JCPL Teens

I found it impossible to put this book down before getting to the end. It reminded me very much of the book, Graceling by Kristin Cashore. If you enjoyed that book definitely try The Girl of Fire and Thorns. Like Graceling this book builds a believable fantasy world that includes magical elements, a strong heroine, and a compelling and exciting adventure. While there is a romantic element to the story, it is not the focus of the book – the focus is on Elisa and her transformation from the ordinary to the extraordinary.

Elisa is a “Chosen One.” Once every century, one child is chosen to fulfill a great destiny. The chosen ones are recognized because they are marked with a Godstone in their navel. Elisa, now sixteen, is secretly wed to a king, who needs her to help unite his country, but Elisa has never done anything extraordinary. She is the younger of two princesses and she is pampered, spoiled, and anxious. In this new country among a strange people, Elisa learns that her own family has kept the truth from her. There is a long and dreadful history about chosen ones, including that most of them die before ever fulfilling their destiny. She learns that many people yearn for the power of the Godstone - and whether she is still attached to it, whether she is living or dead, is irrelevant. In this new country, circumstances force Elisa, to find hidden strengths within herself and she begins a journey that completely changes herself and the people around her.