The Girl of Fire and Thorns Kindle Edition

I don't understand how this book got so many good reviews. I have never, ever not finished a book I started (especially one I bought) so this was a first for me. I have also never left a negative review of a book as writing is difficult and not everything is for everyone, but this was just so beyond terrible that I feel obligated to warn others. The "heroine" was so obsessed with body image it was distracting. The world building was awful. It was like the author couldn't decide if she wanted a Spanish or Arabic feel but the religious aspects were very Christian based. The other characters, especially her husband "the king", were absurd. Don't waste your time or money.

I just finished reading Girl of Fire and Thorns for the third time. This is a fantasy series that has stayed with me over the years, to the point that when I come back to fall into the world Rae Carson has created anew, it is like returning to an old friend.Carson constructs a lush and unique fantasy world, with characters that are well fleshed out, relate-able, and above all inspire readers to invest in their story. Fantasy lovers will find themselves equally bemoaning Elisa's lack of confidence and cheering her on as she discovers just what she is capable of when she begins believing not only in God but in herself. It is by far one of the best coming of age stories I have ever read. Even knowing what will happen, even expecting the events to come, Carson's words still transport me with each read.If you are looking for a story that will leave you gasping in anticipation, deeply invested in the characters, and yearning to know how such a heroine can possibly overcome such insurmountable odds.... look no further.

Every once in awhile I break outside my normal genre and seek something different. I saw this book and the 'finalist' award and over 800 reviews. . . Young adult, coming of age, fantasy, and I thought why not. I have a son and husband that enjoys epic fantasy and I'll share.Once I started, once the plot picked up, when Elisa is kidnapped, then I was hooked. This is the story of a 16 year old princess, the second daughter and not the heir. She is pushed into a diplomatic marriage, sent into a court of intrigue, struggling to survive. It doesn't help that her outward appearance is that of a dowdy always shoving food in her face and never having the breath or energy for exertion. Yes, she is fat as the young prince tells her.Out of all the things that happen to Elisa, she's never tortured. She faces life head on and comes up with valid solutions. It's amazing how those around her stop and listen to her advice, this 16 year old girl, when she's barely experienced life. This story is her awakening, her purpose and coming of age. I was so involved with the characters I invested in the second book and couldn't put it down. Now that I'm sleep deprvied and dealing with a mild headache I think I'll pause before buying the final book. From the reviews it looks as captivating. Oh and three prequels. !! So nice to hit a series that is complete and no waiting. Highly recomended. - Dan's Wife

TL;DR For the short version, I had many problems with this book, but I enjoyed the slight uniqueness of the plot. I didn't like the character development or the writers voice. But, I'm intrigued enough to read the second book to see how it progresses (even though the writer gave no clue as to what conflict could present itself in the future). 3/5 star review.I have so many thoughts on this book. I wanted to like it so badly, and I gave it the biggest shot I could.Starting off, I couldn't find a way to really connect with Elisa. Which I found highly disappointing, as a woman who used to be a girl that wasn't the slimmest and didn't have the highest self-confidence. But, Elisa just felt flat, lacking, and predictable. I could see where the author was trying to go with Elisa, and I appreciate that. I'm glad she wasn't perfect, and I'm glad she had self doubts. But, it felt all too smothered by the never ending imagery of Elisa eating this, scarfing down that, dreaming of a scone, and not being able to focus on anything without somehow mentioning food, or the way the food was prepared, or how it smelled, or how it tasted. I would say a quarter of this book talks about the food Elisa eats or desires to eat. Okay... I absolutely love food, but even so, I couldn't get over how everything had to be bookmarked by food. At times I didn't mind it, and a bit here and there would have been enough to enforce the point of Elisa's obsession with food. It just felt more of like a girl with an eating disorder than anything, but we saw nothing into Elisa's mind as to why she ate, other than a love for food. Her inner turmoils flitted back and forth between degrading herself because of her weight, and then thinking of how much she wanted food. The only other thing we know is that she felt inferior to her older sister and that she was destined for service. I wanted to know more to be able to connect with her, to understand further why she felt the way she did.Later in the novel, I wanted to see, rather than be told, as to why Elisa's character development occurred. I felt as if her character was frustratingly underdeveloped. One minute, I thought she was growing, and becoming more sure of herself and her tasks at hand. And then she would just relapse back into the girl we saw in the beginning, even as the author seemingly tried to just remove aspects that made her who she was at that time.As far as other characters, I like a few better, but they still felt shallow because Carson wrote in a way that the reader knows only about the other characters by what the main character says or thinks. I wanted to SEE and not be TOLD (by Elisa) why characters were who they were, and why their actions would matter. It also felt like the side characters were there mainly as plot devices.I didn't love the authors writing style. Her word choice just seemed off to me. It wasn't beautiful writing (there were a few nice lines). For instance, when Alentin talks about the abundance of gold his people have, he says "The hills vomit a bit of the stuff every year during the flash floods" Yes, it does the job, and gets the imagery across, but vomit a bit of the stuff, really? And there were other lines that made me feel similarly. I'm hoping her voice develops in the second book, which I've heard better ratings for.Onto what I did like. . . Overall, I actually enjoyed a bit of the plot. It was full of plot holes, but I thought the idea behind it, with the godstones and the riddle-like meaning behind them, was unique and it kept me coming back to the story, to see where it would go. The plot stumbled along, and we don't even have a good idea of what the second book could even cover other than more war. But, I can't ignore that I actually thought the idea was interesting (even if I was slightly disturbed that the stone was in her "navel"-- what, does it resemble a really large belly ring?). I also enjoyed that Carson played around with the idea of deeds done through and for God's will, and the slight hint at the struggle that Elisa faced with this consideration. Additionally, I enjoyed the setting Carson writes to and the Hispanic influences that we see throughout the story.I was left wanting more from The Girl of Fire and Throns. I wanted more cleverness from Elisa. I wanted to see more plotting, and not just sudden instances of clarity where she would rattle off her plans. I want to know what made her come to them. I wanted more character development from all around. I wanted more insight into Elisa, and more meaning to her transition into a self-assured woman. I wanted to be shown, and not told the important parts to other character's development. I wanted more movement in the plot (there was a lot of walking, even for a desert setting). I wanted a more developed romance. I'm not sure I would even consider this to have a true romance. I understand it's a young adult novel, but I've had many young adult authors blow me away with the depth of connection between characters. I also wanted much more information about the magic system (for the lack of a better word).In the end, I don't regret having read The Girl of Fire and Thorns, and I'm interested in reading the sequel. The story itself was interesting, I just wanted more.

Loved this book especially our heroine who unlike most heroines is rather on the large side! The way the author describes the sweat on her upper lip as she starts walking down the isle, or when her dress is so tight that laughing or crying rips the seams to the chaffing of her legs when having to walk any distance, is so real, I could totally feel for this girl and relate to her in lots of ways. It did make me laugh as you can totally put yourself in her shoes. I was a bit disappointed that she loses the weight and becomes the stereotypical heroine. But saying that she still finds herself untrained in various situations which again is an usual spin for these types of books.I hope the 2nd is as good and not just a different version of the first.

An interesting fantasy, for both YA and adults alike. On Princess Elisa's naming day when she was a baby, she was gifted by god with his God Stone which was embedded in her navel. Once every hundred years someone is gifted with a God Stone, which means that they are chosen for great things. Flash forward to Elisa's sixteenth birthday. Elisa has low self esteem and is overshadowed by her eldest sister who is the heir to her father's throne. Elisa, although very well educated and a scholar, feels useless in comparison to her sister and comfort eats to compensate, consequently she is very overweight which adds to her low self esteem. Her father, in an attempt to protect her, marries her off to a neighbouring king. In actual fact in so doing he is thrusting her into danger as the kingdom he's marrying her into is under threat from an invading army. An army who has animages who use blood sorcery to help conquer other countries. They want a living God Stone, which means danger for Elisa. This first book follows the personal journey of Elisa, as a uncertain girl who considers herself worthless, to a more confident seventeen year old. The book is full of action and adventure, as we follow Elisa's initial progress.

The narrative of this story is wonderfully descriptive, and Rae Carson's smooth writing style brings to life both the world in which Elisa lives, and all the characters that populate it."Fire and Thorns" (originally titled, The Girl of Fire and Thorns) is at its heart a coming of age story about Elisa. All her life she's known that she is was 'chosen', but if her sixteen years have taught her anything it's that she's remarkably unremarkable for someone waiting to do a great deed. When we first meet her she's insecure and pudgy, and very self-critical.The romance is well-written, and there's more than one flirtation for Elisa, but this is never written in a way other than what I could imagine happening in real life. Crush versus real love, and recognizing the people who say they will be there for you, over the people who actually show you they truly are there for you. Having said that, despite the elements of romance, there are so many wonderful plot twists in the story, and such growth of character for Elisa, that the romance never overshadows her and her self-discovery. Which is one of the reasons I've chosen not to mention the names of the other characters in this book. I'd love for other readers to discover them, without too much of an introduction beforehand, because I loved jumping into this novel, knowing very little before I started too. Sometimes trailers and reviews can give too much away, and I hope not to give away too much.She's taken from the safety of her father's castle, and it's in the outside world that she finally discovers who she really is, even if she's still unsure of what her chosen task(s) are, or will be. The plot takes Elisa and the reader on a voyage of discovery, where she discovers that maybe all that she knows about being a chosen, is merely the tip of the iceberg. There are things that others know and have kept from her, and there are things only she can know if she has faith.I loved Elisa's voice, and the complexity of the characters in this story. Not all the good guys are a hundred percent 'good', nor do all the bad guys seem entirely bad. They are simply a bunch of flawed people doing their best - or worst.Elisa's wonderfully perceptive and aware of the motivations of others, but even she's caught by surprise by one or two characters, who in their own way will change her life forever.Overall: The characters are easy to relate to and wonderfully complex. The world creation, with its elements of religion, faith and magic make for a fascinating read, and when you throw into the mix rebels, invaders, and treachery...well, that's a mix that makes this a real page-turner. I couldn't put it down :) 5 out of 5 stars.

What an amazing read Fire and Thorns was. Elisa is the kind of heroine that one immediately feels drawn and attached to. Her character arc is inspiring, especially the weight loss issue that plagued her. One can see that she was comfort eating and when she started gaining confidence (well, in addition to lifestyle change) this brought a change in her body image, habits and attitude.The world building was amazing. It reminded me of Maria Snyder Poison series, the Magician's Guild and other favorite fantasy series. I cannot wait for the sequel! Please hurry up and write it Rae Carson!

I would recommend this to anyone is who interested in a story with a great/relatable heroine and who enjoys a read that is truly captivating. I found it hard to put this aside and as a result l read it in less than a day. The characters in this book are genuinely interesting and all play a vital role, which is freshing from other reads; that only have characters there to fill space.Happy with my purchase!