Rin, Razo's little sister, is haunted by the forest she has always loved. When Razo invites her back to the city to be one of Queen Ani's waiting women, she happily accepts ...only to end up on the adventure of her lifetime, following the queen, Enna and Dasha into the countryside in search of a fire-starting enemy that no one can see. As she learns more about the three women's magical talents, she finds her own strength comes from places both expected - the forest - and unexpected - the sound of her own voice. A brilliant addition to the Books of Bayern, this book is a treat for fans of this series, and stands alone for readers who might be discovering the joys of Shannon Hale's writing for the first time.
Hale weaves a fresh plot and leads her readers to a new kingdom once again in Forest Born. This time the adventure takes place in Kel, where the language is beautiful and lilting, the women wear dangling sleeves and “darling” hats, and a mysterious queen is trying to kill the royal family of Bayern. Hale certainly has a knack for depicting new cultures, and it does not fail here. Equally enchanting is a more in-depth look at the workings of the Forest, which has been featured in her previous books but not this prominently.
Forest Born has a quieter feel than the other Books of Bayern because Rin is an initially uncertain character who must discover herself as the story progresses. She also has a way with trees, a less ostentatious skill than Enna’s burning or Razo’s humor and personal charm. The way Hale writes each book to match the personality of her character is truly a gift, and fans will love this addition to the series as long as they’re not expecting anything too flashy.
This review was also posted at Pages Unbound Book Reviews.
Reading updates
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1 June, 2011:
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1 June, 2011:
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