Review: Melting Stones, Tamora Pierce

Melting Stones
Tamora Pierce

Official Summary:
Four years have passed since Evvy left the streets of Chammur to begin her training as a stone mage. At fourteen, she's unhappy to be on a new journey with her mentor, prickly green mage Rosethorn, who has been called to the Battle Islands to determine why the plants and animals there are dying. Evvy's job is to listen and learn, but she can't keep quiet and do nothing. With the help of Luvo, the living stone heart of a mountain, Evvy uncovers an important clue. Now, with the island on the brink of disaster, it's up to Evvy to avert the destruction that looms ahead.

What the Pros Say:
PW: "The novel is not one of Pierce's more surprising or innovative, but her typically strong characterizations and the superb acting camouflage its deficiencies."

Kirkus: "Related in a strongly individual voice, expertly set in context without longwinded explanations and well-stocked with nuanced characters of several ages and species, this suspenseful tale is lit up with magic."

What I Say:

I think I've mentioned before that Tamora Pierce is one of my faves, but to be honest this one didn't really grab me. I'll admit that I like her Tortall books better than the Circle books, but this one is definitely my least favorite of anything I've read by her. That's not to say it's bad, just that it's not up to par with others. If you're put off by this one, definitely give another Tamora Pierce book a try, because I would say that this isn't characteristic of her strength as a storyteller.

I think the main problem that I had was that the stakes simply weren't high enough. While the characters were as loveable as I have come to expect from Tamora Pierce, the conflict simply wasn't strong enough to keep my interest. Luckily, it's a pretty quick read, and I'm glad I read it, since I couldn't let it go unread, but if you're a slow reader or not already a fan I would recommend starting out with another title.