Author: Melina Marchetta
Description (from Amazon.com): Finnikin was only a child during the five days of the unspeakable, when the royal family of Lumatere were brutally murdered, and an imposter seized the throne. Now a curse binds all who remain inside Lumatere’s walls, and those who escaped roam the surrounding lands as exiles, persecuted and despairing, dying by the thousands in fever camps. In a narrative crackling with the tension of an imminent storm, Finnikin, now on the cusp of manhood, is compelled to join forces with an arrogant and enigmatic young novice named Evanjalin, who claims that her dark dreams will lead the exiles to a surviving royal child and a way to pierce the cursed barrier and regain the land of Lumatere. But Evanjalin’s unpredictable behavior suggests that she is not what she seems — and the startling truth will test Finnikin’s faith not only in her, but in all he knows to be true about himself and his destiny.
Review: Finnikin of the Rock, by Melina Marchetta, filtered into my consciousness over the course of several months (maybe even years.) I’d see a picture of the cover, hear a comment about it, find it referenced in a review of the author’s other books. Finally, I realized I could get it on CD (for my drive to my brand new work library!) so I went for it.
I have a hard time talking about Finnikin of the Rock. I liked it. A lot. But I didn’t love it the way I have some YA high fantasy I’ve read over the last couple of years (see: anything by Kristin Cashore or Rae Carson). But I don’t think that’s a fault of the book, despite being – I think, as nearly as I can explain it – a fault of the world it was set in. The world of Finnikin is somewhat bleak, but not in the George R.R. Martin sense. It’s extremely well-realized, but in a way that doesn’t always translate into the text. It’s clear Marchetta knows ever freaking detail about the world she has created. But because she is subtle about it, I felt I didn’t know enough about the world. I also felt a little disappointed that even the many strong women characters were still so bound by – and in some ways defined by – traditional gender roles in the world we saw. Again, this isn’t necessarily a flaw – Skuldenore is its own world, but it’s one that didn’t resonate me as much as some others. I also think that Finnikin, as a main character, didn’t quite draw me in the way Evanjalin, Lady Beatriss, or Froi (main character of the sequel!) might have. I don’t have any idea why. I just didn’t connect with him. Lastly, I listened to the book on CD, and I think the narrator may have been a little too steady for me. I didn’t quite feel the character or the excitement I might have reading this on my own.
But after saying all that, I want to add that Finnikin was objectively an outstanding book, and I really did enjoy it quite a lot. It is extremely complex in terms of character, world-building, and plot. All the characters are well-developed and go through realistic and compelling character arcs. The love builds well. There is action and excitement. The side characters are all extremely interesting, enough so that I almost wish all of them could have their own books. It has a truly epic feel that even a lot of high fantasy lacks. In fact, I think Finnikin is closer to Lord of the Rings than almost anything I’ve read recently. I was intrigued by the mythology, politics, and magic of Skuldenore. I was invested in the fate of Lumatere. And Evanjalin is awesome in so, SO many ways (even when she’s infuriating.)
And that’s why Finnikin is hard to describe. I loved it and I didn’t. It’s fantastic but I didn’t always invest the way I wanted to. But overall, I’d give this four stars out of five, recommend it to a lot of people, and am definitely planning on reading the sequel. But I think with Froi of the Exiles, I’ll try reading, not listening.
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