tasha_slone's review against another edition
3.0
everyone feels inadequate at some point in their lives....even princesses. elisa overcomes that and u will fall in love with this book.
wreng's review against another edition
5.0
It is rare to find a protagonist who I so identify with. Elisa's relationship with food, her self doubt and her want to be better instantly humanized her and made me feel like she could be a friend. I was routing for her from the beginning, and I think every young woman needs more stories like this in their life.
mandykins007's review against another edition
4.0
This was a great read. The main character was easy to identify with. I'm disappointed that her two chances at love never stood a chance. I appreciate the fact that the author did not use a false ideal in her portrayal of Elisa. Elisa was raised a spoiled princess, taken from the nest, she had to find and make her own way, a rite of passage of sorts. I'm looking forward to the next novel in the series.
everthereader's review against another edition
4.0
Rating:4.5
So I didn't really know what to expect from this book. We see a fat princess, Elisa, who is the supposed "Chosen One"but feels helpless and useless. I will say I wasn't impressed for the first 100 pages or so. The story picked up and the character development with Elisa was absolutely amazing. One of my favorite things about a fantasy book is strong character development. The plot also began to pick up, and you got an understanding of what the kingdoms were facing against the socerus army. I was really satisfied with the ending. I cannot wait to see what happens next in the sequel.
So I didn't really know what to expect from this book. We see a fat princess, Elisa, who is the supposed "Chosen One"but feels helpless and useless. I will say I wasn't impressed for the first 100 pages or so. The story picked up and the character development with Elisa was absolutely amazing. One of my favorite things about a fantasy book is strong character development. The plot also began to pick up, and you got an understanding of what the kingdoms were facing against the socerus army. I was really satisfied with the ending. I cannot wait to see what happens next in the sequel.
erinarkin20's review against another edition
5.0
Overall I would give this a 4.5 out of 5 if I could. I really enjoyed the story and although there were some things I didn't love, there was quite a bit that I did.
The story begins with Elisa preparing for her marriage to a man she has never met, King Alejandro. I wasn't sure what to expect of the event but the lead in puts the reader into Elisa's shoes and Carson does a great job of relaying all of Elisa's doubts. Once married, I saw glimpses of Alejandro that I liked and some that I didn't. There were also some things about Elisa that bothered me as well.
Without giving away a lot of the story (I'm never one to provide a summary) I will say the plot of the story was very interesting. Elisa is rare as at her naming ceremony as a baby, God blessed her with the Godstone. This happens to one person every 100 years and means they are destined for greatness. Elisa doesn't necessarily believe this is true for her. She doubts herself and what her purpose is. As the story progresses, we find out there is a reason behind the marriage of Elisa and Alejandro. Before things get too far down this path, something happens and Elisa is thrown into a whole other environment.
Elisa's character actually changes based on this event and in my opinion becomes a better, stronger version of who she was. She still sometimes has doubts about herself and what she should be doing but not only does she have a physical transformation, but her personality shifts a bit as well.
One thing that bothered me in this book was the weird reaction and interaction that Elisa had with food. It felt odd to me.
I will say this book follows the idea that no one is safe. I actually am very curious as to how the next book will progress and again, I refuse to give anything away here but don't get attached to anyone...you just don't have any guarantee of who will make it through. I wasn't expecting some of the things that happened to happen and that's what kept me turning the pages. I couldn't put the book down and finished it in a day because I just had to find out what happened next.
Carson does a great job of creating and describing the different tribes and populations. As a reader it was easy to see the segmentation and differences between the various regions as well as feel the conflict between them.
I think anyone who likes fantasy will enjoy this book.
The story begins with Elisa preparing for her marriage to a man she has never met, King Alejandro. I wasn't sure what to expect of the event but the lead in puts the reader into Elisa's shoes and Carson does a great job of relaying all of Elisa's doubts. Once married, I saw glimpses of Alejandro that I liked and some that I didn't. There were also some things about Elisa that bothered me as well.
Without giving away a lot of the story (I'm never one to provide a summary) I will say the plot of the story was very interesting. Elisa is rare as at her naming ceremony as a baby, God blessed her with the Godstone. This happens to one person every 100 years and means they are destined for greatness. Elisa doesn't necessarily believe this is true for her. She doubts herself and what her purpose is. As the story progresses, we find out there is a reason behind the marriage of Elisa and Alejandro. Before things get too far down this path, something happens and Elisa is thrown into a whole other environment.
Elisa's character actually changes based on this event and in my opinion becomes a better, stronger version of who she was. She still sometimes has doubts about herself and what she should be doing but not only does she have a physical transformation, but her personality shifts a bit as well.
One thing that bothered me in this book was the weird reaction and interaction that Elisa had with food. It felt odd to me.
I will say this book follows the idea that no one is safe. I actually am very curious as to how the next book will progress and again, I refuse to give anything away here but don't get attached to anyone...you just don't have any guarantee of who will make it through. I wasn't expecting some of the things that happened to happen and that's what kept me turning the pages. I couldn't put the book down and finished it in a day because I just had to find out what happened next.
Carson does a great job of creating and describing the different tribes and populations. As a reader it was easy to see the segmentation and differences between the various regions as well as feel the conflict between them.
I think anyone who likes fantasy will enjoy this book.
blakehalsey's review against another edition
5.0
This debut is one of my favorite books I've read this year. Surprisingly, I enjoyed the strong spiritual foundation. It was expertly done and created a world of superstition and faith that was believable and compelling. Carson weaves in unexpected twists that literally took my breath away. Literally. I mean, I was laying in bed and something happened (I won't say what) and gasped and had to leave the room to cry in solitude. So good.
internationalkris's review against another edition
3.0
This series (reminiscent of McKinley's Blue Sword) drew me quickly and captured my attention. While it doesn't have the polish of McKinley's tales, it is certainly a welcome addition for young-adult fantasy fans.