As a library worker, I’ve developed a system for deciding which books I buy and which I only check out from the library. I start by borrowing the book from the library. If I do like it, I don’t buy my own copy right away. Instead, I think about it for a while. I let the world and characters sink in and percolate within my mind. If I find that my thoughts keep returning to the book, snagging onto the story like my headphone cord always does on cabinet drawers (shoutout to the corded headphones life), I know it’s one I should buy for my own bookshelf. If I want to reread it, it’s a book worth keeping. Today’s recommendation is one of those reads; I recently finished a reread of the novel and was just as consumed by it as I was the first time I read it.
Uprooted by Naomi NovikThis richly imagined dark fantasy draws inspiration from Polish folklore and the tale of Baba Yaga. Novik introduces us to a 17-year-old village girl named Agnieszka who lives in the country of Polnya. A dark and dangerous haunted forest separates Polnya from its rival country, Rosya. While most wizards in this fantasy world reside at court, the prickly wizard known as the Dragon lives in a tower in Agnieszka’s valley. With the wood attempting to absorb people or even entire villages in its malignant spread, the Dragon works to keep the wood at bay. Every 10 years, the aloof Dragon leaves his tower and ventures into the valley, looking for a new village girl to become his assistant. While Agnieszka is convinced her beautiful and brave friend Kasia will get chosen, she’s shocked when the Dragon chooses her instead. Despite her clumsiness and habit of getting everything she wears dirty, Agnieszka possesses a unique affinity for growing things, as well as a surprising knack for magic. Uprooted reminds me of two of my favorite pieces of media: Howl’s Moving Castle and Birdbox. What a dynamic duo, right? Like Sophie in Howl’s Moving Castle, Agnieszka lives in a persnickety wizard’s castle and gets caught up in a whirlwind of adventure and a dash of romance with said wizard. Plus, in Diana Wynne Jones’ novel version of Howl’s Moving Castle, Sophie learns she’s a witch, just as Agnieszka does in Uprooted. Agnieszka’s character reminds me a lot of Sophie. She doesn’t describe herself as beautiful, which I find refreshing and more relatable in a fantasy protagonist. She’s funny, determined, and resourceful. More of a homebody like me, she loves her family and her village, but she’ll adventure out if someone’s in danger and needs help. I also like how if Agnieszka feels stuck in a difficult situation, she finds her own unique path through, much like Sophie does. Her character exemplifies how there’s more than one right way to do something. The Bird Box vibe enters with the eerie forest hovering at the periphery of every chapter. People who get snared by the woods either die or come back corrupted. While some show obvious signs of corruption, others mask it well, right up until they talk you into some horrible fate, just like those affected by the sinister presence in Bird Box. While I’m usually too much of a scaredy-cat to attempt a horror read, the world-building of the haunted wood was so well done by Novik. I couldn’t put the book down. This brings me to one final point about Uprooted. Naomi Novak’s fantasy world-building is so atmospheric and compelling in this novel. Romantasy is such a trending genre right now, and while I love it, sometimes I feel like the world-building can fall short in the shadow of the romance. Another Book Rioter even digs into the question, asking where all the non-romance fantasy books have gone. Uprooted holds up as an exceptional fantasy novel with incredible world-building and adventure. The slow-burn romantic subplot sweetens the story as just an added bonus. While I’m always here for a good fantasy romance, I still crave those fantasy novels that truly tug me into their worlds like Uprooted does. I hope Uprooted will take root in your heart, just as it did mine. |
