The Girl of Fire and Thorns

My Review w/ NO spoilers (pretty much):What an interesting, unique book!!There are princesses, kidnappings, arranged marriages and love. There is plenty of danger and bad guys who range from well-meaning, to selfish, to soldiery to downright wicked - devious. With such great ingredients, I expected Carson to come up with a plot I recognized, so I was in for a great surprise.I have heard other reviews comment on the praying and God in the book, and I agree with whoever said that it permeated the story so completely, it lost any awkwardness that might have been anticipated. The way Elisa grew in her understanding of God and praying made complete sense. The characters of the priests added a lot of depth. I really enjoyed (or hated) them. There's plenty of MAGIC, too, surrounding the Godstones!The supporting characters were so varied and real. I never had quite enough of any of them. Lord Hector - was there more behind his reserve or did we see it all? Ximena was such an interesting character. Elisa talked with her about wanting to know more about who she is, her past and her motivations, etc., but then the idea was dropped over a situation they don't know how to discuss. Cosme is another person so full of intrigue. She has so many reasons to be hard and cold and yet so many cracks where we see passion. I want to get to know her better. I really like her almost despite myself!Don't even get me started on Humberto. There were so many chances for a relationship to brew, but the author didn't turn up the heat up until she had other plans. Those plans felt forced to me, almost as if the author didn't know how to resolve the conflicting relationships otherwise (something I was very curious to follow through with). If you've read the book, you know what I mean. I didn't feel satisfied with Alejandro, either. His character is so unique - I totally loved that while feeling irritated with him. But I didn't feel he was given a great loose-end-tie-up. (I loved Calico Reaction's differing opinion with Spoilers - check it out especially if you disagree with me!! :-) Question: Am I irritated because of pre-suppositions of what should happen to the main guys in a story? Or because it really was as awkward as it felt to me? What do you think?!I can only make these min-complaints because the author managed to write so seamlessly. I didn't see the words on the pages (as I flicked through them on my Nook), I saw the story played out for me, big as real.Elisa is amazing. Rae Carson didn't tell me she was eating to console, she showed me, made me feel the why and the self-condemnation that accompanied it. I felt as though Eating was something separate from Elisa, forcing her hand, impossible to stop. I loved how the author made me feel the emotions while leaving my imagination to fill in just how big Elisa was. I ached with her, wanting to stop with her. Amazing. (See below!!)En fin, I loved the way this book was written. I loved Elisa. I was surprised at every turn. The story was alive and I am very happy to hear this author is writing more.The cover is unique & interesting, but it was not part of my draw to read this book, to be honest. I didn't realize the godstone is on the cover 'til someone pointed it out and the rest looks like a forest scene, which, well... The face in the gem is really good. She looks wary, passive but ready to do something (am I seeing more than is obvious?) and that fits.

4.5 StarsTHE GIRL OF FIRE AND THORNS was absolutely brilliant! Thrilling and heart-pounding until the very end! Rae Carsono is an astonishing writer, that painted a world with creativity and magic unlike any I've ever explored. She blew the pages alive with her fierce characters and deadly world!! It truly was a brilliant YA Fantasy that stole my breath away with it's pure awesomeness!!!First, the characters were ALL so awesome and easy to like. I had my doubts though about the main character Elisa, as all she ever talked about was eating, and lacked the full desire to do anything besides indulge herself. BUT, that quickly changed as Elisa is taken from her safe and secure environment and placed into a different world all together with danger lurking around every corner, and then she quickly took on her role she was destined for. And then I was able to sit back and route for her the entire way. And the love interest and side characters were just as amazing and entertaining as Elisa was!! This book balanced it's self nicely, with not too much of one thing, and kept the atmosphere changing, and plot thickening, and I LOVED that!! We were always moving an changing our course in this novel, exploring new lands and territories with danger never far!! To say that THE GIRL OF FIRE AND THORNS kept me on my toes would be an understatement.THE PLOTWar is on the horizons, and bloodshed and death is inevitable...The Kingdom of Joya d'Arena is struggling to win a war that their destine to lose without allying with another kingdom. So King Alejandro of Joya d'Arena and Princess Elisa of Orovalle will marry to untie their Kingdoms, and thus submit their troops to the ongoing war that Joya d'Arena will lose without their aid. But the war is just the beginning as now someone very special has come into play. But when her true identity is revealed, it will become the enemy's new target, and the ultimate prize that they will stop at nothing to claim...Once a century, one person is chosen for greatness.Elisa is the chosen one, she will fulfill suchgreatness, and save her people...Elisa is the youngest Princess of the small kingdom of Orovalle, second heir to the Orovalle throne, and cares more about pastries than becoming a Queen or participating in any formal royal event. But what makes her special is not that she is a Princess, but that she is the bearer of the Godstone. A rare and precious stone that was placed in her navel at on seven-days-old by gods heavenly light. And as being the chosen one to bare gods precious stone, it means that she must serve her god and fulfill his will, even if his will ends in her death...Without a choice, Elisa reluctantly marries her king and travels to her new kingdom of Joya d'Arena. But marrying only for an alliance also means that it will be kept secret, and Elisa will become second to her new husband Alejandro's mistress. Feeling alone and more unwanted then she's ever felt, Elisa feels it couldn't possibly get any worse then it already has. But all that changes when she is kidnapped by the desert people, desperate for her help, no, desperate for the bearer's help. But as a once terrified Elisa is opened up to a whole new world, she realizes that she is more needed out here with the desert people then she ever was in any kingdom she resided in. But what is more distributing to Elisa is that she has been lied too, for years. Her family has kept secrets from her, and these people are the first ones to give her answers -- real answers. Guidance towards her act of service for her god, something she is destine to complete. She can't pass that up for it is gods will, and her path to walk upon, no matter the sacrifice...As Elisa takes on her new role with the desert people, she ventures into enemy territory in hopes of bringing down the enemy terrorizing her people, but when the truth is reveal that Elisa is the bearer of the Godstone, she becomes in danger in more ways then one. Everyone wanting to kill her, claim her, or cut the stone from her body. Either way, Elisa might not make it out of this journey alive, as most of the bearers who ever lived died young, and died before completing their act of service...Elisa will learn many things on this journey, and may even find true love, not a cover up marriage like her and the king share. But what Elisa finds on this journey that is most important, is that she is capable of great things -- and that she has more strength and power within then she ever thought possible. And she will fight for her people, even if she has to die for them...I absolutely, positively, undoubtedly, LOVED THE GIRL OF FIRE AND THORNS so FREAKING MUCH!!! It was wonderful and truly heartwarming, and filled with heart-pounding action, adventure, love, sacrifice and death!!! It was beautiful!!! Though I must admit it did have it's faults, and some annoying little parts, but what good book doesn't'?? It would of been unrealistic if it was all perfect with no qualms at all!! But all the little issues I had were easy to look around, and after a while they didn't even bother me anymore!!Overall, THE GIRL OF FIRE AND THORNS was a wonderful surprise that I absolutely loved! It stole my breath away and had me craving the next book. It was such a magical world, twisted with pain and heartache that kept the twist and turns coming! If your looking for a YA fantasy novel that will sweep you off your feet and have you drowning in pure awesomeness, then THE GIRL OF FIRE AND THORNS is definitely for you!!!

Llegó en buenas condiciones, un buen libro para una lectura rápida

Very interesting story which draws the reader into the world which is painted beautifully by the author. Looking forward to the next book.

You want to cheer for the heroine and I did cheer for Elisa! And cried a little too. Looking forward to the next chapter.

At first, I chose this book at random... And became extremely happy by the luck of picking it!The heroine is different from the heroines we normally meet in young adults novels and I had quite a shock to start the book with a slow, fat, nerdy, kind of depressed princess. Elisa was a peculiar kind character to be picked as heroine. She was indeed - this characteristics didn't last forever.What pleased me the most in this book was the process of change in Elisa. The reader participates in all the suffer that comes with her change - physical, mental, romantic etc.Apart from Elisa, I loved most of the others characters too - despite the twisted personalities in some of them. But, absolutely, no one seized my sympathy (and love) at first sight like Hector.I really enjoyed the plot and original idea of puttin together the spanish language, some arabian references and creating a world still quite different from ours.The story have a lot of twists and turns and shocking events, most of then I really didn't anticipated. And, although I have to say that in some cases I didn't like (at all) of the most sad facts, I have to admit that they were needed for Elisa to grow in the story.In conclusion: I loved the book! And - just because I'm already here - I'll say already that I loved the sequencies as well!A must read if you're looking for a fantastic book with a more than amazing heroine!

Une princesse obèse, une roi qui a sa vie déjà bien construite et qui ne souhaite épouser cette jeune fille que pour des raisons politiques, des menaces de guerre entre royaumes, des personnages lâches qui ne sont pas forcément ceux auxquels on s'attend...Je pensais savoir où l'intrigue allait mais j'ai été surprise. Un peu d'humour par ci par là, notamment quand Lucero-Elisa traverse un désert dans sa condition physique difficile, un roi qui manque de carrure, le poids d'avoir été choisie et de porter une pierre dans son nombril sans savoir ce que signifie "être choisie",et voilà les ingrédients d'un bon moment de lecture, avec action et apéro dissolvent des personnages.A noter Qu'il s'agit d'une trilogie mais que ce premier tome peut se lire seul, une fin satisfaisante bouclant le "premier arc".