REVIEW: 'Green Rider' by Kristen Britain
I picked this book up from a charity bookshop in the middle of my local high-street after a meeting. I did not have any expectation for what I would find, except that I wanted the kind of fantasy novel that left you dreaming about and deeply emotionally concerned for the characters, like how I used to do nothing but read for days on end as a child.
I came across the book 'Green Rider' by Kristen Britain and it was the concept outlined on the blurb more than the promise of the skill of the writing that drew me to take the novel to the counter. It was the classic tale of an underdog rising above those who meant evil to the land, the protagonist a feisty female who had been unfairly punished for proving herself to be more skilled than a male counterpart with the right connections.
The novel, much to my innate relief and great happiness, is the first in a series and as such it is somewhat predictable which characters are likely to survive their forays into the wilderness and which are not. This is forgivable however, due to the speed in which the I - as reader of Britain's world - fell in love with those whom the narrative followed.
Without giving any spoilers to the path the narrative takes, the way this book differs from others of it's genre. The protagonist is not an orphan and/or has not been estranged from their parents which, although an empowering and important voice to hear when done well, can sometimes function in teen fiction as a lazy technique of character or story line removal. Britain successfully portrays the character of Karigan - her protagonist - balancing her father's duty and authority to her as his child, and her own unique superiority in the skills she has come to learn.
The text resonated with me through the complexity of this relationship as well as others Britain does not shy away from exploring. The book, though definitely a teen-fiction in style, accessibility and use of language, proves itself a valuable read for more mature readers too. I was happy to learn this was one of a series and I hope that these important relationships continue to be explored in upcoming titles.
Paperback // Audio book
I came across the book 'Green Rider' by Kristen Britain and it was the concept outlined on the blurb more than the promise of the skill of the writing that drew me to take the novel to the counter. It was the classic tale of an underdog rising above those who meant evil to the land, the protagonist a feisty female who had been unfairly punished for proving herself to be more skilled than a male counterpart with the right connections.The novel, much to my innate relief and great happiness, is the first in a series and as such it is somewhat predictable which characters are likely to survive their forays into the wilderness and which are not. This is forgivable however, due to the speed in which the I - as reader of Britain's world - fell in love with those whom the narrative followed.
Without giving any spoilers to the path the narrative takes, the way this book differs from others of it's genre. The protagonist is not an orphan and/or has not been estranged from their parents which, although an empowering and important voice to hear when done well, can sometimes function in teen fiction as a lazy technique of character or story line removal. Britain successfully portrays the character of Karigan - her protagonist - balancing her father's duty and authority to her as his child, and her own unique superiority in the skills she has come to learn.
The text resonated with me through the complexity of this relationship as well as others Britain does not shy away from exploring. The book, though definitely a teen-fiction in style, accessibility and use of language, proves itself a valuable read for more mature readers too. I was happy to learn this was one of a series and I hope that these important relationships continue to be explored in upcoming titles.
Paperback // Audio book
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