Review: The Girl of Fire and Thorns

Title: The Girl of Fire and Thorns

Author: Rae Carson (debut) – Twitter | Author site | Goodreads

Pages: 424

Released: September 20, 2011

Genre: High fantasy

Goodreads Summary: Once a century, one person is chosen for greatness.

Elisa is the chosen one. But she is also the younger of two princesses, the one who has never done anything remarkable. She can’t see how she ever will.

Now, on her sixteenth birthday, she has become the secret wife of a handsome and worldly king—a king whose country is in turmoil. A king who needs the chosen one, not a failure of a princess.

And he’s not the only one who seeks her. Savage enemies seething with dark magic are hunting her. A daring, determined revolutionary thinks she could be his people’s savior. And he looks at her in a way that no man has ever looked at her before. Soon it is not just her life, but her very heart that is at stake.

Elisa could be everything to those who need her most. If the prophecy is fulfilled. If she finds the power deep within herself. If she doesn’t die young…Most of the chosen do.

*** *** ***

What I Liked:

It was refreshing to have a main character who is REAL rather than a girl who is beautiful-but-doesn’t-know-it. Elisa’s comfort is food, and she’s described as being a bit chubby. I think it’s important to have a character with a realistic body rather than one who is fit, who runs every day, or is so uncannily adept at kicking butt.

Elisa family and kingdom believe that the bearer of the Godstone must stay in the dark rather than be knowledgeable about the Godstone. It’s not until the marries and travels to another kingdom that she learns more about the Godstone and her destiny. This was very beneficial to the reader, because we (as readers) learned about her destiny right along with Elisa.

In the beginning, Elisa feels that she doesn’t have what it takes to be a queen or to be a successful Godstone bearer. It’s only through through the different obstacles that she has to face that she grows into a strong young woman who can wield the power of the Godstone.

The story as a whole is fabulous. There’s a great mix of adventure, excitement, tender moments.

What I Didn’t Like:

There wasn’t really anything that I didn’t like! There was one small plot piece that stuck out, but it’s a bit spoilery. You can highlight here to see it: A couple days after a castle attendant realizes that Elisa is the Godstone bearer, she is kidnapped by revolutionaries who want her help their cause. But then it takes them a month to reach the site of the revolutionaries. How did the kidnappers get to her in just a couple of days when it takes so long to travel back?

*** *** ***

I really loved this story, and I can’t wait for the sequel, The Crown of Embers, which comes out in September. The story in The Girl of Fire and Thorns was pretty well wrapped up, so I’m curious about this whole new adventure for Elisa and company!

Recommend for readers who like: adventure; high-fantasy (Graceling)