Froi of the Exiles (Lumatere Chronicles, #2)

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Froi of the Exiles (Lumatere Chronicles #2)

by Melina Marchetta (Goodreads Author)

4.5 of 5 stars 4.50 · rating details · 3,808 ratings · 878 reviews

From master storyteller Melina Marchetta comes an exhilarating new fantasy springing from her celebrated epic, Finnikin of the Rock.

Three years after the curse on Lumatere was lifted, Froi has found his home ... or so he believes. Fiercely loyal to the Queen and Finnikin, Froi has been taken roughly and lovingly in hand by the Guard sworn to protect the royal family, and h...more

Hardcover, 596 pages

Published March 13th 2012 by Candlewick (first published October 3rd 2011)

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Sep 30, 2012 Tatiana rated it 5 of 5 stars

Shelves: aus-nz, 2011, fantasy, favorites, series-in-progress-still-like, ya, ala-ya-2013, b, 2012

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 would it be re...more

152 likes · like · see review

Dec 07, 2011 Flannery rated it 3 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: young-adult-teen, swords-and-lasers, readalong, read-in-2011, aussie-ya-is-the-cats-meow

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 but...more

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Oct 27, 2011 Lisa O. rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: australian, fantasy, favorites, ya-lit

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 new char...more

59 likes · like · see review

Dec 04, 2011 Kat Kennedy rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: favorites, fun-fantasy, kat-s-book-reviews, leaves-awesomeness-behind, australian-writer

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.

I went into my local bookstore to order me some Marchetta this year. Let me expla...more

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Mar 19, 2012 Maja rated it 5 of 5 stars

Shelves: amazing-writing, cliffhanger-ending, favorites, made-me-cry, netgalley, wonders-from-down-under, own-a-dtb, reviewed-in-2012

Does this book really need another glowing review? A book with 225 reviews on GoodReads alone and 4.62 average rating? What can it possibly change? Maybe not much, but yes, I believe that it does.

Melina Marchetta is extraordinary. Duh. I won’t sing her praise in this review. Almost everyone who ever gave one of her books a chance knows how brilliant she is. Writing about it here seems unnecessary and a little bit silly since it’s the one thing we all agree on, regardless of our favorite among h...more Does this book really need another glowing review? A book with 225 reviews on GoodReads alone and 4.62 average rating? What can it possibly change? Maybe not much, but yes, I believe that it does.

Melina Marchetta is extraordinary. Duh. I won’t sing her praise in this review. Almost everyone who ever gave one of her books a chance knows how brilliant she is. Writing about it here seems unnecessary and a little bit silly since it’s the one thing we all agree on, regardless of our favorite among her books or her characters. And that’s just it, there is no doubt about it: we all have plenty to choose from and we love them all, but we all have a favorite – that Melina Marchetta book we simply cannot live without. My favorite is Froi of the Exiles.

You can try, if you so wish, to convince me that Froi of the Exiles is not a real person. You can tell me that Finnikin, Perri, Phaedra or Lady Beatriss are all products of someone’s imagination – a brilliant someone perhaps, but just characters nevertheless. You can talk at me until you turn blue, you can offer any number of convincing arguments, you can even bring Melina Marchetta herself to tell me to my face that she made them all up (I doubt she would, though), and I still won’t believe you. Here’s a fact: I’ve never seen my best friend in the flesh, and nobody’s trying to convince me that she’s not real. So why wouldn’t Froi be? I just know that he’s somewhere right now, counting to ten before opening his mouth.

The protectiveness I feel towards him after reading “his” book is something I hadn’t anticipated. I went from despising him in Finnikin of the Rock, just tolerating him later on, to loving every little thing about him, the strengths and the many flaws. But I cannot count Froi among my fictional crushes. His story and his raw vulnerability appeal to my maternal instincts and nothing else. (Finnikin is another matter entirely, though, but if I could choose, I’d choose Trevanion.) And in this book, he finally met his match.

Where can I even begin with Quintana of Charyn? First of all, who the hell is she? I still don’t know. Isaboe was so easy to love, but Quintana is nothing like her. Where Isaboe is fierce, Quintana is avoidant. Where Isaboe is kind, Quintana is far more likely to bite your head off. But I’m grateful for the difference between them. With this, Marchetta showed that she is perfectly capable of creating not just easily acceptable heroines, worthy of admiration by anyone’s standards, but also unpolished and infinitely crazy girls you’d die for in a second.

I won’t lie to you, there were events in this book I was able to predict. But the way they were done, the way secrets were brought to light and my emotional reactions to them exceeded all my expectations. There were parts I had to reread three times in order to fully process them and move on. There were parts where I had to stop for a while and do something else because they were too painful. There were moments that made me laugh out loud and there were parts that left me with my mouth open in sheer and utter amazement. There was a bit of everything, except for a part that left me indifferent. That I have yet to find in one of Marchetta’s books.

Now this is where I should write something short and witty to conclude this ~~outburst of admiration~~ review, but I’m drawing a blank. If you live on planet Earth, you’ve probably heard it all anyway. So here’s a useful info instead: the lovely Chachic at Chachic’s Book Nook is celebrating Melina Marchetta throughout the week. There are and will be some pretty awesome guest posts, including a not-quite-awesome one by your two favorite nocturnal librarians.

Also posted at The Nocturnal Library (less)

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Sep 11, 2012 Jo rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: boy-crush, down-under, gorgeous-prose, heart-skipped-a-beat, just-been-cutting-onions, my-favourites, of-epic-proportions, oh-how-we-laugh, soul-sister-heroine, ya, when-can-i-move-in, you-got-a-friend-in-me, e

"....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
My pages full of only sad faces and exclamation points.

I picked it up with t...more

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Oct 14, 2011 Alexa rated it 5 of 5 stars

Shelves: aussie, 2011-reads, borrowed, young-adult, favorites, series-i-love, own, signed

My review can also be found on my blog Collections.

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...more

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Nov 24, 2011 Janina rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: fantasy, from-down-under, male-pov, on-my-shelf, covers-i-love, beautiful-writing, best-of-2011, cliffhanger, favourite-characters, made-me-cry, read-in-2011, series-in-progress

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 loved the exp...more 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 loved the experience. It gave me chills, it was different and it is impossible to forget.
I loved reading about Froi and Quintana, about Gargarin and Arjuro, about Lirah imprisoned in her tower. Most of all, I loved reading about their past - what made them who they are - and finding out their secrets. I immensely enjoyed unravelling the mystery around the day of Quintana’s birth and guessing possible outcomes and revelations.

Quintana is possibly one of the most interesting characters I’ve ever come across. It was almost impossible to bear what she had been through, and I felt furious on her behalf. Still, I could never quite make up my mind about her. Is she really mad? Or is it just a façade to hide behind? I am very much looking forward to the next book which will – hopefully – be told from her perspective. I am convinced she still holds many surprises and secrets …

In its core, Froi of the Exiles is very much a story about history, the way it is perceived, the way it is transmitted, the way its perception can be influenced and the way it changes through time. It is also a story about the enemy, who is never as deeply sinister and evil as you might think. In Finnikin of the Rock, we learned about Charyn as the country responsible for Lumatere’s pain and suffering, and condemned its people for what they had done. But now, we see the other side of the story: Charyn itself is burdened by a terrible curse, and its people suffer no less than the Lumaterans did and still do. I loved this aspect of the story.

My favourite story line was the one focusing on Lucian and Phaedra. It was actually the one I was most emotionally invested in. Yes, I cried (hard) and was temped to throw the book against my bedroom wall when I saw where it was heading. If not for the epilogue, I might have been very (VERY) upset and would have considered removing at least (!) one star.

All in all, this book is a lot darker than its predecessor. It deals with even heavier issues, and you can feel that all the characters went through dark times that profoundly changed them. In an interview, Melina Marchetta said that Quintana and Froi are the fantasy equivalent of Taylor and Jonah from Jellicoe Road and the overall feeling the book gave me (although they are in no way similar in content) matches that as well. Still, I can't decide if this book is going to end up on my shelf of absolute favourites. Strangely, my reading experience was very different from all the other Marchetta books I've read, and the peculiar feeling I described earlier remains even weeks after finishing it. The story definitely gave me a lot to digest, and it's still in my thoughts.

The only thing that remains to be said: Hopefully, the next book will come out sooner rather than later. Seriously, how could Marchetta leave us hanging like that?

#10 Aussie YA Challenge 2011
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Jul 29, 2012 Sam rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: 5-star-gems, ultimate-favourites, fantasy-or-paranormal, fantasy-or-pn-favourites, romance, fantasy, 2012-favourites

Sometimes (all of the time where Melina Marchetta is concerned), I tend to get very attached to certain stories and can barely think about anything else for days. It happened with Finnikin of the Rock - the first book in the Lumatere Chronicles - and it happened again, and more powerfully, with Froi of the Exiles.

Froi. I don’t even know where to start with his character. I can’t say I was overly fond of him in Finnikin of the Rock, but the staggering amount of growth and maturity he shows in th...more Sometimes (all of the time where Melina Marchetta is concerned), I tend to get very attached to certain stories and can barely think about anything else for days. It happened with Finnikin of the Rock - the first book in the Lumatere Chronicles - and it happened again, and more powerfully, with Froi of the Exiles.

Froi. I don’t even know where to start with his character. I can’t say I was overly fond of him in Finnikin of the Rock, but the staggering amount of growth and maturity he shows in this sequel is astonishing. I was a little unsure of him at first but grew to love - genuinely love - him as the story progressed. Three years later and he is quite a surprising improvement. More than anything, my heart ached for him. I can’t remember the last time I’ve been so invested in a character before. With so much depth and so much soul, he has easily become one of my favourite characters of all time – and I never thought I would say that.

We also have Quintana of Charyn, who refused to listen to the rules and skipped straight to the top of my list of favourite characters. All of this before I even got to know her properly. (Though to be quite honest, I don’t think I did get to know her thoroughly – more reason to look forward to the third book). What a strange character she is. With two versions living inside her body, her personality is… undefinable, to say the least. Maybe I am drawn to the peculiar types that like to substitute ‘we’ for ‘I’ and ‘us’ for ‘me’, the types who cannot comprehend winking, and are prone to regular acts of snarling and teeth-baring. Whatever is was about her, I ended up relishing her character as much as Froi’s, maybe even more so. Her past, her life, everything she has had to endure previously tore my heart to pieces. I wish I could give her a hug, even though she would probably hate that.

The story itself is rich in detail and as complex as it leading characters. Quite a few twists caught me off guard, and that ending especially left my jaw on the floor. Nearing 600 pages, Froi of the Exiles is not a light read in the slightest. It is quite a mammoth book to get through, but never did my attention float elsewhere or did I wish parts had been condensed. I actually forgot to eat at one point as I was so absorbed. Choosing between the next chapter and leaving my stomach painfully empty was a surprisingly easy decision to make.

I put off reading Froi of the Exiles for several months now, the reasons to which even I don’t know. Thankfully this means the wait for the next book, Quintana of Charyn, will not be too excruciating. I know I can look forward to an epic conclusion to this series, and if anyone can deliver on my high expectations, it is Melina Marchetta.

(This review also appears on my blog)(less)

35 likes · like · see review

Mar 14, 2012 Ariana rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: can-t-wait, must-order, must-read, arc-galley, once-upon-a-time, series, beloved, rereading-material, best-of

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 the handsome white-horse-riding prince must rescue the princes (fallin...more

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Mar 30, 2012 Emily May rated it 5 of 5 stars

Shelves: ya-na, fantasy, 2012, fave-ya

Once upon a time...

I never would have thought a book could have me sobbing my heart out at four in the morning.
And then Melina Marchetta wrote On the Jellicoe Road.
I never would have thought I'd like traditional fantasy novels.
And then Melina Marchetta wrote Finnikin of the Rock.
I never would have thought characters could get any better than Finnikin and Isaboe.
And then Melina Marchetta wrote Froi of the Exiles.

I think that if Ms Marchetta were to ever write a bad novel, the earth would simply...more

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Oct 09, 2011 Jillian -always aspiring- rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition Recommends it for: Anyone who likes fantasy with deep meaning, intricate plots, and great characters

Shelves: writer-crush, 2011-reads, stories-that-challenge-me, made-me-cry, soared-above-and-beyond, stories-with-a-message, amazing-storytelling, writing-to-which-i-aspire, ultimate-favorites, fab-writing, best-characters, best-couples, best-endings, wowed-me, i-am-not-worthy, heroes-i-love-and-respect, heroines-i-love-and-or-admire, exceeded-my-expectations, world-building-worth-noting, worth-every-star, couldn-t-stop-reading-it, wish-i-could-write-a-book-like-this, swoon-worthy-book-crushes, prose-envy, reviewed

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 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 mediocre writer). I don't know what it is about Marchetta, but it always seems to me as if she is raising the bar higher and higher for herself with each book she writes. It's such an impressive thing that I'm left envious and awed, my writer self and my reader self at war with one another, but one thing is shared between my two halves: the utter respect and admiration for Melina Marchetta as a driving force in young adult literature, whether it be contemporary, fantasy, or any genre she chooses to write.

Froi of the Exiles, the sequel to Marchetta's first fantasy novel Finnikin of the Rock and book two of the Lumatere Chronicles, is quite honestly her finest novel to date. The novel is hefty at just about 600 pages, but the pages fly by as you start to read and immerse yourself in the land of Skuldenore with its various kingdoms vying for power, plotting to conquer, or just struggling to survive.

The wonderful thing about Marchetta's fantasy writing is that she never loses focus on two key things that are necessary to make any fantasy story succeed: high-stakes intrigues to keep readers captivated and a sense of honest humanity to the world and characters, so much so that readers find themselves empathetic to the characters in both the light and dark moments. Marchetta's "good" characters are just as flawed and conflicted as any villains to be found, adding a very realistic shade of gray to anyone and anything in this fantasy story.

No character is more gray than the hero, Froi, first introduced in Finnikin of the Rock as an ex-slave boy who often acted more foe than friend. Though Froi is much reformed when we meet him at the start of this second novel, set three years after the first, there is still a darkness following him, one that he recognizes and fights to keep at bay even as he works for the still-recovering kingdom of Lumatere. But there is something brewing in the kingdom of Charyn, something that may prove deadly for anyone involved with the cursed land...

To say that Froi of the Exiles ups the ante from its predecessor is an understatement: Marchetta is in top form with this novel, the threads of the plot seemingly appearing haphazard or inconsequential at first, only to come back later to play in surprising and astounding ways. Nothing is "meaningless" in this novel; everything has its purpose, whether for plot or character development.

No matter how tightly plotted, however, this novel would have been a failure if not for the characters -- characters who feel so strongly and so deeply that they feel like flesh-and-blood incarnations simply because their emotions are so palpable. The whole cast of characters are what make this novel so different, so human, compared to stale fantasy worlds and archetypes to be found en masse in hundreds of other novels out there. To be honest, this novel made me want to weep not just for the characters...but because of the plot, the words, the utter talent there must be to craft such an amazing story that holds so much depth and soul to it.

This book is a wonderful testament to the fact that truly dedicated and talented authors do not need to be tied by the bounds of genre to create all manner of stories that sing and make readers' hearts ache. For those reasons and more, Froi of the Exiles is definitely the best book I've read in 2011 and one that I would recommend to anyone who wanted a more realistic shade of fantasy.(less)

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Feb 20, 2012 oliviasbooks rated it 5 of 5 stars

Shelves: fantasy, aussie-ya-challenge-2011, author-from-down-under, beautiful-writing, cliffhanger, cry-a-little, favorites, favorites-of-2011, high-expectations, in-love-with-the-cover, love-story-romance, male-point-of-view, multiple-povs-letters, read-2011, to-re-read, hug-them-lick-them-favorites, stays-with-me

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 coherent brain activity...more

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Sep 12, 2012 Reynje rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: australian, book-everests-and-epicness, emotional-napalm, face-punch-endings, fantasy, heartbreak-warning, held-me-captive, hello-lover, it-s-complicated, read-2012, young-adult

(Scroll down if you'd prefer the tl;dr version)

If Finnikin of the Rock was a story about a divided and displaced nation’s journey towards healing their collective psyche, Froi of the Exiles is about a people broken apart by hatred, the wound in their history left to fester, and seep suspicion and fear into the cracks between them. A faceless, malevolent presence in Finnikin of the Rock, this is Charyn’s unveiling as more than simply “the enemy” of Lumatere. It’s an insight into a land burdened b...more

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Nov 02, 2012 Amber rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: aussie, all-time-favorite-series, hall-of-fame, own, favorites, 2011

Melina Marchetta has once again left me with an overwhelming feeling of reverence. I don't know how she does it. My first read by Marchetta, was Finnikin of the Rock. Once I discovered the magic of her writing, I just knew I would be a life long fan.

This 600+ page masterpiece has rightfully reserved it's spot next to the other greats. The Lumatere Chronicles, is a paragon of perfection. Written with so much depth and vehemence, this will leave a lasting mark in your heart. The Lumatere Chronicl...more Melina Marchetta has once again left me with an overwhelming feeling of reverence. I don't know how she does it. My first read by Marchetta, was Finnikin of the Rock. Once I discovered the magic of her writing, I just knew I would be a life long fan.

This 600+ page masterpiece has rightfully reserved it's spot next to the other greats. The Lumatere Chronicles, is a paragon of perfection. Written with so much depth and vehemence, this will leave a lasting mark in your heart. The Lumatere Chronicles, is a MUST READ.

Froi of the Exiles, is the second book to the Lumatere Chronicles and is based on our boy, Froi. Set 3 years after Lumatere was taken back over by Queen Isaboe and Finnikin. This is told in multiple pov's. It touches not just on Froi, but also our other beloved characters whom we fell in love with in FOTR. There are also new characters that are introduced and play a vital role in the outcome of this story. I swear, I would be so hooked on one pov and then she switches it up to another pov and I would be hooked and it started all over again. But never once was I disappointed because it was so easy to fall right back into that piece of the story.

I was blindsided by the growth and maturity of Froi's character. He showed so much strength and courage. I was amazed at the transformation and the outcome of his emotions and decisions because he faced many decisions he made with great emotion.

I just want to say a few things quickly about Quintana. Not only was she intriguing, but to be able to maniputate her inner demons to deal with certain situations was fascinating. There was such a raw and powerful performance amongst all the characters, I could never choose a favorite.

"This rock reminds me of the boy I was and being with you in the palace reminds me of the man I want to be" (Finnikin to Isaboe)

There are so many memorable moments throughout this book but the one that was to most touching and heart shattering was on page 577. It was a turning point that was written so beautifully and left a big impresstion on me.

This is yet again, another outstanding written performance by Melina Marchetta. Do yourself a service and read the Lumatere Chronicles. It will be one you will never forget.

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Oct 25, 2012 Steph Sinclair rated it 5 of 5 stars Recommends it for: High fantasy fans

Recommended to Steph by: Kat Kennedy

Shelves: netgalley, ebook, e-arc, high-fantasy, candlewick, young-adult, 2012-favs, 2012-reads, awesome, best-characters, best-relationships, 2-am-or-later, epic, action-packed, all-time-favorites, cool-author, deserves-every-one-of-those-stars, didn-t-disappoint, girls-rule-and-boys-drool, i-didn-t-see-that-coming, i-loved-it, left-me-in-a-sad-emotional-state, mind-blowing-good, oh-yeah-baby, omg-that-ending, original-and-creative, pure-win, so-glad-i-read-this, superb-world-building, yeah-baby-5-stars

Once again I find myself at a loss for words and I do believe I'm suffering from Marchetta Fever. If you've read any book by her, you may know the symptoms yourself: First it's the euphoria that sets in right after you complete the book. Then, you find yourself thinking about the book long after you finish. You have the inability to form a single, coherent thought to review the book.And in the final stages, your palms go sweaty with the need for the next book. There is a reason why Marchetta is...more

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Mar 11, 2012 Alyssa rated it 5 of 5 stars Recommends it for: The friends and foes of fantasy.

Shelves: 2012-read, a-favourite-author, a-guy-of-ya, actually-funny, emotional, favorites, great-books, highly-anticipated, i-cannot-breathe-without-you, i-love-this-cover, kick-ass, mystery-suspense, mystery, own, preordered, really-excited-for, ya-romance, ya-loved, some-foxy-aussie

I think I read three reviews of Froi of the Exiles before actually reading the book, and even through them I fought not to get too involved or give much thought. You see, I’m the type of person that can be ruined by hype, and I was really scared that my enjoyment of the book had the potential to be ruined by another's excitement. What hype sometimes does to a reader is brandishes their hopes and expectations too high, and that was something I didn't want to happen with my most anticipated releas...more I think I read three reviews of Froi of the Exiles before actually reading the book, and even through them I fought not to get too involved or give much thought. You see, I’m the type of person that can be ruined by hype, and I was really scared that my enjoyment of the book had the potential to be ruined by another's excitement. What hype sometimes does to a reader is brandishes their hopes and expectations too high, and that was something I didn't want to happen with my most anticipated release of a very long time.

If I'm being honest, though, my expectations for Froi of the Exiles were already great, because how could they not be when the read follows one as extravagantly beautiful as Finnikin of the Rock? Yet, I believe Melina Marchetta - who I consider to be the best of geniuses - must have anticipated that, as the amped up stakes in the plot intrigue, characters and tension of this epic fantasy are evident and most appreciated.

Each and every one of the 600 pages in Froi is necessary and noticeably thought-out. Where I was astonished by the levels of intricacy in Finnikin's story, that astonishment was taken one step further by the very many twists and turns lurking in the darkest recesses of this book. Where we saw Lumatere struggle to find itself in Finnikin, here we see the kingdom grow and fall and pick itself back up again, just as we see Charyn and its citizens struggle with the darkness that reigns beyond their control. Froi of the Exiles, if nothing else, is a story about the endless fight for hope in the bleakest of times, but even so, it is much more than that.

Just like I did in Finnikin, I had a hard time finding a place with each of the characters in Froi; the lot in this book are much harder people, and infinitely less heartwarming in the sense of the Lumatereans. Still, when I was finally able to open up to the Charynites, the reward in understanding them and loving them was so gratifying. With Froi all grown up, I was able to marvel at his character and growth; with Quintana's personalities and despair I was able to find the emotions that wrecked and kept this story; with the tales of the twins and the whore-who's-so-much-more, as I began to call her, I found the humanity and reality in Marchetta's fantasy world. Even with characters I thought I already knew, like Lucian of the Monts and Beatriss the Brave, and even in the royalty of Lumatere, I was able to discover so many different, yet admirable lives and stories that made for one very impacting book.

There were many times where I nearly sobbed, also many occasions where I laughed (very hard) out loud. During the actions scenes my stomach ached, and when the people of Skulendore detailed their pasts and realities, my tummy churned for the cruelty of that world and the possibility that something very similar could be happening to someone's poor daughter or son out there right now. Although it's very easy to get caught up in the thick political lines and battle speak, it's just as easy to get swept into the pit of emotion Marchetta always seems to carve out, and the whirlwind of a romance between two very broken, but outstanding characters.

Whether you're a fantasy fiend or its enemy, I'm sure you'll find a friend in The Lumatere Chronicles. My only hope after reading such excellent writing is that my words have succeeded to express how spectacular a read Froi of the Exiles is, and how much I am anticipating any and everything else Melina Marchetta publishes, as per usual.
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Aug 27, 2012 Maggie rated it 5 of 5 stars

Shelves: 2012, i-ve-just-read-you-and-i-love-you, aussie-aussie-aussie-oi-oi-oi

This was my second time reading Froi of the Exiles and I realized it's the first time I've reread a Melina Marchetta book. That surprised me because they are all amongst my favorites and I buy multiple editions of her books. Then I started reading. And dreaming of Charyn and Froi. (Seriously.) It's the Melina Marchetta Experience. You're completely immersed and transported to her world, whether it's on the Jellicoe Road or in the mountains of Lumatere. (Luci-en!) I'm so emotionally invested in t...more

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Aug 25, 2012 Katy rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition

I really thought there was NO possible way Marchetta could impress with "Froi of the Exiles" after she TOTALLY blew me away with "Finnikin of the Rock." But boy was I wrong. I don't think I can say which book I loved more, but I DO think Marchetta put a lot more thought into this one.

I'm not sure what took me so long to read this book. My history with this series: (view spoiler)...more

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Dec 30, 2012 Belle rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: aussie-aussie-aussie, all-the-feelings, kick-ass-heroine, love-you-long-time, swoon-alert, fantasy-land

Because I read this series in a massive Marchetta binge over a few days, they've kinda blurred together for me, so I decided to review the series as a whole rather than the individual books (not counting the gif explosion below, natch). Head over to the Finnikin page for my top ten reasons you need to read this series.

Earlier...

I'm sure I'll be able to write a proper review at some point but for now I have no words.

At first I was unsure about Froi as a MC...

And then Finnikin and Isaboe appeared...more

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Oct 16, 2012 Anna rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: fantasy, favourites, fiction, ya, aussie-ya

And now, keeping up the tradition of always being at least one book behind everyone else, I will now post a review of Froi of the Exiles when everyone else will be posting a review of Quintana...

I just thought I'd let you know that this is my second attempt at writing this. It's just that kind of book. This is the first review I've ever had to do that required essay-type prep work - making notes of my arguments, drafting out a summary etc etc. Under normal circumstances, I just, well, starting t...more

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Sep 12, 2012 Wendy rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: an-annual-read, aussie, award-winner, because-i-can-t-not-read-the-sequal

9/12/12

Another re-read in anticipation of the BIG DAY.

Once again, this story blows me away.

11/16/11

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 slightl...more

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Oct 31, 2011 Arlene rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: aussie-books, street-corner-pick, favorites, read-2011, ya-fantasy, young-adult

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 determination to fight beyond the beliefs of man and past the barriers of...more

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Mar 17, 2012 Regina rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: favorite-authors, fantasy, epic, arc-publisher-netgalley, ya, blew-my-mind, series-gets-better, will-continue-series, favorite-series, favorites

Froi of the Exiles is 593 pages and despite the length, I read it in just a few days. Covert reading at work, at home behind my family's back and late through the night helped me finish this in just a few days. Really, I had no choice, the book consumed me; it compelled me to keep going and keep turning those pages (or clicking "next" on my kindle). My reading experience was akin to hanging off of a cliff and having no idea if rescue was coming or if the ground below me was close.

description

What is it abou...more

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Sep 27, 2011 Choco rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: 0-favourites, signed

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. In other wor...more 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. In other words, the author made me care that much about the characters. They are real people to me, and I love them. All of them. Including their flaws and shortcomings.

As a reader, I physically experience a book's awesomeness - goose bumps, shaking etc. Reading Froi, my heart was thumping and my hands were shaking not only because the plots were exciting but also because writing was unbelievable. I'm not just talking about how emotional and beatiful it was because, let's be honest, it's Melina Marchetta! I was going crazy with my heart pumping and hands shaking because numerous events and information in both Finnikin and Froi are connected forming an invisible web, and I was stunned by the complexity and all the thought that must have put into it. Even Froi's unforgivable action in Finnikin has a meaning / purpose in this book. I would also like you to pay attention to the subtitle for each of three parts of this book. How clever! This is as much a book of 'her' as of Froi, isn't it? The best compliment I can give to a book when it comes to a plot is how tight it is. Froi is very tightly written. Nothing's slipping out or even seeping through. All we readers have to do is pay attention and enjoy the ride because we will never have to poke at and ponder over a plot hole thinking whether it will somehow be mended later. Yes, it's Melina Marchetta, but Froi was more than I'd expected even from her.

Here are two quotes that describe Finnikin and Froi very well where they are at. They aren't spoilery, but just in case..
(view spoiler)

I want all the happiness and more for them!! And I'd like to thank Melina Marchetta for the amazing experience.

----------
24th Sept.

I was expecting a sense of closure of some kind at the end of the book much like the way I felt when I finished Finnikin of the Rock. It wasn't there, and the way Froi of the Exiles ended was more than a cliffhanger. It left space for a entire book or two worth of new stories to follow.

After the climax in the middle of the book, things slowed down a little, still with plenty of dots being connected and new information being revealed. As the book got closer to the end, my heart was in knot for more than a few characters, but I was expecting to have my knot to ease up a little bit at the end. Well it didn't. Not at all.

I'm pretty sure I would be feeling differently if only I had known this is how the book was going to end. I still stand by with everything I said in my updates. It's beautifully written, well-crafted and better than Finnikin of the Rock in my opinion. However, readers need to be aware that this book ends in the middle of a longer story.(less)

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Jul 11, 2012 Kay rated it 5 of 5 stars Recommends it for: everyone

Recommended to Kay by: not enough people

Shelves: fantasy, formidable-women, heroes-flawed-n-great, kings-queens-n-fools, quite-the-romantic, teens-tweens-and-ya, touched-the-soul, 6-plus-stars, all-time-favorites, power-games

How can I do justice to this book?

With a well-deserved 4.57 average rating over 1,484 ratings, what more can I say that hasn't been said?

This book is good. Really, really good. It's a book that will make your feel like your heart is being torn vein by vein out of your chest. It's a book that will fill you with fierce warmth and affection, and then dunk you in icy cold water with just one word. It's an emotionally exhausting journey, but it's one that I would endure again and again if I could.

F ...more

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Mar 12, 2012 Lady Jayne *~*The Beach Bandida*~* rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition Recommends it for: Everyone 15+ years!

Recommended to Lady Jayne *~*The Beach Bandida*~* by: My love of Melina Marchetta's Work

Shelves: young-adult, author-melina-marchetta, fantasy, owned-read, aussie-ooohh-yeeeeaahhh

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 be barren no more.

And so it comes
...more

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Oct 25, 2012 Bethzaida rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition

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 b...more

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Jun 23, 2012 Alkyoni rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: never-never-land, if-i-were-stuck-on-a-desert-island, say-anything, cry-me-a-river

I am now convinced that Melina Marchetta could write down a grocery store list and it would still be an amazing read.

The second book of the Lumatere Chronicles is the story of Froi, the young thief that was saved by Finnikin and the Queen in the previous book. It did come as a surprise, considering that in Finnikin of the Rock, he wasn’t exactly what someone would describe as a likable character. However, Froi of the Exiles takes place three years after the Lumatere curse was lifted, and Froi hi...more

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Oct 09, 2012 Cortney rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: read-in-2012, fantasy, favorite-author, cover-love, favorite-series, made-me-laugh, multiple-povs, badass-female, issues-death, badass-male, issues-bullies, disturbing, issues-rape, issues-religion, what-would-you-do, magic, romance, made-me-cry, tragic-love-story

“Everything in Charyn seems far more complicated and tragic.”

I was perfectly okay with disliking Froi until the end of Finnikin of the Rock when he said to Trevanion, “I’ll never do anover evil fing if we stay here. Never.” He was just a young boy who wanted to protect the people he had begun to love and think of as his family. It brought tears to my eyes and I had to let go of the grudge I was holding against him for what he tried to do to Isaboe. Everyone makes mistakes and he was trying to be...more “Everything in Charyn seems far more complicated and tragic.”

I was perfectly okay with disliking Froi until the end of Finnikin of the Rock when he said to Trevanion, “I’ll never do anover evil fing if we stay here. Never.” He was just a young boy who wanted to protect the people he had begun to love and think of as his family. It brought tears to my eyes and I had to let go of the grudge I was holding against him for what he tried to do to Isaboe. Everyone makes mistakes and he was trying to become a better person. And now three years later in Froi of the Exiles, our boy Froi is all grown up and Queen Isaboe has sent him on a mission to Charyn. But nothing in Charyn is as it seems and soon Froi finds himself questioning everything, including his bond to Lumatere.

Froi of the Exiles is somewhere between a 3.5 and 5 stars for me after the first read. So I will just settle for 4 stars right now. I didn’t enjoy it as much as I did Finnikin of the Rock. Froi of the Exiles was too dark for me. The first book was dark but it had enough laugh out loud moments to balance it out. I laughed just as much as I cried. Not so with Froi of the Exiles. This second installment of the Lumatere Chronicles had me in a constant state of disbelief and horror at the things that happened in Charyn. Don’t get me wrong I really did enjoy this book but it was so gut-wrenching to read. I had to take several breaks. In the words of Aunt Mawfa all I kept thinking was, “poor Quintana, poor Lady Beatriss, poor Lucian, poor Froi, etc.” I was afraid to read the next chapter because I just knew something bad was going to happen. This book had so many twists and turns, I felt like I was on a roller coaster ride. I have no idea how Marchetta comes up with this stuff. Fans of the Lumatere chronicles are in for a real treat. Once again Marchetta does not disappoint; but she will make you cry….again…and again…and again. Oh just have a box tissues ready.

I’m really looking forward to Quintana of Charyn. She is one interesting character. I can only imagine what it will be like to see things from her point of view. I plan to read Froi of the Exiles again before Quintana of Charyn is released in October.
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About Melina Marchetta

Melina Marchetta was born in Sydney Australia. Her first novel, Looking For Alibrandi was awarded the Children's Book Council of Australia award in 1993 and her second novel, Saving Francesca won the same award in 2004. Looking For Alibrandi was made into a major film in 2000 and won the Australian Film Institute Award for best Film and best adapted screen play, also written by the author. On the...more

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Quotes from Froi of the Exiles

“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.” — 137 people liked it

“Are you an idiot, or an idiot?' Gargarin hissed.

'The first one. I really resent being called the second.” — 103 people liked it

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Froi of the Exiles (Lumatere Chronicles #2)

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