Uprooted
Naomi Novik
2015, 435 pages
Fiction
Agnieszka is a village girl who is happy with her home, her family and her friends, especially her best friend, Kasia. Their local magician protects them from the dangerous creatures of the forest, which allows them to live on the border of their land. Everyone knows that Kasia will be taken by the magician as a servant at the upcoming harvest festival, as he always takes the best and the brightest girls. However, when Agnieszka accidentally draws his attention, she is the one who is taken, and no one can understand why.
Uprooted is based on fairy tales (specifically on the fairy tales associated with Baba Yaga), which gives it a timeless feel, but Novik’s exploration of characterization is nuanced and thoughtful, adding depth to familiar stereotypes. The villagers are not necessarily grateful to be saved, Kasia is both happy and resentful that she has been spared, and the prince is not a hero. Novik’s language is beautifully descriptive and her theme of doing the right thing even when it is painful is echoed throughout the book in situations and characters.
Uprooted was named one of the Best Books of the Year by Publisher’s Weekly, and it’s easy to see why.
Nora Cascadden
Concord Public Library
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