I recently saw a review of this novel on NPR’s web site which compared it to Beauty and the Beast. Frankly, I don’t see it, but that’s okay because it’s so much better than a retelling of any known fairy tale. Novik combines elements of Slavic fairy tales, magic, and even some Tolkienesque flourishes (she admits to being a fan and it comes through in the work) to create a complex story about powerful women and friendship, the merits and difficulties of collaboration, and finding […]
Beware the Evil that Lives in the Wood…
All her life, Agnieszka has known two things: that she must stay away from the Wood at all costs, and that every ten years, the Dragon emerges from his tower to select a girl to serve him for the next ten years. (He’s not the fire-breathing sort of dragon, but rather the wizard tasked with protecting their valley.) She knows all too well the horrors inflicted when the Wood claims a victim, but she’s not terribly concerned about the Dragon. After all, everyone has known all […]
No helpless damsels in distress here
I haven’t read much fantasy, but a friend gave it rave reviews so I tried this one and ended up loving it. Uprooted was such a satisfying thrill of a read. I don’t want to go into much detail about the plot because it’ll ruin the twists and turns, but here’s the basic premise. The world of Uprooted is based on an ancient fictional Poland and is vaguely reminiscent of old Eastern European fairy tales (including the famous Baba Yaga). There are several villages in […]
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