This richly imagined darkish fantasy attracts inspiration from Polish folklore and the story of Baba Yaga. Novik introduces us to a 17-year-old village lady named Agnieszka who lives within the nation of Polnya. A darkish and harmful haunted forest separates Polnya from its rival nation, Rosya. Whereas most wizards on this fantasy world reside at court docket, the prickly wizard often called the Dragon lives in a tower in Agnieszka’s valley. With the wooden making an attempt to soak up individuals and even complete villages in its malignant unfold, the Dragon works to maintain the wooden at bay.
Each 10 years, the aloof Dragon leaves his tower and ventures into the valley, in search of a brand new village lady to change into his assistant. Whereas Agnieszka is satisfied her lovely and courageous buddy Kasia will get chosen, she’s shocked when the Dragon chooses her as an alternative. Regardless of her clumsiness and behavior of getting every part she wears soiled, Agnieszka possesses a singular affinity for rising issues, in addition to a stunning knack for magic.
Uprooted jogs my memory of two of my favourite items of media: Howl’s Shifting Citadel and Birdbox. What a dynamic duo, proper? Like Sophie in Howl’s Shifting Citadel, Agnieszka lives in a persnickety wizard’s fort and will get caught up in a whirlwind of journey and a touch of romance with stated wizard. Plus, in Diana Wynne Jones’ novel model of Howl’s Shifting Citadel, Sophie learns she’s a witch, simply as Agnieszka does in Uprooted.
Agnieszka’s character jogs my memory plenty of Sophie. She doesn’t describe herself as lovely, which I discover refreshing and extra relatable in a fantasy protagonist. She’s humorous, decided, and resourceful. Extra of a homebody like me, she loves her household and her village, however she’ll journey out if somebody’s in peril and desires assist. I additionally like how if Agnieszka feels caught in a troublesome scenario, she finds her personal distinctive path by way of, very similar to Sophie does. Her character exemplifies how there’s multiple proper solution to do one thing.
The Fowl Field vibe enters with the eerie forest hovering on the periphery of each chapter. Individuals who get snared by the woods both die or come again corrupted. Whereas some present apparent indicators of corruption, others masks it properly, proper up till they speak you into some horrible destiny, identical to these affected by the sinister presence in Fowl Field. Whereas I’m normally an excessive amount of of a scaredy-cat to try a horror learn, the world-building of the haunted wooden was so properly accomplished by Novik. I couldn’t put the e book down.
This brings me to 1 closing level about Uprooted. Naomi Novak’s fantasy world-building is so atmospheric and compelling on this novel. Romantasy is such a trending style proper now, and whereas I adore it, generally I really feel just like the world-building can fall brief within the shadow of the romance. One other Ebook Rioter even digs into the query, asking the place all of the non-romance fantasy books have gone.
Uprooted holds up as an distinctive fantasy novel with unbelievable world-building and journey. The slow-burn romantic subplot sweetens the story as simply an added bonus. Whereas I’m all the time right here for a superb fantasy romance, I nonetheless crave these fantasy novels that actually tug me into their worlds like Uprooted does. I hope Uprooted will take root in your coronary heart, simply because it did mine.
