T_T such a beautiful story. Sometimes I wonder why men like to read the likes of Game of Thrones with boring dragging characters and moronic ways men like to write about female characters when there's story like this. 
 You wouldn't mistake this book as a chic lit since although it was written by a woman, its really a story about war, politics and sufferings. I actually blinked when the story was listed as Young Adult when... umm.. the way I read this, it is truly an adult fantasy novel. Finnikin should have been around 20-something. Honestly, why you want to call this book young adult? 
 The book started with a narration by Finnikin on the day he received an omen of something bad is going to happen to the Kingdom Lumatere and then made a blood promise to his friends, Prince Balthazar and cousin, Lucian. Suddenly, the entire royal family slaughtered, an imposter claim the throne and captured Finnikin's father and a woman cursed the entire kingdom with a spell that isolates itself from the world and the ones that escaped became exiles in the sorta nordic land. Ten years later, Finnikin and Sir Topher met with a young novice, Evanjalin who prophecies that the royal heir, Prince Balthasar was alive. And from then on, they set on a journey to bring back their people together, rescue a lost father, kidnap horses, chasing thieves and secure the throne. 
 As soon as I started reading, I really couldn't stop. It was that addicting! 
 How on earth I NEVER see this in my entire life and the book was published in 1998... grrrrr 
 And I'm so glad I give up my current "Eternal" read for this book because yes, there's princess in this but its less obnoxious than the former book. 
 The premise actually sounded like Nora Roberts random fantasy anthology that she does that honestly, it was the only thing I actually like reading from her (her full novels are truly overrated) and then like quarter through this... what the hell... is this Hayao Miyazaki movie or what? I get the vibes of Diana Wynne Jones or Cinda Williams Chima or Charlotte Boyette Compo or Megan Whalen Turner and then..... 
 I was a total monster with my nieces and nephew who came to me screaming for attention... 
 and this book is really thick... near 400 pages doh..... oh gosh, this is like GOLD!! I can't even finish my 200 something mystery without putting it down to breathe and this thing pulled you until you don't even notice the page count. 
 I don't know about you, the pages literally smoulders. I like how the character changed from Finnikin to Evanjalin to Trevanion to Froi and gosh... the strength of the characters... the vulnerabilities... the stark truth about war and revenge... 
 I know someone from Australia right... hmmm...