Review of Uprooted by Naomi Novik. A fantasy inspired by polish fairytales about learning magic, the deep dark forest and political intrigue. If you enjoy fairytale inspired books it is defiantly worth reading.
My review of Uprooted by Naomi Novik
I also strongly recommend Uprooted , especially if you are a bit turned of by the grandness of epic fantasy, because this is very much a personal story, rather than a quest story. While the stakes are very high and there are consequences for the actions, that isn’t really what the story is about if you ask me.
My review from 2015 of Uprooted by Naomi Novik
Title: Uprooted
Author: Naomi Novik
Genre: fantasy, fairy tale, young adult
The short review: Wow Just wow. Uprooted story captured me from the first page and kept me.
Opening sentence:
“Our Dragon doesn’t eat the girls he takes, no matter what stories they tell outside our valley.”
Uprooted is inspired by fairy tales and is set in a world that does feel like one out of a fairytale – you know the real kind, not the Disney-fied versions.
I was captured by the story pretty much from page one and the story just kept me in a tight hole for the whole book. I almost couldn’t tear myself away from the book, particularly in the first half. With just a few lines Novik paints a whole story for me and genuinely brought tears to my eyes about characters that had not been introduced until that moment.
Our protagonist Agnieszka is such a wonderful character that feels very real. As so many young adult fantasy novels, this is very much a story about Agnieszka growth as a person. About her finding confidence. It is also very much a story about friendship. And it is a story about a magical apprenticeship which I always enjoy.
Uprooted is a deeply emotional story where to me the plot was almost secondary to the character development and the feelings, oh all the feels! The story has some amazing little moments with that slice of life feel that I am kind of addicted to. Especially the scenes of Agnieszka trying to cook are wonderful.
I also strongly recommend Uprooted , especially if you are a bit turned of by the grandness of epic fantasy, because this is very much a personal story, rather than a quest story. While the stakes are very high and there are consequences for the actions, that isn’t really what the story is about if you ask me. I expect to see this on award list next year – I know I will be nominating it.
The stats: Uprooted
Published: 2015 by Del Rey
Length: 438 pages
Read: July 03 to 07, 2015 & August 5-8 2016
Author: Female, white, USA
The protagonist: Agnieszka, female, white, woodcutter’s daughter, witch
This review was originally posted: August 11, 2015. Updated and edited June 28, 2023
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