Finnikin of the Rock (The Lumatere Chronicles, #1)

by Melina Marchetta

[ladygrey]

Melina Marchetta is a really effective author. Somehow she weaves such significance and meaning into her work that on the surface seems quite ordinary.

At first I liked Finnikan of the Rock ok. In fact, in the very beginning I found it hard to get into the story - to find my place in this world or in the time they walked in compared to the prologue (even though it said 10 years later, I just didn't read that very well). But once I got into it the plot moved along well enough and the characters were mostly interesting and definitely surprising. I enjoyed it but I wasn't enthralled. until the turn. And then everything changed; there was power and deep magic in the story and layers of pain and strength and significance that made it an incredibly potent story.

I love the women of this story, the way Marchetta talks about the difference between men and women and the way they see the world. I was so moved by the strength of these women and what they endured and how they survived. I liked it so much more than Stone of Tears where a male author talks about some of the same things but he makes them ugly. Marchetta doesn't deny any of the horror, but she revels in hope and she tells a beautiful story full of pain and anguish but not ugly. and it makes such a difference in reading the story. I loved the way the blood spells and blood curses were all tangled up in one another and the way the choices people made effected the turn of the story. 

I think there was such strength in taking something almost no talks about and making it powerful. I loved how ruthless Evanjalin is. At first I didn't like that about her at all, but once I knew everything I loved it. I admired her for doing whatever it took and not flinching and not apologizing. I loved the honor among the women and the strength of their community. I like the way Marchetta deals very plainly with sex, making it neither taboo or sacrosanct. There's a simplicity there that we don't often have in America that was refreshing.

I really enjoyed this book and after a few more readings it has the potential to become a 5 star book. possibly for no other reason than that it made me cry, again and again.

ETA:: The second time I read it, knowing more about the characters, was just fascinating and made the story that much stronger and more potent and painful and beautiful.