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Monday, September 15, 2014

Review: Frostborn by Lou Anders

Read (August 12 - 23, 2014)
Book: Frostborn (Thrones and Bones #1) by Lou Anders
Publication Date: August 5, 2014
Publisher: Crown Books for Young Readers
Pages: 352
Genre/s: Middle Grade, Fantasy
Source: Publisher via Netgalley

Meet Karn. He is destined to take over the family farm in Norrøngard. His only problem? He’d rather be playing the board game Thrones and Bones.

Enter Thianna. Half human, half frost giantess. She’s too tall to blend in with other humans but too short to be taken seriously as a giant.

When family intrigues force Karn and Thianna to flee into the wilderness, they have to keep their sense of humor and their wits about them. But survival can be challenging when you’re being chased by a 1,500-year-old dragon, Helltoppr the undead warrior and his undead minions, an evil uncle, wyverns, and an assortment of trolls and giants. — (source)

Karn is the son of a hauld and will one day inherit his father's farm. Owning a farm means responsibilities and Karn is not exactly jumping up and down at this prospect. Also, it's absolutely not as exciting as playing his treasured Thrones and Bones set and maybe traveling the world someday. Thianna is a half-giantess bullied by giants because of her ungiant-like height and skills. No matter how hard she proves herself, it's never enough for these discriminating giants to accept her as one of their own.

One is from Norrøngard, where the humans reside and one is from Ymiria, the frozen land of the giants. Little do they know that their fates are about to intertwine as both of them go on a quest to protect and to save those they hold dear.

Karn and Thianna are likeable. Naive but resourceful and clever when needed. They both started on a separate adventure but the two of them would eventually team up when they met along the way. They are definitely stronger and more productive when together. They have their own set of strengths and what the other lack, the other fulfills.

Anders' storytelling is really clever at parts. As a more mature reader than, say, to whom this book is intended for, I appreciated how parallels were drawn together in the narrative. I am not sure if this is intended so it would appeal to older readers or it's just Anders' writing style. Either way, it's remarkably done. Light and rollicking, Frostborn would ultimately charm its younger readers. Special shoutout to the dragons and wyverns, which are fantastically added and provided sassiness that Thianna and Karn sometimes lack. Frostborn being a tad predictable is quite problematic for me though and it definitely needs work in that department.

Frostborn, at its core, is a story about two young people who felt misplaced in their own world.  Despite it having shortcomings, it is a sensitive coming-of-age adventure that will surely find its niche with the Middle Grade fantasy lovers. This is a kind of series that will only get stronger with each installment, as we spend more time with these characters and explore their Viking-inspired world further.

Cupid's Verdict:
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3 Cupids
A copy was provided by the publisher at no cost in exchange for an honest review.

18 comments:

  1. I love stories with dragons, but think I might be too old for this one. I'll see if my younger brother wants to give it a try though. Thanks for the recommendation, Sarah!

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  2. I don't fall in the Middle Grade Fantasy lovers category, so even though this book delivered on the coming-of-age aspects, I don't think that it's my cup of tea. I'm not a fan of too much predictability either, it just takes some of the fun out of reading IMO. Pass. Thanks for the review though!

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    1. Yeah that's true. I do think kids won't see the reveals coming though. :)

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  3. Uhm, I don't think I'll read this :P Not because I think it's bad, your review says that you pretty much liked it. Just that, I don't really read MG anymore :( I know, I'm such a snob. Fantastic review though, Sarah! As always :)

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  4. Hmm, great review! I actually wonder if this might be a good fit for my nephew, who is 11. I hadn't heard of it, but I do like the message it seems to be sending. :)

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  5. This doesn't look like it has romance...so, you know, I have to pass. It's one of my rules; no book without romance shall be read by Lola. VERY VERY VERY rare exceptions may apply. Anyway, beautiful review as always Sarah and I'm glad you liked it. :)

    BTW, I love your negative reviews...haha ;) (I know this is not one though.)

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  6. I'm not big on fantasy without it being fused with other genres, but I can imagine this isn't TOO involved with being middle grade. This sounds really entertaining and I really like that there's no awkward romance too, it's always uncomfortable in middle grade. I'd much prefer an awesome friendship. Brilliant review Sarah <3 Sorry I haven't visited in a while, have been super sick.

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  7. See, I like that this is such an epic fantasy but, really, it's just about two 'kids' trying to find their way. There's something beautiful in that and it's nice to have that journey of self-growth hidden amongst all the dragons sometimes.

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  8. Wohoooo! I will surely add this one on my TBR, Sarah, I am a sucker for Middle Grade books especially if my mind is exhausted from reading YA and Adult books. MG is definitely my go-to genre every time I am in the mood for something light and just plain funny. And because you have also mentioned wyverns and dragons then I am certainly sold. Oh god, you really know where to strike your readers, Sarah.

    And hey, I can handle predictable plot as long as it's executed properly. And yeah, I also have to add that my standard for MG fantasy books are relatively lower compared to YA and Adult books.

    Awesome review, Sarah!

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    1. I'm sorry for the glaring grammatical errors and the wrong use of punctuation marks (first sentence). *cringes* I was typing really fast.

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  9. Oh dragons! Did you sad dragons! Gimme some dragons. I mean I do classify as adult person, but boy dragons are so awesome. This one seems so appealing to me and while I don't like predictability I'll gladly forgive it as everything else seems to be nicely done. Great review, Sarah :)

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  10. Ooh dragons!! That's really all I need to know to be interested in this one :) Though it is definitely good to hear that there were some elements in this MG read that appealed to you as an older reader. IMO, the best MG books are the ones that appeal to all generations of readers, not just tweens.

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  11. This sounds like a lot of fun! I love too that it's got elements that you're able to appreciate as an older reader. It'll make rereading better for the younger readers as they get older, too. :) Great review!!

    Rachel @ Paper Cuts

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  12. I love checking out new MG titles and love to escape with them or even better read them with my daughter - so I'm excited to see you enjoyed Frostborn (I've had my eye on this baby.) One of my favorite themes you mentioned is the one of feeling misplaced and realizing everyone has their place. Yay, thanks for the wonderful review, Sarah! :)

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  13. Dragons! Wyverns! Sounds like a totally charming read! Too bad it was kind of predictable, perhaps because we're out of the age range of this book. I love the coming of age story though. Lovely review Sarah!

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  14. Oh-kay. Wyverns. I can't even get over that. I MUST get this book. Especially when the wyverns are in an MG book. Thank you so much for bringing the book to my attention! :)

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  15. Even though I'm not much of a MG reader, this does sound really intriguing! If I'm ever in the mood for MG I'll definitely have to keep this in mind because it sounds fantastic! Dragons and wyverns sound like they'd make an awesome fantasy book for MG readers, and I'm glad you found it enjoyable. :) Thanks for sharing Sarah and, as always, BRILLIANT review! <3

    ~ Zoe @ The Infinite To-Read Shelf

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