Feeling the Prick of Flames

Review of The Girl of Fire and Thorns by Rae Carson

I’ve been reading a lot of YA fantasy lately, and one of the things I find most tedious is the love-struck damsel theme. Enter, Elisa, the youngest princess protagonist of The Girl of Fire and Thorns who is married off on her sixteenth birthday to a king, yet a stranger. She is instantly smitten with his good looks and apparent caring manner. But before I can be bored by the apparent standard trope, the story takes a refreshing turn, forcing Elisa to adapt to a whole new life in a short time.

Elisa, on her naming day, was blessed by a godstone—a jewel that spontaneously lodged itself in her navel. Due to her blessed status, her family pampers and coddles her and she spends her time eating pastries and reading military and religious histories. She is indulged and overlooked as her older sister and father deal with the tasks of governing.

Defying the stereotypical lithe and slender frame of a YA protagonist, Elisa tips the scales being heavy. In fact, she is greeted by a child who calls her fat. She laughs at this because to run and hide in her rooms is unbecoming of a princess. And I worried that the story would tip into the YA trope of the ugly duckling winning her prince (or in this case, her king) by losing weight.

Growth Through Loss and Change

As Elisa evolves from the child she was at the start to the strong adult and powerful leader she becomes, she sheds both her weight and her uncertainty. Throughout the entire book she is forced into situations where she has to learn who she is and what she’s capable of. Yes, there is a sprinkle of romance and tackling of the delicate subject of “body shaming,” but it’s not where or how you’d expect it to be.

While the king reacts to the transformed Elisa with desire, there’s more to this story than just shedding pounds. I was impressed that Carson mentioned some of the challenges of losing weight, such as the issues of saggy skin–a reality that is often skimmed over or ignored. While Elisa lost weight she gained confidence and insight and was able to recognize the flaws in her handsome king that she had overlooked previously.

Even the Book’s Mistakes Are Not Mistakes

The book elegantly tapes the magic of the godstones into the fabric of Elisa’s world, creating an immersive fantasy with a myriad of thrilling details. It satiates that innate human yearning – to be part of something colossal and remarkable. If there exists a nitpick, it would be for the overarching destiny to have been foreshadowed a bit more in the initial plotline, but you’ll discover why that is so as you flip through the pages.

Enter the realm of The Girl of Fire and Thorns and discover a powerful narrative of a princess, who not only finds a hero within herself but sparks an inspiration for those around to ignite their own heroic flames!

The Girl of Fire and Thorns by Rae Carson purchase on Amazon

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