the the richness of this story. It's high fantasy, so there are A LOT of characters to keep up with at times, but everything flows together nicely.
I don't read a lot of fantasy, so it took me some time to get into the ebb and flow of the story, but by the end I was extremely satisfied. It is a beautiful story. The romance is beautiful and subtle. This story is full of romance, and yet it does not feel like a romance book. I think that it is better described as a story that showcases just what love can do for people, the things that people will do for love, and how love can transform someone. I just adored the story and finished with a sigh and a smile ... truly a sign of a great book. I highly recommend this for those who love fantasy with a nice romance thrown in for good measure. I look forward to continuing the story, hoping to see this kingdom find their way back to happiness in the future. Four stars!
Finnikin once was a great friend to the future king, and now he wanders among the exiles with his mentor Sir Topher, the king's First Man, learning the many languages of the land as he records the names of those who have been lost. Along the way he is called to a place where he meets Evanjalin, a novice who can walk in the dreams of others, and seems to have news that there is still hope for the kingdom. To explain more about the plot of this story would take pages and pages. There is a lot to the story, but all lines come together wonderfully by the end of this book to create a rich and detailed adventure full of intrigue, action, and romance that warms the heart.
This is definitely a rich fantasy novel, so there will be some out there who just will not be able to enjoy this. If you don't like fantasy, this book will be difficult for you. This is a book about a journey, a physical journey as well as an emotional and almost spiritual journey. So there is going to be a lot of time spent wandering. Some might not appreciate this so much. But if you can get past those initial feelings and allow yourself to be patient, growing along with the characters as they travel, I think that you will find much to love about this story.
The characters are wonderful. Finnikin is the right mixture of strength and naivety. Naive, not because he hasn't had lots of life experience (these poor people have had more life experience than anyone should ever have to have) but because he is still learning exactly who he is and how he is meant to fit into this new world of his. Evanjalin has secrets, and I'm not going to reveal them. However, I will say that once I learned what those secrets were, I really, really wanted to go back and re-read the entire novel with that knowledge. I often feel that way at the end of Melina Marchetta's books. The supporting characters are wonderful as well, and they add the the richness of this story. It's high fantasy, so there are A LOT of characters to keep up with at times, but everything flows together nicely.
I don't read a lot of fantasy, so it took me some time to get into the ebb and flow of the story, but by the end I was extremely satisfied. It is a beautiful story. The romance is beautiful and subtle. This story is full of romance, and yet it does not feel like a romance book. I think that it is better described as a story that showcases just what love can do for people, the things that people will do for love, and how love can transform someone. I just adored the story and finished with a sigh and a smile ... truly a sign of a great book. I highly recommend this for those who love fantasy with a nice romance thrown in for good measure. I look forward to continuing the story, hoping to see this kingdom find their way back to happiness in the future. Four stars!