Endow with Enchantment!

The Girl of Fire and Thorns
By: Rae Carson
Reported by: Juli Helms
Release date: September 20th, 2011

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. 

-Summary from Goodreads

 *Thank you to NetGalley and HarperCollins for this ARC. Of course, this does not influence my opinion of the book in any way.*


An enchanting, mesmerizing book, The Girl of Fire and Thorns is just as Tamora Pierce said:


"Engrossing".


The story was beautiful, the setting was exotic. Elisa's quest to seek the power within herself is not only a breathtaking experience, but executed with a firm hand as well.
     I loved so many things about this book. To start off with, the cover is captivating. It depicts the almost magical feel of the story and I love how it doesn't show Elisa's features in detail. This allows the reader to really delve into the book and come up eventually with their own heroic version of Elisa.
     There was also the twists. I had mixed feelings about the twists, but most of them are personal. There were somethings that deeply surprised me, and I congratulate Rae Carson for taking up such a risk and succeed--that is, executed it wonderfully. I'm still a little heartbroken over the loss, but now I look forward for the sequel, even though the first installment isn't publicly released yet.
     Another thing I loved was the struggle of the characters, not just with others but also themselves. We see things the way Elisa sees them, we learn truths and conspiracies along with her, and even though I didn't develop a tangible connection with Elisa, I still felt her emotions and understood her journey and its purpose.
     The one thing I had a little bit of trouble with was the pacing. Don't get me wrong, the story moved straight into action, and there were no unnecessary scenes interrupting the flow. But sometimes a chapter felt stretched too long, or at least an experience was slightly overwhelming. Elisa is a strong, brave heroine, but during certain times I found an action that seemed a bit out of character, and perhaps it is because I miss a connection with her. Other times a scene was depicted in such detail, it felt overly extravagant.
     Nonetheless, this is still a wonderful, definitely must-read story. I've heard thoughts about how there is a religious element in the novel, and it's true. But I would like to state here, loud and clear, that the religion is essential to the story. It enhances the story to make it what it is. I am not the most religious person, and I assure you that even if you are not religious, you should give this book a try. I did, and I really, really enjoyed it.