I wasn't sure how this was going to pan out; it seemed somehow unlikely that Melina Marchetta who wrote Looking for Alibrandi could write a decent fantasy novel. However, I was pleasantly surprised by the book and barely put it down.
I thought that Evanjalin was obviously important, but I hadn't picked her true identity until it was revealed. I was slightly surprised that Froi didn't turn out to be royalty or have some special powers, given how much he features in the story and the lengths to which Evanjalin goes to keep him.
I found Finnikin a little annoying, especially at the end of the novel when he acts more like a petulant child than someone who is ready to assume an important role. There is plenty of talk of Finnikin interacting with the other kingdoms, negotiating treaties etc. but it all seemed implausible given his level of immaturity. I guess it is young adult fiction, so the young adult has to do all the important stuff, even if they are under-qualified and have no real authority.
Enjoyed it!
4 stars.
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