Jaclyn’s Review: The Girl of Fire and Thorns by Rae Carson

The Girl of Fire and Thorns (Fire and Thorns #1)
written by Rae Carson
published by Greenwillow, 2011

find it here: (affiliate links) Barnes & Noble, Amazon, iBooks, Walmart, Kobo, Book Depository, Goodreads

Did I enjoy this book? This is the first book in a series, and it was on a list of “if you liked XYZ, then you will like these books.” I really enjoyed it!

This is definitely a YA fantasy series, so go into it with appropriate expectations. The story takes place in a made-up kingdom, in a made-up world, and there is magic. I enjoyed the story. I also enjoyed that the heroine is not a typical heroine–she’s not confident, she’s not pretty, she’s book smart but terrible about social interactions. This was a break from the ordinary. The book received some backlash because she “transforms” during part of the story–she loses weight and suddenly people think she’s pretty, then suddenly she’s confident and can take on the world. I understand that she didn’t HAVE to lose weight to achieve these things, but given where the plot was, the author couldn’t have her undergo that portion of the plot WITHOUT losing weight. The only drawback I found was that everything she tried worked. She never experienced failure, and I think that could have made it a deeper story.

 

 

Would I recommend it? Absolutely. I really enjoyed this book and look forward to the rest of the series.

 

 

About the book – from Goodreads: 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.

 

 

 

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** This post first appeared on Every Free Chance Books (everyfreechance.com) on January 6, 2019.