Monday, March 18, 2013

The crown of embers by Rae Carson

The crown of embers is the sequel to The girl of fire and thorns so this review will have ***SPOILERS*** if you have not read the first book in the series.  If you like to read series in order then stop now and read The girl of fire and thorns first

It seems as though Elisa will finally have some peace and quiet, but it is only an illusion, something that becomes all too apparent when an animagus threatens her in her own city.  The attack sends a shiver through her city, and when she is attacked in her own palace Elisa learns that she is not as safe as she thought, that her position is not as stable, that she is at risk from enemies without and within.  By chance she discovers that forces inside her own palace are moving against her, forces that work in secret and hide from her and those people loyal to her. 

To gain the strength she needs to defeat her enemies, and to save her country, it appears as though her only option is to search for the lost entrance to the zafira, a source of power unlike any she has ever known - a power lost to her people for centuries.  The journey will not be simple, and there are dangers at every turn, and if she is to succeed she will need to make sacrifices.  It seems an impossible journey, and yet she must find the strength and the courage to make it happen.

To complicate matters even further, Elisa finds herself drawn towards Hector, even as the people around her try and manipulate her into choosing a suitor that will benefit their own needs.  Loyal to her new country, Elisa may have to sacrifice everything to save a country that is restless and divided, a country that may never know how much she has lost to give them the future they need.

The crown of embers is the second book in what must be at least a three book series, and it builds on the action and drama of the first book in the series - a skillfully written story that sucks you in and keeps you riding along with the action and drama from start to finish.  Elisa is an all too human monarch, a young woman who is finding herself as a ruler and as a woman, finding out what she wants from her life.  For the first time, you really get a sense of the strength of character Elisa has, the desire she is developing to have her own life, to not die young and used like other Godstone bearers.  This is an intriguing story, and I can't wait for the next book in the series to see what happens with Elisa and the people around her.

If you like this book then try:
  • The girl of fire and thorns by Rae Carson
  • Alanna the first adventure by Tamora Pierce
  • Vessel by Sarah Beth Durst
  • Sabriel by Garth Nix
  • The blue sword by Robin McKinley
  • Grave Mercy by Robin LaFevers
  • Daughter of smoke and bone by Laini Taylor

Reviewed by Brilla

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