Froi? Is That You?

Book Review: Froi of the Exiles by Melina Marchetta
Rating: 4/ 5

How do you redeem a character so vile in the eyes of readers? By rewriting him, that’s how. It’s now three years later and Froi is not the same boy we knew. He can speak, he is learned and he is now loved. The darkness begins to ebb until it is no longer. Froi is not Froi – and I wish the darkness that’s in him hasn’t vanished so completely but I suppose a series of events as action packed as this book has would change anyone.

The story, the story is spectacular. If nothing else we get a story that is rich with characters big in personality. The setting has now switched from Lumatere to Charyn as we learn that Lumatere was not the only kingdom suffering in mysterious ways.  Froi journeys to Charyn and brings about a rebirth of another kingdom. It is on this journey, so rife with savagery that he finds his past and his future.

Much like the first book, I was moved in so many ways. It’s not always awe and enchantment but rather disgust and confusion but it is definitely a story I could not put down!

Random Notes:
I do no like Quintana, it is hard to relate to her. Hard to picture the life she has had, which is a horribly sad life. Sometimes it makes you wonder if all these horrible things that has been alluded to are necessary. I suppose they are but… I just don’t know.

How can Froi be so different? Where is the internal struggle, the darkness that we come to expect from him?!

Finnikin & Isaboe have matured and their love/relationship shows – which is a nice little update since the last book.