'Enna Burning' - Shannon Hale

So back in May 2013, I dedicated a whole page to my new project which was 'A book a week'.

I did great!... Up until my second week in. I read 'The Goose Girl' by Shannon Hale which was a lovely book to read. You can see the review here.

I've finally had a little more time to finish the follow on book called 'Enna Burning'. As said in a previous post, I've been busy with my new job and moving to London with Dan that I simply have been short of time.

I personally found the introduction to this really slow and I found myself putting it down a few times because I was getting a little bored. I stuck it out though and about a third of the way into the book, it really began to pick up and I started to get into it. It was quite interesting how this book changes to the character Enna, as though she is telling the story when it the last book, 'The Goose Girl', this was written about her from the narrative of a character called Isi. Isi is still a character in this book so it's nice to see a flip, but still know their history as characters and friends.

By 3/4 of the way in, I literally couldn't put the book down and chapter after chapter flew by. I was captivated in the intensity of what was happening to the characters. Much like 'The Goose Girl', the story quickened towards the end and I found that the book ended too soon and everything I thought would happen, happened. I guess this is a little disappointing. I would have preferred if the author, Shannon would have made the beginning a little quicker so I could go on and enjoy the rest of the book and feel as though it lasted a little longer!

But still, Shannon's writing is so clever and descriptive. I don't want to repeat myself and say what I said in the last review of her book. It will be interesting to read her other books and she is she still uses the same writing style and the same subject of pretty much, mystical fairy tale type stories. If anyone is after an easy read, this is no doubt a great book. If you don't like strange names- stay away! Those who read my last review on 'The Goose Girl' would know what I meant!

Haha, thanks for reading again. I'll update again in a week or so.

Thanks!

R

'The Goose Girl' -Shannon Hale

This week I read 'The Goose Girl' by Shannon Hale.


'The Goose Girl is a fantasy novel by Shannon Hale based on the Brothers Grimm fairy tale of the same title.'


(I had no idea about this!) I think if I had known, I could have possibly written more about her originality and the difference between the two.


'At the age of sixteen Crown Princess Ani is told she must leave everything she knows, to marry someone else she has never met. It will create a powerful alliance. But fate has much worse in store for her. Ani must use every ounce of cunning and determination to defend what is rightfully hers, from those who want to take it from her.'


The first thing that stuck me about this book was its beautiful detail. I read the synopsis on the back of the book and assumed it would be a little fairytale about a Princess who was not understood and oh my, has such a hard time being a Princess, but I was actually surprised. (I did make a note myself that I wouldn't give any of the vital bits in the story away and ruin it for anyone who wants to read it, so don't worry!) The detail that author, Shannon Hale goes into let me feel the bitterness of winter on the back of my neck. I could feel the sun on my hair and the wind on my neck, like it did with the character, Ani.


When I started reading the first chapter or two, I was actually put off by the names and I'm so glad they were shortened. Anidori-Kiladra Talianna Isilee was Ani throughout but I was still left with, Falada, Terne, Conrad, Ungalod, Geric and not to mention the name of her own Kingdom-  Kildentree. Whilst all of that is nice, I couldn't help but skip and glaze over their names. I recognised them as I read them without actually reading them (if you know what I mean). I guess it's better than using normal boring names since this is a fictional story so I guess anything goes.


About half-way through I was wondering when some action was going to happen, as I read on and read on I was thinking that the pages towards the end of the book where getting shorter and shorter and I was wondering if the story would end how I wanted it to because there seemed little pages left for all the things that had yet to happen in the story. Luckily for me, the things I wanted to happen, did happen but all a bit too quickly for my liking. I expected it to be a bit more dragged out but before I knew it, the story was moving on and I felt a little disappointed that the story had moved on so fast.


Ani seems like she's so out of place with the royal family she shares her life with. Eventually, she finds where she belongs and although this book is fiction, there's a little under lying meaning of truth that perhaps anyone who is lost, will find themselves. It's a story of love, it's a story of loss.


I think anyone looking for an easy read would enjoy this book. The way it's written is beautiful and I literally couldn't put it down. I'm a fast reader so for me, the book ended all too quickly but I'd definitely read it again.

A Book - A Week

I've had this idea for a while now to read books which have been sat on my shelves for years that I haven't got round to reading. But, I wanted to do this in a different way, I want to read it in a week, and then write a review of what I thought about it, then start another book and write about that etc etc.

I'm not sure how well this will work out but I'm willing to give it a shot. I'm a natural busybody anyway and I never have a day off so I'll be reading this between everything else that I do.

The idea is that it will hopefully get me reading more, write honest reviews and hopefully encourage others to do the same.

This week I'll start with 'The Goose Girl' written by Shannon Hale. I was bought this book by a friend named Beth absolutely years ago and it's been sat on my shelf ever since. I remember her saying it was a lovely book.

I'll keep weekly Wednesday updates. Check back next Wednesday to see my review.

(Oh, I'll try to not let you down!)