The Girl of Fire and Thorns (Fire and Thorns, #1)

The Girl of Fire and Thorns (Fire and Thorns #1)

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3.86 of 5 stars 3.86  ·  rating details  ·  16,048 ratings  ·  2,435 reviews
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 fa...more
Hardcover, 423 pages
Published September 20th 2011 by Greenwillow (first published September 1st 2011)

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(showing 1-30 of 3,000)
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Rae
Jul 19, 2010 Rae rated it 5 of 5 stars  ·  (Review from the author)
I confess that my 5-star rating may not be wholly objective.
Tatiana
Jul 26, 2011 Tatiana rated it 2 of 5 stars Recommends it for: fans of "Divergent," "Matched," "Delirium"
Recommended to Tatiana by: Paolo Bacigalupi's blurb
2.5 stars

My ARC has the old version of the cover and it is super pretty, the blue tones of it are gorgeous:



I am glad the publishers changed it though. At the very least this book will be spared accusations of whitewashing and weightwashing. The heroine of this novel - Princess Elisa of Orovalle - describes herself as "dark," "brown" and also as "a big, bloated sausage" and "pig." Clearly, the cover doesn't quite match these adjectives.

Now onto the novel itself. 16-year old princess Elisa has a g...more
The Holy Terror
If you caught even just a couple of my updates I think it would've been plainly obvious that I didn't enjoy this book. It's disappointing, really, because I think Carson was attempting to create a heroine that many girls could relate to. Elisa is overweight, unsure of herself, overshadowed by her prettier and skinnier sister, and chosen for something she's not sure she's worthy of. It sounds like the beginning of a compelling story, but ultimately Elisa only proves her worthiness by changing eve...more
Veronica Roth
(Updated, now that the book is out)

I don't always gravitate toward high fantasy (although perhaps I just haven't read enough of it), but I really enjoyed this book. First of all, the main character, Elisa, was well-rounded and interesting. She transforms from an uncertain girl with low self-esteem to a strong woman who knows who she is, and I loved watching her change. Sometimes I got annoyed with her, but I think that's the mark of a good character--you don't always like them, just like you don...more
Ashleigh Paige
See more of my reviews on The YA Kitten!

Getting married at the age of sixteen to a handsome yet indecisive king is not something Elisa wants, but it is her duty as a princess and possibly something she must do to perform her act of service. As the bearer of the Godstone, a person chosen only once every century, she is expected to do something great for her people, but Elisa only sees herself as a failure of a woman. Then as soon as her husband finally begins to accept her, she is kidnapped and t...more
Jill Myles
So I read this one a while back and thought it was amazing. To the point that I sort of harassed a lot of people to read it, and I'm glad they all loved it too.

I do see a lot of commentary about this having a 'Christian' vibe to it, and I wanted to say that I totally didn't feel this was Christian-Lit in the slightest. Rather, I thought it was a fun riff on the whole 'Chosen One' sort of scenario that we are all so familiar with in fantasy. Rae Carson's story is basically, "What if the Chosen On...more
tonya.
This was one of those books I have a hard time rating, simply because some elements were very well done, and others very poorly done.

The Girl of Fire and Thorns is the story of Elisa, princess to the country of Oravalle and bearer of the Godstone, a jewel implanted in her navel that signifies she is marked by god as one who will do a Service. Elisa has no idea what her Service will be, and can't imagine herself ever being useful to her country. She is merely the overweight, shy younger daughter...more
Juhina
The girl of fire and thorns was my first try at historical fiction AND Fantasy, and i gotta admit, I like the combination! I applaud Rae Carson for choosing a non standard protagonist. Looking back, i was very shocked with the description of the protagonist.. an overweight, young princess with family issues. Good to know that in the land of princesses, not everyone isa carbon copy of cinderella or snow white.

Ok back to the story, got sidetracked a bit. So The Girl of Fire and Thorns. I honestly...more
Alexandra Shostak
Originally posted at: http://alexandrashostak.blogspot.com/...

THE GIRL OF FIRE AND THORNS is fantasy at its best. The world is rich, wide, and well-imagined, described beautifully and intricately, and woven into the story with such skill you barely realize Carson is building a world around you until it's already been built. Landscapes, clothing, people, and food seem real.

The characters are wonderful balances of strength and weakness, crafted with subtle details that make humans unique. Elisa, t...more
April
Fantasy haters need not apply to reading this book review. If the word worldbuilding has no particular meaning to you, if you have no idea who Tamora Pierce is, if you cringe at the thought of epic fantasy, The Girl Of Fire And Thorns by Rae Carson is not the book for you. If you love a hero journey where a character finds themselves, get on this book stat. If you love when characters die out of left field, hop onto The Girl of Fire And Thorns love train. If you prefer your books to have legit e...more
Isamlq
THANK GOSH they opted for the current cover. While the original is undoubtedly attractive, it wouldn't have done this book justice. It's simply too pretty. For one, it does not convey how much magic and adventure play a role in the book. And two, superficial as I may sound, it does not match the image of her that I have. The model looks too attractive, and I'll say it, too soft.

One of Elisa's charms in my eyes is how aware she is of both her appearance and how it affects others reception of her...more
Christina (A Reader of Fictions)
I have always loved rereading, and with my memory it's both a necessity (if I want to remember any details of my favorite books) and a pleasure. Even once I have a book pretty well ensconced in my head, I love to revisit the characters, to discover intricacies of the plot or little jokes that previously escaped me. On first rereads, I can be caught off guard by twists I had forgotten. In this case, though, my first reread of a book I've reviewed on my blog, I am rereading a book I didn't care fo...more
Jo Anne B

I was disappointed in this YA Divergent wanna be novel. The author tried to make the heroine Elisa different from the other YA novels. She is fat, not physically fit and very pious. She was chosen by God to be a leader and do great things. Her Godstone in her navel is proof of this. The author did a poor job describing the characters in this book. Rather Elisa had to do that for us. This made the characters lack depth and thus seem dull and uninteresting.

We never learn what Elisa's food obsessi...more
Karen
I’m not a book reviewer, but every once in awhile I read a story that I must gush about before I drown in my love for it.

I was swept away by Rae's amazing story telling from the first page to the last. The Girl of Fire and Thorns is masterful.

The main character, Elisa, is beyond likable. She’s the perfect balance of lovable and flawed. In fact, she starts out fat and sweats a lot, but that doesn’t stop her from savoring a couple honey-glazed pistachio buns. :) Elisa has realistic worries and f...more
Sarah
I know, you're jealous that I've read this already. And you should be, because it is awesome. I'm totally in love with the main character, Elisa, and with her rich, complex world, and with Rae Carson's deft style. This is one to keep an eye out for!!
Jade Walker
Original review at http://inkscratchers.blogspot.com/

I have been excited to read this for months and so I was extremely excited to receive an ARC from Orion books in the post last week. I have just finished it and wow, I enjoyed it!


The original reason that I wanted to read this was because I've seen it compared to Tamora Pierce and Kristin Cashore, and I love Cashore's writing. These reviews were right, in a way similar to Cashore, Rae Carson's debut novel really is a true fantasy, with heroes,...more
Caitlings
This book was amazing! I loved it so much!!! I will do up a super duper proper review soon but you all need to know that this book was amazing and you need to put it on your shelves now.

I LOVED the ending! I loved that it wasn't about the guy and the girl but about the girl becoming powerful and confident.

This book was a "Hunger Games" for fantasty fans. I loved it so much!

Here's the full review I posted on whatchYAreading.net:

I loved this book. I should’ve said that sooner. The Girl of Fire a...more
Jodi Meadows
I begged for this ARC.

But the truth is, I was lucky enough to be one of Rae's crit partners for this novel, and I'm immeasurably pleased to see it in its (nearly) final form.

There's nothing about this book I don't love. Rae's writing is gorgeous and lush, but never feels cumbersome or gratuitous; she finds the perfect detail to share with you. The plot is exciting and complicated enough to keep you guessing -- though never so complicated you can't figure out what's going on. The story carries yo...more
Karyn Silverman
Really good. 4.5, I'd say; Elisa is a little unintelligent at putting together various clues towards the end, hence not a 5. Not sure I've ever seen a world like this one before, and I like both the inclusion of religion and faith and the lingering question as to whether the Inviernos are perverting God's will or whether they are also chosen or whether this thing called God is just a construct masking a natural magical something, much less specific or intentional than what we might mean by God....more
Cinda
I recommend this for fans of Tamora Pierce, Kristin Cashore, and my own high fantasy. This is a transformation story that teens and adults can believe in. Never condescending.
Zoë Marriott
The Synopsis:

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...more
Kassiah
I've had a really hard time reviewing this book. Part of me wanted to give this an extremely high rating, while the other part--the part that worries for her daughter and the rest of the impressionable youth throughout the world--wants to forget about the stars all together. When it all comes down to it, though, The Girl of Fire and Thorns is an engaging, well-written story that left me thinking about it long after it was done.

Rae Carson is an amazingly descriptive writer. The world she created...more
Renae M.
Coming into The Girl of Fire and Thorns, I was hopeful but not entirely optimistic. My sister (whose bottomless YA fantasy library I borrowed this from), informed me that she didn’t care for these books. I started to get scared, so I did some snooping. Most reviews on my GR friends list were pretty positive, but the few negatives ones were really negative. Not being a fantasy fan in general, I got even more scared. So when I started this book and, about 50 pages in, realized that I did like it (...more
Lyn (The Heartless)
Sometimes, I become excited when I am near the end of the book. Even if it is a good story, I am ready to reach the end of the journey.
Except for this book.
I can say that this is one of the best fantasy stories I have ever purchased.

"The Girl of Fire and Thorns" is an epic story inside and out. The MC, Elisa, strays away from the norm of the typical YA teen seen in most fiction today. She is not small, dainty, Anglo or anti-feminine, qualities that most female protagonist seem to share. Elisa b...more
Kelly Smith
This review has been hidden because it contains spoilers. To view it, click here.
Stephanie
Ok, having given it some more thought, I give it about 3.5 stars, because despite its various issues, I was so engrossed in the world Carson created it was hard to put the book down.

THE GIRL OF FIRE AND THORNS was overall a good story!

At 16 years old, Princess Elisa has just been married off to the widowed King, Alejandro of a neighboring kingdom, upon an agreement between the king and her father. But, Elisa is not just any ordinary princess, she’s also the Bearer of the Godstone-- a precious...more
Claire
This is the kind of book that is really 4 stars for some things (absorbing plot, complex and sympathetic characters, great pacing, tons of fun to read) and 1-2 stars for others. I appreciate that the author attempted a heroine who was not slender/skinny/etc. Such a heroine would indeed be refreshing. However, the way to do this is not to have her obsess about looking like a "sausage," repeatedly declare her hatred for her body, and then rejoice when a kidnapping and a FORCED MARCH THROUGH THE DE...more
Steph (Poetry to Prose)
Eeep!!! I am absolutely in love with this novel! Let me count the ways:

1. Kick-ass heroine. Oh my god, you guys, it was truly a journey with Elisa! Born as the bearer of the Godstone, the chosen one to carry a special purpose, her life is full of expectations and pressure from those around her. But here's the thing: Elisa is lazy, fat, full of insecurities, and she lacks any sort of motivation. It was easy for me to feel skeptical about her character growth when I found myself frustrated by some...more
Natalia Belikov
More reviews at http://dazzlingreads.blogspot.com

4.5 stars!

Oh my God! I loved this book but...I'm in some kind of a shock. I just can define if I feel happy or sad...hell...

The Girl of Fire and Thorn's cover drew me since I first saw it (love at first sight and very superficial) But know that I get to now it, I am really happy to say that it didn't deceive me at all. In fact, The Girl of Fire and Thorns reached all of my expectations! (Not a superficial love anymore ;). Since the first page, I w...more
Nan
I loved every page of this novel.

Tamora Pierce gave it a blurb, and she's never led me wrong yet. If you like adventurous fantasy featuring Girls that Do Things (to use Robin McKinley's term) you'll love this book. The ebook version is currently $2.99. I don't know how long such a good deal will last. If I were you, I'd grab this one up.
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I write books about teens who must do brave things. I'm originally from California, but I moved to Ohio to marry my husband, who is the smartest and therefore sexiest man I know. We live in Columbus with my teenaged stepsons, who are awesome. My books tend to contain lots of adventure, a little magic and romance, and smart girls who make (mostly) smart choices. I especially love to write about que...more
More about Rae Carson...
The Crown of Embers (Fire and Thorns, #2) The Shadow Cats (Fire and Thorns, #0.5) Dangerous Voices The Bitter Kingdom (Fire and Thorns, #3) The Shattered Mountain (Fire and Thorns, #0.6)

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