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A review by fhirdiad
Uprooted by Naomi Novik
4.0
Hands down, the best parts of the book were the parts that made me sit up in bed so I could see every corner of my room. The parts that made me turn back on the light because I was reading it at 2am. I obviously do not sleep in the middle of a wood, but reading and feeling the tension of Agnieszka every time she walked through the trees made me feel like I was about to make eye contact with something deadly.
I would have loved more about the creatures in the Wood. I was so fascinated by the walkers and the mantis, but I wanted more. That's not really a criticism, but I've loved monsters since I was a child and the brief mentions of the other things living in there were not enough for me. I lived for the parts where Agnieszka mentioned that walkers would come out and steal children, and the stuff early in the book about the cows becoming corrupted and it spreading. Those kind of urban legend types things, the kind of stories that would have been spread around in small villages, are my favourite things.
I wasn't a huge fan of the court. I think because I was so in love with the atmosphere of the little village Agnieszka grew up in, and the Wood, and the tower, the court ended up being outshone. It also was so heavily dominated by Marek and Solya, who I really just didn't like at all and found very boring (not to mention Marek tried to rape Agnieszka at the beginning of the book, and then just offhand mentioned that he was intending to force her to marry him?). Alosha was the saving grace of this part of the book, and even though I do feel like she fell into some stereotypes (she is black and aggressive and cold), I think she was fantastic (she was brave and dedicated and more intelligent than anyone else in the book).
Lastly, my favourite part of this entire book was Kasia and Agnieszka's relationship. I choose to read it romantically, because I'm a huge bisexual. And as much as Agnieszka and Sarkan's relationship was snarky and tense and brilliant, Kasia was such a great part of this book. Her entire journey was beautifully written, subtle, hidden between the lines. She managed to be so interesting, even though she was absolutely a side character. Even the relationship with her mother coming to light. But she and Agnieszka was absolutely incredible together - the witch and the knight. I could read a whole book just about Kasia.
So yes, if you couldn't tell, I adored this.
I would have loved more about the creatures in the Wood. I was so fascinated by the walkers and the mantis, but I wanted more. That's not really a criticism, but I've loved monsters since I was a child and the brief mentions of the other things living in there were not enough for me. I lived for the parts where Agnieszka mentioned that walkers would come out and steal children, and the stuff early in the book about the cows becoming corrupted and it spreading. Those kind of urban legend types things, the kind of stories that would have been spread around in small villages, are my favourite things.
I wasn't a huge fan of the court. I think because I was so in love with the atmosphere of the little village Agnieszka grew up in, and the Wood, and the tower, the court ended up being outshone. It also was so heavily dominated by Marek and Solya, who I really just didn't like at all and found very boring (not to mention Marek tried to rape Agnieszka at the beginning of the book, and then just offhand mentioned that he was intending to force her to marry him?). Alosha was the saving grace of this part of the book, and even though I do feel like she fell into some stereotypes (she is black and aggressive and cold), I think she was fantastic (she was brave and dedicated and more intelligent than anyone else in the book).
Lastly, my favourite part of this entire book was Kasia and Agnieszka's relationship. I choose to read it romantically, because I'm a huge bisexual. And as much as Agnieszka and Sarkan's relationship was snarky and tense and brilliant, Kasia was such a great part of this book. Her entire journey was beautifully written, subtle, hidden between the lines. She managed to be so interesting, even though she was absolutely a side character. Even the relationship with her mother coming to light. But she and Agnieszka was absolutely incredible together - the witch and the knight. I could read a whole book just about Kasia.
So yes, if you couldn't tell, I adored this.