(3 / 5) – It’s Okay
I love a recommendation, but when I read a friend’s recommendation, I often feel pressure to love it as much as them. I rarely do, but after years of reading I’ve decided that’s okay and I encourage everyone to still read your friends books and tell them the truth. The whole thing is a beautiful lesson in getting to know your friends better and expanding your own literary repertoire.
“Uprooted” by Naomi Novik was highly recommended by a book loving friend after she heard I had read Novik’s Scholomance series. “Uprooted” is a solid fantasy fairy tale and if you enjoy said genre I highly recommend you pick this novel up. Novik is wonderful at creating intriguing and complex female protagonists with a bit of quirk. Agnieska is no exception to this rule and I loved her as the protagonist of this novel. Personally, I didn’t connect with the world in a meaningful way which probably says more about me than the book itself.
The wood itself was the villain and there was some deep work Novik did regarding its history which was unique, but simply didn’t spark much interest for me until the very end of the novel. I also liked the supporting characters as individuals, I just struggled with their relationships to Agnieska. As a reader, I was left indifferent to the love interest, or best friend storyline. I liked both characters but just didn’t feel connected at all to their relationship to Agnieska.
There was nothing I deeply disliked about Novik’s tale and I found some delightful highlights and joys, which is why it lands in the three star area for me. A solid story that explores some interesting themes with quirky characters. Some great ingredients that simply didn’t make a great book recipe for me, but I know it did for many with differing tastes.
Happy Reading!
Hannah
