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A review by andipants
Uprooted by Naomi Novik
5.0
I like the idea of fantasy as a genre, but in practice I rarely find one I can actually get into. A lot of them seem to focus a lot on worldbuilding -- exploring how the magic system works, delving into the history and politics of the place, that kind of thing -- which is great, if that's what you're into, but I tend to find my eyes glazing over pretty quickly with that sort of thing. This book definitely has a fascinating magic system, and there is a fair bit of political maneuvering going on, but for much of the book, the characters and their relationships are front and center, and I absolutely loved it.
The Dragon starts out as one of those aloof genius asshole types, which I normally don't like at all, but Agnieszka isn't a shrinking violet either; she quickly finds her voice and starts pushing back and calling him on his bullshit. Kasia initially seems like she's going to be just a damsel in distress, but ends up basically being the tank of the party -- it's awesome. The antagonists at any given moment are never out-and-out eeeevil; they all have thoroughly grounded motivations that aren't even necessarily bad -- they're just arrogant, or misguided, or magically corrupted, or angry and scared, or...you get the point. Even Marek, of whom our first impression is decidedly negative (TW for), ends up being a complex character -- not likable, but certainly complicated.
Now don't get me wrong; if you're just here for the plot or the magic, there's plenty of that as well. There are battles and political intrigue and a seriously malevolent enchanted forest. There's a romantic element to the story, although it's not front and center; I wouldn't call this a romance by any stretch. I will say, it wasn't a perfect book; the way Agnieszka picked up her magic so very quickly was a bit too easy, and my interest did wander ever so slightly in the middle when she's off in the city -- but for the most part, I could hardly put this down. I found myself reading scenes and then going back to read them again right away, just to savor them a bit longer. I initially got this from the library, but the day I finished it I went out and bought a copy to keep -- it was just that good. Definitely recommend.
The Dragon starts out as one of those aloof genius asshole types, which I normally don't like at all, but Agnieszka isn't a shrinking violet either; she quickly finds her voice and starts pushing back and calling him on his bullshit. Kasia initially seems like she's going to be just a damsel in distress, but ends up basically being the tank of the party -- it's awesome. The antagonists at any given moment are never out-and-out eeeevil; they all have thoroughly grounded motivations that aren't even necessarily bad -- they're just arrogant, or misguided, or magically corrupted, or angry and scared, or...you get the point. Even Marek, of whom our first impression is decidedly negative (TW for
Spoiler
attempted sexual assaultNow don't get me wrong; if you're just here for the plot or the magic, there's plenty of that as well. There are battles and political intrigue and a seriously malevolent enchanted forest. There's a romantic element to the story, although it's not front and center; I wouldn't call this a romance by any stretch. I will say, it wasn't a perfect book; the way Agnieszka picked up her magic so very quickly was a bit too easy, and my interest did wander ever so slightly in the middle when she's off in the city -- but for the most part, I could hardly put this down. I found myself reading scenes and then going back to read them again right away, just to savor them a bit longer. I initially got this from the library, but the day I finished it I went out and bought a copy to keep -- it was just that good. Definitely recommend.