*SPOILERS AHEAD* This was an ultimately amusing read. Elisa is a very human, very believable heroine. At first, I was as dazzled with Alejandro as she. But as time wore on, I became more than a little frustrated with him; especially after her return, near the end. Earlier on, I felt like I should have cried when Elisa's love interest is killed, but I couldn't. There wasn't enough character development there, and plus my conscience wouldn't really allow me to fall in love with him, while Elisa was still married to Alejandro. In other matters, I am pleased that this book sheds such a positive light on having faith. Most YA fiction these days encourages Godlessness and atheism. I'm not trying to ruffle feathers by saying this, but I thought it was a lovely change of pace to have a main character that believed in God. As a Baptist, the obviously Catholic beliefs displayed herein clash with my own, but I was still able to read the book and enjoy it. 4 stars!

This book is FANTASTIC! It is so amazing how Rae Carson has created a world filled with people, mythology and a landscapes so unique and intriguing. At the center of the story is a heroine that grows in age and wisdom as the story progresses. We travel with her through her transformation from a naive princess to a powerful and influential queen. There is no lag in this tale. We are thrown into the action right from the start. And the love story is rich and wonderful in her discovery of herself thru the men she loves.

When I started the book I was disapointed with where it seemed like the story was going, but then I figured out what was really going to happen and I loved it! NEW FAVE AUTHOR!

I couldn't put this book down! Elisa is such a wonderful heroine. She feels inadequate, weighed down by other people’s expectations of her as the Chosen one. But as she struggles through pain and adversity, she rises to the challenge, surprising herself and everyone else with her inner strength.

The book had a really unusual plot and world, which was nice. The pacing was generally pretty good and the characters were original and interesting. It reminded me a lot of the Dark Angel trilogy, which is also a coming of age story with a strong heroine who grows up and comes into her own during her journey. If you liked this book, you might want to check that one out too.

Nothing different to add to the rest of the comments. This was an incredible novel, great story, believable and enjoyable characters, good plot and pacing.

this is an exelent book! i like how the heroin is, in her mind, flawed, and far from perfect. but over time, she becomes a strong young women. definatly a must read for those of uou who like books with strong female characters.

For me, The Girl of Fire and Thorns was both something entirely new and something that reminded me of older YA fantasy novels, and it was a lovely combination. I'm not a huge fan of vampire things, modern urban fantasy tale sort of things. While Girl of Fire and Thorns is unlike anything I've read before, it also evoked older YA fantasy, stuff like Tamora Pierce and Robin McKinley, which I tend to prefer. I think a lot of it was in the excellent characterization; Elisa is one of the best characters I've met in awhile. The world was eternally interesting, perhaps not what'd you'd expect from a princess book. Well done, Ms. Carson. I look forward to reading more of your work.

In terms of writing, this book was extremely well done. It could even pass for an adult book. However, the plot was boring. I'd definitely be interested in reading more from this author if she chose a story that's more modern, or even a historical novel that holds more interest for a YA audience.

PublisherWeekly Debut novel