Froi of the Exiles (Lumatere Chronicles #2)

What I Loved:
Oh, internet peoples, you have not lied to me. Finnikin of the Rock was good but rather slow, due to the set up of the word building. Froi, though, is a thing of beauty, and I loved every single moment of it. All the world building in book one was so that the awesomeness could happen now. *happy sigh* If this is indicative of Melina Marchetta's usual writing, it's safe to say that I'm going to be a huge fangirl.

Where Finnikin of the Rock took a couple hundred pages to really get started, Froi of the Exiles had my attention from the first page and never let go. Though just under six hundred pages long, this book in no way felt long. In fact, I would have read more happily. Were it not for my ridiculous system by which I determine what I read next, I would have gone straight into Quintana of Charyn because I have a FIERCE need to know what happens next. If you're hesitant about wading through the world building in book one, it's worth it, because Froi of the Exiles continues to have awesome world building, but also focuses on the amazing cast of characters. The feels have been located!

Marchetta uses a rotating limited third person narration. Even within chapters, the character being followed can change, but there's always a page break to indicate the switch. Usually, in a story like this, with the main characters split into two different places, one of the story lines is boring and you're just sitting there waiting to get back to the juicy stuff. Though Froi's arc was more exciting, I was also desperate to find out what was going on back in Lumatere, so did not begrudge the POV switches in the slightest. Also, even though third is a bit distancing, I still felt very connected to everyone. Melina Marchetta is a great example of showing, rather than telling.

The beauty of this series lies in just how flawed everyone is. No one is perfect, though Finnikin and Isaboe do come close in the eyes of the people; we know their flaws well from the previous book. Most of them are not unusually attractive, except for Lirah; even the others who used to be have had their looks and bodies destroyed. In Froi of the Exiles, the main characters are even more messed up. Froi, an exile from who knows well, has found a home in Lumatere, but is still haunted by the things he did in his past, afraid to really let himself live lest he break his bond to Isaboe. Froi of the Exiles does focus on him more than anyone else, but it's not just about him.

Sent to Charyn to impersonate one of the last borns (literally the last children born to Lumatere eighteen years before), Froi is charged with assassinating the King of Charyn and Quintana, his crazy daughter, as well. Of course, the people and Quintana expect him to impregnate her, also a last born, to complete the prophecy and end the curse of barrenness in Charyn. Froi must confront his past and his demons to survive his mission.

Quintana is one of the most messed up heroines I've ever read. There's a brilliant description of Quintana by one of the other characters, so I'll borrow that: "'She'll be strangely intriguing...With a touch of mystery and savagery that will bewitch only the bold and courageous among us'" (572). When I called Quintana crazy, I meant that literally. She also is savage, growling at people and prone to attack at the smallest provocation. However, she's also been abused all of her life, both verbally and physically. Since she was thirteen, she's been sexually abused in attempts to end the curse. There's a reason she's so broken, and it's really just impressive that she functions as well as she does.

Other flawed cast members that I really just can't help loving: Lucian, Phaedra, Arjuro, Gargarin, Tippideaux, Lirah, and De Lancey. Yes, I may have just listed most of the characters in the book, but, whatever, they're the best. Every single one of them will give you cause to hate them at some point, but they're so real and trying so hard and I just want to hug them all and force them to live happily ever after.

Speaking of happily ever after, which totally is not happening in Froi fyi, Melina Marchetta writes the freaking best romances. Or, at least, they work perfectly for me. See, she rocks the whole hate to love gambit and that just gets me every time. The couples are angry and mistrusting and awkward, so I'm just sitting there reading and yelling at them to get over themselves and realize how perfect they are for one another already. With most of the romances in this series, the couples almost don't show one another affection at all, but it's there, and I suspect it doesn't bode well for me that I find that so emotionally appealing. Odds are that several of my ships are going to be separated by death and GAH my body is not ready.

What Left Me Wanting More:
My only slight reservation with Froi is that it felt like Marchetta pulled her punches there at the end. Some really serious stuff had gone down and I was about to cry an ocean worth of tears, but then I realized that nothing was really as big of a deal as it was made out to be. On the one hand, I'm happy because tragedy sort of avoided, but, on the other, nothing's more kickbutt then letting that tragedy stand and making everyone get past it. Of course, being somewhat nice here at the end of Froi might just be a trick to make me let my guard down so she can decimate me emotionally in Quintana.

The Final Verdict:
Fantasy-loving friends, this series should probably happen in your life. Melina Marchetta has now proved her adeptness at world building and characterization, and her writing has been stellar all the way through. I will be reading through the other books in my pile as quickly as possible so that I can get to Quintana because I must know what happens.

Warning: This review may have a slight spoiler for Finnikin of the Rock.

Once again I find myself at a loss for words and I do believe I'm suffering from Marchetta Fever. If you've read any book by her, you may know the symptoms yourself: First it's the euphoria that sets in right after you complete the book. Then, you find yourself thinking about the book long after you finish. You have the inability to form a single, coherent thought to review the book. And in the final stages, your palms go sweaty with the need for the next book. There is a reason why Marchetta is considered a master storyteller and if that wasn't evident enough for me in Finnikin of the Rock, then it's now blatantly obvious.

Froi of the Exiles takes place a few years after Finnikin of the Rock's conclusion and is told from Froi's point of view. At first, I was leery of that fact because I really disliked Froi in Finnikin due to the rape attempt on Isaboe. How do you redeem a character that was once viewed as a monster? I didn't know if it were possible to pull it off or pull it off well, but I was wrong. Froi has come a long way since Finnikin and I think the other character's views on Froi really played a big part in my ability to connect with him. For example, we learn in the beginning that he's made a bond with Isaboe to never take another woman by force. Yet, he goes further and says he never will take a woman because he doesn't trust himself. With each chapter, I saw Froi battling his inner demons. But what's even more interesting is that, for me, Froi's redemption came through Quintana's characterization. Because, for Froi, Quintana is the product of what his actions could have created and at the same time falling in love with this very broken girl. I could go on and on about that dynamic, but I'll suffice to say that the character growth in Froi of the Exiles is phenomenal.

The plotting was nothing short of sheer brilliance. I've said this before, but the only other author that I find comparable to this level of plotting is J.K. Rowling. While I did find the pacing slower than Finnikin, there were so many twists and revelations that kept me on the edge of my seat. We learn more about Froi's past and I'm still blown how it all came together. There is simply no way to predict anything in this novel. And sometimes I feel like with being an avid reader, you get to the point where you start recognizing certain plot trends and twists. So by the time something is being revealed, it doesn't really shock you. But not with Marchetta. Her plot was woven so thick, I had to take it in piece by piece.

By the end of the novel, I felt the same as I did with Finnikin. I felt like I had gone on such an intense emotional journey because so many events had taken place and I needed time to process everything. I loved everything about this book and though, right after finishing I hungered for Quintana of Charyn, I knew I simply couldn't read The Lumatere Chronicles back to back. I'll need to take a mini break before I dive into the conclusion that is sure to turn me into a swirling vortex of emotions. And that, in my humble opinion, is the true mark of a fantastic series.