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Feb 08, 2012

Tatiana rated it:

As seen on The Readventurer

You know what is sad? That Froi of the Exiles is #76 on the Goodreads list of most popular books released this October, while Silence is #1. Will Melina Marchetta ever get the acknowledgement she deserves? Will her publishers ever promote her books the way they deserve to be promoted? I mean, so much effort and money is put into hyping garbage, why not put it towards something worthy? Very few people I'd recommended this author's novels disliked them, so woul More...

57 comments like (79 people liked it)

Oct 27, 2011

Lisa O. rated it:

You know how authors say that once in a story the two main characters get together there is no point in continuing because nobody is interested in reading about them getting married, having babies and discussing about who takes the kids to school?
Well, with Marchetta it doesn't work that way. Because, in fact, in this book she does tell us about the Happily Ever After. She also switches the focus of attention to some OTHER interesting characters and that's where it gets tricky, for the ne More...

19 comments like (41 people liked it)

Dec 04, 2011

Kat rated it:

Sometimes I feel like Marchetta books should come with a public health warning.

"Marchetta Fever," it would say.

"Symptoms include: pain, aching or burning in the chest region indicating a broken heart.

Uncontrollable weeping, both happy and sad, may occur frequently. More serious cases run the risk of having their mind blown.

This condition has no known cure."

That's me. That's me with every single one of these books More...

41 comments like (46 people liked it)

Jan 08, 2012

Janina rated it:

I’ve tried writing this review countless times, but it just doesn’t turn out right. Maybe I should just give up?

This story has a very peculiar atmosphere. It is actually hard to describe: almost dream-like in some parts, but so very real in others - simply an extraordinary combination. Especially the scenes taking place in and around the Citavita induced the strangest feeling in me. This feeling is almost impossible to grasp, and I’m certainly not able to put in into words – but I lov More...

24 comments like (19 people liked it)

Oct 09, 2011

Jillian -always aspiring- rated it:

Authors like Melina Marchetta leave me in an uncomfortable position. As a reader, I'm overjoyed to read books such as hers since they challenge my mind, make me smile and gape alike, and steal away pieces of my heart. As a writer, however, Marchetta's books...intimidate me. Never before have I read work from an author that just keeps getting better and better with each successive novel (and those who have read Marchetta's debut novel, Looking for Alibrandi, know that she has never been even a me More...

20 comments like (44 people liked it)

Feb 20, 2012

oliviasbooks rated it:

I have selected the authors I want to display as my favorite ones with care - writing one of my favorite books does not automatically switch me into fan mode - yet one of my very first thoughts - when thoughts were more or less possible again after ripping myself away from life in Charyn and Lumatere - was: "I need to persuade Goodreads maintanance to install a huge, visible gap between word magician Marchetta and the rest of the writers I unquestionably adore."

Some more c More...

20 comments like (14 people liked it)

Oct 31, 2011

Arlene rated it:

Beyond Amazing!

The one who reigns must die,
At the hands of she born last,
And the last will make the first,
When the bastard twins are one,
And blessed be the newborn King,
For Charyn will be barren no more.

...and with that curse sets the stage for Melina Marchetta’s newest masterpiece Froi of Exiles.

To call this a fantastical journey would be an understatement of the year. This story is about the test of one’s strength and determi More...

60 comments like (24 people liked it)

Sep 27, 2011

Choco rated it:

28th Sept.

Finally after four days, I have calmed down. You need to know that I'm a kind of a person who is very protective of people I love. I feel with them and emotionally get beaten down as badly (if not more) when they do, and obviously I recover and help them a little later, say, four days? That's exactly what happened at the end of Froi. I know none of the characters are helpless, but I was in it with them and upon finishing the book I found myself on the floor unable to move. More...

15 comments like (17 people liked it)

Dec 07, 2011

Flannery rated it:

I’ve been a fan of every other Melina Marchetta book I’ve read, which is all of them, so it sort of pains me to say that Froi of the Exiles was frustrating and unsatisfying for me. I’m still going to give it three stars because even when Marchetta is (subjectively to me) not on her game, she still has a way with words that blows nearly every other YA author out of the water. Originally, I tried to keep my review entirely spoiler-free but it just wasn’t happening. There will be a few spoilers bu More...

86 comments like (65 people liked it)

Oct 14, 2011

Alexa rated it:

It's been about two days since I finished this book, and I haven't been able to stop thinking about it. All I've been doing is skimming through the entire book and rereading my favorite parts and coming up with theories on how Melina Marchetta is going to resolve everything. When I started it, I stayed up really late the first day because I just could not put it down! It's definitely the fastest I've read through a Melina Marchetta novel. I can't say that taking my time and savoring it ever cros More...

89 comments like (24 people liked it)

Dec 14, 2011

Lady Jayne *~*The Beach Bandida*~* rated it:

5 of 5 Stars!!! Also reviewed at: Lady Jayne's Reading Den

Melina Marchetta is the Queen of Richly Developed, Real, and Complex Characters in YA!

PROLOGUE‘They call her Quintana the cursemaker. The last female born to Charyn, eighteen years past.

Reginita, she claims to be. The little Queen. Recipient of the words writ on her chamber wall, whispered by the gods themselves. That those born last will make the first, and blessed be the newborn king, for Charyn will
More...

16 comments like (7 people liked it)

Oct 30, 2011

Joy (joyous reads) rated it:

I have the most profound love for Melina Marchetta and her books. Anyone who follows me on Twitter and who reads my blog knows this. I love her work so much that I spent close to $70 on this book alone. International shipping and custom dues are very expensive. I am not ashamed to admit that I blew my book budget for the month (?). Considering this is not out yet in North America, it was well worth it and then some.

I cannot even begin to summarize what Froi of the Exiles is all abou More...

5 comments like (7 people liked it)

Feb 21, 2012

Ari rated it:

Dear Melina,
Keep breaking my heart, because you definitely know the best way to do it.

Pre-reading thoughts: "If I won't die of happiness, when I'll read this I'll be the happiest person alive :) " Well.. I am the happiest person alive!

MY THOUGHTS:

The first story I’ve been told was a fairytale.
I don’t remember which one was it, but that shouldn’t be a problem, as they all begin with “once upon a time”, get to the point where t More...

1 comment like (4 people liked it)

Nov 16, 2011

Wendy rated it:

11/16/11

Froi of the Exiles (Lumatere Chronicles, #2)

I love this book cover ... It puts a obscure but handsome face to Froi.

The second time through with this meaty book was so good. Details of the story line I mights have allowed my eyes to skip over in an attempt to enthusiastically read the book I had been pining over for months.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
10/17/11
What? What on earth....what did I just read??

Frankly, I'm slightly disappointed that it was More...

0 comments like (6 people liked it)

Sep 28, 2011

Bethzaida rated it:

Once again Melina Marchetta blew my mind away. When I heard that she was going to write the second book in the Lumatere Chronicles with Froi as the main character I was a little surprised. Froi wasn’t a very likable character in Finnikin of the Rock until the last part of the book. But if someone can take a character from zero to hero is Marchetta. And Froi is my new favorite hero.

I was fascinated with all her new characters. My favorite was Quintana. She was just WOW. Everything about her was More...

5 comments like (6 people liked it)

Dec 22, 2011

Jo rated it:

"....and he wanted to creep inside her head and join the madness."

So I guess I’m kinda a fantasy fan.
(But still very much a learner)
Because there have now been two series I can’t get enough of
And it’s all to do with Double M and Ms Whalen Turner.

It’s taken me a while to process this book
(Once I got over the jittery caffeine shakes and stiffness of the joints)
Because when I skimmed through my notes I found with dismay
M More...

40 comments like (19 people liked it)

Jan 24, 2012

Amelia, the pragmatic idealist rated it:

ADMISSION: I only read the first 100 or so pages when I wrote this review. So as of right now, I'm bumping my rating up to a 3 and may rate it higher, when I actually finish, which I'm resolved to do now. I admit that in addition to not reading the whole book, I also reacted heavily to a lot of what was going on, especially with Quintana. And, see, I HATED Finnikin and I guess I'm miffed that he's still around. Kinda wished he'd died or something - you know, sacrifice himself for the greater goo More...

4 comments like (3 people liked it)

Dec 31, 2011

Allie rated it:

I don't think I am up for properly reviewing this one. There are some issues I have here, but damn if this book didn't make me feel. I have no idea what to rate this so I suppose I'll settle on 4 stars. This book is just... really complicated, darkly intense, full of twists, and a lot of character depth and complexity. Nothing is ever easy or simple. People hurt each other and love each other with equal fierceness. Beyond all else you will probably walk away with at least some of these character More...

4 comments like (2 people liked it)

Dec 27, 2011

Stephanie rated it:

I am raw and reeling and full of so much hope, and fear, and man, my heart. I need the next installment. IMMEDIATELY!

I'm working on something that I hope will do this book and Marchetta's talent some justice, because there is not enough people reading her work and connecting to the brilliance she offers. Please everyone, please read this book.

Froi is all about perspective, perseverance, survival, overcoming one's own life misfortune and a whole lot more.

Thi More...

0 comments like (2 people liked it)

Feb 04, 2012

Devyani rated it:

"I'll come and find you wherever you are , I'll not stop breathing until i do . So you're going to have to promise me that you won't lose hope . That you will keep yourself alive."

Froi you didn't need words to make me weep .
oh and was Froi the only one who made tears fall as if topics and discussions about conservation of water were merely discussions ?

nope .

Melina Marchetta i want to marry you . God i wish i was a man . you are just so awesome More...

2 comments like (3 people liked it)

Dec 31, 2011

Caitlings rated it:

So much happened. I'm so sad now. I just can't see how the next book is going to give everyone a happy ending. But I need them to have one.

I can't talk about this right now.

The only reason it isn't 5 stars is do to cliffhanger ending and having to wait for more.

0 comments like (2 people liked it)

Oct 22, 2011

Matilda rated it:

This review has been hidden because it contains spoilers. To view it, click here

0 comments like (2 people liked it)

Jan 20, 2012

Lacey rated it:

OMG! This book was past amazing, I can't believe I'm saying this but I think I like Froi just as much as Finnikin if not more...

First Thoughts:

I was very happy to start this book, “Finnikin of the Rock” was such a great and intriguing book, I just about loved everything about it and when I saw this one coming out I was more than thrilled. I dived into this book with vigor; my mind set on getting to know this interesting character from the first book; the character you secretl More...

1 comment like (1 person liked it)

Nov 11, 2011

Trinity rated it:

Dear goodreads I need more stars.

THERE ARE NO WORDS.

But I'm gonna try anyway.
There's a reason why when people ask who my favourite author is I say Melina Marchetta and then thrust copies of On the Jellicoe Road upon them. It's books like this book and those *points to all the rest*. It's her ability to say something profound and true without clogging up her prose. It's her simple sentences that pull her characters off the page. Her love of relationships, community a More...

13 comments like (18 people liked it)

Dec 02, 2011

Hira rated it:

4.5 stars

“If we forget who we lost, then we forget who we once were, and if we forget who we once were, we lose sight of who we are now.”

Warning: Gushing may occur.

First of all, I want to thank Melina Marchetta for writing all the wonderful books she does. Her books seem to get better each year. I don't know how she does it, but thank you, Melina Marchetta, for this amazing experience.

Now Froi...you all remember him from Finnikin of the Rock, don't More...

0 comments like (2 people liked it)

Nov 18, 2011

Cassi aka Snow White rated it:

4.5/5 stars (and now trying to figure out where it lost half a star...)
ACTUALLY let's say...
5/5 stars

Melina Marchetta. Honestly I don't think my love affair with her books will ever end. Somehow she just makes everything so much more real than any other author. No matter what the setting or story, she makes me believe.

I always find it difficult to review Melina Marchetta books. They are just so much better than pretty much everything else out there. I feel li More...

0 comments like (6 people liked it)

Oct 10, 2011

Catie rated it:

I always have a hard time reviewing these books: the ones that aren’t read so much as frantically consumed in a whirlwind of gluttonous book hedonism. Afterward I feel like, “What just happened to me? Yesterday is such a blur…a happy, sad, angry, intense blur.” So, I’ll just apologize now, because this review probably won’t be very coherent.

This book begins like a lot of Melina Marchetta books. (In fact, I might say that all of her best books begin this way.) There’s a mad jumble More...

47 comments like (32 people liked it)

Oct 28, 2011

~Tina~ rated it:

Oh Sagra! This was so goooood!!!

I will never be able to express how much this book touched me. I wanted to write this in bold capital letters with exclamation points scattered throughout the entire review, but instead of abusing those buttons, just note that I write this with a bounce in my heart and an excitement that I wish I could scream from the rooftops:)

When I first heard that Melina Marchetta was going to write a companion to the much beloved Finnikin of the Rock I More...

32 comments like (19 people liked it)

Dec 23, 2011

oliviasbooks rated it:

Now I've done what I've never done before: I preordered an certain edition of a book although I have not read the edition I already own yet.

That is because I am so very confident that I will love/like "Froi" and his story, I want to visually match volume 2 with volume 1 (I own the Candlewick hardcover of Finnikin of the Rock, and think the paperback is too huge for both my lap and my shelf.) More...

1 comment like (1 person liked it)

Feb 15, 2012

Mimi rated it:

5 stars, of course. What else for a Melina Marchetta book?

Melina Marchetta is an incredible storyteller. Whether she writes contemporary or fantasy, her stories and characters absorb and don't let me go.

The Story

Froi, saved by Isaboe and Finn three years ago, is finally ready to complete the mission. The most important one he had been given. To kill the king of Charyn. He has been trained as an assassin and now he is willing to use those skills to fulfill a bo More...

1 comment like (1 person liked it)

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