The Girl of Fire and Thorns
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4.2 • 412 Ratings
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- $9.99
Publisher Description
“Rae Carson has proved she’s a master and has shaken up the YA genre.”—USAToday.com
The first book in Rae Carson’s award-winning and New York Times–bestselling trilogy! The Girl of Fire and Thorns is a sweeping journey full of adventure, sorcery, heartbreak, and power. Fans of Shadow & Bone and Game of Thrones, will devour this fantasy series.
Once a century, one person is chosen for greatness.
Elisa is the chosen one. But she has always felt powerless, useless. 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 her to be the chosen one, not a failure of a princess.
And he’s not the only one who seeks her. Fierce enemies, seething with dark magic, are hunting her. A daring, determined revolutionary thinks she could be his people’s savior. Soon it is not just her life, but her very heart that is at stake.
Elisa could be everything to those who need her most. If the prophecy is fulfilled. If she finds the power deep within herself. If she doesn’t die young. Most of the chosen do.
William C. Morris YA Debut Award Finalist
YALSA Best Fiction for Young Adults Top Ten Pick
Andre Norton Award Finalist
A Texas Tayshas Selection
Ohioana Book Award YA winner
Don’t miss The Empire of Dreams, Rae Carson’s action-packed return to the world of The Girl of Fire and Thorns!
The Chosen One: Elisa was born with a Godstone in her navel, marking her for greatness. But with a dangerous prophecy to fulfill, being chosen is more of a curse than a gift.High Stakes Fantasy: Hunted by sorcerers and navigating a kingdom in turmoil, Elisa must find her inner power before she becomes another chosen one who died too young.A Coming-of-Age Adventure: This is a sweeping journey of self-discovery, as an insecure sixteen-year-old princess grows into a queen and a warrior prepared to lead.Magic and Prophecy: With enemies wielding dark magic at every turn, Elisa’s fate—and the fate of her new kingdom—depends on a prophecy that few believe she can fulfill.
PUBLISHERS WEEKLY
Carson debuts with a smart, complex fantasy with stellar characters, first in a planned trilogy. Even though she bears the mysterious and rare Godstone, 16-year-old Princess Elisa has been a disappointment to her family and country. Plain, overweight, and unmotivated, she is content to wed a handsome neighboring king to cement an alliance. After an arduous journey to her new home, Elisa arrives to find that her husband wants to keep their status hidden. But there are more pressing concerns the enemy is preparing to invade, and Elisa is kidnapped. As she is thrust into a fight for survival on the borders of her new kingdom, Elisa is hunted by dark magicians and must piece together clues to fulfill her divine decree. Elisa is a sensational heroine, striving to fulfill her potential under perilous circumstances, while realistically growing in resourcefulness, inner strength, and intelligence. The odd nature of the Godstone (which is embedded in Elisa's stomach) may occasionally pull some readers out of the story, but Carson's mature writing style, thoughtful storytelling, appealing characters, and surprising twists add up to a page-turner with broad appeal. Ages 12 up.
Customer Reviews
Pretty good first novel
I liked the themes in this book, it addresses body image issues, self esteem, coming into your own, loss, love, preserving and developing your sense of sense. With a female character surprising herself at how she can show up through her actions not only for others but for herself as well.
Excellent in many ways
The writing is superb: wonderful imagery, voice, and style.
The landscape is richly described and is its own character in a way. Reading this story transports the reader to distinct places with their own textures, colors, smells, temperatures, moods, and sounds.
The protagonist is multi-faceted and dynamic. She has self-talk that is believable and compelling. The reader feels for her--her insecurities, her triumphs, her simple forging ahead as best she can, and her sense of destiny. Other characters are likewise complex, and those that meet unkind fates leave their impression on the reader.
The plot develops enticingly, with tragedy, romance, betrayal, action, magic, and cunning.
Most appreciated: there are no distracting errors. Great editing!
I look forward to reading the next volume.
Well Done
I found Elisa's character very well done. She had her own personality and her own drive and she was very much her own person. It gave me a reason and made it easy to relate to the character and understand her plight. The world is wonderfully sculpted making it easy to imagine and place myself there. The ending made me sad, but I think that's my own issues with monarchies. I look forward to A CROWN OF EMBERS.