Monday, January 16, 2012

Enna Burning


I love Shannon Hale's style of writing.  Both The Goose Girl and Princess Academy (a sequel is coming this year!) are beautifully written and create such magical worlds and compelling characters.  So when I saw Enna Burning at my local library, I checked it out.  It is by no means new - having been published in 2006, but despite my love of the other two novels I had never read the rest of her writing.  Enna Burning is a companion book to The Goose Girl - it takes place in the Bayern world but is a story about Enna, previously a supporting character.

Bayern is set to go to war and Enna is not content to sit around and do nothing.  Enna's brother, Leifer, comes upon a piece of vellum in the forest from which he learns to command fire.  Enna wants nothing to do with these powers but with the onset of war everything changes.  Enna uses the piece of vellum to gain a power over fire and an ability to help with the war.  But fire is powerful and the urge to burn is strong - Enna has to learn how to use fire for good and not let it destroy her and everything and one around her.

I thought this was a very fun story and written very well in typical Shannon Hale style.  I think The Goose Girl is still my favorite but I would highly recommend this - especially to those who love Shannon Hale.

7 comments:

Storied Cities said...

I loved all of Shannon Hale's books. I had heard about them for some time but finally got around to reading them this past fall and read then all straight through and was a little disappointed that there were no more to read. I understand a second Princess Academy is in the works and am eagerly looking forward to reading it.

Rachel said...

I liked Enna too! Not as good as goose girl, but still a good read. I knew about the sequel to austenland, but not princess academy! awesome.

Annie said...

I, too love Shannon Hale, and I hadn't run across "Enna Burning". Thanks so much for highlighting it!

The Pen and Ink Blogspot said...

I still haven't read any Shannon Hale. I must start. Thank you

Playing by the book said...

Shannon Hale is new to me, but the cover really caught my eye - looks like Alison Jay.

Mrs. Silverstein said...

Shannon Hale, I think, is the author I was most surprised to totally love. One of the precocious 3rd graders I student taught a few years ago was reading Princess Academy, so I picked it up and read it basically in one sitting. Then I realized I had Goose Girl sitting around from a bargain bin once upon a time, and loved that too. On first glance, her books seem a little too girly--but they actually have some seriously butt-kicking heroines.

Ali B said...

I'll add Goose Girl to my queue. I haven't read any Shannon Hale. I'm always happy to find a new author to follow. Thanks!