Agnieszka lives in a small village, whose closest neighbors are the Dragon's tower and the Wood, a poisoned forest that no one dares enter. The Dragon isn't a beast, but rather a wizard who keeps the Wood's evil at bay and protects the kingdom. Such a powerful man is beyond reproach, so no one objects when he descends from the tower every ten years to choose a woman from the village. No one knows what happens in the tower, but at the ten year mark, the girl returns unharmed, finely clothed, and with a chest full of treasure. He takes a new villager and the cycle starts again.
This year Agnieszka and her best friend Kaisa will be among the women offered. Though there isn't much doubt about this year's choice; The Dragon never fails to take the most beautiful, and Kaisa will certainly be the one.
But when the choice must be made, the Dragon takes Agnieszka.
This is undoubtedly a fairy tale, and Novik admits it was inspired by one, though perhaps not one of the big one's we traditionally recognize. As such, fans of fairytales or fairytale retellings will undoubtedly enjoy this story.
For me, this was a solid novel. There are points in the story that drag a little, but overall it's what you would expect from a fairy tale - complete with a terrifying magic forest.
If this sounds like something you would enjoy, you can find Uprooted available in multiple formats here.