Review: Finnikin of the Rock by Melina Marchetta

Finnikin of the Rock
(Lumatere Chronicles #1)
Melina Marchetta
February 9th, 2010
399 pages (hardcover)
Candlewick Press
Source - Purchased

"At the age of nine, Finnikin is warned by the gods that he must sacrifice a pound of flesh to save his kingdom. He stands on the rock of the three wonders with his friend Prince Balthazar and Balthazar's cousin, Lucian, and together they mix their blood to safeguard Lumatere.

But all safety is shattered during the five days of the unspeakable, when the king and queen and their children are brutally murdered in the palace. An impostor seizes the throne, a curse binds all who remain inside Lumatere's walls, and those who escape are left to roam the land as exiles, dying by the thousands in fever camps.

Ten years later, Finnikin is summoned to another rock--to meet Evanjalin, a young novice with a startling claim: Balthazar, heir to the throne of Lumatere, is alive. This arrogant young woman claims she'll lead Finnikin and his mentor, Sir Topher, to the prince. Instead, her leadership points them perilously toward home. Does Finnikin dare believe that Lumatere might one day rise united? Evanjalin is not what she seems, and the startling truth will test Finnikin's faith not only in her but in all he knows to be true about himself and his destiny."

Once again, I am the idiot who almost gave up after reading only a few chapters of a Melina Marchetta novel. You'd think I would have learned my lesson by now, right? Thankfully, I dove back into the story (fourth time's the charm), and finally discovered that WOW-factor that I was previously missing. Like all other Marchetta novels, it takes patience and time for the story to bloom into something extraordinary. 

Marchetta skillfully and slowly builds a world rich in unique cultures, religions, and characters in her high fantasy novel, Finnikin of the Rock. There are journey's that sweep across the land, incredible moments of character growth, and the writing in Finnikin of the Rock will sweep you off your feet and drop you into a world filled with danger, surprise, and intrigue¹. I tend to use the word "magical" when describing Marchetta's writing style, and this novel is no exception. Quite honestly, if you are not reading Marchetta's novels, then you are missing out on reading extraordinary literature written by one of the most talented YA authors of our time. Marchetta is a skilled storyteller, so don't miss out! 

Highlights: The small surprises and the simpler moments between characters made this story wonderful. The characters eventually became some of my favorites because they are so realistic, flawed, and intriguing. The plot itself continuously surprised me and it gave me some wonderfully thoughtful moments to reflect upon. The included maps were helpful. I wish I could spend more of my time rereading Finnikin of the Rock, flipping through the pages and savoring each moment. This book is that good. 

Lowlights: It was very difficult to get into but it was completely worth the time that it took before I became fully hooked.

Rating: 

1 I'm keeping quiet about aspects of the plot. Trust me when I say that you want to go into this story with only the book jacket information -- it makes everything all the more magical that way.

The Girl of Fire and Thorns by Rae Carson

The Girl of Fire and Thorns
Rae CarsonSeptember 20th, 2011432 pages (hardcover)Greenwillow BooksSource: Netgalley and later Purchased for Kindle

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....read more at Goodreads. 

Honestly, I originally read two chapters, said "meh" and then set the novel aside for the next three months. Obviously, I picked it back up again, and I am very glad that I did. 
The Girl of Fire and Thorns begins somewhat inauspiciously, where Carson introduces a heroine that complains too much and inspires too little confidence in her readers. Once 140+ pages pass and an important event takes place, the story comes to life. Elisa's wavering confidence grows. Her somewhat dull personality begins to take on more interesting facets, and she begins to accept herself and her purpose - making it easy to enjoy her character.  
I want to say so much more, but this is one of those stories you need to read for yourself so all the surprises aren't spoiled. The Girl of Fire and Thorns is rife with religion, political agendas, secrets, a dash of romance, and plenty of heart-pounding moments as Elisa tries to evade her enemies and draws closer to an impending war. Once you get into this story, there's no setting it aside. 
Highlights: It was easy to lose myself in the pages and tumble into the rich and vibrant world Carson created (that is, once the story really got going). Certain characters I did not originally care for became favorites by the end - like Cosmé, or even Elisa¹. I loved the whole Malficio group, and Lord Hector. Carson wraps up Elisa's story almost completely and ends on a strong note². 
Lowlights: Some predictability. Elisa at the beginning was difficult to like, to the point where I did set the novel aside. The first 100ish pages were, for the most part, a bit flat and hardly kept my attention. 
Rating: 
1 I was actually surprised how many characters grew on me by the ending - that's rare. 2 Yay, for an actual resolution + only the slightest tease of the forthcoming sequel. 



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