Uprooted by Naomi Novik Thoughts
Jan. 4th, 2016 11:41 pm![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
iariaI loved it.
+ I liked it more than the Temeraire series and it felt very similar to The Goblin Emperor.
+ I really enjoyed the world building and the characters. I liked Agnieszka a lot.
+ I loved the Woods. It was super creepy – all the ways it could affect people, the creatures in it, the whole thing with putting people in the Heart Trees (!), and I liked the reveal about how it all came to be. I also liked the explanation for why no one ever left the valley despite all the danger.
+ I loved the magic in the book and how they worked. I loved how they had two very different approaches to magic, that ended up meshed together really well and that was a crucial part of their success in defeating the Woods.
+ So were we supposed to think that Agniezka is descended from the Wood People? That her type of magic – intuitive, described as being like picking out a path in a forest - happens because it comes from the Woods people.
+ I loved the end with Agniezka living in the Woods, healing or destroying and replanting Heart Trees, working with the Walkers, curating a strong relationship with the Valley as she slowly makes things better.
+ I loved the Agniezka/Kasia friendship and how it was basically the centre of the entire book. I loved Agnieszka devotion to Kasia and determination to protect her and how Kasai returned that devotion.
+ I loved the romance between Agneizka/the Dragon. It surprised me a little because I’d seen complaining about it before reading but it ended up really working for me. But then immortal/younger mortal (or in this case new immortal) + power differential are things I love. I really loved that Sarkan basically fell for her completely against his will and was not pleased about it. His main reaction to her is irritable bewilderment or horrified fascination (that’s not how magic is supposed to work!) and he’s basically grumpy the entire time and I found it kind of delightful. The fact that Agnieszka makes all the moves in their relationship worked for me and I loved that when he left at the end she accepted it and moved on with her life with no angst.
+ I’m a little disappointed that Sartan wasn’t actually a shape shifting dragon.
+ I liked it more than the Temeraire series and it felt very similar to The Goblin Emperor.
+ I really enjoyed the world building and the characters. I liked Agnieszka a lot.
+ I loved the Woods. It was super creepy – all the ways it could affect people, the creatures in it, the whole thing with putting people in the Heart Trees (!), and I liked the reveal about how it all came to be. I also liked the explanation for why no one ever left the valley despite all the danger.
+ I loved the magic in the book and how they worked. I loved how they had two very different approaches to magic, that ended up meshed together really well and that was a crucial part of their success in defeating the Woods.
+ So were we supposed to think that Agniezka is descended from the Wood People? That her type of magic – intuitive, described as being like picking out a path in a forest - happens because it comes from the Woods people.
+ I loved the end with Agniezka living in the Woods, healing or destroying and replanting Heart Trees, working with the Walkers, curating a strong relationship with the Valley as she slowly makes things better.
+ I loved the Agniezka/Kasia friendship and how it was basically the centre of the entire book. I loved Agnieszka devotion to Kasia and determination to protect her and how Kasai returned that devotion.
+ I loved the romance between Agneizka/the Dragon. It surprised me a little because I’d seen complaining about it before reading but it ended up really working for me. But then immortal/younger mortal (or in this case new immortal) + power differential are things I love. I really loved that Sarkan basically fell for her completely against his will and was not pleased about it. His main reaction to her is irritable bewilderment or horrified fascination (that’s not how magic is supposed to work!) and he’s basically grumpy the entire time and I found it kind of delightful. The fact that Agnieszka makes all the moves in their relationship worked for me and I loved that when he left at the end she accepted it and moved on with her life with no angst.
+ I’m a little disappointed that Sartan wasn’t actually a shape shifting dragon.
