Forest Born

This is the best of the Bayern books. I liked the previous three; I loved Forest Born. I positively love the revelations this book gives to the story Hale is building of Bayern. It is also the best-written of the series so far. (The previous three had amazing, well-written majorities, but a few hard-to-believe sections and denouments.) You discover as you go through the book that what Rin experiences is unique--not simply due to the common difficulties of adolescence; though the difficulty of those years could influence them. Her inner struggles are as riveting and enlightening as the external political and physical conflicts present in any great story. Thank you Hale and publisher Bloomsbury for another novel worth buying in hardback.

Rin has had a happy childhood in the Forest of Bayern. But as she grows older, she realizes that she doesn't know who she is, what she is supposed to be--or if she even likes what she might become. To discover herself, she leaves the forest, her beloved trees and even more beloved family, to become a handmaid to Isi, her brother Razo's friend--who also happens to be the Queen of Bayern. War has only just ended, but a new, mysterious threat faces the monarchs. Rin joins Isi, Enna, and Dasha (the three mysterious "fire sisters" who can speak the languages of wind, fire, and water) on a mission to save Bayern and the queen's own son. Rin soon realizes that in order to be truly helpful, she must find her own self (and maybe her own language) along the way. Shannon Hale is, in my opinion, one of the best contemporary authors, so it means a lot when I say that Forest Born is one of my favorites of her books, and that Rin is my favorite character. Upon beginning the book, I felt a little disappointed with Rin, feeling that her character wasn't as well developed or interesting as Bayern's other heroines--but then I was knocked over with Shannon Hale's ability to use a seeming flaw as a crucial element to the plot. I hate spoilers, so I won't give anything away...but Rin's struggles and victories make her arguably the strongest Hale character yet. For those of you who follow Shannon Hale's work religiously, I felt that Forest Born's plot was not as heart-stopping as Enna Burning's or as well-paced as Princess Academy's, and that the humor was not quite up to the level of River Secrets. (But they're still very good.) On the other hand, her descriptions and metaphors are better than ever, and...the characters! Every book has its own particular strength and Forest Born's is the characters. Rin is inspirational, and you'll be pleased to see the old cast of friends come back into play. Readers will love Forest Born, but I should add that writers could use it as a lesson in creating a story that can simultaneously follow a protagonist's growth, learning and development as well as an intriguing action plot. These elements, to me, are what made Forest Born one of the most enjoyable stories I've read this year. (You can read my full review, and more of my reviews at my blog: [...])

Rinna has always lived in the forest with her mother and many brothers. Theirs is a big, loud family, and Rin enjoys the simple forest life, frequently taking comfort in the trees that surround her. But then something changes, and the trees seem to be reminders of self-loathing and hate, and Rin feels disjointed. So when her brother Razo comes home for a brief visit, she returns to the city with him and the Tiran ambassador Dasha to work for the queen. Isi and Enna and Dasha, whom Rin calls the Fire Sisters, and their strange powers impress and excite her, and though Rin feels small and insignificant in comparison, she is drawn to them like a moth to the flame. But when trouble in the east threatens Isi and the royal family, Rin travels with the Fire Sisters to investigate. There they discover an unexpected and powerful enemy that threatens not just the Fire Sisters and Rin, but the entire nation of Bayern as well, and Rin must learn to face her fears and discover her true strength. Shannon Hale's novels are always delightful and lovely. They're brimming with magic and strength and love, but also contain elements of danger and powerful villains that keep her stories lively. But always readers read through her books knowing that they will have a satisfactory ending, and they do not care about this knowledge--Hale's novels are just that enthralling. However, in Forest Born, readers will be blown away by the suspense and surprising plot twists that make for a harrowing and gripping read that will make you doubt the outcome of the story. Rin is a smart, resourceful character, but after her first disappointment in love and the confusion concerning her abilities, she's left uncertain and self-conscious. Throughout the story as she observes and aids the Fire Sisters, she does slowly emerge from her shell and begin to find confidence and understanding in her abilities, which is one of the major themes of the book. Hale also skillfully builds upon older characters, which is enjoyable as it's always fun to drop in and check on older characters. Their humor and quirks, added to Rin's journey of self discovery, makes Forest Born an exciting, witty, and completely enthralling read. Fans of the Books of Bayern will certainly not be disappointed, and will be happy at the satisfying, but open, ending in hopes for yet another Bayern book to immerse themselves in.

When I found out that Shannon Hale would be writing another Book of Bayern, I have to admit that I was a little bit skeptical. So often in the modern entertainment world, it seems like writers, actors, and movie producers make more of the same thing not because they have another story to tell but because they want to make money off of the public. However, there were two things that convinced me to read this book. First, "Forest Born" is not a sequel. I enjoyed having read the other books (Goose Girl, Enna Burning, and River Secrets) first, but this one has an enitrely different main character. It could stand alond. Second, I love Shannon Hale's first three Books of Bayern. I trust her enough as an author to write for the sake of the story and not for the sake of publicity. The fact that I am twenty years old and still enjoy reading her books for pleasure (which in my mind is one of the main joys of reading), should testify to her writing ability. All that being said, I bought "Forest Born" and loved it. What made it stand out was not the plot (although the plot was captivating) but the character development. I could understand and relate to Rin more than I ever have to most literary characters. Reading her story was a little like looking into myself. I would definitely recommend this book to anyone, whether or not they've read the other three Books of Bayern. Full of excitement and insight, I can't wait to reread it again.

Forest Born is both character and plot driven as it follows the story of a young girl who leaves home to search for inner peace. Far from finding peace, she finds herself in the middle of immense political turmoil. From the outer conflict, she is forced to serious introspection which leads her to new strength and resolve. Easy, enjoyable read and it's great to see the Bayern characters brought back to life.