Alissa

Uprooted is a delightful fairytale, truly entertaining and fast-paced. I particularly liked that it’s not strictly YA in outlook and there are some cleverly-rendered tropes which added to the excitement. Being a fairytale I’m careful to speak about originality yet the way the plot is weaved and executed gives a wonderful feeling of freshness, I think Naomi Novik really pulled it off, what she promises, she delivers.

The story is engrossing and well-written, I didn't anticipate most of the twists and turns –more, I was deftly misled- and the rhythm is gripping, it slowed a little only when Agnieszka was in the city. The ending is enthralling, a few loose ends could have been more fully addressed, but I was absolutely satisfied and loved the denouement.
If I have to make a criticism, the characterization is not deep and the heroine develops her talents a bit too quickly for my liking, but honestly, it works: the structure and the elements are perfect for the story just the way they are. There is a little romance and I welcomed the fact it’s just a subtheme (the kissing scene is one I'll remember!!).

Agnieszka is the undisputed protagonist/narrator, and while she is interesting to read about, it is the tale itself that really shines, along with the different implications of the title theme, “uprooted". I think this book is not easy to label (YA but not quite, not wholly Adult, a little romance but not Romance, etc.) and that’s also part of its charm, of what makes this stand out from similar novels. Riding cross-expectations can be very difficult, instead of appealing a wider audience you may end up disappointing more readers, totally not the case here, the author always balances the chemistry of the story offering a convincing and self-contained book.

I simply flew through it. Wholeheartedly recommend for a nice and compelling read.