Review: Uprooted by Naomi Novik

Summary from Goodreads:

A dark enchantment blights the land

Agnieszka loves her village, set in a peaceful valley. But the nearby enchanted forest casts a shadow over her home. Many have been lost to the Wood and none return unchanged. The villagers depend on an ageless wizard, the Dragon, to protect them from the forest's dark magic. However, his help comes at a terrible price. A young woman must serve him for ten years, leaving all she values behind.

Agnieszka fears her dearest friend Kasia will be picked at the next choosing, for she is everything Agnieszka is not - beautiful, graceful and brave. Yet when the Dragon comes, it is not Kasia he takes.

Review:



What I Liked:

Characters. The novel only follows Agnieszka, who as the story progressed was such a relatable and strong character.  The Dragon, who takes her to his town and trains her in magic was a complex character, he is unlikable in the beginning but grows on the reader. The other characters, most of all Kasia, the main characters best friend who is so loyal and brave throughout the book. The side characters were interesting as well. 

Plot/World Building. I enjoyed the main plot, of Agnieszka learning about magic and how hers works. The magic system was well-done and easier to follow than I expected. Novik does an amazing job of crafting this new world full of wizards and medieval towns. The most interesting aspect was the Wood, which was insanely creepy and brought an element of horror into the story. I was pleasantly surprised how much I enjoyed the plot, most of all the beginning and end of the tale. 

Romance. I was uncertain going into this about the romance because I'm not a big fan of reading romance novels or fantasy that focuses too much on it. However, this one had just the right amount of romance for me, it was a slow-burn that felt like it progressed naturally and did not feel rushed. 

What I Disliked:

Pacing. I really liked the writing, the plot, and the characters but I struggled with the pacing/action. The middle dragged for me and I ended up not picking it up for a while. Plus, the last fifty pages felt too full of action and a bit rushed in my opinion. 

I recommend checking out this unique and well-written fantasy novel. 

Rating:

4.5 Stars Out of 5 Stars