Review: Crown of Embers by Rae Carson

Author: Rae Carson
Title: The Crown of Embers
Series: Girl of Fire and Thorns
Publication:September 18, 2012
Publisher: Greenwillow Brooks
Genre: Fantasy
Pages: 416 pp.
Rating: 5 out 5
Source: Cassie@CitrusReads
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Synopsis
In the sequel to the acclaimed The Girl of Fire and Thorns, a seventeen-year-old princess turned war queen faces sorcery, adventure, untold power, and romance as she fulfills her epic destiny.

Elisa is the hero of her country. She led her people to victory against a terrifying enemy, and now she is their queen. But she is only seventeen years old. Her rivals may have simply retreated, choosing stealth over battle. And no one within her court trusts her-except Hector, the commander of the royal guard, and her companions. As the country begins to crumble beneath her and her enemies emerge from the shadows, Elisa will take another journey. With a one-eyed warrior, a loyal friend, an enemy defector, and the man she is falling in love with, Elisa crosses the ocean in search of the perilous, uncharted, and mythical source of the Godstone's power. That is not all she finds. A breathtaking, romantic, and dangerous second volume in the Fire and Thorns trilogy.


Elisa believed that her duty as the Chosen One had been fulfilled but she doesn't know that God's plan for her has yet to even scratch the surface. Seventeen, a widow and now a Queen, she has to prove herself to the people she now governs. It's a tough job when there are those that rather see her dead than rule. After an attack on her life, Elisa journeys to find a myth that will make her more powerful and therefore able to protect her people. In addition to the attacks on her life, the council also expects to her marry, which will supposedly make the unrest in the kingdom die down but of course they have an agenda of their own in mind for Queen Elisa. This young lady has a lot on her hands and not many adversaries, other than her ladies and then there is Hector. The chemistry between them is sweet, both of them bound by duty to their kingdom, so neither can act upon how they feel but I still have hope for Elisa to finally get her man, if her nurse butts out of her business. Elisa must decide if she will succumb to the desires of her heart or the duties imposed by her station.

It's nice to see Elisa grow, she has become much deeper than the last book and I loved her in that one. She is a realistic character with real world problems of love, duty, and fears of inadequacy. She has yet to feel truly capable and accepted as the Queen, even though the title is rightfully hers. I love the writing; the author has created an imaginative and vivid story. The characters are well developed and the plot flows considerably well. Overall, Elisa is one of my top favorite female heroines and I look forward to seeing how her story ends.

Check out my review of Girl of Fire and Thorns