What do you think?
Rate this book
The Books of Bayern #4
Forest Born
Rin, Razo's little sister, is haunted by the forest she has always loved. When Razo invites her back to the city to be one of Queen Ani's waiting women, she happily accepts ...only to end up on the adventure of her lifetime, following the queen, Enna and Dasha into the countryside in search of a fire-starting enemy that no one can see. As she learns more about the three women's magical talents, she finds her own strength comes from places both expected - the forest - and unexpected - the sound of her own voice. A brilliant addition to the Books of Bayern, this book is a treat for fans of this series, and stands alone for readers who might be discovering the joys of Shannon Hale's writing for the first time.
389 pages, Paperback
First published September 15, 2009
251 people are currently reading
12984 people want to read
About the author
Shannon Hale
145 books14.1k followersShannon Hale is the New York Times best-selling author of six young adult novels: the Newbery Honor book Princess Academy, multiple award winner Book of a Thousand Days, and the highly acclaimed Books of Bayern series. She has written three books for adults, including the upcoming Midnight in Austenland (Jan. 2012), companion book to Austenland. She co-wrote the hit graphic novel Rapunzel's Revenge and its sequel Calamity Jack with husband Dean Hale. They live near Salt Lake City, Utah with their four small children, and their pet, a small, plastic pig.
Ratings & Reviews
Friends & Following
Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!
Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 30 of 2,479 reviews
January 7, 2018
I’m so sad this series is over!!!! It’s been a long time since I’ve binged a series, but I loved every second.
July 15, 2009
Having grown up in a large family I could instantly identify with Rin. She is the youngest agget-kin and just does not know where she fits. So she imitates. How many of us do this? We try to figure out what our parents, brothers, sisters, friends want us to be and we try to imitate that. Rin was grown up for her age of 15. She was introspective and aware that she is not the only one that matters. Very unlike normal teenagers. I enjoyed this book the most out of the bayern series. I feel like I have watched the characters grow up and change. Isi has become a mother and a queen, Enna has learned to love herself and others, Razo has come to understand that even normal people hold great power, and finally Rin learned that it is the person who makes gifts what they are, not the gift itself.
Shannon Hale writes fairy tales for the teenage girl. And frequently her message is that we can do hard things. That is something lost in our culture. I also believe that there are people who have people-speaking. I have met them, and they will destroy those that are closest to them. Yet, the ones they hurt keep coming back. I wish when I was a teenager I could have spotted these people better and then I could have avoided them. A very worthwhile read! Move over Cinderella and Snow White. There are new girls in town and they can actually kick butt.
Shannon Hale writes fairy tales for the teenage girl. And frequently her message is that we can do hard things. That is something lost in our culture. I also believe that there are people who have people-speaking. I have met them, and they will destroy those that are closest to them. Yet, the ones they hurt keep coming back. I wish when I was a teenager I could have spotted these people better and then I could have avoided them. A very worthwhile read! Move over Cinderella and Snow White. There are new girls in town and they can actually kick butt.
May 25, 2023
4.5 ⭐
what a sweet story!!! full rtc <3
⋆˚✿˖°
Anti-Hero by Taylor Swift
01:43 ━━━━●───── 03:50
wowowow this book is not for the faint of heart. Rin's story was tragic, soul-stirring, complicated, and so deep, I felt it on a personal level. I think the reason it took me a good bit of time to read this was because it had to be digested slowly. ❤️🩹❤️🩹❤️🩹
The series ended on a serious note, but in a good way. Ahhhh I didn't want it to end. 😭😭😭 It was absolutely fantastic; I enjoyed every second of it!!! I can't wait to read Shannon Hale's other books. Ik they're going to be awesome. 😄🤍
Also, I need a Finn in my life omg he's the cutest and just my fav ever 🥹🥹🥹
okay that's it lol.
mwah! 👋🏻🥰
what a sweet story!!! full rtc <3
⋆˚✿˖°
Anti-Hero by Taylor Swift
01:43 ━━━━●───── 03:50
wowowow this book is not for the faint of heart. Rin's story was tragic, soul-stirring, complicated, and so deep, I felt it on a personal level. I think the reason it took me a good bit of time to read this was because it had to be digested slowly. ❤️🩹❤️🩹❤️🩹
The series ended on a serious note, but in a good way. Ahhhh I didn't want it to end. 😭😭😭 It was absolutely fantastic; I enjoyed every second of it!!! I can't wait to read Shannon Hale's other books. Ik they're going to be awesome. 😄🤍
Also, I need a Finn in my life omg he's the cutest and just my fav ever 🥹🥹🥹
okay that's it lol.
mwah! 👋🏻🥰
August 17, 2011
A disappointing end to the Books of Bayern quartet. Having heard about Razo's little sister Rinna in earlier books, I was looking forward to seeing what she was like as a character. I don't have River Secrets to hand, but in that book Razo describes his sister as "someone annoying that you can't help loving". From that, I assumed that Rin would actually have a personality, but no. She was completely bland. How can you identify with someone who's determined to be nothing and changes her personality to fit in with whoever she's speaking to?
I think the book would have been far more interesting if Hale had focused on Rin's people-speaking and explored what it's like having such power when you want to be a good person. Instead it was all about Rin's tree-speaking, which -- given that trees are inanimate objects -- led to lots of one-sided rumination on Rin's part. (And by rumination I mean wangst.) Her internal struggle that runs through most of the book was desperately boring.
Rin discovering that she could move in slow-motion seemed utterly ridiculous. Why did tree-speaking even have to have a ~power~ in the first place? Just so Hale could write a climactic scene like something out of the Matrix, I suspect. Also, the idea of tree-speaking balancing out people-speaking didn't sit quite right with me.
But I like that Forest Born was about trusting yourself and allowing yourself to blossom and walk in the sunlight and be powerful, especially after so long of hiding in the shadows and pretending to be nothing. That's a good message. It's just a shame it was smothered by a dull and repetitive story.
I have to say, I was as impressed as Razo by the term "fire sisters". I cringed every time I read it. (Not that Razo was much better. "Love the lips, not the ribs"? Seriously?) Speaking of cringing, I'm not fond of reading scenes with young children, like when Tusken is all, "Win! Win!" to get Rin's attention. There were endless descriptions of Rin cuddling/kissing him and the games they played all day long. Considering this is a teen book, it seemed out of place.
And now for the big spoiler: I HATED that it was Selia! Selia was behind everything! Selia started the war, Selia did this, Selia did that. It made everything from the previous books seem cheap. Revealing that there was a big villain behind the scenes all along made it less real. Instead of there being larger forces at work -- the Tiran war, Ledel training his own fire-speakers -- it was all down to Selia. It's such a cop-out. Whatever happened to shades of grey, and everyone having their own motivation? Selia can't be the only evil person in the world. Before this revelation it felt like there was a whole WORLD in these books, with hundreds of stories and threads and plot intertwining -- and now. Now it was all Selia, lol~*~
I think the book would have been far more interesting if Hale had focused on Rin's people-speaking and explored what it's like having such power when you want to be a good person. Instead it was all about Rin's tree-speaking, which -- given that trees are inanimate objects -- led to lots of one-sided rumination on Rin's part. (And by rumination I mean wangst.) Her internal struggle that runs through most of the book was desperately boring.
Rin discovering that she could move in slow-motion seemed utterly ridiculous. Why did tree-speaking even have to have a ~power~ in the first place? Just so Hale could write a climactic scene like something out of the Matrix, I suspect. Also, the idea of tree-speaking balancing out people-speaking didn't sit quite right with me.
But I like that Forest Born was about trusting yourself and allowing yourself to blossom and walk in the sunlight and be powerful, especially after so long of hiding in the shadows and pretending to be nothing. That's a good message. It's just a shame it was smothered by a dull and repetitive story.
I have to say, I was as impressed as Razo by the term "fire sisters". I cringed every time I read it. (Not that Razo was much better. "Love the lips, not the ribs"? Seriously?) Speaking of cringing, I'm not fond of reading scenes with young children, like when Tusken is all, "Win! Win!" to get Rin's attention. There were endless descriptions of Rin cuddling/kissing him and the games they played all day long. Considering this is a teen book, it seemed out of place.
And now for the big spoiler: I HATED that it was Selia! Selia was behind everything! Selia started the war, Selia did this, Selia did that. It made everything from the previous books seem cheap. Revealing that there was a big villain behind the scenes all along made it less real. Instead of there being larger forces at work -- the Tiran war, Ledel training his own fire-speakers -- it was all down to Selia. It's such a cop-out. Whatever happened to shades of grey, and everyone having their own motivation? Selia can't be the only evil person in the world. Before this revelation it felt like there was a whole WORLD in these books, with hundreds of stories and threads and plot intertwining -- and now. Now it was all Selia, lol~*~
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
May 10, 2023
4.5⭐
Wind tears down trees, and new ones sprout again. Fire destroys forests, and they grow back. People chop them down to build their walls, and the trees reclaim the land.
This was stupendous. It's so melancholy to see these characters' story come to an end, bc they have all earned a special place in my heart, even little broken Rin in this span of one novel. <3 This book was sweet and soul-healing and exciting and I feel so contented because all these characters got the happily-ever-afters they deserved and it was beautiful. The natural fantasy touches in this series are impeccable and this book brought together people-speaking and tree-speaking and a wholly unexpected way and I am so here for it!
Shannon Hale is just an amazing writer and I will definitely be looking into more of her works. But right now, I'm just so happy and content with this series, not to mention the amount of quirky fantasy books currently in my life. Sometimes you just need a clean, wholesome, yet not amateurish at all series, and this series is EXACTLY THAT.
I'm the sheen on water .... I'm the looking glass. I'm not real.
Bottom line: I can't wait to make my future kids read these books!
Wind tears down trees, and new ones sprout again. Fire destroys forests, and they grow back. People chop them down to build their walls, and the trees reclaim the land.
This was stupendous. It's so melancholy to see these characters' story come to an end, bc they have all earned a special place in my heart, even little broken Rin in this span of one novel. <3 This book was sweet and soul-healing and exciting and I feel so contented because all these characters got the happily-ever-afters they deserved and it was beautiful. The natural fantasy touches in this series are impeccable and this book brought together people-speaking and tree-speaking and a wholly unexpected way and I am so here for it!
Shannon Hale is just an amazing writer and I will definitely be looking into more of her works. But right now, I'm just so happy and content with this series, not to mention the amount of quirky fantasy books currently in my life. Sometimes you just need a clean, wholesome, yet not amateurish at all series, and this series is EXACTLY THAT.
I'm the sheen on water .... I'm the looking glass. I'm not real.
Bottom line: I can't wait to make my future kids read these books!
April 19, 2020
It was the most twisted plot! I loved it. It had so much excitement! I didn't like that Rin never found love though. 😣
May 15, 2023
Omg what an amazing finish to the series 😍
Frtc! <3
Frtc! <3
January 27, 2010
Belabored. Drawn out. Page after page saying the same plot piece. Characters re-enacting their same "idiosyncrasies" endlessly--every time they open their mouths. One of the characters was so repetitious and persistent, that I skimmed whatever he said toward the end of the book.
There is also a very strong and frightening co-dependency that is only given a passing nod rather than actually being dealt with. Through most of the book, the main character is addressed in a condescending, mocking, or set-apart manner--like she's not a real person. Her brother is the worst culprit, yet she's supposed to love him more than anyone.
The humor in the book tries way too hard. It's like every time Hale wrote a line that could be interpreted in a different way, she turned it into a joke. It gets old. Fast. And the joking manner of the females and how the males love them best when they are angry or murderous--not funny either. (Condescending toward all the women, again.)
The writing is loose and baggy; it reads like an early draft. The great thing about her first novel, Goose Girl, was that she had obviously reworked the story and rewritten it until it was truly finished. Not this one. Slap-dash.
In short, Hale's editor failed her. Her editor should have said, "This is a good idea Shannon. Go rewrite it a few times and then we'll see if it's more fully formed. You have some good moments."
But instead, her editor said, "Great, another book. Let's get it in print and make more money!"
I think I'm done with Hale. Unless someone whose taste I trust recommends something by her, I think I'll just let her go by now. Too many disappointments in a row. Goose Girl is still her best book. BY FAR.
There is also a very strong and frightening co-dependency that is only given a passing nod rather than actually being dealt with. Through most of the book, the main character is addressed in a condescending, mocking, or set-apart manner--like she's not a real person. Her brother is the worst culprit, yet she's supposed to love him more than anyone.
The humor in the book tries way too hard. It's like every time Hale wrote a line that could be interpreted in a different way, she turned it into a joke. It gets old. Fast. And the joking manner of the females and how the males love them best when they are angry or murderous--not funny either. (Condescending toward all the women, again.)
The writing is loose and baggy; it reads like an early draft. The great thing about her first novel, Goose Girl, was that she had obviously reworked the story and rewritten it until it was truly finished. Not this one. Slap-dash.
In short, Hale's editor failed her. Her editor should have said, "This is a good idea Shannon. Go rewrite it a few times and then we'll see if it's more fully formed. You have some good moments."
But instead, her editor said, "Great, another book. Let's get it in print and make more money!"
I think I'm done with Hale. Unless someone whose taste I trust recommends something by her, I think I'll just let her go by now. Too many disappointments in a row. Goose Girl is still her best book. BY FAR.
November 2, 2014
I first read this book years ago, as a galley, and I haven't reread it since. In the interval I've changed my own self-perception a lot, both via the 'normal' self exploration of college and via diagnoses for depression and anxiety - so it was weirdly comforting to come back to this book and remember that, years ago before I realized what was going on in my brain, I read Rin's story as an allegory for depression, and that it still holds true now.
I know there are some people who don't find this book very engaging, either for the passivity of the protagonist or the slowness of its movement, but for me those aspects are really key. All of Hale's leading ladies struggle with internal conflict, but Rin's is one of the most complex simply because she has so little sense of self. She's not like Isi, whose conflicts are mirrored directly by external factors, or like Enna's dramatic troubles. Rin is in the painful position of not knowing much about who she is except the parts she hates, and that draws her inward to a greater degree than any of the other Bayern protagonists. As someone who often feels like there's nothing good to me, that really resonates. Rin's slow path to self-acceptance and forward progress, while resolved a bit more neatly than actual depression, was genuinely comforting to read, and I appreciated that her emotional resolution didn't come through the resolution of the external plot but from intense reflection.
Another factor that I loved about this book - and one of the things that keeps me coming back to this series - is the complete narrative dominance of the heroines. There are several points where they literally send their male love interests away because the women are more capable of handling the problems at hand than the men. This isn't to say that the male characters aren't good at things, but that it's refreshing to read books where ladies take the lead and their beaus serve in support roles, since it's so often the other way around. Not only that, but the friendship between the 'fire sisters' and Rin is one of the central emotional touchstones of the book, and most of the external catalysts for Rin's growth are female characters. Shannon Hale really does do a great job of writing not only diverse, compelling female characters but also of writing friendships and support between them, and that is so important and so rare.
One last thing: The chemistry between Isi and Enna continues to be so strong. You can tell me Enna's in love with Finn as much as you want, but they're just not as potent as Isi and Enna together.
I know there are some people who don't find this book very engaging, either for the passivity of the protagonist or the slowness of its movement, but for me those aspects are really key. All of Hale's leading ladies struggle with internal conflict, but Rin's is one of the most complex simply because she has so little sense of self. She's not like Isi, whose conflicts are mirrored directly by external factors, or like Enna's dramatic troubles. Rin is in the painful position of not knowing much about who she is except the parts she hates, and that draws her inward to a greater degree than any of the other Bayern protagonists. As someone who often feels like there's nothing good to me, that really resonates. Rin's slow path to self-acceptance and forward progress, while resolved a bit more neatly than actual depression, was genuinely comforting to read, and I appreciated that her emotional resolution didn't come through the resolution of the external plot but from intense reflection.
Another factor that I loved about this book - and one of the things that keeps me coming back to this series - is the complete narrative dominance of the heroines. There are several points where they literally send their male love interests away because the women are more capable of handling the problems at hand than the men. This isn't to say that the male characters aren't good at things, but that it's refreshing to read books where ladies take the lead and their beaus serve in support roles, since it's so often the other way around. Not only that, but the friendship between the 'fire sisters' and Rin is one of the central emotional touchstones of the book, and most of the external catalysts for Rin's growth are female characters. Shannon Hale really does do a great job of writing not only diverse, compelling female characters but also of writing friendships and support between them, and that is so important and so rare.
One last thing: The chemistry between Isi and Enna continues to be so strong. You can tell me Enna's in love with Finn as much as you want, but they're just not as potent as Isi and Enna together.
August 28, 2016
I don't know why every single time I pick up one of these books I'm always surprised that it draws me in so quickly. After I turned the last page I decided right there and then that one day I'm going to re-read the whole series again, and cross my fingers that Shannon Hale will get the notion to make one more. Though I should add, that really like with the other books it can stand alone and ends well.
For the fourth book of Bayern we get to explore the life of Razo's little sister, Rin. Rin is the good girl, Ma's favorite child and Razo's best friend. She can do no wrong but Rin knows the truth. Rin can listen to the trees but what really eats her is a secret that she's been hiding for too long. Unbeknownst to her, that secret she harbors will be a key part in saving the great Kingdom of Bayern.
Hale is just perfect at world building. She gets better every time. Every book a building block in the knowledge of this world. I feel like this place actually exists, and that really is creating magic. Rin's story was a bit difficult to read because at one point you just feel just as defeated as her and beat down, but you just know that somehow they all will figure something out. Plenty of Razo, Finn, Geric, Dasha, Enna and Isi to go around in this story, and I appreciated that. You kind of grow up with them and see how they've changed but also keep true to themselves. The plot had great pacing but I won't go into that so you can be good and surprised once you read it.
I feel in a way that I have a kinship to Bayern and will always root for them. I love the pride that Rin, Razo, Enna and Finn have being Forest born, as they should. By the end of the story Forest born Rin learns that being your true self sometimes takes time to find out, but that's ok and just part of the road we all go through.
For the fourth book of Bayern we get to explore the life of Razo's little sister, Rin. Rin is the good girl, Ma's favorite child and Razo's best friend. She can do no wrong but Rin knows the truth. Rin can listen to the trees but what really eats her is a secret that she's been hiding for too long. Unbeknownst to her, that secret she harbors will be a key part in saving the great Kingdom of Bayern.
Hale is just perfect at world building. She gets better every time. Every book a building block in the knowledge of this world. I feel like this place actually exists, and that really is creating magic. Rin's story was a bit difficult to read because at one point you just feel just as defeated as her and beat down, but you just know that somehow they all will figure something out. Plenty of Razo, Finn, Geric, Dasha, Enna and Isi to go around in this story, and I appreciated that. You kind of grow up with them and see how they've changed but also keep true to themselves. The plot had great pacing but I won't go into that so you can be good and surprised once you read it.
I feel in a way that I have a kinship to Bayern and will always root for them. I love the pride that Rin, Razo, Enna and Finn have being Forest born, as they should. By the end of the story Forest born Rin learns that being your true self sometimes takes time to find out, but that's ok and just part of the road we all go through.
March 2, 2020
A bit repetitive at times, but a wonderful end to this series.
September 18, 2009
I had really high hopes for this one. This is one of my favorite series and I was so excited to read Rinna’s story. So, I was surprised that I just didn’t like this one as much as the others. I’ll start by saying that if you read and enjoyed the first three books than you should read this one. Rin is Razo’s little sister and the main character of the story. She has spent her entire life in the forest living in the shadow of her mom. She finally decides to visit the big city and to try and figure out who she is. Rin was always comparing herself to those around her, especially the strong Isi, Enna and Dasha. She has the ability to people-speak, although she doesn’t know what that is until the end of the book. She thinks there is something horribly wrong with her and is constantly down. With the example of her mom and the other three girls she tries to be good and to do the right thing. She learns to have confidence in herself, trust her abilities and learns to stop looking at others and to be her own person. I loved meeting up with Isi, Enna, Dasha and Razo. I also liked the cover.
Below are some of the things I didn’t like about Forest Born, it does contain spoilers so read at your own risk.
First, there is no romance in this story. All the other books had that aspect and I really feel that Hale messed up by leaving that out. Each of the previous books have a fairy-tale feel to them, especially Goose Girl. Although it’s not the main point of the stories, it really adds a lot to each one. Leaving that part out made for less interesting reading. We hear about a neighbor boy Wilem throughout the story, I kept hoping maybe something would happen with him at least, but NOTHING. And come to think of it, there really wasn’t a lot of closure with that storyline either. I would have appreciated an additional chapter where Rinna has to face Wilem.
Second, it felt like the book was mainly recapping the previous stories. Even the “villains” were characters from old books, and so the whole thing felt repetitive and kind of unoriginal. I love Isi, Enna, Dasha, and Razo but they really stole the show from Rinna. It was more their story than hers, and because of their overshadowing I really didn’t feel like I got to know Rinna, or appreciate her growth.
Third, the whole ending was kind of anticlimactic. Maybe because of the missing love element, or because her abilities were so weak, it just felt blah for me. So the overall feel of the book was just kind of boring for me.
Maybe I’m being too harsh, and I do think if you’ve read the other three books you should read this one as well. I just had my expectations too high.
Below are some of the things I didn’t like about Forest Born, it does contain spoilers so read at your own risk.
First, there is no romance in this story. All the other books had that aspect and I really feel that Hale messed up by leaving that out. Each of the previous books have a fairy-tale feel to them, especially Goose Girl. Although it’s not the main point of the stories, it really adds a lot to each one. Leaving that part out made for less interesting reading. We hear about a neighbor boy Wilem throughout the story, I kept hoping maybe something would happen with him at least, but NOTHING. And come to think of it, there really wasn’t a lot of closure with that storyline either. I would have appreciated an additional chapter where Rinna has to face Wilem.
Second, it felt like the book was mainly recapping the previous stories. Even the “villains” were characters from old books, and so the whole thing felt repetitive and kind of unoriginal. I love Isi, Enna, Dasha, and Razo but they really stole the show from Rinna. It was more their story than hers, and because of their overshadowing I really didn’t feel like I got to know Rinna, or appreciate her growth.
Third, the whole ending was kind of anticlimactic. Maybe because of the missing love element, or because her abilities were so weak, it just felt blah for me. So the overall feel of the book was just kind of boring for me.
Maybe I’m being too harsh, and I do think if you’ve read the other three books you should read this one as well. I just had my expectations too high.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
August 31, 2009
I almost feel guilty giving this five stars after reading Shannon's latest blogs on star-ratings, but I can't help myself! This book... oh my goodness. Let me try to put this into words.
Shannon Hale has outdone herself... again. I cannot BELIEVE how much I loved this book! It was different then her other books... so much more internal conflict. I felt like she wrote this book specifically for me; it's taken such a special part in my heart.
The writing was wonderful. Of course. Enough said.
The story was original, intriguing, and the POV made the feeling absolutely relatable, heart-wrenching, and magical. Rin was a wonderful character who I absolutely love. She was a very different voice in the series.
What I love, is even after their books are over, Shannon's supporting characters continue to grow. For example, in this book, you see how Isi has kept growing. Same with Enna, and Razo, and Finn, and Dasha, and even Conrad makes an appearance in this book that I appreciated. :)
So overall, absolutely amazing! I suggest it to any fan of the series, and if you haven't read the Book of Bayern yet, I highly suggest you pick them up next time you're at the library.
Shannon Hale has outdone herself... again. I cannot BELIEVE how much I loved this book! It was different then her other books... so much more internal conflict. I felt like she wrote this book specifically for me; it's taken such a special part in my heart.
The writing was wonderful. Of course. Enough said.
The story was original, intriguing, and the POV made the feeling absolutely relatable, heart-wrenching, and magical. Rin was a wonderful character who I absolutely love. She was a very different voice in the series.
What I love, is even after their books are over, Shannon's supporting characters continue to grow. For example, in this book, you see how Isi has kept growing. Same with Enna, and Razo, and Finn, and Dasha, and even Conrad makes an appearance in this book that I appreciated. :)
So overall, absolutely amazing! I suggest it to any fan of the series, and if you haven't read the Book of Bayern yet, I highly suggest you pick them up next time you're at the library.
May 19, 2023
4.0⭐️
I hate to say it but I didn’t enjoy this book as much as I was hoping I would😢I think Rin’s character was much too bland for me, and the overall theme of the book was way slower than the previous books. And although it was a satisfying end to the other characters’ stories, Rin’s just didn’t excel for me. I still ADORE this series though!! If you’re looking for a wholesome, funny, fantasy/fairytale with characters you will come to love forever then Books of Bayern is a must 💯
Content Review:
Violence:
Very mild violence. A bit of killing, but that’s really it. There’s a few fights, and people burn to death(not detailed at all.)
Sexual Content
A few kisses (not detailed.) Some mildly suggestive comments.
Language:
None.
Age Rating: 11+
I hate to say it but I didn’t enjoy this book as much as I was hoping I would😢I think Rin’s character was much too bland for me, and the overall theme of the book was way slower than the previous books. And although it was a satisfying end to the other characters’ stories, Rin’s just didn’t excel for me. I still ADORE this series though!! If you’re looking for a wholesome, funny, fantasy/fairytale with characters you will come to love forever then Books of Bayern is a must 💯
Content Review:
Violence:
Very mild violence. A bit of killing, but that’s really it. There’s a few fights, and people burn to death(not detailed at all.)
Sexual Content
A few kisses (not detailed.) Some mildly suggestive comments.
Language:
None.
Age Rating: 11+
October 22, 2009
Another Bayern book, which I wasn't really wild about...but then again I didn't love Enna and River right away, so it might grow on me to be a 4 star review. My problem was that Rin was such a non-character, in the beginning. She is quite literally a shadow who eventually takes form. And it's hard to identify with a shadow. I will not spoil the two big twists Shannon Hale has said not to spoil, because that's just mean. I will say that I felt the book had too many cliches, Isi has a baby, baby in jeopardy time, and old enemies always return for the sequel.
Full Review:
"Rin is sure that something is wrong with her…something really bad. Something that is keeping her from feeling at home in the Forest homestead where she’s lived all her life. Something that is keeping her from trusting herself with anyone at all. When her brother Razo returns from the city for a visit, she accompanies him to the palace, hoping that she can find peace away from home. But war has come to Bayern again, and Rin is compelled to join the queen and her closest allies—magical girls Rin thinks of as the Fire Sisters—as they venture into the Forest toward Kel, the land where someone seems to want them all dead. Many beloved Bayern characters reappear in this story, but it is Rin’s own journey of discovering how to balance the good and the bad in herself that drives this compelling adventure."
Shannon Hale has been a very busy writer, since her last Bayern book was released in 2006. She has written two adult books, another adaptation of a fairy tale and a graphic novel. But with Forest Born she finally gives us readers what we have been waiting for, a return to Bayern. In this book we follow Rin, Razo's little sister. Her abilities are far different to any of the "fire sisters" we have seen before, which also leads to a new more free flowing, train of thought writing when we are in Rin's mind. We see all the characters we love and learn what has been happening in their lives. But I had problems with Rin as the focal point of all these intertwined lives. Rin is such a non-character, in the beginning, and she was obviously written as such. She is quite literally a shadow who eventually takes form. But it is hard to befriend a shadow. It is hard to identify with a wraith. It is hard to take a girl into your heart who you aren't sure who she is. But then again she doesn't know who she is either, and therefore your unease with her mirrors her own feelings about herself very well. I found Rin and her powers fascinating, but I think her progress could have been more rapid in parts. It takes awhile to face your demons, but sometimes narratively they should be faced faster.
The journeys contained within the book, both of body and mind lead our characters to Kel. There they do valiant deeds and Rin discovers more about herself than she originally bargained for when she followed Razo to the great city. I will not spoil anything as per the author's request, but I felt that Shannon Hale relied too much on a few cliched conventions in this book then her previous ventures. When I went to WisCon back in May I attended a panel entitled "Kick Ass Moms" wherein the authors discussed the habit of when you have a mother the cliched thing to do is to put that child in danger. Baby jeopardy is a big theme which is overused, and Shannon Hale does use this in Forest Born. She does handle it better than I was expecting, but still, I'm not sure it works as a driving plot force for a teen book. Also she uses the old trick of old enemies always return for the sequel. It felt a bit like that last scene in Bruce Campbell's film, My Name is Bruce, where they have just defeated Guan-Di, and then the sequel set-up is literally two seconds later. While the end result is great, it still felt a little worn.
But in the final analysis I loved seeing where our friends in Bayern have ended up and even if I wasn't wild about Forest Born the first read-through, it got the same rating I gave Enna Burning the first time, and I now love Enna! So Forest Born might grow on me to be a four star review, now that I know Rin more I'd be willing to give it another chance. But it is strongly recommended for all those who love the denizens of Bayern.
Full Review:
"Rin is sure that something is wrong with her…something really bad. Something that is keeping her from feeling at home in the Forest homestead where she’s lived all her life. Something that is keeping her from trusting herself with anyone at all. When her brother Razo returns from the city for a visit, she accompanies him to the palace, hoping that she can find peace away from home. But war has come to Bayern again, and Rin is compelled to join the queen and her closest allies—magical girls Rin thinks of as the Fire Sisters—as they venture into the Forest toward Kel, the land where someone seems to want them all dead. Many beloved Bayern characters reappear in this story, but it is Rin’s own journey of discovering how to balance the good and the bad in herself that drives this compelling adventure."
Shannon Hale has been a very busy writer, since her last Bayern book was released in 2006. She has written two adult books, another adaptation of a fairy tale and a graphic novel. But with Forest Born she finally gives us readers what we have been waiting for, a return to Bayern. In this book we follow Rin, Razo's little sister. Her abilities are far different to any of the "fire sisters" we have seen before, which also leads to a new more free flowing, train of thought writing when we are in Rin's mind. We see all the characters we love and learn what has been happening in their lives. But I had problems with Rin as the focal point of all these intertwined lives. Rin is such a non-character, in the beginning, and she was obviously written as such. She is quite literally a shadow who eventually takes form. But it is hard to befriend a shadow. It is hard to identify with a wraith. It is hard to take a girl into your heart who you aren't sure who she is. But then again she doesn't know who she is either, and therefore your unease with her mirrors her own feelings about herself very well. I found Rin and her powers fascinating, but I think her progress could have been more rapid in parts. It takes awhile to face your demons, but sometimes narratively they should be faced faster.
The journeys contained within the book, both of body and mind lead our characters to Kel. There they do valiant deeds and Rin discovers more about herself than she originally bargained for when she followed Razo to the great city. I will not spoil anything as per the author's request, but I felt that Shannon Hale relied too much on a few cliched conventions in this book then her previous ventures. When I went to WisCon back in May I attended a panel entitled "Kick Ass Moms" wherein the authors discussed the habit of when you have a mother the cliched thing to do is to put that child in danger. Baby jeopardy is a big theme which is overused, and Shannon Hale does use this in Forest Born. She does handle it better than I was expecting, but still, I'm not sure it works as a driving plot force for a teen book. Also she uses the old trick of old enemies always return for the sequel. It felt a bit like that last scene in Bruce Campbell's film, My Name is Bruce, where they have just defeated Guan-Di, and then the sequel set-up is literally two seconds later. While the end result is great, it still felt a little worn.
But in the final analysis I loved seeing where our friends in Bayern have ended up and even if I wasn't wild about Forest Born the first read-through, it got the same rating I gave Enna Burning the first time, and I now love Enna! So Forest Born might grow on me to be a four star review, now that I know Rin more I'd be willing to give it another chance. But it is strongly recommended for all those who love the denizens of Bayern.
May 11, 2023
*****NOTE: THERE ARE SPOILERS IN THIS REVIEW*****
So good! A perfect ending to a wonderful series. Throughout the entire series Shannon Hale creates such a unique world and uses descriptions that make me really believe that if I just listen hard enough I will catch a glimmer of speech from the wind, sense the heat swirling in the air from the fire, find direction from the trees, and maybe I could convince my brother to give me the last slice of cake with people-speaking.
Rin was my second favorite character to Razo and she was so sweet! She actually acts and thinks a lot like me and I relate to her a lot. I was so glad when she was able to accept what she had done and stopped torturing herself about her gift of people-speaking.
I loved this series and really hope that more people will appreciate and read Shannon Hale’s magical books!
So good! A perfect ending to a wonderful series. Throughout the entire series Shannon Hale creates such a unique world and uses descriptions that make me really believe that if I just listen hard enough I will catch a glimmer of speech from the wind, sense the heat swirling in the air from the fire, find direction from the trees, and maybe I could convince my brother to give me the last slice of cake with people-speaking.
Rin was my second favorite character to Razo and she was so sweet! She actually acts and thinks a lot like me and I relate to her a lot. I was so glad when she was able to accept what she had done and stopped torturing herself about her gift of people-speaking.
I loved this series and really hope that more people will appreciate and read Shannon Hale’s magical books!
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
October 29, 2009
New gifts are discovered in this fourth Bayern book, as Rin (Razo's sister) takes the center stage. Things come full circle from Goose Girl, with Isi, Enna, Dasha and Rin fighting an old enemy.
Read
January 20, 2022who the FRICK names their kid TUSKEN
of ALL THINGS
i think i had other thoughts i wished to include in this review but that is the only one i recall at present.
of ALL THINGS
i think i had other thoughts i wished to include in this review but that is the only one i recall at present.
January 14, 2018
I’m sad to say that this was the last of Shannon Hales “Books of Bayern” series. However, I really enjoyed it.
Razo and Rin are and will always be two of my most favorite characters. Razo is hilarious. The two share a strong brother-sister bond which is really cool.
You did a GREAT job, Shannon Hale. I will always be a fan!
(Oh and Enna and Finn finally get married)
[Edit: 1/14/18]
I just finished reading this book a second time through!!! I loved this book so much! I’m proud to own a copy now. :) Rin and Razo will forever be my favorite characters!!
Razo and Rin are and will always be two of my most favorite characters. Razo is hilarious. The two share a strong brother-sister bond which is really cool.
You did a GREAT job, Shannon Hale. I will always be a fan!
(Oh and Enna and Finn finally get married)
[Edit: 1/14/18]
I just finished reading this book a second time through!!! I loved this book so much! I’m proud to own a copy now. :) Rin and Razo will forever be my favorite characters!!
April 14, 2020
I don't remember this one as well as the first three, mostly because it came out in 2009, when I was a high school sophomore, so although I definitely did read it at least once, I reread the first three multiple times in middle school.
Shame, because I really like this one. Rinna is easily the most relatable of the four heroines (Isi, Enna, Dasha, and Rin) and the plot is pretty high-stakes.
Shame, because I really like this one. Rinna is easily the most relatable of the four heroines (Isi, Enna, Dasha, and Rin) and the plot is pretty high-stakes.
February 2, 2024
Someone put me out of my misery. Why did I pick this book up? Oh yeah because it's the last book in the series (thank god) to wrap things up and supposed to be better then the last one (spoiler: it isn't). Also RIP the profession of editor since this book was not edited (and if it was I hope money was not exchanged for it). Way over usage of similes that didn't fit or make sense. This is listed as young adult but really it's a children's book. Putting children in adult situations and still having them act so young makes for a very bad and annoying story. I am starting to wonder if this book is written by the same author as book 1 of the series the writing is so different and poor.
The main focus in this book is Rinna or Rin, the younger sister of Razzo from the last book (she is only mentioned briefly in the last books so why she gets her own book is beyond me). She's about 16 or so but acts and thinks and has the behavior of an eight to ten year old. This does not fit with the world she lives in where you are an adult by the time your 12 (and when you are in fact an adult you disappear because there are really no adults to be found in this world). She has no personality besides the fact that she hates herself and so spends all of her time silent following her mother around or imitating everyone else to be a copy of them. She is a self-loathing, whining doormat with no character growth and we spend over half the book in her head as she berates herself. She wines constantly, the book is so repetitive in this way, ever chapter we get the same thoughts over and over and over again about her whining about how she hates herself and is a bad girl and wants to be someone else and wants the trees to love her....seriously you could cut out 1/2 of the book that has the same parts repeated.
All the characters are the same, shallow and bland so it's hard to picture her apart from the others. (Again there are no adults in this world except for maybe 2 or 3 that are seen briefly in passing. Everyone, and I mean everyone, even the so called adults act like they are 10 and no one has a serious job or if they do they never do it and no one has any self-preservation sense or skills. If they were in the real world in the medieval time period they would be dead several times over before they could reach the age they are supposed to be in this book.
The rules of magic (such as there are from previous books) gets forgotten or thrown out the window in this book and it's confusing and contradictory to what we already know. This makes the villain and the latter half of the book over-emphasized to the point of a ridiculous caricature of the evil mustache-twirling villain who is stopped by the stupidest thing because their plan is so overdone it might as well not exist. And the villain...really...you are going to blame multiple people's thirst for power and evilness on one person to wrap things up. War and all the bad things going on is all caused by 1 person by themselves and no one else is to blame? Last, the villain is kind of a cheat or cop-out that didn't fit at all.
Rin's "powers" are stupid and again why mess up your whole magical system you spent 2 1/2 books building. (I think the author was just rushing to the end of the series or just wanted the money and didn't care about quality to throw her established structure of the magic and world out the window).
Bad writing, bad editing, a slow plodding storyline (no real action till the very end and only for a page or two) no character growth, characters who act nothing like their age, repetitive chapters/dialogue galore, inconsistent magical rules from pervious books, and a rushed ending.
The main focus in this book is Rinna or Rin, the younger sister of Razzo from the last book (she is only mentioned briefly in the last books so why she gets her own book is beyond me). She's about 16 or so but acts and thinks and has the behavior of an eight to ten year old. This does not fit with the world she lives in where you are an adult by the time your 12 (and when you are in fact an adult you disappear because there are really no adults to be found in this world). She has no personality besides the fact that she hates herself and so spends all of her time silent following her mother around or imitating everyone else to be a copy of them. She is a self-loathing, whining doormat with no character growth and we spend over half the book in her head as she berates herself. She wines constantly, the book is so repetitive in this way, ever chapter we get the same thoughts over and over and over again about her whining about how she hates herself and is a bad girl and wants to be someone else and wants the trees to love her....seriously you could cut out 1/2 of the book that has the same parts repeated.
All the characters are the same, shallow and bland so it's hard to picture her apart from the others. (Again there are no adults in this world except for maybe 2 or 3 that are seen briefly in passing. Everyone, and I mean everyone, even the so called adults act like they are 10 and no one has a serious job or if they do they never do it and no one has any self-preservation sense or skills. If they were in the real world in the medieval time period they would be dead several times over before they could reach the age they are supposed to be in this book.
The rules of magic (such as there are from previous books) gets forgotten or thrown out the window in this book and it's confusing and contradictory to what we already know. This makes the villain and the latter half of the book over-emphasized to the point of a ridiculous caricature of the evil mustache-twirling villain who is stopped by the stupidest thing because their plan is so overdone it might as well not exist. And the villain...really...you are going to blame multiple people's thirst for power and evilness on one person to wrap things up. War and all the bad things going on is all caused by 1 person by themselves and no one else is to blame? Last, the villain is kind of a cheat or cop-out that didn't fit at all.
Rin's "powers" are stupid and again why mess up your whole magical system you spent 2 1/2 books building. (I think the author was just rushing to the end of the series or just wanted the money and didn't care about quality to throw her established structure of the magic and world out the window).
Bad writing, bad editing, a slow plodding storyline (no real action till the very end and only for a page or two) no character growth, characters who act nothing like their age, repetitive chapters/dialogue galore, inconsistent magical rules from pervious books, and a rushed ending.
August 2, 2025
Wow. I loved this book. I resonate a lot with Rin. A tad slow at first, but whattt a plot twist. The perfect end to a magical series!
November 11, 2021
That ending almost made me sob
I will say, this one is probably my least favourite. It was a lot slower than the others, and I think tree speaking had a lot to do with it, what with it being all about listening and understanding your thoughts and slow movements. The book felt so long and started to drag after what happened in Daire. And the tree-speaking parts especially made me skim some sections.
I honestly didn’t remember most of this book, so that definitely kept me engaged. And while Rinna is an interesting character, and I connected in some ways with her, there was also something off. She didn’t leave as memorable an impression as the others.
I did like the plot overall, it kept me on my toes and made me angry in all the good ways, and I loved Rinna and Tusken’s relationship. I also loved seeing more of Razo though I feel like he talked a whole lot more than in River Secrets. It was also nice to see the other girls. Also Geric finding Isi hot when she’s angry or powerful is just incredible, 10/10, great husband behaviour.
Also, I’m going with my head canon that Rinna is ace because I too would like to hide in a tree if I saw Finn and Enna staring into each other’s eyes lol
I will say, this one is probably my least favourite. It was a lot slower than the others, and I think tree speaking had a lot to do with it, what with it being all about listening and understanding your thoughts and slow movements. The book felt so long and started to drag after what happened in Daire. And the tree-speaking parts especially made me skim some sections.
I honestly didn’t remember most of this book, so that definitely kept me engaged. And while Rinna is an interesting character, and I connected in some ways with her, there was also something off. She didn’t leave as memorable an impression as the others.
I did like the plot overall, it kept me on my toes and made me angry in all the good ways, and I loved Rinna and Tusken’s relationship. I also loved seeing more of Razo though I feel like he talked a whole lot more than in River Secrets. It was also nice to see the other girls. Also Geric finding Isi hot when she’s angry or powerful is just incredible, 10/10, great husband behaviour.
Also, I’m going with my head canon that Rinna is ace because I too would like to hide in a tree if I saw Finn and Enna staring into each other’s eyes lol
May 11, 2019
I loved this book it had the perfect ending and it was the best book of the whole series. I loved the characters even more especially Rin I liked that this time there was no main romance only the ones that had already been established before and the fact it focused on Rin's relationship with her mother and the struggles that came with her power. I loved the plot of this final book everything was finally resolved many horrible things happened like a kidnapping imprisonment and an evil tyrant that had the power to control people. I liked that much of the story focused on Rin's struggles with who she is and what having her power means there was also a lot of good and quite funny parts of this amazing book. So overall I loved this book I wish there were more books to be read about this world that the book is set in.
May 27, 2018
Another book in the Bayern series, this one was a whole lot of fun to read! I really felt connected to Rin, I could have almost been reading from my own perspective! I too am quiet, unassuming among people I don't know, and terrified of the unknown. I think following up from River Secrets immediately kept me grounded in this series too, because I'm still in love with Dasha and Razo as a couple!
A great YA fantasy, I'm sorry it's over. Five stars!
A great YA fantasy, I'm sorry it's over. Five stars!
August 18, 2011
3.5 for now. I loved sections, but other parts seemed repetitive.
This fourth installment in The Books of Bayern, started by Hale's splendid retelling of classic fairytale The Goose Girl, focuses on Rinna, Razo's little sister. Rinna-girl is very close to her Ma and Razo, her favorite brother. But there is something wrong with Rinna, something so dark and venomous that she never talks about it, fearing that to explain her brokenness, her wrongness, will strip her of the love she is so desperate to deserve. She also has a strange connection to trees. Things only get worse and worse for Rinna. She stays in the shadows, always silent and hidden, mirroring other people, afraid to speak and let the poison out. She fears herself and thus tries to never even be herself, rather taking on the personalities and mannerisms of others. She most often patterns herself as her mother, but she mimics others as well. She also can tell when a person is lying or telling the truth, can see their desires and their weaknesses.
Rinna is angry and hurt, confused and terrified. She is lost and floundering desperately for help, but scared to even ask for it. So when Razo and Dasha come for a visit, despite Rinna's hostility toward Dasha, whom she sees as competition for her brother's attention and affection, she accompanies them back to the palace. She knows something is wrong and until she can fix it, she cannot stay at home. Even though it pains her Ma to let her go and Rinna is hurt by having to go, she promises she will be back as soon as she can.
At the palace, Rinna becomes a lady-in-waiting, then the nursemary for Tusken, Queen Isi and King Geric's son. Before long, Rinna realizes that Tusken is in danger and then Geric is injured by fire-speakers, and then things start moving. Isi, Enna, and Dasha set off to meet up with Geric and determine a course of action. The fire sisters, as Rinna has come to think of the trio of gifted girls, set out to find out who is setting fires and put an end to them, and Rinna tags along, feeling that she needs to do so. Along the way, she finally understands what it is that the fire sisters can do and Isi explains what she knows of the nature, animal and people-speaking gifts. Rinna explains that she might have tree-speaking. And Enna and the others talk of how cursed people-speakers are, how evil and vile, how that gift always corrupts the bearer. By this point, mostly everyone will have realized what Rinna is. (I picked up on it before they left the castle.) And the rest of the story, for Rinna, is coming to terms with who she is and finding a way to be herself and still be the good, wholesome person she desires to be, even with this power that so easily can be twisted to evil purposes.
Plot-wise, the person who is behind all these events, in fact who has been behind all the major events in the series practically in one form or another, is none other than Selia, one time lady-in-waiting to Isi and a people-speaker. It is Isi and Rinna who defeat her, with Enna and Dasha's assistance in subduing her followers.
In the end, Rinna has found a way to balance her gifts and herself, learning that people-speaking is much more than simply controlling others, and is at its root a healing gift and one that allows her to give others the assurance of truth. Honestly, seeing how she grows in her gift and seeing who she becomes would be quite interesting. And she goes home to her family, to the Forest and to her Ma. She knows she may well travel still, but for now she has to learn how to simply be Rinna-girl.
I loved Isi, Dasha and Enna in this book, especially Enna and Dasha. Those two could go off on their own adventures and keep me amused. Rinna, since she was so cautious with her power, was quite passive, so it was difficult in many ways to know what her personality is really like. The boys were a bit bland this time around, very dominated by our female players, from Selia to the fire sisters and Rinna. Razo gets the most page-time, but even he could have done a bit more. I honestly thought that all these people around Rinna should have been able to recognize her disquiet and do more to help her.
So, it is staying at three stars because while I enjoyed it, the story was slow for me and while I really liked a lot of the characters, Rinna did not stand out for me. Enjoyable, but not a book I will reread terribly often.
This fourth installment in The Books of Bayern, started by Hale's splendid retelling of classic fairytale The Goose Girl, focuses on Rinna, Razo's little sister. Rinna-girl is very close to her Ma and Razo, her favorite brother. But there is something wrong with Rinna, something so dark and venomous that she never talks about it, fearing that to explain her brokenness, her wrongness, will strip her of the love she is so desperate to deserve. She also has a strange connection to trees. Things only get worse and worse for Rinna. She stays in the shadows, always silent and hidden, mirroring other people, afraid to speak and let the poison out. She fears herself and thus tries to never even be herself, rather taking on the personalities and mannerisms of others. She most often patterns herself as her mother, but she mimics others as well. She also can tell when a person is lying or telling the truth, can see their desires and their weaknesses.
Rinna is angry and hurt, confused and terrified. She is lost and floundering desperately for help, but scared to even ask for it. So when Razo and Dasha come for a visit, despite Rinna's hostility toward Dasha, whom she sees as competition for her brother's attention and affection, she accompanies them back to the palace. She knows something is wrong and until she can fix it, she cannot stay at home. Even though it pains her Ma to let her go and Rinna is hurt by having to go, she promises she will be back as soon as she can.
At the palace, Rinna becomes a lady-in-waiting, then the nursemary for Tusken, Queen Isi and King Geric's son. Before long, Rinna realizes that Tusken is in danger and then Geric is injured by fire-speakers, and then things start moving. Isi, Enna, and Dasha set off to meet up with Geric and determine a course of action. The fire sisters, as Rinna has come to think of the trio of gifted girls, set out to find out who is setting fires and put an end to them, and Rinna tags along, feeling that she needs to do so. Along the way, she finally understands what it is that the fire sisters can do and Isi explains what she knows of the nature, animal and people-speaking gifts. Rinna explains that she might have tree-speaking. And Enna and the others talk of how cursed people-speakers are, how evil and vile, how that gift always corrupts the bearer. By this point, mostly everyone will have realized what Rinna is. (I picked up on it before they left the castle.) And the rest of the story, for Rinna, is coming to terms with who she is and finding a way to be herself and still be the good, wholesome person she desires to be, even with this power that so easily can be twisted to evil purposes.
Plot-wise, the person who is behind all these events, in fact who has been behind all the major events in the series practically in one form or another, is none other than Selia, one time lady-in-waiting to Isi and a people-speaker. It is Isi and Rinna who defeat her, with Enna and Dasha's assistance in subduing her followers.
In the end, Rinna has found a way to balance her gifts and herself, learning that people-speaking is much more than simply controlling others, and is at its root a healing gift and one that allows her to give others the assurance of truth. Honestly, seeing how she grows in her gift and seeing who she becomes would be quite interesting. And she goes home to her family, to the Forest and to her Ma. She knows she may well travel still, but for now she has to learn how to simply be Rinna-girl.
I loved Isi, Dasha and Enna in this book, especially Enna and Dasha. Those two could go off on their own adventures and keep me amused. Rinna, since she was so cautious with her power, was quite passive, so it was difficult in many ways to know what her personality is really like. The boys were a bit bland this time around, very dominated by our female players, from Selia to the fire sisters and Rinna. Razo gets the most page-time, but even he could have done a bit more. I honestly thought that all these people around Rinna should have been able to recognize her disquiet and do more to help her.
So, it is staying at three stars because while I enjoyed it, the story was slow for me and while I really liked a lot of the characters, Rinna did not stand out for me. Enjoyable, but not a book I will reread terribly often.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
March 20, 2015
Originally posted at Fantasy Literature. Life's too short to read bad books!
http://www.fantasyliterature.com/revi...
Everyone thinks of Rin as her mother’s shadow. She belongs to a large extended family that all live near each other in the forest and, until recently, Rin has always been her hard-working mother’s helper. She cooks, cleans, fetches the water, helps take care of all the kids, etc. When she needs a little peace, she communes with the trees of the forest. She doesn’t really “speak” with them, but just feels their love and the constant harmony they provide.
But then Rin did something bad and the trees have withdrawn their love. She feels their disappointment and disgust with her. Now Rin feels unworthy and unloved and begins to sink into depression. In an attempt to help, her big brother Razo invites her to join him and his new wife at the Bayern court. There she meets Queen Isi and admires her strength and confidence. As Rin tries to find her place at court, she manages to tag along on a quest to rid Bayern of terrorists and, in the process, she discovers herself and her own worth.
Forest Born is the fourth and final (so far) novel in Shannon Hale’s BOOKS OF BAYERN. You really don’t need to have read the previous books, but I’d recommend at least reading the first book, The Goose Girl, before Forest Born. There you’ll get a feel for Hale’s world and meet most of this story’s main characters: Queen Isi, King Geric, Enna the Fire Mage, and Razo (Rin’s big brother). Also, I think The Goose Girl is the best book in the series, so you don’t want to miss it, and it makes sense to read it first.
Each of the BAYERN stories is essentially a coming-of-age tale in which a young person (Isi in The Goose Girl, Enna in Enna Burning, Razo in River Secrets and now Rin in Forest Born) struggles with their identity and self-worth. At first, in Forest Born, I thought Rin was having a big pity party and I was annoyed with her constant whining about how bad she is and feeling sorry for herself all the time. It wasn’t until half way through the book that the truth came out and we really understand why Rin feels the way she does. The revelation puts a whole new spin on the story and I think I would have liked it better, or at least sympathized more with Rin, if I had had this information from the beginning. I’m not really sure why Hale chose to keep it a secret, but since she did, I will, too.
The plot of Forest Born moves quickly and is fairly exciting. There are some scary parts, too. Fans of the series will enjoy the banter between their favorite characters and will be happy to see how they’ve grown to be so competent. Isi is strong and couragous, Razo is charming and funny, and Enna is sarcastic and aggressive. Rin doesn’t have enough confidence or sense of self to have much personality at all. For most of the story she’s unsure how to act and is always looking to others for cues and ideas for shaping her own responses. She’s not yet ready to be herself because she doesn’t like herself and she has no idea who she is. By the end, of course, she has worked through some of these troubles and is on her way to “finding” herself. I think it’s an important topic for the target audience (probably mostly pre-teen and adolescent girls) to ponder and I like the strong female role models that Hale provides. (Although occasionally they do stupid things like bring the toddler prince on their trip to confront terrorists.)
The audio version by Full Cast Audio is nicely done. It’s slightly confusing that so many of the names sound similar: Rin, Finn, Brin, Enna. I figured that Shannon Hale just had a liking for the “in” sound and hadn’t noticed that so many of her characters had rhyming names, but late in the book Razo actually mentions it! I thought that was funny.
Forest Born would be a good choice for any girl, but especially those who struggle with their confidence and sense of self-worth.
http://www.fantasyliterature.com/revi...
Everyone thinks of Rin as her mother’s shadow. She belongs to a large extended family that all live near each other in the forest and, until recently, Rin has always been her hard-working mother’s helper. She cooks, cleans, fetches the water, helps take care of all the kids, etc. When she needs a little peace, she communes with the trees of the forest. She doesn’t really “speak” with them, but just feels their love and the constant harmony they provide.
But then Rin did something bad and the trees have withdrawn their love. She feels their disappointment and disgust with her. Now Rin feels unworthy and unloved and begins to sink into depression. In an attempt to help, her big brother Razo invites her to join him and his new wife at the Bayern court. There she meets Queen Isi and admires her strength and confidence. As Rin tries to find her place at court, she manages to tag along on a quest to rid Bayern of terrorists and, in the process, she discovers herself and her own worth.
Forest Born is the fourth and final (so far) novel in Shannon Hale’s BOOKS OF BAYERN. You really don’t need to have read the previous books, but I’d recommend at least reading the first book, The Goose Girl, before Forest Born. There you’ll get a feel for Hale’s world and meet most of this story’s main characters: Queen Isi, King Geric, Enna the Fire Mage, and Razo (Rin’s big brother). Also, I think The Goose Girl is the best book in the series, so you don’t want to miss it, and it makes sense to read it first.
Each of the BAYERN stories is essentially a coming-of-age tale in which a young person (Isi in The Goose Girl, Enna in Enna Burning, Razo in River Secrets and now Rin in Forest Born) struggles with their identity and self-worth. At first, in Forest Born, I thought Rin was having a big pity party and I was annoyed with her constant whining about how bad she is and feeling sorry for herself all the time. It wasn’t until half way through the book that the truth came out and we really understand why Rin feels the way she does. The revelation puts a whole new spin on the story and I think I would have liked it better, or at least sympathized more with Rin, if I had had this information from the beginning. I’m not really sure why Hale chose to keep it a secret, but since she did, I will, too.
The plot of Forest Born moves quickly and is fairly exciting. There are some scary parts, too. Fans of the series will enjoy the banter between their favorite characters and will be happy to see how they’ve grown to be so competent. Isi is strong and couragous, Razo is charming and funny, and Enna is sarcastic and aggressive. Rin doesn’t have enough confidence or sense of self to have much personality at all. For most of the story she’s unsure how to act and is always looking to others for cues and ideas for shaping her own responses. She’s not yet ready to be herself because she doesn’t like herself and she has no idea who she is. By the end, of course, she has worked through some of these troubles and is on her way to “finding” herself. I think it’s an important topic for the target audience (probably mostly pre-teen and adolescent girls) to ponder and I like the strong female role models that Hale provides. (Although occasionally they do stupid things like bring the toddler prince on their trip to confront terrorists.)
The audio version by Full Cast Audio is nicely done. It’s slightly confusing that so many of the names sound similar: Rin, Finn, Brin, Enna. I figured that Shannon Hale just had a liking for the “in” sound and hadn’t noticed that so many of her characters had rhyming names, but late in the book Razo actually mentions it! I thought that was funny.
Forest Born would be a good choice for any girl, but especially those who struggle with their confidence and sense of self-worth.
August 13, 2018
I really really love Shannon Hale's books. I love how she explores different elements of different kinds of magic (this time it's people-speaking and tree-speaking), which must have taken ages to work out. The way she describes different fictional cultures (in this book, she introduces the land of Kel) is also really interesting.
There is a lot of focus on character development in this book, and it was a lot darker and I feel a bit more violent than the last couple of books in the Bayern series. This isn't a bad thing, as Rin herself is a darker character and it was really intriguing to see how she changed over the course of the book. There is a LOT of suspense and surprises (one of the biggest surprises I have ever come across in a book) and different characters with different sides to them. The only thing I was slightly disappointed with was that I thought Rin was going to get together with someone at the end, but my hopes got raised and then dashed. I know a girl (or anyone really) doesn't need a romance to be happy, but I still like a bit of a romantic subplot to go along with the main story.
Here's hoping there's going to be another book in the series, or at least another stand alone fantastic piece of magical fiction by Shannon Hale.
October 24, 2017
Man, after enjoying books 1-3 I am kind of disappointed that I didn’t enjoy this one as much. I almost came close to giving it 2 stars but even I have to admit that the main character developed decently at the end.
First of all besides me having a problem with her imitation I also couldn’t find it believable that she needed to do this because she didn’t have a personality of her own. It just made no sense to me. I found the pacing of this story to be slow and in my opinion, River of Secrets gave me a better perspective on how characters of this series developed.
Second of all, the main reason why I have to stop myself from bumping this to 2 stars: you have got to be freaking kidding me when you tell me who is behind all of this disaster that’s been happening in The Books of Bayern.
These books are pretty good but this last one was slightly disappointing.
First of all besides me having a problem with her imitation I also couldn’t find it believable that she needed to do this because she didn’t have a personality of her own. It just made no sense to me. I found the pacing of this story to be slow and in my opinion, River of Secrets gave me a better perspective on how characters of this series developed.
Second of all, the main reason why I have to stop myself from bumping this to 2 stars: you have got to be freaking kidding me when you tell me who is behind all of this disaster that’s been happening in The Books of Bayern.
These books are pretty good but this last one was slightly disappointing.
April 22, 2011
I have to say it: In my personal opinion Shannon Hale is a one-hit-wonder. I truely loved every page of 'Goose Girl', but every other book - with the exception of the middle-grade-targeted 'Princess Academy' maybe - turned out to call for heavy ploughing machinery to get me through. I barely stayed focussed reading 'A Book of Thousand Days', gave up on 'Enna Burning', skipped 'River Secrets' because I didn't own it yet and now abandoned 'Forest Born' around page 88.
There are fairytale elements in the Bayern quartet which draw the plot to a rather otherworldly plane, yes, but do the heroines have to be so strange and unpredictable that I cannot fathom what they feel or might do AT ALL? Honestly, I have the impression of reading a space adventure featuring a humanoid-looking race that ticks completely differently from us inside. To me it is extremely exhausting. I am only willing to try another Hale novel in the future if it doesn't cost me anything.
There are fairytale elements in the Bayern quartet which draw the plot to a rather otherworldly plane, yes, but do the heroines have to be so strange and unpredictable that I cannot fathom what they feel or might do AT ALL? Honestly, I have the impression of reading a space adventure featuring a humanoid-looking race that ticks completely differently from us inside. To me it is extremely exhausting. I am only willing to try another Hale novel in the future if it doesn't cost me anything.
Displaying 1 - 30 of 2,479 reviews