Paranormal Romance and Urban Fantasy Addicts discussion

Uprooted came in number two in the BOTM poll, so since Bloodfever had been read in this group a while back, I'm posting a second BOTM for those of you who'd like something different.

This is where you can discuss Uprooted at your leisure.

*There will be spoilers in this thread

I just started reading this and I'm only halfway through right now, but I'm enjoying it so much right now. The descriptions have a fairytale/Ghibli-esque style to them while still retaining some dark concepts, and I *love* how magic works in this setting. Definitely excited to see how it turns out.

Yes!! It is SO good! 💜 and she has another one coming out soon too (not counting her dragon series which is EPIC).
I can’t wait!

I read this one as a recommend from a fellow fantasy fan and *loved* it! I’m happy read it again 😊. I think it’s written well and does a good job with interpreting magic.

Oh, sweet! I totally wanted to read this one! I'm almost finished with the book I'm in, so I'll be starting soon. ☻

I just read this one for a Litsy book club I'm in - LOOOOVED it!

Absolutely love this book!!!! I only read in January but will definitely be rereading it.

Whether you've read it or only part way through, who is your favorite character? Why?

Who is your least favorite character? Why?

Agnieszka is just this perfect blend of strong and sweet. She's a fabulous character.

My main issue was the love story component. Was it just me that felt it was lacking any substance besides sex? I found it hard to connect with that romance. There was no tenderness at all from Sarkan. The only thing we saw was how much he wanted Agnieszka and how much she wanted him. Not once do I recall seeing anything about softness, tenderness, emotional support, sweet embraces or gentle words. It was all coarseness and snarls and snaps and sarcasm. There was a little more of a clue on Agnieszka's behalf, but none on his.

Also, maybe it was just me, but I thought the sex scene, besides being superfluous and not at all indicative of true love between the characters, was poorly placed. After being physically exhausted and witnessing bloody terrors, how many people can really have the strength and presence of mind to have sex? It's one thing to seek out emotional support and comfort--none of which Novik had programmed Sarkan to display--but another thing entirely to think of sex at a time where there's so much at stake and so much lost. That's just my opinion, at least.

Seriously I have a few problems with the way this book ended. What is the story amazing? Yes absolutely. Did the story take me on a journey? Yes absolutely. Did the book allude to a romance that felt horribly flat.? Yes, absolutely. I went through this whole entire journey for the book, waiting for this love interest to work itself into something bigger, because it seemed as though it was something the author was working towards. So getting to the very end, and finding it fall so flat, was really a bit of a disappointment. Did anybody else feel this way or is it just me?

I agree with you 100%, Sarah. The ending was long-winded, but left something to be desired, particularly in Agnieszka's and Sarkan's relationship. Novik tells a good story, but she lacks a bit of heart where romance is concerned. Hope Spinning Silver delivers better if it incorporates romance. In Uprooted, we only get the passionate, sexual take on the characters' relationship, but sex and love aren't the same. I mean, besides WANTING each other, how did they feel in their HEARTS?

I loved this story - loved it because it was richly imagined and immersed me entirely in its world.

But I'm also a romance hound and really wanted to see more development between Sarkhan and Agnieszka, because the story had a hole in it without this component. Like I was served this beautifully prepared dinner that was missing a full third of what was intended to go with it.

Seriously, I feel like there used to be more there, and the author was asked to pull back so the heroine would adhere to the strict tenets of 'powerful,' 'independent,' 'always in control' according to an editing sensibility enforced by legacy publishing these days. I wrote a related essay on this subject once that delves (and if you have NOTHING better to do with your time you can find it here: https://www.linkedin.com/pulse/femini... ) ... but this dimension of story was def missing.

I'm more inclined to think that the lack of emotional content in Sarkan's and Agnieszka's relationship was wholly on Novik. She seemed focused on the rest of the story and on the passion aspect of their relationship, but she neglected the most important thing in romance: the factor of emotion. Giving a heroine a healthy dose of heartfelt love doesn't water her down one bit. Just don't give her the old "hold me, I'm scared" complex where she's leaning on the first guy she lays hands on to uphold her.

Strength and romance aren't mutually exclusive. Several authors have succeeded in crafting strong heroines while creating a warm, compelling romance between her and the male counterpart. I tried my hand at mmorpg fantasy fanfiction and I had a strong female lead and a romance with a fellow warrior. Apparently, I succeeded; I was shocked and humbled when a reader posted a comment saying she cried at my love scene--and it was sex-free!
If anyone's super bored with free time to check some amateur literature, check out my story here: https://www.wattpad.com/52401344-emer....

Love and tenderness NEVER have to compromise strength in ANYONE!

Is there a way to mark this book as 'currently reading' for the group? I'm about to start and I had a hard time figuring out which of my groups was reading it...

It's okay. I can just find my way back here now. :)

I am about a third of the way through and am really enjoying it. I like the way we are learning about the characters as they learn about each other. I as like the way the characters are growing and the way their relationship is changing.
So far there is a lack of a romantic element, but a slowly building relationship is preferable to me rather than insta-love

Jim, I'm with you! I have very few prejudices when it comes to reading, but instal-love is usually a pretty big hitch... and this book does not have it!

I'm not opposed to insta-love since that would cut out so much fiction, but I prefer to have different situations in different books. The same every time gets boring.

I'm about 20% and I'm enjoying the same things you are, Jim. It's really fun for me to read about a heroine that's as clumsy as I am!! (My husband's nickname for me is 'Calamity Jane' if that tells you anything...) I'm finding the story to be interesting and fun at the same time.

Nominations are open for next months book of the month. https://www.goodreads.com/topic/show/...

I finished it and very much enjoyed it. It played out at a great pace and it was classy. Easily one of the best books I've read this year!

Holly wrote: "I finished it and very much enjoyed it. It played out at a great pace and it was classy. Easily one of the best books I've read this year!"

I agree with Holly, this was a enjoyable read. The story was interesting and the characters each had their own distinct personalities and grew / changed through the story.

Yes! I think that was my favorite part...almost no one stayed the same throughout the story. Some learned really hard lessons and others evolved with their circumstances.

I also loved how it made you look at almost every situation through someone else's perspective. It made me think quite a bit, but not in a way that didn't continue to be entertaining throughout.