Rachel Rambles About The Girl of Fire and Thorns

From Goodreads:

Once a century, one person is chosen for greatness.

Elisa is the chosen one.

But she is also the younger of two princesses, the one who has never done anything remarkable. She can't see how she ever will.

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 the chosen one, not a failure of a princess.

And he's not the only one who seeks her. Savage enemies seething with dark magic are hunting her. A daring, determined revolutionary thinks she could be his people's savior. And he looks at her in a way that no man has ever looked at her before. 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.


I think I should mention right away that I am generally not a reader of high fantasy. Not because I don't like it or anything. I just...don't read a lot of it. So when I read the summary of this book I was very skeptical. It sounded interesting, but I had no idea if I would actually like it. I mean, princesses and kingdoms and dark magic aren't really my thing, you know?


All of that changed after reading this book. 


I'll admit, the beginning was a bit rough. For someone who reads a lot of contemporaries and paranormal and supernatural books, the world was kind of weird to adjust to. Like, the main character is a sixteen year old girl and she doesn't even have a CELL PHONE. Because cell phones don't exist! WHAT IS HAPPENING? I DON'T UNDERSTAND.

*clears throat* So naturally, being a teenager in today's world, it's definitely strange to read about a world that is Just. So. Different. So, yes. The first few chapters were a bit bumpy.


But soon enough, I found myself getting lost in this world. There's something so unique and beautiful about the setting of this book. Everything about my real life fell away when I was reading this, and it was hard to imagine a life that didn't include arranged marriages and journeys through the desert and bright blue stones with powers you can hardly imagine. Whenever I wasn't reading this book, I was thinking about it, wondering what would happen next. This book kind of took over my brain for awhile, and it was hard to focus on mundane things like school and homework while I was reading it.


The main character, Elisa, is definitely one of my favorite protagonists I've read recently. In the beginning of the novel, Elisa feels useless, a feeling a lot of readers can relate to. Throughout the course of the book, Elisa undergoes a huge transformation. She turns into this tough, badass girl who is brave and smart and useful. She becomes a hero.

The Girl of Fire and Thorns is a combination of fantasy and adventure and romance and heartbreak. And I loved every minute of it.

Even if you've never read a word of high fantasy, I think you should definitely check this book out. It's unique and fascinating, and I am very glad I gave it a chance.

-Rachel