Disturbing. Somewhat frightening. Feverish. Violent.
A tale of love and friendship?
Enna Burning is a sequel to Shannon Hale’s successful and enjoyable first novel The Goose Girl, but in this book things turn darker and more violent in Bayern. Tira, their neighboring country and traditional enemy, has attacked, and Bayern must defend its borders and its villages. Enna, Princess Isi’s friend and confidante, has been living quietly in her village in the forest, but now is the time for all good men, and even women, to come to the aid of Bayern. Enna finds that she has the ability to save Bayern, but she may destroy herself in the process.
The book, although it’s fantasy, has an anti-war message comparable to that of another book I read this weekend, Red Moon at Sharpsburg. Again, Hale seems to be saying through her story that although war may sometimes be necessary, it’s never glorious or untouched by moral ambiguity.
I enjoyed Enna Burning, but I liked The Goose Girl better. I’m looking forward to reading a third book in the series, published last year, River Secrets.