I’m reading a lot of fantasy books these days, but almost none are from my Once Upon a Time challenge list. I will get to those eventually…
I threw this one in here (I figured it would be a quick read), because I discovered the library had it while searching for books for M. Not to pass a Shannon Hale book up, I threw it in the bag and took it home. Where it sat and called me and nagged me until I finished Temeraire and I could happily indulge myself in Hale’s wonderful storytelling.
I liked this one. A lot. At least, a lot better than I liked Enna Burning. The basic plot: Razo (the sheep boy from Goose Girl, and Enna’s good friend) is asked to be a part of an envoy accompanying the ambassador to Tira, following the uncertain end to the war between Bayern and Tira. Times are uneasy; there are elements in Tira that want to go back to war with Bayern, and it’s up to the ambassador and the soldiers to stop the assembly from voting to go to war.
Razo’s role in all this is uncertain until about a third of the way through the book, when he gest a special assignment: discover who’s behind the burned bodies that Razo keeps discovering.
I enjoyed this for many reasons. Hale’s a great storyteller, and has a way of describing a world and yet letting her characters be characters rather than elements of the world (which is more difficult to achieve than you would believe). I liked Razo’s development from an insecure kid to a self-aware, and confident young man. I liked Dasha as a counterweight to Razo. I loved Enna and Finn’s romance. And Radiance, the Tiran prince, cracked me up.
Unfortunately, while she alluded to Enna Burning, and pretty much explained the really important parts, you can’t effectively skip that book and read this one. This one makes more sense having read Enna Burning, and there were times when I wished I had read it more recently.
And, this one makes it worth your time.
The Book Nut 
I can’t believe I haven’t read this one yet. My daughter owns all Hale’s and I’ve read the first 2 in this series. Like you I didn’t care as much for Enna Burning. I appreciate you bring River Secrets back to the forefront of my memory.
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I’m so far behind on my Shannon Hale reading…as I am on all my reading. I’ve gotten all her books for my wife with the intention of reading them myself sometime. Still haven’t finished Enna, and then have this one, Princess Academy, and the soon to be released Austenland to read! Where is that time-stopping device I ordered on the internet?
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I can’t wait to get to this one. I loved The Goose Girl which was my first book of 2007, and I have Enna Burning waiting to be read.Like Carl, I could use a timestopping device! 😉
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You’re welcome, booklogged. And Carl and Quixotic — you think someone would have invented that by now, eh? I’d love to have one, too. Make life easier (maybe).
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I plan to buy more Shannon Hale soon. I just read The Good Girl, but I haven’t reviewed it yet. Maybe I will skip Enna Burning if this one elludes to it enough and most people didn’t like it. I will think about it.
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I’m having this same problem. I keep reading all sorts of fantasy books, but none are on my list for the challenge :p I’ll just add them as bonus reads 😉
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I <>was<> a bit lost in this book and Rebecca had to keep explaining Enna Burning to me (because I didn’t want to read it).
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I’ve seen the Goose Girl for a few years now but it never calls to me, and I usually like retellings of fairy tales. I just cannot figure out why this one does not attract me. Perhaps it’s not the right time for me to read it. Yur review encourages me to at least borrow it from the library***CV
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I am absolutely going to read this one soon! It sounds great.
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