weirdlittlebooks's review against another edition
adventurous
emotional
hopeful
mysterious
sad
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.75
exhaleartist's review
3.0
First read: 8/20/11
Second read: 6/30/14
This was one of those books that I read simply because of all the good buzz surrounding it. Every review I saw was completely positive. When I had the opportunity to read this via Net Galley, I was very excited. Personally I did not love it as much as most seemed to, but I still think it was a very good read and a very impressive debut.
I struggled with the first part of the book. The pacing in the beginning is somewhat slow and I had trouble liking Elisa as a narrator. Looking back I think that it was likely a deliberate choice to create her the way she was so the reader could really understand how much she changes over the course of the story. It is rather nice to see a main character beginning so ordinary and awkward. Either way after I read the first half or so of the book I had trouble going back and finishing it. I ended up making myself sit down and make an effort to finish it. It was definitely worth it. The second half of the book was just epic. As Elisa grew as a character I found it easier and easier to sympathize with her and her plight. I grew to admire her as she began to find her destiny. The introduction of the desert people also really helped to draw me into the story. I loved Cosme. I am pretty sure that she became my favorite character in the book. She is such a strong character with this very hard façade, but there is so much more hidden behind that. I would not mind reading more of her back story. Humberto was another wonderful character. He reminded me somewhat of Peeta from the Hunger Games trilogy by Suzanne Collins in that he was this kind of sweet, strong, and gentle boy who has been forced to grow up and learn to fight for survival. So many secondary characters were also just brilliantly written. From Lord Hector and Alejandro to Mara and Ximena, I came to care about the people who populated the land.
The story itself is entrancing. The situation Elisa is in is very complex and learning so much history of the lands could have dragged the story down but it does not. Once Elisa began to understand the reality of her world, the pace of the story explodes and does not slow until the final pages. The way the author handled some things in the book may be an issue for some readers, but I think that it was done with an understated elegance that serves to highlight the realities of war. I was very content with the way the book ended.
This may be a hard book to begin, but once it gets going it is well worth the read. The fact that this is a debut is just extraordinary. A high fantasy that touches on so many other things, it is an awesome story that I would recommend to fans of the genre. I am very curious to read the next book in the series.
Second read: 6/30/14
This was one of those books that I read simply because of all the good buzz surrounding it. Every review I saw was completely positive. When I had the opportunity to read this via Net Galley, I was very excited. Personally I did not love it as much as most seemed to, but I still think it was a very good read and a very impressive debut.
I struggled with the first part of the book. The pacing in the beginning is somewhat slow and I had trouble liking Elisa as a narrator. Looking back I think that it was likely a deliberate choice to create her the way she was so the reader could really understand how much she changes over the course of the story. It is rather nice to see a main character beginning so ordinary and awkward. Either way after I read the first half or so of the book I had trouble going back and finishing it. I ended up making myself sit down and make an effort to finish it. It was definitely worth it. The second half of the book was just epic. As Elisa grew as a character I found it easier and easier to sympathize with her and her plight. I grew to admire her as she began to find her destiny. The introduction of the desert people also really helped to draw me into the story. I loved Cosme. I am pretty sure that she became my favorite character in the book. She is such a strong character with this very hard façade, but there is so much more hidden behind that. I would not mind reading more of her back story. Humberto was another wonderful character. He reminded me somewhat of Peeta from the Hunger Games trilogy by Suzanne Collins in that he was this kind of sweet, strong, and gentle boy who has been forced to grow up and learn to fight for survival. So many secondary characters were also just brilliantly written. From Lord Hector and Alejandro to Mara and Ximena, I came to care about the people who populated the land.
The story itself is entrancing. The situation Elisa is in is very complex and learning so much history of the lands could have dragged the story down but it does not. Once Elisa began to understand the reality of her world, the pace of the story explodes and does not slow until the final pages. The way the author handled some things in the book may be an issue for some readers, but I think that it was done with an understated elegance that serves to highlight the realities of war. I was very content with the way the book ended.
This may be a hard book to begin, but once it gets going it is well worth the read. The fact that this is a debut is just extraordinary. A high fantasy that touches on so many other things, it is an awesome story that I would recommend to fans of the genre. I am very curious to read the next book in the series.
lizbethandthelifeinbetween's review against another edition
adventurous
reflective
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? N/A
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
1.0
I feel a bit disingenuous giving this book one star, as it doesn't inspire the same amount of "why is this even published, this is a waste of paper" that other one-stars give me. However, the sheer amount of "why???" going through my head while I read this book pushed me to give it this rating.
If religious fantasy is a thing, this fits it to a T. The entire plot revolves around divine intervention and the main character praying, which feels like a cop-out and such lazy writing. I can't figure out who this book is for because the copy-paste of Christianity with name changes isn't the type of world-building fantasy fans are looking for, and the name-changing aspect feels very blasphemous. It's so weird, and I don't know why. There's a good story in there somewhere, maybe, if the religion was unique and m,maybe had some cool commentary or something, but it's not there. Or is this book so big-brained, like this is fantasy and divine intervention is fantasy? I feel like I'm reaching, or not smart enough to understand it.
Other reviewers have said this too, but the main character is clearly smart. You can tell this through her actions. Unfortunately, her only characterization is her weight, and her character growth goes along with her losing weight. It would have been much better if she was characterized as smart, and her weight was a fact like the colour of her hair. I think that would have bumped it up a star.
I left this book very confused, and even after writing this, I am still quite confused. I'm glad I got this as an ebook sale. And again, I can't quite say this is a bad book, just a very confusing one.
If religious fantasy is a thing, this fits it to a T. The entire plot revolves around divine intervention and the main character praying, which feels like a cop-out and such lazy writing. I can't figure out who this book is for because the copy-paste of Christianity with name changes isn't the type of world-building fantasy fans are looking for, and the name-changing aspect feels very blasphemous. It's so weird, and I don't know why. There's a good story in there somewhere, maybe, if the religion was unique and m,maybe had some cool commentary or something, but it's not there. Or is this book so big-brained, like this is fantasy and divine intervention is fantasy? I feel like I'm reaching, or not smart enough to understand it.
Other reviewers have said this too, but the main character is clearly smart. You can tell this through her actions. Unfortunately, her only characterization is her weight, and her character growth goes along with her losing weight. It would have been much better if she was characterized as smart, and her weight was a fact like the colour of her hair. I think that would have bumped it up a star.
I left this book very confused, and even after writing this, I am still quite confused. I'm glad I got this as an ebook sale. And again, I can't quite say this is a bad book, just a very confusing one.
konphuzed3330's review against another edition
5.0
An entertaining tale of how a young princess finds strength to believe in herself and in her ability to lead.
aomernik's review
5.0
This is perhaps the most excellent high fantasy that has been published recently. Given, not many high fantasies have been published recently, but this book was absolutely splendid.
In the review to follow, there may be minor spoilers. I'll put spoiler tags around the major ones, but if you don't want anything to be ruined, don't read this. Simple.
Well, first off, I had high expectations for this novel. People I know who read it recommended it to me, and all of the acclaim on the back of the jacket came from authors I trust. Tamora Pierce, Veronica Roth, Paolo Bacigalupi, Cinda Williams Chima. They all had glowing praise for this book. I had begun reading The Girl of Fire and Thorns a few months ago, however, and hadn't been very interested (I'd only gotten a few pages in, granted). So while I was excited about it, I was also wary. FYI.
The plot is fairly intricate, so I won't go into detail here. Read about it on your own. *bursts into song*
Firstly, the characters:
~Elisa: A female protagonist who is absolutely amazing. She's also one of the only protags I've read about that is honestly overweight. Yes, she gets over this by the end of the book, but I applaud Ms. Carson for giving her this flaw. Most authors are too afraid to give their heroines such a flaw.
Elisa's character development is great. She begins the novel in the shadow of her older sister, Alodia. Having an older sister myself, I can understand Elisa's wish to be her own person, to not be constantly compared with her sister. Gradually, Elisa learns that she in fact is her own person, and that she has just as much worth as Alodia. In the beginning, Elisa is also more on the cowardly side, and is quite self-conscious. She doesn't believe she has much to contribute to a kingdom, and doesn't think she is worthy to be the bearer of the Godstone. As it turns out, she's a strategic mastermind, and is certainly worth a lot--not just because of her Godstone.
~King Alejandro: I'm so glad Ms. Carson didn't go with the boring, predictable romance between Elisa and Alejandro. When Elisa first meets Alejandro, she's overwhelmed by his rock star handsomeness, et cetera. She's ashamed of herself, and doesn't think herself worthy of such GREATNESS. But she starts learning that though Alejandro is quite pleasing to look at, he isn't the greatest person. She doesn't ignore that fact and love Alejandro anyways. She realizes that he, like everyone else, is human and has downfalls. And by the end of the book, she has come to realize that she is completely deserving of him. So there.
~Cosme: One of my favorite characters. Cosme starts as Elisa's spiteful maid, determined to embarrass Elisa. They pretty much despise each other. And when Cosme aids in Elisa's kidnapping, there's even more tension between the two. We, the readers, learn that Cosme has a pretty terrible past. I won't go into detail here, but she hasn't had the greatest childhood. She's in constant pain because of her losses, and when some...things...happen during the story, she's hurt even more. But she always puts on a mask of steel, guarding herself from everything that could hurt her, convincing herself she doesn't care. She absolutely fascinated me. When Elisa and Cosme finally become wary friends, I couldn't help but smile. They're both very independent women, and their skills complement each other. They're perfect comrades.
~Humberto: First off, I hate hate hate his name. Humberto. ICK. Ah, well. I did like Humberto quite a lot, and unlike some love interests I've read, I think I would like him in real life, too, not just in the context of the novel. But he didn't strike me as complete awesomeness.
~Ximena: The most kick-butt lady-in-waiting I've ever read about(excepting Cosme, of course. But they played different roles in the maid-verse, so there's that.). She freaking killed a dude with her hairpin! I mean, who even does that?! All in all, she was magnificent. Yeah.
~Lord Hector: Gah. Gah gah gah. I like him. I like him A LOT. He reminded me of Elmont in Jack the Giant Slayer, and I love Elmont, too. For one, he's the king's guard. For another, he was just...I don't know. I just was so attracted to him.
The worldbuilding was awesome. I really wish the book had come with a map like many fantasy novels do. It would have helped me to envision everything a little clearer. Ms. Carson developed the different cultures very well--the desert folk, the Inviernes, the royalty, the list goes on. Usually I don't care much about the world as a whole, but in The Girl of Fire and Thorns I really did. I liked the Spanish vibe that permeated the story, too. It gave it a cool feel.
The plot twists were amazing. I had heard that someone major would be killed off, and of course I was not disappointed. I LOVE it when authors kill major characters. And a good number of secondary characters died, too. Thank you, Rae Carson. THANK YOU.
All in all, I really loved The Girl of Fire and Thorns. I cannot wait to read Crown of Embers, and I would not hesitate to recommend this to anyone who loves a good fantasy novel.
In the review to follow, there may be minor spoilers. I'll put spoiler tags around the major ones, but if you don't want anything to be ruined, don't read this. Simple.
Well, first off, I had high expectations for this novel. People I know who read it recommended it to me, and all of the acclaim on the back of the jacket came from authors I trust. Tamora Pierce, Veronica Roth, Paolo Bacigalupi, Cinda Williams Chima. They all had glowing praise for this book. I had begun reading The Girl of Fire and Thorns a few months ago, however, and hadn't been very interested (I'd only gotten a few pages in, granted). So while I was excited about it, I was also wary. FYI.
The plot is fairly intricate, so I won't go into detail here. Read about it on your own. *bursts into song*
Firstly, the characters:
~Elisa: A female protagonist who is absolutely amazing. She's also one of the only protags I've read about that is honestly overweight. Yes, she gets over this by the end of the book, but I applaud Ms. Carson for giving her this flaw. Most authors are too afraid to give their heroines such a flaw.
Elisa's character development is great. She begins the novel in the shadow of her older sister, Alodia. Having an older sister myself, I can understand Elisa's wish to be her own person, to not be constantly compared with her sister. Gradually, Elisa learns that she in fact is her own person, and that she has just as much worth as Alodia. In the beginning, Elisa is also more on the cowardly side, and is quite self-conscious. She doesn't believe she has much to contribute to a kingdom, and doesn't think she is worthy to be the bearer of the Godstone. As it turns out, she's a strategic mastermind, and is certainly worth a lot--not just because of her Godstone.
~King Alejandro: I'm so glad Ms. Carson didn't go with the boring, predictable romance between Elisa and Alejandro. When Elisa first meets Alejandro, she's overwhelmed by his rock star handsomeness, et cetera. She's ashamed of herself, and doesn't think herself worthy of such GREATNESS. But she starts learning that though Alejandro is quite pleasing to look at, he isn't the greatest person. She doesn't ignore that fact and love Alejandro anyways. She realizes that he, like everyone else, is human and has downfalls. And by the end of the book, she has come to realize that she is completely deserving of him. So there.
~Cosme: One of my favorite characters. Cosme starts as Elisa's spiteful maid, determined to embarrass Elisa. They pretty much despise each other. And when Cosme aids in Elisa's kidnapping, there's even more tension between the two. We, the readers, learn that Cosme has a pretty terrible past. I won't go into detail here, but she hasn't had the greatest childhood. She's in constant pain because of her losses, and when some...things...happen during the story, she's hurt even more. But she always puts on a mask of steel, guarding herself from everything that could hurt her, convincing herself she doesn't care. She absolutely fascinated me. When Elisa and Cosme finally become wary friends, I couldn't help but smile. They're both very independent women, and their skills complement each other. They're perfect comrades.
~Humberto: First off, I hate hate hate his name. Humberto. ICK. Ah, well. I did like Humberto quite a lot, and unlike some love interests I've read, I think I would like him in real life, too, not just in the context of the novel. But he didn't strike me as complete awesomeness.
Spoiler
Needless to say, I was kind of glad when he bit it. Not to be morbid or anything, but...I didn't think Elisa should end up with him. So I was glad.~Ximena: The most kick-butt lady-in-waiting I've ever read about(excepting Cosme, of course. But they played different roles in the maid-verse, so there's that.). She freaking killed a dude with her hairpin! I mean, who even does that?! All in all, she was magnificent. Yeah.
~Lord Hector: Gah. Gah gah gah. I like him. I like him A LOT. He reminded me of Elmont in Jack the Giant Slayer, and I love Elmont, too. For one, he's the king's guard. For another, he was just...I don't know. I just was so attracted to him.
Spoiler
And so you see, I was glad when Humberto died, because Elisa must end up with Lord Hector! From the moment they first interacted, I knew they were going to fall in love. This plot was momentarily foiled when Humberto entered the scene, but once he died...Oh, yes, they are going to end up together. If they don't I will do things.The worldbuilding was awesome. I really wish the book had come with a map like many fantasy novels do. It would have helped me to envision everything a little clearer. Ms. Carson developed the different cultures very well--the desert folk, the Inviernes, the royalty, the list goes on. Usually I don't care much about the world as a whole, but in The Girl of Fire and Thorns I really did. I liked the Spanish vibe that permeated the story, too. It gave it a cool feel.
The plot twists were amazing. I had heard that someone major would be killed off, and of course I was not disappointed. I LOVE it when authors kill major characters. And a good number of secondary characters died, too. Thank you, Rae Carson. THANK YOU.
All in all, I really loved The Girl of Fire and Thorns. I cannot wait to read Crown of Embers, and I would not hesitate to recommend this to anyone who loves a good fantasy novel.
katdid's review
1.0
I've read a quarter of this book and I'm just not feeling it. The characters seem one-dimensional, the plot isn't particularly gripping or original, and the protagonist is supremely unlikeable and has a terrible body image.
lazygal's review
3.0
I can totally understand why this got so much love... for me, though, it was merely a good, not great, read.
Elisa is fat, not particularly smart, a second daughter and just turning 16. She's also being (rather hurridly) married to Alejandro, King of the neighboring country - she's the price for a treaty between her father and Alejandro that guarantees help as Alejandro defends his country from the Inviernos. The world that Elisa lives in is populated by humans, brought there by God as their world died; every hundred years, God "chooses" someone via a Godstone implanted in their navels. Elisa is that chosen one, kept ignorant of any prophecy surrounding the Godstones and how they interact with the magic in that world.
She manages to grow beyond our initial impressions of her, but the other characters failed to surprise me. Alejandro, Humberto, Ariña and Cosmé all seemed "types". Ditto the events - perhaps knowing that this is part of a series spoiled my "wow" factor? As for the religious aspects, there both was and was not enough: we don't learn enough about the Sacrifice of Pain or how the religion evolved (we do hear about the differences between the three kingdoms, though), and more would have helped us and Elisa. It was also a little annoying how much time we spend dwelling on Elisa's weight.
Elisa is fat, not particularly smart, a second daughter and just turning 16. She's also being (rather hurridly) married to Alejandro, King of the neighboring country - she's the price for a treaty between her father and Alejandro that guarantees help as Alejandro defends his country from the Inviernos. The world that Elisa lives in is populated by humans, brought there by God as their world died; every hundred years, God "chooses" someone via a Godstone implanted in their navels. Elisa is that chosen one, kept ignorant of any prophecy surrounding the Godstones and how they interact with the magic in that world.
She manages to grow beyond our initial impressions of her, but the other characters failed to surprise me. Alejandro, Humberto, Ariña and Cosmé all seemed "types". Ditto the events - perhaps knowing that this is part of a series spoiled my "wow" factor? As for the religious aspects, there both was and was not enough: we don't learn enough about the Sacrifice of Pain or how the religion evolved (we do hear about the differences between the three kingdoms, though), and more would have helped us and Elisa. It was also a little annoying how much time we spend dwelling on Elisa's weight.
neenor's review against another edition
4.0
Um, can I get a HELLS YEAH for the fact that the heroine is a) fat, b) an ethnic minority, and c) not typically beautiful. Elisa likes BOOKS. She likes PASTRIES. She studies languages for FUN. But at the same time, she is so freakin' badass, facing an army of magic-wielding animagi to fight for what she believes in!
I know I should probably mention the plot and the background and the actual story, and is all well and good but I feel the need to emphasise the characterisation of Elisa. She was so beautifully imperfect, that even in this fantasy world, it made her story realistic - as a teenage reader with similar characteristics, I found it impossible not to relate to her. If you want a book with an awesome storyline and a kickass heroine, go and read this asap.
I know I should probably mention the plot and the background and the actual story, and is all well and good but I feel the need to emphasise the characterisation of Elisa. She was so beautifully imperfect, that even in this fantasy world, it made her story realistic - as a teenage reader with similar characteristics, I found it impossible not to relate to her. If you want a book with an awesome storyline and a kickass heroine, go and read this asap.
bookgoonie's review
5.0
I LOVED this book. I picked it up cheap from Epic Reads and decided to get it read before Rae Carson came down for the Austin Teen Book Festival. OMG! Needless to say, I bought a hard copy of the book at the festival. It is one of those books you want to share with others. Like others, I can’t believe this is a debut novel. Carson does a superb job laying out her world for us in such a way that you’ll never doubt it exists.
Elisa is a very unique leading lady. Despite her being endowed with the Godstone, she is a very unlikely heroine. She has been sheltered and the only thing you think she is suited for early on is dessert connoisseur. Things change drastically for her after she is kidnapped. She sees first hand what life is like outside palace walls. I loved that Carson built her world around a sweeping desert. It created a beautiful backdrop, the likeness of Star Wars or Lawrence of Arabia, for our rebels. Their life is hard, but there is beauty in the simplicity of the people and the scenery. Here is where Elisa pushes herself to realize her potential as a person and the chosen one. Her journey pulls together doing what is right, a faith in her destiny, and an old fashion can do spirit to take us on an epic ride. She will bring the cheers and the tears. Elisa’s story has something for everyone.
I can’t wait to continue the saga. The Crown of Embers here I come.
An EPIC journey of faith and self discovery.
Elisa is a very unique leading lady. Despite her being endowed with the Godstone, she is a very unlikely heroine. She has been sheltered and the only thing you think she is suited for early on is dessert connoisseur. Things change drastically for her after she is kidnapped. She sees first hand what life is like outside palace walls. I loved that Carson built her world around a sweeping desert. It created a beautiful backdrop, the likeness of Star Wars or Lawrence of Arabia, for our rebels. Their life is hard, but there is beauty in the simplicity of the people and the scenery. Here is where Elisa pushes herself to realize her potential as a person and the chosen one. Her journey pulls together doing what is right, a faith in her destiny, and an old fashion can do spirit to take us on an epic ride. She will bring the cheers and the tears. Elisa’s story has something for everyone.
I can’t wait to continue the saga. The Crown of Embers here I come.
An EPIC journey of faith and self discovery.