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Elisa's reign as queen has never been easy, but in the final installment of the Girl of Fire and Thorns saga, Rae Carson gives us and ending so epic, it will give you shivers. The Bitter Kingdom is a conclusion like no other.
Elisa has suffered through being married off to a man she had never met for political reasons, the loss of a husband she had just come to appreciate, being kidnapped, the loss of a man she loved, assassination attempts, and now attacks upon her kingdom. As a foreign-born queen, Elisa must do more to prove to her people she can protect them. As the Invierno sorcerers finish their attack on her city, she escapes, but not before her beloved guard Hector is kidnapped. Determined to find Hector, Elisa and a trusted group of loyal friends head off through the mountains and desert to find the man she loves.
Along the way, Elisa realizes she has tapped into the power of her Godstone through the discovery of a source of power. Storm, the Invierno traitor turned loyal subject, works with Elisa to hone her powers. While she knew she had grown since her original marriage as a plump, bored princess, she had no idea just how much has truly grown. As one of the most powerful animagus to ever live, she knows she now has the power to protect her kingdom from the Inviernos and their magic. But it is her fearless nature and determination to protect her people that is the true force to be reckoned with. People may underestimate Elisa, but that is just one more thing in her favor, because if they underestimate her, they will never see it coming when she follows through on all her plans.
I have absolutely loved this story from the first book to the last. Carson wove a web of stories that were so intricate and so engaging that you simply couldn't stop reading. There was no sophomore slump throughout the series, and the ending? Don't expect any downtime here! This story was action-packed from the first page to the last. With the exception of about 5 pages at the end to give us an epilogue with information on how life turned out for everyone, this book just didn't release its vice grip on you until you were done! If you are the kind of reader who needs to be engaged from start to finish, this really is the series for you. Not a dull moment to be found!
I have said this before, with Carson's previous books, but I will say it again. There is something so incredible about Elisa that she really has to be one of my absolute favorite heroines in all the books I have read. She is strong, she won't be broken, she doesn't scare easily, and if she does, she uses that fear to take back what is hers and find a way to resolve any solution with as few casualties as possible. I love the fact that her body is constantly discussed as well. You would think this should be something inconsequential, but there is something so important about a heroine who lived a life of pleasure, who didn't fit the "princess mold" in terms of her body type, and who still rose to the occasion and defied all expectations. And even when she slimmed down, she was still built differently. People commented on it and made snide comments, but Elisa used their derision to catch them off guard. It was fabulous! But it was her ability to negotiate and see the big picture that made Elisa so successful and made me truly love her.
The supporting characters are just as dynamic as Elisa. Mula, the slave girl they rescue on their travels, is so funny, loyal, and appreciative that you can't help but love her! She drives them all nuts with her candidness, but that is what I love the most about her! She just tells it like it is! Then there is Storm, the Invierno traitor who became Elisa's ambassador and finally her loyal subject. Inviernos are described as a primitive race who were there before Elisa's ancestors "descended" and began taking over. Unfortunately, there isn't much information past this tidbit, but the Inviernos clearly despise anyone who isn't their kind. They also can't lie. In fact, trying to get a straight answer reminds me of trying to get a straight answer out of a faerie, as described in other novels. They can't lie, but they are more than happy to trick, mislead, and deceive. That is Storm. And his people. So his blunt honesty can be humorous or unwelcomed, but it is who Storm is! And while he drives everyone else nuts, Elisa is protective over the strange man. And his loyalty to her is matched only by her other traveling companions.
This was just such a special story full of magic, sorcerers, strong ladies, and the lands they will die to protect. If you have any student who loves a little fantasy and needs a fabulous story to keep them interested, look no further. You have found it. As a conclusion, this was a fabulous way to wrap up a story I have followed since the first book was released. I loved it so much, I can't even find the right words to describe it! I think the beautiful complexity matched with the simplistic strength of the story will appeal to young adults as well as adult readers. And Ms. Carson? You had better be working on something new, because I cannot wait too long without something more from you!
Elisa is a survivor. She has been married off to someone she had never met in a sham marriage to consolidate his power. She was kidnapped and dragged across the desert. She fell in love. She watched her love and her husband murdered. All this and she still has the courage to rule her new kingdom. But In Rae Carson's The Crown of Embers, nothing is easy for Elisa. But Elisa is a survivor.
As a young, new, foreign-born queen, Elisa isn't being taken seriously. Her court ignores her on a good day and mocks her on a bad day, her people think she is ineffectual, and her country's leaders and using her weakness to take advantage of the people. She is barely hanging on when an attempt is made on her life. Luckily, her guard Hector was able to stop the attack, but not without almost losing his own in the process. Elisa has always known her Godstone had magical powers, but she had never been able to tap into those powers until she almost lost Hector... it is then she realizes her feelings for Hector are more than just friendly, even if it is an impossible love.
As the assassination attempts continue, it becomes clear Elisa must do something drastic. When she learns of a source of power than can finally give her the power to protect her people from the sorcerer spies, she knows she must make the journey. But the journey is paved with spies, assassins, traitors, and danger. And if there is one thing Elisa struggles with, it is the loss of innocent lives at the expense of her safety.
No sophomore slump here! Girl of Fire and Thorns was such a phenomenal story, and I hate to admit it, but I was worried this sequel wouldn't stand up to it. But have no fear! Crown of Embers is incredible. It picks off after the tragedy Elisa suffered and elevates her even further. And to think she started off the series a lost, frumpy girl who didn't get any respect from anyone despite her divine calling. Now she is a queen. A true queen. A queen who doesn't back down from danger and is willing to risk her life for the people she rules over. It is wonderful to see such a strong female role model like Elisa in young adult stories.
This is a fantastic series for anyone who like Kristen Cashore or Melina Marchetta. It is fantasy in the lightest sense, but contains so much depth you will be blown away by the world Carson built. Elisa is the kind of protagonist any young woman could look up to. And Hector? Holy Moses, Batman. Hector is an upstanding, respectful, amazing lead male who will make you have a Whitney and Costner moment! There is place for this series to go but up. It really is that good!
When you read a story, sometimes there are characters who are important, but not enough to take center stage. They lack in development in order to keep the pace of the story, but are certainly the focus of intrigue. This is how I felt about Alodia, the crowned princess in Rae Carson's Girl of Fire and Thorns, and what made me so interested in this short prequel story, The Shadow Cats.
Alodia may be the crowned princess, the one who will run her kingdom someday, but her sister, her ineffectual, frumpy sister Elisa is the one everyone talks about because of her Godstone (given to her by God and will lead her to greatness). Alodia resents the undeserved attention Elisa is afforded, but that doesn't make her shirk her duties. When she travels to a distant province within her kingdom, she finds a town suffering a curse that leaves the ground unable to sustain a harvest and people on the verge of starvation. When the conde tells her a mystical jaguar is the carrier of the curse, Alodia has no time for rumors and superstition. She is a princess who isn't afraid to put away her skirts and travel into the thick jungle to save her people. Elisa might be chosen by God for greatness, but Alodia makes her own choices and she chooses greatness.
This was a phenomenal prequel story that really gave us a glimpse into the life of Alodia. I always wondered about this sister of Elisa, since Girl of Fire and Thorns was all about Elisa. Alodia bore the whole responsibility of her people, but Elisa was just handed the glory, she never earned anything. I think Carson did a good job by releasing this story to not only keep us biding our time for the next book in the series, but also to give us another perspective and more insight into the relationship between these two sisters. And although the story is about Alodia, the presence of Elisa makes you understand the girl and her Godstone even better! This is a must for anyone who started reading this series!
Fantasy is a peculiar genre, full of worlds completely different from our own to worlds similar to ours, but just different enough to be mysterious. The Girl of Fire and Thorns by Rae Carson shows a world where both the characters and the reader will be in for a few surprises.
Elisa has married the king of the nearby kingdom, but she knows she was second choice in a necessary deal to form an alliance between the two kingdoms. Surely her beautiful and graceful sister was the first choice, but Elisa is the Bearer of the Godstone. Elisa bears the Godstone in her belly as this century's bearer. Only one bearer comes every four generations, and they must live up to the prophecy of great importance. Unfortunately, frumpy Elisa feels anything but important.
She settles into the new kingdom uneasily, especially when she find she must keep her marriage and the Godstone a secret. The Godstone is a source of great power, and for her protection, no one must know of it. When she is kidnapped and dragged into the desert for a life or death journey, Elisa begins to understand just how much faith people put in the Bearer of the Godstone, even if the bearer is a simple girl who has never done anything heroic. Once she reaches the end of their journey, Elisa not only sympathizes with her captors, she realizes her new husband has abandoned them to the incoming army in an attempt to save the rest of the kingdom. Spurned by the long trek which has strengthened her resolve along with her body, Elisa tries to help them by developing a plan. While their numbers are far fewer than the incoming enemy, they find ways to attack and still live to attack another day. Their efforts are successful, but the enemy possesses an impenetrable ally- the animagi. The animagi are sorcerers who have found a way to harness the power of previous bearer's Godstones. With the animagi helping the enemy's army, Elisa and her new kingdom are sure to lose... unless they can find a bit of their own magic.
This was a superb fantasy that flirts with the mystical and magical without falling into it face first. Very similar in style to Kristin Cashore's Graceling, this story is the perfect blend of history and fantasy to appeal to a wide range of people. It is a very serious book with great losses to the main character Elisa, but that is to be expected during a time of war. Elisa is a fascinating character who transforms throughout the book from a frumpy, insecure teenager to a strong, commanding woman who will risk everything to save innocent people. She is that hero we all love who doesn't really understand how important they are and how much they can achieve. The reluctant hero is one who can inspire the masses!
Being such a serious book, I would suggest this story for junior high students as long as they have the stamina and interest to make it through a 400+ page book. It would probably have more success with high school students, and it may be perfect for that student who rarely reads fantasy, since the mysticism is relatively contained. The story is certainly engrossing, and appropriate for most ages. There is some violence, but nothing gratuitous. I can see this book as a great means to get a reluctant reader going- exciting, interesting, and only the beginning with a trilogy in the works!
