This is a spoiler free review.
Stolen Songbird
Written by Danielle L. Jensen
Written by Danielle L. Jensen
Genre: Young Adult/Fantasy/Paranormal
Publisher: Strange Chemistry
Release Date: April 1, 2014
Pages: 469
Source: Bought Paperback
Source: Bought Paperback
Places to Get this Book: Amazon Barnes and Noble Book Depository
Recommended Age: 13 and up!
Summary:
For five centuries, a witch’s curse has bound the trolls to their city beneath the mountain. When Cécile de Troyes is kidnapped and taken beneath the mountain, she realises that the trolls are relying on her to break the curse.
The more time she spends with the trolls, the more she understands their plight. There is a rebellion brewing and she might be the one the trolls have been looking for.
(Summary from Goodreads)
Review:
Stolen Songbird is a book that many people don't know about so I had no expectations heading into this book. This book is basically a combination of Beauty and the Beast and Fairest and though there are many similarities to those stories, this is a story that can completely stand on its' own.
For five centuries, a witch’s curse has bound the trolls to their city beneath the mountain. When Cécile de Troyes is kidnapped and taken beneath the mountain, she realises that the trolls are relying on her to break the curse.
The more time she spends with the trolls, the more she understands their plight. There is a rebellion brewing and she might be the one the trolls have been looking for.
(Summary from Goodreads)
Review:
Stolen Songbird is a book that many people don't know about so I had no expectations heading into this book. This book is basically a combination of Beauty and the Beast and Fairest and though there are many similarities to those stories, this is a story that can completely stand on its' own.
COVER
The cover doesn't give much away about the book. I really like how the dress the model is wearing on the cover seems to fit with the time period.
The cover doesn't give much away about the book. I really like how the dress the model is wearing on the cover seems to fit with the time period.
WORLD-BUILDING
The world-building in Stolen Songbird is fantastic. Danielle L. Jensen weaves the information throughout the book so we don't get an info dump. The trolls in this novel are not the ugly and stupid creatures that we know from myth. These trolls are powerful, strong, clever and ruthless and they have magical abilities, can't lie, are resistant to iron and can be controlled by their 'true names'. These trolls reminded me a lot of fae in young adult books and you can see their similarities throughout the book.
Then there are the characters.
CECILE
Cecile de Troyes is an aspiring opera singer, who is also a fabulous heroine. She managed to be very relatable and humorous. She was a heroine who was thrown into a world that she had no idea about and she had to navigate it and figure everything out alongside the reader. She was trying to prove her usefulness so she isn't seen as expendable and simultaneously making decisions that would both benefit herself and help those in Tollus who she'd come to care for. Cecile was an overall relatable heroine who was likable from the first chapter.
TRISTAN
Tristan is the Prince of Trollus who comes off as untrusting, rude and deceptive. However, after we get to know him, he shows how smart, brave, charismatic, protective and selfless he is. He's a very flawed individual who is roped into a unwanted marriage with a human whom he's never met before. I really enjoyed getting to see how much he changes as he opens himself up to Cecile.
The world-building in Stolen Songbird is fantastic. Danielle L. Jensen weaves the information throughout the book so we don't get an info dump. The trolls in this novel are not the ugly and stupid creatures that we know from myth. These trolls are powerful, strong, clever and ruthless and they have magical abilities, can't lie, are resistant to iron and can be controlled by their 'true names'. These trolls reminded me a lot of fae in young adult books and you can see their similarities throughout the book.
Then there are the characters.
CECILE
Cecile de Troyes is an aspiring opera singer, who is also a fabulous heroine. She managed to be very relatable and humorous. She was a heroine who was thrown into a world that she had no idea about and she had to navigate it and figure everything out alongside the reader. She was trying to prove her usefulness so she isn't seen as expendable and simultaneously making decisions that would both benefit herself and help those in Tollus who she'd come to care for. Cecile was an overall relatable heroine who was likable from the first chapter.
TRISTAN
Tristan is the Prince of Trollus who comes off as untrusting, rude and deceptive. However, after we get to know him, he shows how smart, brave, charismatic, protective and selfless he is. He's a very flawed individual who is roped into a unwanted marriage with a human whom he's never met before. I really enjoyed getting to see how much he changes as he opens himself up to Cecile.
FRIENDSHIP/FAMILY
Cecile is taken from her family quite early in the book so we don't see much of her relationships with them. However, we do get to see how she is able to make friends in Trollus. Cecile is a very kind person who easily makes friends with some of the trolls she meets and lives around. I liked her relationship with them a lot because it showcases her kindness and selflessness.
We also get to see how Tristan interacts with his own family. Tristan has complicated relationships with his father and his brother which we get to see a lot of. His family doesn't seem to think he can be a suitable king and are unsure about him leading Trollus.
Cecile is taken from her family quite early in the book so we don't see much of her relationships with them. However, we do get to see how she is able to make friends in Trollus. Cecile is a very kind person who easily makes friends with some of the trolls she meets and lives around. I liked her relationship with them a lot because it showcases her kindness and selflessness.
We also get to see how Tristan interacts with his own family. Tristan has complicated relationships with his father and his brother which we get to see a lot of. His family doesn't seem to think he can be a suitable king and are unsure about him leading Trollus.
PLOT
Stolen Songbird is about a young woman named Cecile who is an aspiring opera singer until she is kidnapped by a former friend and taken beneath the mountain to be sold to the trolls in exchange for gold. She is then forced to bond with/marry Prince Tristan to fulfill a prophecy to break a centuries-old curse cast upon the trolls which has prevented them from ever returning to the human realm. While there, Cecile gets caught up in a revolution brewing between the trolls in servitude and the aristocracy. She also must learn to adapt to this world and prove her usefulness because as long as she is living without the curse being broken, the more she becomes expendable in the eyes of the trolls. The plot was very unique and I loved every bit of it.
Stolen Songbird is about a young woman named Cecile who is an aspiring opera singer until she is kidnapped by a former friend and taken beneath the mountain to be sold to the trolls in exchange for gold. She is then forced to bond with/marry Prince Tristan to fulfill a prophecy to break a centuries-old curse cast upon the trolls which has prevented them from ever returning to the human realm. While there, Cecile gets caught up in a revolution brewing between the trolls in servitude and the aristocracy. She also must learn to adapt to this world and prove her usefulness because as long as she is living without the curse being broken, the more she becomes expendable in the eyes of the trolls. The plot was very unique and I loved every bit of it.
ROMANCE
I really liked the romance and how it was developed. As many of you know, enemies-to-lovers is one of my favorite tropes in books and this one fits into that category. I really liked how they started out not liking each other at all and they gradually began to trust each other and become friends before they began to like each other. Their relationship is also one of sacrifice as they are devoted to a cause that is higher than their own and they know that if you love someone sometimes you have to let them go. I liked how much their relationship grew over the course of the book and I'm sure it will continue to change over the course of the trilogy.
WRITING
Danielle L. Jensen's writing made me get immediately sucked into the story and she really managed to bring the world and characters to life.
I really liked the romance and how it was developed. As many of you know, enemies-to-lovers is one of my favorite tropes in books and this one fits into that category. I really liked how they started out not liking each other at all and they gradually began to trust each other and become friends before they began to like each other. Their relationship is also one of sacrifice as they are devoted to a cause that is higher than their own and they know that if you love someone sometimes you have to let them go. I liked how much their relationship grew over the course of the book and I'm sure it will continue to change over the course of the trilogy.
WRITING
Danielle L. Jensen's writing made me get immediately sucked into the story and she really managed to bring the world and characters to life.
FINAL THOUGHTS
Stolen Songbird is a fast-paced and unputdownable book that leaves you wanting more. It's full of magic, complex characters, romance and politics. I am shocked that it took me this long to start this series and I recommend it to all young adult fantasy lovers.
Quotes from the Book:
Stolen Songbird is a fast-paced and unputdownable book that leaves you wanting more. It's full of magic, complex characters, romance and politics. I am shocked that it took me this long to start this series and I recommend it to all young adult fantasy lovers.
Quotes from the Book:
“I think it is our nature to believe evil always has an ugly face,” he said, ignoring my question. “Beauty is supposed to be good and kind, and to discover it otherwise is like a betrayal of trust. A violation of the nature of things.”
“I cannot stop the world from moving. All I can do is be prepared for when it does.”
“To be bound is a burden, but it is the actions we freely take that cause us the most pain.”
“I cannot stop the world from moving. All I can do is be prepared for when it does.”
“To be bound is a burden, but it is the actions we freely take that cause us the most pain.”
My Rating: 4 out of 5 Crowns
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