 |
| Forest Born (Books of Bayern #4) by Shannon Hale |
"Rin is sure that something is wrong with her…something really bad. Something that is keeping her from feeling at home in the Forest homestead where she’s lived all her life. Something that is keeping her from trusting herself with anyone at all. When her brother Razo returns from the city for a visit, she accompanies him to the palace, hoping that she can find peace away from home. But war has come to Bayern again, and Rin is compelled to join the queen and her closest allies—magical girls Rin thinks of as the Fire Sisters—as they venture into the Forest toward Kel, the land where someone seems to want them all dead. Many beloved Bayern characters reappear in this story, but it is Rin’s own journey of discovering how to balance the good and the bad in herself that drives this compelling adventure.
Once again, Newbery Honor-winning author Shannon Hale brings readers to a world where great friendships, unexpected plot twists, and a little dose of magic make for incredible storytelling."
Rating:
However, I have to admit that I struggled with reading Forest Born. I read over some of the parts 2 or 3 times before moving forward just to create my own image of how it actually happens. I cannot imagine how well Shannon can picture every scene she creates with her characters.
Rin, the protagonist, wasn't as captivating as Isi or Enna; but I love her gifts. I was mostly amused with Razo(as always), Tusken(I can't help but coo when I think of him), and Dasha(sweet and funny, Dasha). I think they stood out more than Rin even though this was her tale. I also kind of expected Rin to develop an insightful romance with another character, but instead it was focused mostly on her gifts that she needed to learn to control.
I was pleased reading Forest Born but I don't believe it surpassed the prominence of River Secrets. I do hope there's more Books of Bayern after this.
