Forest Born

I admire the writer who can create a character unlike any other, and have their readers relate. Shannon Hale is this writer. Hale is the author of "The Books of Bayern." There are four books in this series, so far, anyway. I've read all four of the books, but the latest one published has been my favorite, Forest Born. Something I admire about this text is that the plot is completely unique--the author has designed a world like our's, but with crazy twists that would seem insane in our world. With her story she has imagined characters with completely unique attributes, with problems and trials that no one could ever really experience. The awesome part is that as a reader I could relate with her characters. I could perfectly picture their experiences and sympathize/empathize (I can never remember the difference, someone help me out here) with them. She descibes everything so perfectly, and somehow connects you with her intriguing book. This is what sucks me into the pages, and I couldn't put the book down. I know it sounds silly, but I grew attached to her characters and I was so emotionally tied to them while reading. Forest Born makes me tear up, makes me sigh with relief, and makes me laugh with delight. Thank you, Shannon Hale.

"No tree nearby to cling to, so instead she sank into herself as if into a tree's thoughts. But her eyes were open, she was still Rin, still aware. As she had done on her walk to the cage, Rin felt as if she existed in two places at onece--safe inside the green world of a tree's thoughts, but still aware and moving in the human world. And this time panic did not eat at her. She felt perfectly balanced, half in, half out, and alive in both. Everthing seeemed slowed, like a drip of sap fixed by cold weather."

"It was like being lost in the rings of an ancient tree, how she seemed to be falling and yet warm and still and as secure as could be. There was no fear, no wincing away from herself."