The Books of Bayern
Juvenile Fiction
Bloomsbury USA Childrens
September 15, 2004
Hardcover
300
Enna and Princess Isi became fast friends in The Goose Girl, but after Isi married Prince Geric, Enna returned to the forest. Enna's simple life changes forever when she learns to wield fire and burn anything at will. Enna is convinced that she can use her ability for good-to fight Tira, the kingdom threatening the Bayern borders-and goes on secret raids to set fire to the Tiran camps and villages. But as the power of the fire grows stronger, she is less able to control her need to burn. In her recklessness she is captured by the Tiran army and held captive by a handsome, manipulative young captain who drugs her to keep her under his influence. Can Isi and her old friends Finn and Razo rescue her without sacrificing themselves? And with the fire still consuming her, will Enna find a way to manage the gift that threatens to destroy her?
WrensReads Review:
I absolutely adore this series, and not in the *obsession* kind of way, but in the way that it makes me dream dreamy things.
I have reread this series at least six times now, and I won’t stop. It’s one of those series that has a special place in my dark heart that brings a little light and perspective to my world.
Hale has made a beautiful world where the elements and animals have languages that people can grow to understand if they try hard enough. Imagine being able to see pictures and hear words on the wind of things around you. It could save your life. Or feeling the heat of the living things around you, always being aware of your surroundings.
But every gift, has its consequences.
“They laughed much harder than the memory was funny because it felt good to laugh.”
Just like Isi, Enna wasn’t born with the language of fire on her tongue (Literally the title of the book is Enna Burning. It’s not a spoiler). She learned it, even though she saw the way knowing how to speak with fire can end for someone. She did it for her country.
Tira wants to overcome Bayern for their lands that they believe are rightfully theirs. But after a superstitious-act makes Enna believe they will lose the war unless she burns… she may end up just like the people in the past who could speak to fire.
What I love about this book is that even though fire seems like the must destructive language you can learn, it isn’t. Once again, the most dangerous language is shown and the beauty of fire and air is revealed.
Enna is a phenomenal protagonist. She isn’t the fearful Isi from the last book (though I love Isi and everything she overcame in the last book. That girl does not give up), but she has spunk. And don’t even get me started on Finn and Razzo. I want to be everyone’s best friend and go on all these adventures with them!!
I love this whole world that Shannon Hale has dreamed up. It isn’t dark but it isn’t light and fluffy. It kind of reads like a fairytale itself. It’s very much a middle-grade read, but still enjoyable when you are older if you like to dream pretty things and wish that you could hear and understand the languages of the elements and animals around you.
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