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Uprooted Naomi Novik 9780804179034 Books

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Uprooted Naomi Novik 9780804179034 Books

I never would have read this book if not for the suggestion of a friend. This particular friend always points me in the right direction when it comes to choosing a book. Even so, I was a bit hesitant to pick this one up because, when I checked out the synopsis, it didn’t really seem like something for me. Still, I trust my friend and, though this one is not likely to light up the firmament like The Hunger Games (another of her suggestions to me), it was definitely well worth the read.

Essentially, this is a novel of a wizard’s apprentice. Told from the point of view of a young woman unexpectedly chosen to serve the Dragon (a man, not an actual dragon), Agnieszka slowly discovers that she has powers she never suspected she had. Gradually, she learns to navigate her powers which are somewhat at odds with those of her teacher. She also learns to navigate the subtleties of the royal court and the dangers of the Wood, which threatens her world.

It sounds like pretty standard fare; however, there are a couple qualities here which raise it above the norm. The first thing I noticed was that Ms. Novik invents a unique and complete world for her characters to inhabit. This is surprisingly rare in fantasy novels which often rely too heavily on old clichés and tropes from fantasy classics rather than real world-building. Not that she doesn’t expect us to be familiar with fantasy, but the way magic works in this world and the connection of the Wood to the story are both examples of how Ms. Novik works to create something new.

Also, Ms. Novik doesn’t beat us over the head with feminist themes, though Agnieszka’s nature magic complementing the Dragon’s more “bookish” magic works rather nicely here. And the development of the relationship between the wizards plays well, especially in counterpoint to the almost outright rejection she receives from other wizards in the story.

The plot is clever. It moves quickly but well, at least until we near the end when everything comes to a close much too fast and a bit too neatly—a weakness my friend also noted about this novel. Still, it’s a small price to pay for what is, overall, a wonderfully written piece of fiction. I recommend it.


Tags : Uprooted [Naomi Novik] on Amazon.com. *FREE* shipping on qualifying offers. <b>WINNER OF THE NEBULA AWARD FOR BEST NOVEL • Naomi Novik, author of the New York Times </i>bestselling and critically acclaimed Temeraire novels,Naomi Novik,Uprooted,Del Rey,0804179034,Action & Adventure,FICTION Fantasy Epic.,Fantasy fiction.,Wizards;Fiction.,AMERICAN SCIENCE FICTION AND FANTASY,FICTION Action & Adventure,Fantasy,Fantasy - Epic,Fantasy fiction,Fiction,Fiction - Fantasy,Fiction Fairy Tales, Folk Tales, Legends & Mythology,Fiction Fantasy Epic,Fiction Science Fiction Action & Adventure,Fiction-Fantasy,GENERAL,General Adult,United States

Uprooted Naomi Novik 9780804179034 Books Reviews

I really enjoyed getting lost in this book. It draws you in to The Wood. I reached the end and felt a bit confused, I had to blink and look around and realize I was no longer in The Wood, but sitting in my living room...

I could really relate to the main character. I understood the way she felt, her frustration and the way she coped and succeeded. Doing things her way, the way that was comfortable, not the "correct, spelled out way". It took me back to my old Polish neighbors that I would visit as a child. The comfortable life, herbs hanging from the rafters, hot sweet tea..

I wish there was another one to read...
Having been a fan of Naomi Novik’s Temeraire series for many years, I have often wondered what she would do if she ever decided to write something else. After all, this is a woman who studied English Literature at Brown University, holds a degree in Computer Science from Columbia, and wasn’t afraid to show her geeky side as a game designer on Neverwinter Nights. That’s a pretty awesome combination in my book and when she chose to write the Temeraire series, a fantasy/historical mashup combining the concept of intelligent dragons working as a sort of Air Force with wartime forces in the Napoleonic era, well…I was hooked.

So now comes this new novel and my bottom line verdict is that it is fantastic. It’s straight fantasy but absolutely reminds one of that nostalgic feeling of fairy tales you read (or were read to you) from childhood. After reading the opening two chapters I thought I was on my way into just such a fairy tale, but it wasn’t long before any ideas I had about predicting where this was going were thrown out of the proverbial window. The plot begins as a twist in the age-old concept of a young maiden being picked every ten years by the village elders to sacrifice to the dragon in order to buy its protection. The twist is that this time it’s not an actual dragon but a renowned wizard who requires the sacrifice. And he doesn’t select the pretty young maiden that everybody was planning on but instead chooses Agneieszka, our protagonist, and it is though her eyes that we see the story unfold.

OK…interesting twist but I still thought I knew where the plot was going. I was wrong.

No spoilers from me but suffice it to say that this novel kept me turning the pages way past my bedtime. Ms. Novik is a masterful storyteller and knows how to pace a book to keep the reader hooked all the way through. Her use of language is perfect for this type of tale, combining the lighter fairy tale elements but also taking a deep dive into battle scenes with a hard grittiness that, frankly, surprised me. And the world building…this is how it should be done. It’s obviously fully developed but we aren’t bombarded with extraneous details that we don’t need. We can understand everything and how all the characters fit together but don’t spend much time with info dumps.

I understand this book is being marketed as YA although I confess to not really understanding the distinction anymore. The only thing remotely YA about this is the fact that Agneieszka is seventeen years old at the beginning of the story. Rest assured there is no “dumbing down” of the plot, the rich characterization, or the language/word choice. True, there is no swearing to speak of but there is violence aplenty. Lots of fighting action and violent deaths, plenty of creative use of well-imagined magic, and a tasteful but on-stage sex scene all combine to make this one a keeper. And the plot about the woods…the intelligent life force of the dark woods and how it consumes people…oh yeah…no spoilers. You’ll have to read that yourself.

This book is complete in and of itself. I could see how there may be a sequel or two (or seven) but there may never be more.

Well done Ms. Novik. Highly recommended!
Magical tale based in large part on Polish fairy tales about Baba Yaga and her hut on chicken foot, about Poland and Russia and their never ending-conflicts about. Agnieszka (polish name) is a young girl with no skills other then being a total, grimy and clumsy mess. When it is discovered she has magic of her own it is as undisciplined and chaotic as the girl herself, however it is quite potent. When mixed with her masters magic it produces miraculous results. At the heart of the story is loyalty, friendships, love, greed, power and vengeance. Not everyone escapes unscathed but those who do have to find their own way to happiness. I loved it and found it breathtakingly beautiful.
I never would have read this book if not for the suggestion of a friend. This particular friend always points me in the right direction when it comes to choosing a book. Even so, I was a bit hesitant to pick this one up because, when I checked out the synopsis, it didn’t really seem like something for me. Still, I trust my friend and, though this one is not likely to light up the firmament like The Hunger Games (another of her suggestions to me), it was definitely well worth the read.

Essentially, this is a novel of a wizard’s apprentice. Told from the point of view of a young woman unexpectedly chosen to serve the Dragon (a man, not an actual dragon), Agnieszka slowly discovers that she has powers she never suspected she had. Gradually, she learns to navigate her powers which are somewhat at odds with those of her teacher. She also learns to navigate the subtleties of the royal court and the dangers of the Wood, which threatens her world.

It sounds like pretty standard fare; however, there are a couple qualities here which raise it above the norm. The first thing I noticed was that Ms. Novik invents a unique and complete world for her characters to inhabit. This is surprisingly rare in fantasy novels which often rely too heavily on old clichés and tropes from fantasy classics rather than real world-building. Not that she doesn’t expect us to be familiar with fantasy, but the way magic works in this world and the connection of the Wood to the story are both examples of how Ms. Novik works to create something new.

Also, Ms. Novik doesn’t beat us over the head with feminist themes, though Agnieszka’s nature magic complementing the Dragon’s more “bookish” magic works rather nicely here. And the development of the relationship between the wizards plays well, especially in counterpoint to the almost outright rejection she receives from other wizards in the story.

The plot is clever. It moves quickly but well, at least until we near the end when everything comes to a close much too fast and a bit too neatly—a weakness my friend also noted about this novel. Still, it’s a small price to pay for what is, overall, a wonderfully written piece of fiction. I recommend it.