A review by meganac
Iron Hearted Violet by Kelly Barnhill

5.0

Well done, Barnhill. I cannot even begin to express just how much I adored this book. From the first paragraph, I knew it would be a favorite, and it didn't disappoint me, all the way through to the end. It drew me in, just like Inkheart, and The Hobbit, and The Hunger Games. This is a simple read, written in classic storytelling format -- appropriately so, since it's narrated by Cassian, the castle storyteller (Sidenote: does anyone else LOVE that name?)

The plot is original and imaginative, the villains real. Through the first half we're forced to observe as all the characters descend into trouble, and in the second half, we cheer them on as they come to their senses. Beautiful and memorable, I will always remember this book. This definitely won't be the last time I read it.

I'd recommend this to anyone and everyone. Simple enough for a child to understand yet deep enough to captivate adults, it's a story everyone should hear. There's a tad bit of violence, but not too much, and not so graphic as to make the weak-stomached queasy. This would also be a great read-aloud to middle-grade children, with an adult to draw attention to the deeper meaning.