wyvernfriend
Written on Sep 26, 2015
Agnieszka loves her valley home, her quiet village, the forests and the bright shining river. But the corrupted wood stands on the border, full of malevolent power, and its shadow lies over her life.
Read more
Her people rely on the cold, ambitious wizard, known only as the Dragon, to keep the wood's powers at bay. But he demands a terrible price for his help: one young woman must be handed over to serve him for ten years, a fate almost as terrible as being lost to the wood.
The next choosing is fast approaching, and Agnieszka is afraid. She knows...
Agnieszka loves her valley home, her quiet village, the forests and the bright shining river. But the corrupted wood stands on the border, full of malevolent power, and its shadow lies over her life.
Her people rely on the cold, ambitious wizard, known only as the Dragon, to keep the wood's powers at bay. But he demands a terrible price for his help: one young woman must be handed over to serve him for ten years, a fate almost as terrible as being lost to the wood.
The next choosing is fast approaching, and Agnieszka is afraid. She knows - everyone knows - that the Dragon will take Kasia: beautiful, graceful, brave Kasia - all the things Agnieszka isn't - and her dearest friend in the world. And there is no way to save her.
But no one can predict how or why the Dragon chooses a girl. And when he comes, it is not Kasia he will take with him.
From the author of the Temeraire series comes this hugely imaginative, engrossing and vivid fantasy novel, inspired by folk and fairy tales. It is perfect reading for fans of Robin Hobb and Trudi Canavan.
- ISBN10 0804179034
- ISBN13 9780804179034
- Publish Date 19 May 2015 (first published 1 January 2015)
- Publish Status Out of Stock
- Imprint Del Rey Books
- Format Hardcover
- Pages 448
- Language English
Reviews
e_rodz_leb
Written on Sep 8, 2015
Reading With ABC http://readingwithabc.com http://readingwithabc.com/audiobook-review-uprooted-naomi-novik/If you have been wondering about Uprooted, I’m here to put your questions to rest. Let’s see how I can explain it to you in an accurate way: there is magic, an original story, wondrous lyrical writing, a fantastic world building, and great characters. I’m so glad that I saw so many great reviews in Goodreads or I wouldn’t have even notice this book and what a loss that would be!
Uprooted is a story about magic, a girl, a dragon and a wood (forest). The Dragon is a wizard that protects the villages close to the evil Wood. Once every ten years he goes into the village and chooses a young woman that must serve him. Everyone believes that the Dragon will choose the beautiful Kasia and thus she’s raised with that purpose in mind, but on the day of the choosing, it’s Agnieszka who goes into the tower with him. No one knows what happens to the girls in those ten years, only that at the end, they end up wealthy and they leave for the city.
Agnieszka is a hot mess. She’s always dirty and doesn’t seem to be able to do anything right. At the beginning, she’s timid, terrified of the Dragon, unsure of herself and her new role. She has been uprooted from all she’d known before. Agnieszka grows a lot as a character. She discovers that her Dragon doesn’t bite. She discovers power in knowledge and in magic. She discovers that there are different ways to achieve a goal. She has an instinctual understanding of the Wood and how magic works. She’s good and wants to love and be loved and do what’s right. Such a complex, strong character. I love Agnieszka.
“His name tasted of fire and wings, of curling smoke, of subtlety and strength and the rasping whisper of scales. He eyed me and said stiffly, "Don't land yourself into a boiling-pot, and as difficult as you may find it, try and present a respectable appearance.”
The Dragon is a great wizard and he tries to pick a girl every ten years to help them better themselves, teach them a bit of magic and keep him in comfort. He’s not what you would call a ‘people person’ and is feared and respected by the same measure. Eventually, he comes to care for Agnieszka. He’s brave, smart, ruthless, fair and just. This is not a book with a great, hot romance, but there is romance. I was perfectly content with this aspect because Uprooted is not a love story.
“I shut my eyes and felt out the shape of his magic: as full of thorns as his illusion, prickly and guarded. I started to murmur my own spell, but I found myself thinking not of roses but of water, and thirsty ground; building underneath his magic instead of trying to overlay it. I heard him draw a sharp breath, and the sharp edifice of his spell began grudgingly to let mine in. The rose between us put out long roots all over the table, and new branches began to grow.”
The writing is beautiful. Honestly, I’m not sure how to describe it better, but I hope the quotes that I included help you form your own opinion about it. Oh the word building! Magic becomes a living thing, with feelings and a will of its own. The Wood is the villain and it’s a living entity that changes the lives of all that come in contact with it. It shapes the lives of the villagers, it threatens, is lures, it terrifies, it thinks, it pulses, it takes revenge. Although the plot might be described as a Beauty and the Beast retelling – which is my favorite fairytale – to me it is a lot more than that. As I said, the book is not about the romance, but we do have a ‘beastly’ main character.
"Those the walkers carried into the Wood were less lucky. We didn't know what happened to them, but they came back out sometimes, corrupted in the worst way: smiling and cheerful, unharmed. They seemed almost themselves to anyone who didn't know them well, and you might spend half a day talking with one of them and never realize anything was wrong, until you found yourself taking up a knife and cutting off your own hand, putting out your own eyes, your own tongue, while they kept talking all the while, smiling, horrible. And then they would take the knife and go inside your house, to your children, while you lay outside blind and choking and helpless even to scream."
Overall, Uprooted is an outstanding addition to the YA fantasy world. It’s my first book by Novik and I hope it will not be the last. An entirely original novel, with an amazing cast of characters, an intricate plot, and world building. Stunning.
This review was originally posted on Reading With ABC
Uprooted is a story about magic, a girl, a dragon and a wood (forest). The Dragon is a wizard that protects the villages close to the evil Wood. Once every ten years he goes into the village and chooses a young woman that must serve him. Everyone believes that the Dragon will choose the beautiful Kasia and thus she’s raised with that purpose in mind, but on the day of the choosing, it’s Agnieszka who goes into the tower with him. No one knows what happens to the girls in those ten years, only that at the end, they end up wealthy and they leave for the city.
Agnieszka is a hot mess. She’s always dirty and doesn’t seem to be able to do anything right. At the beginning, she’s timid, terrified of the Dragon, unsure of herself and her new role. She has been uprooted from all she’d known before. Agnieszka grows a lot as a character. She discovers that her Dragon doesn’t bite. She discovers power in knowledge and in magic. She discovers that there are different ways to achieve a goal. She has an instinctual understanding of the Wood and how magic works. She’s good and wants to love and be loved and do what’s right. Such a complex, strong character. I love Agnieszka.
“His name tasted of fire and wings, of curling smoke, of subtlety and strength and the rasping whisper of scales. He eyed me and said stiffly, "Don't land yourself into a boiling-pot, and as difficult as you may find it, try and present a respectable appearance.”
The Dragon is a great wizard and he tries to pick a girl every ten years to help them better themselves, teach them a bit of magic and keep him in comfort. He’s not what you would call a ‘people person’ and is feared and respected by the same measure. Eventually, he comes to care for Agnieszka. He’s brave, smart, ruthless, fair and just. This is not a book with a great, hot romance, but there is romance. I was perfectly content with this aspect because Uprooted is not a love story.
“I shut my eyes and felt out the shape of his magic: as full of thorns as his illusion, prickly and guarded. I started to murmur my own spell, but I found myself thinking not of roses but of water, and thirsty ground; building underneath his magic instead of trying to overlay it. I heard him draw a sharp breath, and the sharp edifice of his spell began grudgingly to let mine in. The rose between us put out long roots all over the table, and new branches began to grow.”
The writing is beautiful. Honestly, I’m not sure how to describe it better, but I hope the quotes that I included help you form your own opinion about it. Oh the word building! Magic becomes a living thing, with feelings and a will of its own. The Wood is the villain and it’s a living entity that changes the lives of all that come in contact with it. It shapes the lives of the villagers, it threatens, is lures, it terrifies, it thinks, it pulses, it takes revenge. Although the plot might be described as a Beauty and the Beast retelling – which is my favorite fairytale – to me it is a lot more than that. As I said, the book is not about the romance, but we do have a ‘beastly’ main character.
"Those the walkers carried into the Wood were less lucky. We didn't know what happened to them, but they came back out sometimes, corrupted in the worst way: smiling and cheerful, unharmed. They seemed almost themselves to anyone who didn't know them well, and you might spend half a day talking with one of them and never realize anything was wrong, until you found yourself taking up a knife and cutting off your own hand, putting out your own eyes, your own tongue, while they kept talking all the while, smiling, horrible. And then they would take the knife and go inside your house, to your children, while you lay outside blind and choking and helpless even to scream."
Overall, Uprooted is an outstanding addition to the YA fantasy world. It’s my first book by Novik and I hope it will not be the last. An entirely original novel, with an amazing cast of characters, an intricate plot, and world building. Stunning.
This review was originally posted on Reading With ABC
lizarodz
Written on Sep 8, 2015
Reading With ABC http://readingwithabc.com http://readingwithabc.com/audiobook-review-uprooted-naomi-novik/If you have been wondering about Uprooted, I’m here to put your questions to rest. Let’s see how I can explain it to you in an accurate way: there is magic, an original story, wondrous lyrical writing, a fantastic world building, and great characters. I’m so glad that I saw so many great reviews in Goodreads or I wouldn’t have even notice this book and what a loss that would be!
Uprooted is a story about magic, a girl, a dragon and a wood (forest). The Dragon is a wizard that protects the villages close to the evil Wood. Once every ten years he goes into the village and chooses a young woman that must serve him. Everyone believes that the Dragon will choose the beautiful Kasia and thus she’s raised with that purpose in mind, but on the day of the choosing, it’s Agnieszka who goes into the tower with him. No one knows what happens to the girls in those ten years, only that at the end, they end up wealthy and they leave for the city.
Agnieszka is a hot mess. She’s always dirty and doesn’t seem to be able to do anything right. At the beginning, she’s timid, terrified of the Dragon, unsure of herself and her new role. She has been uprooted from all she’d known before. Agnieszka grows a lot as a character. She discovers that her Dragon doesn’t bite. She discovers power in knowledge and in magic. She discovers that there are different ways to achieve a goal. She has an instinctual understanding of the Wood and how magic works. She’s good and wants to love and be loved and do what’s right. Such a complex, strong character. I love Agnieszka.
“His name tasted of fire and wings, of curling smoke, of subtlety and strength and the rasping whisper of scales. He eyed me and said stiffly, "Don't land yourself into a boiling-pot, and as difficult as you may find it, try and present a respectable appearance.”
The Dragon is a great wizard and he tries to pick a girl every ten years to help them better themselves, teach them a bit of magic and keep him in comfort. He’s not what you would call a ‘people person’ and is feared and respected by the same measure. Eventually, he comes to care for Agnieszka. He’s brave, smart, ruthless, fair and just. This is not a book with a great, hot romance, but there is romance. I was perfectly content with this aspect because Uprooted is not a love story.
“I shut my eyes and felt out the shape of his magic: as full of thorns as his illusion, prickly and guarded. I started to murmur my own spell, but I found myself thinking not of roses but of water, and thirsty ground; building underneath his magic instead of trying to overlay it. I heard him draw a sharp breath, and the sharp edifice of his spell began grudgingly to let mine in. The rose between us put out long roots all over the table, and new branches began to grow.”
The writing is beautiful. Honestly, I’m not sure how to describe it better, but I hope the quotes that I included help you form your own opinion about it. Oh the word building! Magic becomes a living thing, with feelings and a will of its own. The Wood is the villain and it’s a living entity that changes the lives of all that come in contact with it. It shapes the lives of the villagers, it threatens, is lures, it terrifies, it thinks, it pulses, it takes revenge. Although the plot might be described as a Beauty and the Beast retelling – which is my favorite fairytale – to me it is a lot more than that. As I said, the book is not about the romance, but we do have a ‘beastly’ main character.
"Those the walkers carried into the Wood were less lucky. We didn't know what happened to them, but they came back out sometimes, corrupted in the worst way: smiling and cheerful, unharmed. They seemed almost themselves to anyone who didn't know them well, and you might spend half a day talking with one of them and never realize anything was wrong, until you found yourself taking up a knife and cutting off your own hand, putting out your own eyes, your own tongue, while they kept talking all the while, smiling, horrible. And then they would take the knife and go inside your house, to your children, while you lay outside blind and choking and helpless even to scream."
Overall, Uprooted is an outstanding addition to the YA fantasy world. It’s my first book by Novik and I hope it will not be the last. An entirely original novel, with an amazing cast of characters, an intricate plot, and world building. Stunning.
This review was originally posted on Reading With ABC
Uprooted is a story about magic, a girl, a dragon and a wood (forest). The Dragon is a wizard that protects the villages close to the evil Wood. Once every ten years he goes into the village and chooses a young woman that must serve him. Everyone believes that the Dragon will choose the beautiful Kasia and thus she’s raised with that purpose in mind, but on the day of the choosing, it’s Agnieszka who goes into the tower with him. No one knows what happens to the girls in those ten years, only that at the end, they end up wealthy and they leave for the city.
Agnieszka is a hot mess. She’s always dirty and doesn’t seem to be able to do anything right. At the beginning, she’s timid, terrified of the Dragon, unsure of herself and her new role. She has been uprooted from all she’d known before. Agnieszka grows a lot as a character. She discovers that her Dragon doesn’t bite. She discovers power in knowledge and in magic. She discovers that there are different ways to achieve a goal. She has an instinctual understanding of the Wood and how magic works. She’s good and wants to love and be loved and do what’s right. Such a complex, strong character. I love Agnieszka.
“His name tasted of fire and wings, of curling smoke, of subtlety and strength and the rasping whisper of scales. He eyed me and said stiffly, "Don't land yourself into a boiling-pot, and as difficult as you may find it, try and present a respectable appearance.”
The Dragon is a great wizard and he tries to pick a girl every ten years to help them better themselves, teach them a bit of magic and keep him in comfort. He’s not what you would call a ‘people person’ and is feared and respected by the same measure. Eventually, he comes to care for Agnieszka. He’s brave, smart, ruthless, fair and just. This is not a book with a great, hot romance, but there is romance. I was perfectly content with this aspect because Uprooted is not a love story.
“I shut my eyes and felt out the shape of his magic: as full of thorns as his illusion, prickly and guarded. I started to murmur my own spell, but I found myself thinking not of roses but of water, and thirsty ground; building underneath his magic instead of trying to overlay it. I heard him draw a sharp breath, and the sharp edifice of his spell began grudgingly to let mine in. The rose between us put out long roots all over the table, and new branches began to grow.”
The writing is beautiful. Honestly, I’m not sure how to describe it better, but I hope the quotes that I included help you form your own opinion about it. Oh the word building! Magic becomes a living thing, with feelings and a will of its own. The Wood is the villain and it’s a living entity that changes the lives of all that come in contact with it. It shapes the lives of the villagers, it threatens, is lures, it terrifies, it thinks, it pulses, it takes revenge. Although the plot might be described as a Beauty and the Beast retelling – which is my favorite fairytale – to me it is a lot more than that. As I said, the book is not about the romance, but we do have a ‘beastly’ main character.
"Those the walkers carried into the Wood were less lucky. We didn't know what happened to them, but they came back out sometimes, corrupted in the worst way: smiling and cheerful, unharmed. They seemed almost themselves to anyone who didn't know them well, and you might spend half a day talking with one of them and never realize anything was wrong, until you found yourself taking up a knife and cutting off your own hand, putting out your own eyes, your own tongue, while they kept talking all the while, smiling, horrible. And then they would take the knife and go inside your house, to your children, while you lay outside blind and choking and helpless even to scream."
Overall, Uprooted is an outstanding addition to the YA fantasy world. It’s my first book by Novik and I hope it will not be the last. An entirely original novel, with an amazing cast of characters, an intricate plot, and world building. Stunning.
This review was originally posted on Reading With ABC
nannah
Written on Sep 5, 2015
honestly?
It seems much more like a Slavic twist. Very few words were actually Polish, and very few aspects were Polish except the location (Dwernik,...Read more
I keep hearing this book was a type of fairy tale with a Polish twist, but
honestly?
It seems much more like a Slavic twist. Very few words were actually Polish, and very few aspects were Polish except the location (Dwernik, SE Poland--which is spelled Dvernik in the book).
While I'm on the topic . . . here are some of the names: Kyeva, Janos, Kasimir, Charovnikov, Ragostok, Boguslava, tsoglav, Olshanka. This is so very not Polish (plus, some names could have easily been Polish with alternate spellings: Kasimir --> Kazimierz; Janos --> Janosz; Nieshka --> Aga or Agusia (the diminutive of Agnieszka); mamusha --> mamusia. I'm not sure why the majority of the words/names weren't Polish (or misspelled)? Especially if the book is marketed as supposedly having a Polish flair.
The word "penny" was also used as a comparison in the book twice, . . . "like watching a penny falling away down a deep well." I'm pretty sure Poland didn't have pennies back in the 1600s (about when this book takes place). Poland uses złoty for currency. All of this shows a lack of care for research and for the setting. Or just laziness.
Okay, I'm done ranting about that . . . for now. On to the story itself--which is incredibly convoluted. There were so many sideplots, and the plot itself was not well defined. 150 pages in (and ok, I have the advanced readers copy, so maybe things were corrected later?) and I'm still not sure what the plot is. Sure, there's lots of mini climaxes here and there, but I'm not sure what the overall plot arc could possibly be. I was fairly sure after page 150 that the plot was about the MC Agnieszka and her "mentor" the Dragon vs the evil, corrupted Wood, but then it abruptly changes later, mentioning a long-lost queen. Everything takes abrupt turns, and there's nothing holding everything together.
The book is also incredibly distasteful Agnieszka's relationship with the Dragon is so ABUSIVE. He's much older than her, and he makes her feel fall and scared. She has to make his meals like a good woman, and everything about them together just reeks of an abusive relationship. At one point he literally pins her down against the bed and tries to kiss her?? Not to mention almost every time he sees her he calls her "useless" or a "lunatic" or even a "witless muttonheaded spawn of pig farmers." She has much more chemistry with her friend Kasia, but I guess the author really just wanted to romanticize abuse.
Already at page 40, there's an attempted rape scene (that does NOTHING for any of the characters, plot, etc.). And when Agnieszka attempts to defend herself and protect herself, she gets insulted by this oh-so-romantic Dragon. I don't understand the appeal.
Okay. I'll move on.
The main feature of the book, the magic is completely without rules and system. I'm almost rolling my eyes every time magic is used. There's no limit to what magic can and can't do, and things conveniently change when needed. Along the same line, there's no real-world consequences for anything or anyone. The main characters can carry three grown adults over miles, they can literally have an arrow through their chest, put magic potion on it, and BAM! they're ready for more action. I just didn't care anymore by the end of it.
And so, yeah, I really didn't care for this book.
honestly?
It seems much more like a Slavic twist. Very few words were actually Polish, and very few aspects were Polish except the location (Dwernik, SE Poland--which is spelled Dvernik in the book).
While I'm on the topic . . . here are some of the names: Kyeva, Janos, Kasimir, Charovnikov, Ragostok, Boguslava, tsoglav, Olshanka. This is so very not Polish (plus, some names could have easily been Polish with alternate spellings: Kasimir --> Kazimierz; Janos --> Janosz; Nieshka --> Aga or Agusia (the diminutive of Agnieszka); mamusha --> mamusia. I'm not sure why the majority of the words/names weren't Polish (or misspelled)? Especially if the book is marketed as supposedly having a Polish flair.
The word "penny" was also used as a comparison in the book twice, . . . "like watching a penny falling away down a deep well." I'm pretty sure Poland didn't have pennies back in the 1600s (about when this book takes place). Poland uses złoty for currency. All of this shows a lack of care for research and for the setting. Or just laziness.
Okay, I'm done ranting about that . . . for now. On to the story itself--which is incredibly convoluted. There were so many sideplots, and the plot itself was not well defined. 150 pages in (and ok, I have the advanced readers copy, so maybe things were corrected later?) and I'm still not sure what the plot is. Sure, there's lots of mini climaxes here and there, but I'm not sure what the overall plot arc could possibly be. I was fairly sure after page 150 that the plot was about the MC Agnieszka and her "mentor" the Dragon vs the evil, corrupted Wood, but then it abruptly changes later, mentioning a long-lost queen. Everything takes abrupt turns, and there's nothing holding everything together.
The book is also incredibly distasteful Agnieszka's relationship with the Dragon is so ABUSIVE. He's much older than her, and he makes her feel fall and scared. She has to make his meals like a good woman, and everything about them together just reeks of an abusive relationship. At one point he literally pins her down against the bed and tries to kiss her?? Not to mention almost every time he sees her he calls her "useless" or a "lunatic" or even a "witless muttonheaded spawn of pig farmers." She has much more chemistry with her friend Kasia, but I guess the author really just wanted to romanticize abuse.
Already at page 40, there's an attempted rape scene (that does NOTHING for any of the characters, plot, etc.). And when Agnieszka attempts to defend herself and protect herself, she gets insulted by this oh-so-romantic Dragon. I don't understand the appeal.
Okay. I'll move on.
The main feature of the book, the magic is completely without rules and system. I'm almost rolling my eyes every time magic is used. There's no limit to what magic can and can't do, and things conveniently change when needed. Along the same line, there's no real-world consequences for anything or anyone. The main characters can carry three grown adults over miles, they can literally have an arrow through their chest, put magic potion on it, and BAM! they're ready for more action. I just didn't care anymore by the end of it.
And so, yeah, I really didn't care for this book.
nitzan_schwarz
Written on Sep 5, 2015
Initially, Uprooted caught my eyes when pictures of its beautiful cover surfaced tumblr (with very favorable reviews). So just like that, it was bumped to the top of my list. Sometimes, this method of...Read more
JUST POSTED ON THE BLOG :)
Initially, Uprooted caught my eyes when pictures of its beautiful cover surfaced tumblr (with very favorable reviews). So just like that, it was bumped to the top of my list. Sometimes, this method of book-chosing yields unfortunate results. And sometimes, it doesn't. Sometimes, it turns out to be the best of choices.
I wasn't even two pages in when I knew I would adore this book. I was absolutely correct.
Every ten years, a 17 years old girl is chosen to live with the valley's wizard, the Dragon. And when her 10 years end, she leaves - never to come back. Agnieszka, our protagonist, is such a girl. But neither she nor her family are really worried, because the Dragon always takes the most beautiful and talented girl, and Agnieszka's best friend Kasia is the sure choice.
So everyone are shocked when she is chosen. Now she has to deal with being uprooted (see what I did there??) and worse -- living with a surly, neat-freak, perfectionist wizard who won't even try to make the transition somewhat bearable.
From that point on, things get real interesting.
First of all, let me say this - the bromance (is there a female term for bromance??) between Nieshka and Kasia is life. I was worried that Uprooted will follow in Cruel Beauty's steps with more hate than friendship, but it totally didn't. Nieshka and Kasia are real, honest to god, best friends. They're practically sisters. It was beautiful, seriously.
Then there is the Dragon. I was shipping him and Nieshka from pretty much the first time they met. They just clashed so beautifully - she with her spontaneous, outdoorsy, clumsy manner and him with his straight laced, dignified order. It made for some hilarious interactions, and you could see from the get-go that those interaction rattled both of them. In the best way possible.
I mean, it's sort of a hate to love relationship, and it is executed perfectly. You fall in love together with these two characters, and the best part is that neither of them need to voice their feelings to know they are there.
Oh, and they are hot. Sometimes in an explicit sort of way. However, don't expect a NA level of things. The mature content in Uprooted is very tasteful and doesn't go overboard, staying true to the mood, story and characters. Novik isn't afraid to go past PG-13, because it's right for her story. And not for any other reason.
Now lets talk a little about the world because it was beautiful and horrifying and magical. Novik did a wonderful job flashing out the world without info-dumping it on you, letting you learn the ins and outs through the characters and their experiences. In this world, some rare people have magic. And the biggest threat to all the kingdom's people is not the war always brewing on the horizon, it is the Wood.
Yes. When was the last time you read a book where a Wood was the main antagonist? And not just any antagonist - a manipulative, cruel, mind controlling one who will do anything in his power to devour all the land and kill everyone in it.
What, you're scared now? You should be.
Alongside Nieshka, Dragon and Kasia, there are many side characters, such as the other magicians, the (kind of hateful) prince, the king, and the villagers. They were all, even when they were kind of awful, charming in their own ways. Mostly because no one in this book is really evil.
Oh, and you should know - this book doesn't pull any punches. There are deaths. From a certain point there is a death almost every page. And some of it is hella gory. But even so, it's still so damn charming.
GAH, I don't know. This book does stuff to me.
Uprooted is everything. I just want more of this world and characters so damned much that I can't deal with this being the end!
Blog | Twitter | Facebook | Instagram | Pinterest | Tumblr
Initially, Uprooted caught my eyes when pictures of its beautiful cover surfaced tumblr (with very favorable reviews). So just like that, it was bumped to the top of my list. Sometimes, this method of book-chosing yields unfortunate results. And sometimes, it doesn't. Sometimes, it turns out to be the best of choices.
I wasn't even two pages in when I knew I would adore this book. I was absolutely correct.
Every ten years, a 17 years old girl is chosen to live with the valley's wizard, the Dragon. And when her 10 years end, she leaves - never to come back. Agnieszka, our protagonist, is such a girl. But neither she nor her family are really worried, because the Dragon always takes the most beautiful and talented girl, and Agnieszka's best friend Kasia is the sure choice.
So everyone are shocked when she is chosen. Now she has to deal with being uprooted (see what I did there??) and worse -- living with a surly, neat-freak, perfectionist wizard who won't even try to make the transition somewhat bearable.
From that point on, things get real interesting.
First of all, let me say this - the bromance (is there a female term for bromance??) between Nieshka and Kasia is life. I was worried that Uprooted will follow in Cruel Beauty's steps with more hate than friendship, but it totally didn't. Nieshka and Kasia are real, honest to god, best friends. They're practically sisters. It was beautiful, seriously.
Then there is the Dragon. I was shipping him and Nieshka from pretty much the first time they met. They just clashed so beautifully - she with her spontaneous, outdoorsy, clumsy manner and him with his straight laced, dignified order. It made for some hilarious interactions, and you could see from the get-go that those interaction rattled both of them. In the best way possible.
I mean, it's sort of a hate to love relationship, and it is executed perfectly. You fall in love together with these two characters, and the best part is that neither of them need to voice their feelings to know they are there.
Oh, and they are hot. Sometimes in an explicit sort of way. However, don't expect a NA level of things. The mature content in Uprooted is very tasteful and doesn't go overboard, staying true to the mood, story and characters. Novik isn't afraid to go past PG-13, because it's right for her story. And not for any other reason.
Now lets talk a little about the world because it was beautiful and horrifying and magical. Novik did a wonderful job flashing out the world without info-dumping it on you, letting you learn the ins and outs through the characters and their experiences. In this world, some rare people have magic. And the biggest threat to all the kingdom's people is not the war always brewing on the horizon, it is the Wood.
Yes. When was the last time you read a book where a Wood was the main antagonist? And not just any antagonist - a manipulative, cruel, mind controlling one who will do anything in his power to devour all the land and kill everyone in it.
What, you're scared now? You should be.
Alongside Nieshka, Dragon and Kasia, there are many side characters, such as the other magicians, the (kind of hateful) prince, the king, and the villagers. They were all, even when they were kind of awful, charming in their own ways. Mostly because no one in this book is really evil.
Oh, and you should know - this book doesn't pull any punches. There are deaths. From a certain point there is a death almost every page. And some of it is hella gory. But even so, it's still so damn charming.
GAH, I don't know. This book does stuff to me.
Uprooted is everything. I just want more of this world and characters so damned much that I can't deal with this being the end!
Blog | Twitter | Facebook | Instagram | Pinterest | Tumblr
Mackenzie
Written on Jul 15, 2015
I had a couple small issues but honestly, I couldn't care less. It was wonderful. So rich and beautiful and utterly terrifying. The Dragon's rude, witty, and biting comebacks never failed to put a smile on my face. Agnieszka was a wonderfully endearing mess with a heart to match her determination. And I can't forget the quiet strength and dedication that is Kasia. It was a wonderful throwback to fairytales of old with a heavy dose of magic and terrifying creepiness. So good.
Full review to come.
Full review to come.
Liz (Bent Bookworm)
Written on Jul 8, 2015
ellieroth
Written on Jun 30, 2015
Es mucho para mi maltratado cerebro. Siento que a quienes les guste el señor de los anillos o libros así de largos pueda gustarle Uprooted. No leí LOTR, pero siempre me imaginé que sería algo así como este...Read more
DNF 51%
Es mucho para mi maltratado cerebro. Siento que a quienes les guste el señor de los anillos o libros así de largos pueda gustarle Uprooted. No leí LOTR, pero siempre me imaginé que sería algo así como este libro.
No eres tú soy yo, querido libro. No esta vez.
Es mucho para mi maltratado cerebro. Siento que a quienes les guste el señor de los anillos o libros así de largos pueda gustarle Uprooted. No leí LOTR, pero siempre me imaginé que sería algo así como este libro.
No eres tú soy yo, querido libro. No esta vez.
tweetybugshouse
Written on Jun 3, 2015
This is a very thrilling read that i love is wrapped all up in one delightful story. The descriptions in this book take me back to my child hold and the great classic fairy tells that do not shudder from being a gruesome tale in places, but very magical in others. I was gripped from the beginning right up to the end, it great work of fantasy and is a must read of 2015.
Metaphorosis Reviews
Written on May 13, 2015
reviews.metaphorosis.com
3.5 stars
Every ten years, a sorceror named the Dragon takes a girl from the neighbouring villages as a servant. This time, everyone knows it will be Kasia - beautiful, graceful, talented Kasia. He takes her best...Read more
reviews.metaphorosis.com
3.5 stars
Every ten years, a sorceror named the Dragon takes a girl from the neighbouring villages as a servant. This time, everyone knows it will be Kasia - beautiful, graceful, talented Kasia. He takes her best friend Agnieszka instead - clumsy, unattractive Agnieszka. Bewildered, Agnieszka struggles to meet the Dragon's needs - mostly failing, until one day he's gone, and she has to step into his shoes.
There's a lot of evidence around these days that traditional publishers are slowly slipping under. But they do sometimes fill their traditional role as gatekeepers - now filters - separating good fiction from bad. I'm happy to say that's the case with Del Rey (one of my once favorite, now diminished publishers) and Uprooted.
I'd never heard of Naomi Novik before seeing this book on NetGalley, but the cover and description caught my interest. That lack of awareness led me a little astray. In the first few pages of Uprooted, I was sure I was in the hands of young but growing talent - a writer who was still fledging, but destined for good things. Rather to my surprise, it turns out Novik has quite a few books under her belt. That accounts for the skill she shows, but throws a harsher light on some of the book's shortcomings.
Novik seems to specialize in fantastic alternate history, and that's what she offers here. She draws on Slavic languages, which I found a pleasant change from the norm. However, it soon became evident that the setting was not just vaguely Polish, but an actual alternate Europe, complete with Baba Yaga references. Because the parallels don't really add much to the story, I found them rather disappointing - suggesting a lack of effort, perhaps. It's also disappointing that while Uprooted has a strong female lead, she lives in a somewhat traditional world - men fight silently, women dress up, though both do lead.
The broad outlines of the story are equally familiar - a teen romance of awkward but plucky young girl, handsome but distant sorceror, and circumstances that force them to become close. What makes Uprooted stand out is Novik's facility with language and character. No verbal pyrotechnics here, just a fine balance of imagery, action, and dialogue. At the same time, Novik stumbles over some genre norms that I would have expected a practiced writer to catch.
The characters, for all their stock-romance nature, feel real and sympathetic. While much of the action is predictable, we care about Agnieszka and Kasia, though the Dragon remains underdeveloped. To her credit, Novik veers clear of the Hollywood ending, and the character element remains strong throughout.
All in all, Novik has made a nice, surprisingly effective novel out of off the shelf ingredients. When I thought she was a new talent, I meant to watch for her books and hope that she reached for a little more originality in future. As it is, I assume she's reached her stride. I'll certainly be interested to consider her new books, but hope they'll dive a little deeper into worldbuilding. In any case, I recommend this book. Pluck Uprooted off the nearest shelf and enjoy it.
NB: Received free copy from Net Galley.