Uprooted by Naomi Novik
Uprooted by Naomi Novik
I was hooked on this book with the first couple pages, I just had to know what happened. It was a charming, exciting and very well-written book that I'd definitely recommend.
I loved the dynamic between Agnieszka and Dragon, they had such a love/hate relationship that kept it entertaining throughout the entire book. There were really funny scenes between them and also really heart-warming scenes that helped break up the darker, evil situations that come about due to the Wood. I also appreciated the amount this relationship is brought into the story, it wasn't the whole plot but it was the perfect amount to keep you satisfied and make everything seem that more real in a make-believe world.
Novik creates such a compelling world and describes everything so wonderfully, with just enough detail that you can imagine it but not get bored or frustrated as the plot line always moves forward. Everything was beautifully written, and this dark element of the Wood which was literally alive and could corrupt you so quickly was so creative and of course, terrifying.
The secondary characters are also so well-developed that they really added to the story which doesn't always happen in books like this. Overall, it was magical and exciting and definitely one I'd recommend.
Synopsis: 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. Her people rely on the cold, driven wizard known only as the Dragon to keep its powers at bay. But he demands a terrible price for his help: one young woman handed over to serve him for ten years. The next choosing is fast approaching, and Agnieszka is afraid. She knows that the Dragon will take Kasia: beautiful, graceful, brave Kasia, and her dearest friend in the world. But Agnieszka fears the wrong things. For when the Dragon comes, it is not Kasia he will choose.