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The Circle Reforged #2
Melting Stones
An audiobook first!" New York Times bestselling author Tamora Pierce has written the new novel in her popular Circle of Magic universe to go directly to audio--preceding the print version by at least a year. Residents on one of the islands south of Emelan have sent a call for help to Winding Circle temple: Their plants and trees and the animals that live around them are mysteriously dying.
From Winding Circle come two familiar figures: prickly green mage Rosethorn, whose plant magic will help her decipher what's ailing the plant life, and Briar's former student, the stone mage Evvy. With them comes the eager, nervous Dedicate Initiate Myrrhflower and Luvo, a being best described as a walking, intelligent rock. All are pulled into the island's mystery when Evvy is caught up by the wild spirits loose in an immense bubble of molten rock. Can they evacuate the island in time--or will they try to shift a volcano?
From Winding Circle come two familiar figures: prickly green mage Rosethorn, whose plant magic will help her decipher what's ailing the plant life, and Briar's former student, the stone mage Evvy. With them comes the eager, nervous Dedicate Initiate Myrrhflower and Luvo, a being best described as a walking, intelligent rock. All are pulled into the island's mystery when Evvy is caught up by the wild spirits loose in an immense bubble of molten rock. Can they evacuate the island in time--or will they try to shift a volcano?
9 pages, Audio CD
First published October 1, 2007
About the author
Tamora Pierce
132 books84.6k followersHey, folks! I just discovered that apparently I have given some very popular books single-star ratings--except I haven't. How do I know I haven't? Because I haven't read those books at all. So before you go getting all hacked off at me for trashing your favorites, know that I've written GoodReads to find out what's going on.
I return to my regularly scheduled profile:
Though I would love to join groups, I'm going to turn them all down. I just don't have the time to take part, so please don't be offended if I don't join your group or accept an invitation. I'm not snooty--I'm just up to my eyeballs in work and appearances!
Also, don't be alarmed by the number of books I've read. When I get bored, I go through the different lists and rediscover books I've read in the past. It's a very evil way to use up time when I should be doing other things. Obviously, I've read a lot of books in 54 years!
I was born in South Connellsville, PA. My mother wanted to name me "Tamara" but the nurse who filled out my birth certificate misspelled it as "Tamora". When I was 8 my family moved to California, where we lived for 6 years on both sides of the San Francisco peninsula.
I started writing stories in 6th grade. My interest in fantasy and science fiction began when I was introduced to ‘The Lord of the Rings’ by J. R. R. Tolkien and so I started to write the kind of books that I was reading. After my parents divorced, my mother took my sisters and me back to Pennsylvania in 1969. There I went to Albert Gallatin Senior High for 2 years and Uniontown Area Senior High School for my senior year.
After graduating from the University of Pennsylvania, I wrote the book that became The Song of the Lioness fantasy quartet. I sold some articles and 2 short stories and wrote reviews for a martial arts movie magazine. At last the first book of the quartet, Alanna: The First Adventure was published by Atheneum Books in 1983.
Tim Liebe, who became my Spouse-Creature, and I lived in New York City with assorted cats and two parakeets from 1982 - 2006. In 2006 we moved to Syracuse, New York, where we live now with assorted cats, a number of squirrels, birds, raccoons, skunks, opossums, and woodchucks visiting our very small yard. As of 2011, I have 27 novels in print, one short story collection, one comic book arc ("White Tiger: A Hero's Compulsion") co-written with Tim, and a short story anthology co-editing credit. There's more to come, including a companion book to the Tortall `verse. So stay tuned!
I return to my regularly scheduled profile:
Though I would love to join groups, I'm going to turn them all down. I just don't have the time to take part, so please don't be offended if I don't join your group or accept an invitation. I'm not snooty--I'm just up to my eyeballs in work and appearances!
Also, don't be alarmed by the number of books I've read. When I get bored, I go through the different lists and rediscover books I've read in the past. It's a very evil way to use up time when I should be doing other things. Obviously, I've read a lot of books in 54 years!
I was born in South Connellsville, PA. My mother wanted to name me "Tamara" but the nurse who filled out my birth certificate misspelled it as "Tamora". When I was 8 my family moved to California, where we lived for 6 years on both sides of the San Francisco peninsula.
I started writing stories in 6th grade. My interest in fantasy and science fiction began when I was introduced to ‘The Lord of the Rings’ by J. R. R. Tolkien and so I started to write the kind of books that I was reading. After my parents divorced, my mother took my sisters and me back to Pennsylvania in 1969. There I went to Albert Gallatin Senior High for 2 years and Uniontown Area Senior High School for my senior year.
After graduating from the University of Pennsylvania, I wrote the book that became The Song of the Lioness fantasy quartet. I sold some articles and 2 short stories and wrote reviews for a martial arts movie magazine. At last the first book of the quartet, Alanna: The First Adventure was published by Atheneum Books in 1983.
Tim Liebe, who became my Spouse-Creature, and I lived in New York City with assorted cats and two parakeets from 1982 - 2006. In 2006 we moved to Syracuse, New York, where we live now with assorted cats, a number of squirrels, birds, raccoons, skunks, opossums, and woodchucks visiting our very small yard. As of 2011, I have 27 novels in print, one short story collection, one comic book arc ("White Tiger: A Hero's Compulsion") co-written with Tim, and a short story anthology co-editing credit. There's more to come, including a companion book to the Tortall `verse. So stay tuned!
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 504 reviews
July 15, 2008
I fell in love with Tamora Pierce's books at the age of about 10 or 11 and because of this I still have a great deal of affection for her writing. I like the the Circle of Magic books quite a lot; and of the Circle Opens books, Street Magic, the book which introduces Evvy (the main character in Melting Stones), is my favorite. However, in general, Tamora Pierce's more recent books have seen a decline in quality, and Melting Stones is definitely not among her best. I found it pretty flat and unoriginal; the plot felt too small to fill a full-sized novel. The most interesting part of the Circle of Magic books, in my opinion, has never been the magic, which, while neat, sometimes feels as though Pierce is straining to get the powers of her ambient mages to do interesting stuff outside of their individual categories. The plot about the forces of nature here, with the mages being called in to help and what Evvy eventually does to solve it, felt to me like a less interesting re-working of the similar plot in Daja's Book. But whereas Daja's Book has several other plot threads––the business of the intertwined magics, and of the Traders––Melting Stones only has the one, with a sort of weak gesture in the direction of a theme about the value of other people that is never made very alive or interesting. I would much rather have read the book about Rosethorn and Evvy in Gyongxe.
July 4, 2017
I absolutely adore Tamora Pierce, and was pretty excited when I saw that Will of the Empress was not going to be a stand-alone book. I really really wish I wasn't going to say this but I found Melting Stones a real let-down. I'm too frustrated to write a proper review so I'll explain my feelings through a list:
The pros:
*Got to learn a little about what happened in Gyonxe
*The stone magic was kinda cool
*Rosethorn was as sharp as ever
*The idea for was pretty original and fairly interesting.
The cons:
*Evvy is whiny, bitter, annoying and plain unlikeable. I understand that she's been through a lot, and blah blah blah but to care about a character enough to be invested in their fate, there has to be something likeable about them. Pierce is usually great at flawed but likeable characters, and Evvy is an unusual let-down in this respect.
*The main plot line was completely obvious, to the point where I had to go back and re-read parts to be sure that the big "secret" as to why everything was dying hadn't been blatantly told to Evvy at the beginning. (I'm still not sure that it wasn't).
*Most of the supporting characters were one-dimensional and pretty pointless.
*I simply didn't care enough for anything that happened to have any impact on me, which is NOT a good thing.
On the bright side, I've just started the Immortals quartet for the first time and thet is comfortably back to her old standard.
Please Tamora, write me some more good old magic tales like the ones from my childhood!
The pros:
*Got to learn a little about what happened in Gyonxe
*The stone magic was kinda cool
*Rosethorn was as sharp as ever
*The idea for was pretty original and fairly interesting.
The cons:
*Evvy is whiny, bitter, annoying and plain unlikeable. I understand that she's been through a lot, and blah blah blah but to care about a character enough to be invested in their fate, there has to be something likeable about them. Pierce is usually great at flawed but likeable characters, and Evvy is an unusual let-down in this respect.
*The main plot line was completely obvious, to the point where I had to go back and re-read parts to be sure that the big "secret" as to why everything was dying hadn't been blatantly told to Evvy at the beginning. (I'm still not sure that it wasn't).
*Most of the supporting characters were one-dimensional and pretty pointless.
*I simply didn't care enough for anything that happened to have any impact on me, which is NOT a good thing.
On the bright side, I've just started the Immortals quartet for the first time and thet is comfortably back to her old standard.
Please Tamora, write me some more good old magic tales like the ones from my childhood!
May 27, 2009
Wow, what is wrong with this book? I normally love all of Pierce's work but this one was a tremendous letdown. I know the Circle of Magic series is written for a younger audience and has never really rated highly in my reads, but I really enjoyed "the Will of the Empress" which is miles better than "Melting Stones." First off, in "the Will of the Empress" Briar and Tris hint to events that occurred in their lives between the Circle Opens volumes and "the Will of the Empress" and I thought, "well, Pierce might fill in that gap." This book makes it worse.
I condemn this as lazy storytelling. Instead of writing about Briar and Rosethorn and Evvy's travels in Yanjing and their encounters with the Emperor who apparently started massacring Temple dedicates and villagers for no clear reason... Pierce attempts to tell the story half-assed backwards through little snippets thrown out in conversation by Evvy. This apparently covers Luvo (the magical living heart of the mountain)'s sudden appearance in the narrative as though he's a long familiar character. Would she just write the story and stop hinting at it as though it's past history?! Or refrain from mentioning it twenty-thousand times until it is birthed entirely?! Personally, I think she's written herself into a bad place - does she really want to write a book so full of murder, hardship and misery? She's successfully mixed dark with light before. Maybe she'd rather play with safer stories...
As for the plot of the book itself:
Evvy, Briar's former student, arrives with Rosethorn and a water mage to an island riddled with strange events like water turning to acid and frequent earthquakes. It takes tremendously too long to figure out that it's because of an inevitable volcano eruption. Evvy is, by turns, petulant, bratty, thoughtless, and selfish. Her confidence in her power only makes it worse. Her character never blossoms or becomes slightly likable and the same goes for other characters that are in the volume, all of them are alphas who seem to bark commands and sneer at each other, and the tense situation of evacuating an entire small island doesn't help. We never get an impression of what the island was before the weird weather or a good idea of the characters that inhabit it. We meet Evvy so briefly in the beginning that she never transforms, the whole book is rushed and heavily packed with descriptions of science dumbed down to fiery magic magma beings that create plate shifts and cause islands to explode. Magic is relied on too heavily in this narrative and so the characters get shunted aside for plate teutonics and textbook descriptions. Really disappointed by this book.
I condemn this as lazy storytelling. Instead of writing about Briar and Rosethorn and Evvy's travels in Yanjing and their encounters with the Emperor who apparently started massacring Temple dedicates and villagers for no clear reason... Pierce attempts to tell the story half-assed backwards through little snippets thrown out in conversation by Evvy. This apparently covers Luvo (the magical living heart of the mountain)'s sudden appearance in the narrative as though he's a long familiar character. Would she just write the story and stop hinting at it as though it's past history?! Or refrain from mentioning it twenty-thousand times until it is birthed entirely?! Personally, I think she's written herself into a bad place - does she really want to write a book so full of murder, hardship and misery? She's successfully mixed dark with light before. Maybe she'd rather play with safer stories...
As for the plot of the book itself:
Evvy, Briar's former student, arrives with Rosethorn and a water mage to an island riddled with strange events like water turning to acid and frequent earthquakes. It takes tremendously too long to figure out that it's because of an inevitable volcano eruption. Evvy is, by turns, petulant, bratty, thoughtless, and selfish. Her confidence in her power only makes it worse. Her character never blossoms or becomes slightly likable and the same goes for other characters that are in the volume, all of them are alphas who seem to bark commands and sneer at each other, and the tense situation of evacuating an entire small island doesn't help. We never get an impression of what the island was before the weird weather or a good idea of the characters that inhabit it. We meet Evvy so briefly in the beginning that she never transforms, the whole book is rushed and heavily packed with descriptions of science dumbed down to fiery magic magma beings that create plate shifts and cause islands to explode. Magic is relied on too heavily in this narrative and so the characters get shunted aside for plate teutonics and textbook descriptions. Really disappointed by this book.
February 23, 2009
Oh bummer! I love Tamora's Tortall series, but just can't get into the Circle one. This book in particular was blah. If someone asked me what I thought of it the shortest (and possibly best) answer I can come up with is, "meh". Especially for the last 1/4 of the book. It just lacked spunk or something. I can't explain it. I'll just re-read the Lioness so I can remember why I love Tamora.
January 5, 2016
I think it's between 3.5 and 4, but not really a 4, so....
It's not that the book is bad, not at all. In fact, I'd be interested in revisiting the book the way it was originally released, as an audio book (perhaps full cast?). As it stands, I love the universe so much, and the characters and everything, that it's a good time, but it doesn't quite hit me where I live.
It's not that the book is bad, not at all. In fact, I'd be interested in revisiting the book the way it was originally released, as an audio book (perhaps full cast?). As it stands, I love the universe so much, and the characters and everything, that it's a good time, but it doesn't quite hit me where I live.
March 25, 2009
I love these Circle of Magic books. The only thing that would have made it better would have been to bring Briar onstage.
December 10, 2018
One of Pierce's worst - I hated pretty much everybody by the end of the book. Fuck Rosethorn's bullshit about how Evvy not being willing to die for an island full of strangers means she's becoming a "destroyer".
Also, I can't stop picturing Luvo as a strange amalgamation of a green gummy bear and a possum.
Also, I can't stop picturing Luvo as a strange amalgamation of a green gummy bear and a possum.
May 4, 2014
At the beginning this book didn't seem this bad. What did seem strange was that this book was much more childish than Battle Magic (which had mature themes) even though it comes afterwards chronologically. Somehow Evvy has become less mature! Also, there was a lot of inconsistencies between this book and Battle Magic , I guess because Tamora Pierce wrote Battle Magic afterwards.
Then I got to all the rock magic/travelling inside mountains stuff. It was really, REALLY weird. I have no idea what Tamora Pierce was thinking when she wrote that part. It is so strange! And also hard to follow. Mostly, this book was just boring and weird.
But then I got to the end. [SPOILERS ahead]
It was just so stupid. Really stupid. First there's all this travelling inside mountains and talking to volcano spirits stuff. Then some stupid kid runs away and it's Evvy's fault. Because she snapped at her. I'd just like to point out: Evvy was unconscious when this dumb kid ran away!!!!!!!!!! Why blame her? How about the ADULTS who are responsible for looking after the child? How about the people who are supposed to make sure a six year old doesn't run away. This book was just so preachy and dumb on this point. And then Evvy decides to become a priest to 'be a better person' or whatever.
I do not recommend this book. It is definitely the worst in the series. By far.
Then I got to all the rock magic/travelling inside mountains stuff. It was really, REALLY weird. I have no idea what Tamora Pierce was thinking when she wrote that part. It is so strange! And also hard to follow. Mostly, this book was just boring and weird.
But then I got to the end. [SPOILERS ahead]
It was just so stupid. Really stupid. First there's all this travelling inside mountains and talking to volcano spirits stuff. Then some stupid kid runs away and it's Evvy's fault. Because she snapped at her. I'd just like to point out: Evvy was unconscious when this dumb kid ran away!!!!!!!!!! Why blame her? How about the ADULTS who are responsible for looking after the child? How about the people who are supposed to make sure a six year old doesn't run away. This book was just so preachy and dumb on this point. And then Evvy decides to become a priest to 'be a better person' or whatever.
I do not recommend this book. It is definitely the worst in the series. By far.
November 8, 2015
Second in The Circle Reforged subseries and tenth in the overall Emelan universe in the fantasy series for middle-grade readers and revolving around four very young mages in magic. The focus here is on the former student of one of those mages, Evvy. It's been four years since Evvy arrived in Winding Circle, and it's taking place at the same time as
The Will of the Empress
, 1 (9). If you're interested, there is a chronological listing of the Emelan books on my website.
My Take
What I loved about Melting Stones was the fantastical idea Pierce used for explaining how volcanoes formed. Using Flare and Carnelian's actions to explain the earth tremors was brilliant. It was a nice blend of science and Pierce's own magical world of Emelan. It also helps to showcase how thoughtlessly impulsive Evvy is.
Yep, Evvy is what I hated about Melting Stones. She is so obnoxious and bratty. Considering her beginnings as a slave and then a street rat, she is amazingly unthinking of consequences. Oh, her intentions are good, but she is too impulsive. To be honest, she acts more like an eight-year-old.
It is fun to see Myrrhtide evolve from the rude, fussy, disbelieving, envious mage to a more understanding one.
It's rather fun getting Luvo's take on this outside world. After two years, he still loves watching "the glory of the dawn". Makes me think of how much I take for granted.
There's a important lesson in this for Evvy, and it's laid out by Rosethorn when she explains about the two classes of people: the destroyers, and the builders. Another lesson is that mages learn from their mistakes.
The Story
At fourteen and unable to hold back her temper, Evvy is on a punishment voyage 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.
It turns out to be lucky for Starns and everyone else that Evvy is along. It's her gift for stone magic that helps Evvy uncover the truth. Now, with the island on the brink of disaster, it's up to Evvy to avert the destruction that looms ahead.
The Characters
Evumeimei "Evvy" Dingzai is the stone mage Briar found in Street Magic , 2 (6). Luvo is a volcano god who has manifested himself as an eighteen-inch tall deep green and purple clear crystal bear. He encountered Evvy on the Gyongxe trip when she approached his home in the Heaven Wind Mountains of southern Yanjing.
Dedicate Rosethorn, a great mage whose gift is with plants, is one of Evvy's guardians at Winding Circle. The other is Dedicate Lark whose gift is with weaving. They all live at Discipline Cottage. Dedicate Fusspot, oops, I mean, Dedicate Myrrhtide is a water mage whose assistance will be needed on Starns. Briar Moss is one of the four young people who are now great mages.
Moharrin on Starns is…
…a small village on one of the Battle Islands. Sustree is the port at which the Winding Circle trio land. Oswin Forest is their escort and a man of all talents. He's also a kind man for he has taken in all the pirate orphans including Treak who wreaks havoc, Nory who keeps house and order, Mereyem is one of the cheeky young ones, Lexa, Natan, Jesy who needs special glasses, and Deva. Jayatin "Jayat" Holly is apprenticed to Tahar Catwalker, the village's mage and healer. Spark is the horse that Evvy rides.
Azaze Yopali is the headwoman of the village and runs the inn. Some of her employees include Firouze and Mila. Other people of importance in the village include Master Smith, the Master Herder, and the master miner. Dubyine and Karove are part of a small, greedy group. Squeak has kittens.
Mount Grace is…
…a mountain on Starns where the fire spirits live in a pool of flame. Flare and Carnelian are two of the flame spirits, the children of the pool, who first encounter Evvy.
Levit, Margret, Lore, Karl, Sotat, and Sustree are some of the other Battle Islands. Heibei is the god of luck whom Evvy frequently calls upon.
The Cover and Title
The cover is not so much dull as drab. I'm guessing it's to reflect the state of the island with that volcano about to burst. It's Evvy in her deep purple kerchief with strands of black hair escaping, the deep purple strap of her bag over one shoulder, and she stands in her black dress, facing an acid pool, dying grasses, and dead branches under a murky green sky.
The title is what Evvy encounters, the Melting Stones so eager to to find escape.
My Take
What I loved about Melting Stones was the fantastical idea Pierce used for explaining how volcanoes formed. Using Flare and Carnelian's actions to explain the earth tremors was brilliant. It was a nice blend of science and Pierce's own magical world of Emelan. It also helps to showcase how thoughtlessly impulsive Evvy is.
Yep, Evvy is what I hated about Melting Stones. She is so obnoxious and bratty. Considering her beginnings as a slave and then a street rat, she is amazingly unthinking of consequences. Oh, her intentions are good, but she is too impulsive. To be honest, she acts more like an eight-year-old.
It is fun to see Myrrhtide evolve from the rude, fussy, disbelieving, envious mage to a more understanding one.
"Oswin sounded very innocent in the dark. 'Azaze gives a decent meal to almost everyone.'"What is making me nuts is that whole Gyongxe business. Pierce kept referring to it in The Will of the Empress and now in Melting Stones, and I feel as though I've missed an entire book!!
It's rather fun getting Luvo's take on this outside world. After two years, he still loves watching "the glory of the dawn". Makes me think of how much I take for granted.
There's a important lesson in this for Evvy, and it's laid out by Rosethorn when she explains about the two classes of people: the destroyers, and the builders. Another lesson is that mages learn from their mistakes.
The Story
At fourteen and unable to hold back her temper, Evvy is on a punishment voyage 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.
It turns out to be lucky for Starns and everyone else that Evvy is along. It's her gift for stone magic that helps Evvy uncover the truth. Now, with the island on the brink of disaster, it's up to Evvy to avert the destruction that looms ahead.
The Characters
Evumeimei "Evvy" Dingzai is the stone mage Briar found in Street Magic , 2 (6). Luvo is a volcano god who has manifested himself as an eighteen-inch tall deep green and purple clear crystal bear. He encountered Evvy on the Gyongxe trip when she approached his home in the Heaven Wind Mountains of southern Yanjing.
Dedicate Rosethorn, a great mage whose gift is with plants, is one of Evvy's guardians at Winding Circle. The other is Dedicate Lark whose gift is with weaving. They all live at Discipline Cottage. Dedicate Fusspot, oops, I mean, Dedicate Myrrhtide is a water mage whose assistance will be needed on Starns. Briar Moss is one of the four young people who are now great mages.
Moharrin on Starns is…
…a small village on one of the Battle Islands. Sustree is the port at which the Winding Circle trio land. Oswin Forest is their escort and a man of all talents. He's also a kind man for he has taken in all the pirate orphans including Treak who wreaks havoc, Nory who keeps house and order, Mereyem is one of the cheeky young ones, Lexa, Natan, Jesy who needs special glasses, and Deva. Jayatin "Jayat" Holly is apprenticed to Tahar Catwalker, the village's mage and healer. Spark is the horse that Evvy rides.
Azaze Yopali is the headwoman of the village and runs the inn. Some of her employees include Firouze and Mila. Other people of importance in the village include Master Smith, the Master Herder, and the master miner. Dubyine and Karove are part of a small, greedy group. Squeak has kittens.
Mount Grace is…
…a mountain on Starns where the fire spirits live in a pool of flame. Flare and Carnelian are two of the flame spirits, the children of the pool, who first encounter Evvy.
Levit, Margret, Lore, Karl, Sotat, and Sustree are some of the other Battle Islands. Heibei is the god of luck whom Evvy frequently calls upon.
The Cover and Title
The cover is not so much dull as drab. I'm guessing it's to reflect the state of the island with that volcano about to burst. It's Evvy in her deep purple kerchief with strands of black hair escaping, the deep purple strap of her bag over one shoulder, and she stands in her black dress, facing an acid pool, dying grasses, and dead branches under a murky green sky.
The title is what Evvy encounters, the Melting Stones so eager to to find escape.
January 16, 2022
"Rosethorn sighed. 'Lark was worried about this aspect of you. I'm not so fond of people myself, Evvy, but I took my vows for a reason. There are two classes of people in the world, the destroyers and the builders. I want to build, not destroy. You need to ask yourself who you're going to be.'"
This felt like a short story that was forced to become a novel. Like an underachieving student stretching an essay to meet a required word count, it felt repetitive and too long.
I was hopeful going into a story about Evvy and Rosethorn together; I found their relationship in Street Magic interesting. Evvy mostly interacted with Briar but Rosethorn was a steady presence in the background, supporting them both, making Evvy feel welcome, and mostly just being Rosethorn. Unfortunately, since then, Rosethorn, Briar, and Evvy have been through a war together. Do we know anything about this war? Besides some bad dreams and cryptic comments throughout The Will of the Empress which made me think I had somehow skipped an entire book, the Circle Reforged series seems to be written to create confusion until you make it to the end and finally get the whole story in Battle Magic . At least in The Will of the Empress there are four protagonists so the gaping void of information is less intrusive to the story. In Melting Stones , Evvy's entire personality change and her character flaws are blamed on this war and it's just too much to try to overcome or explain with only side comments.
There were a few good moments and the concept was interesting. It just wasn't enough story for an entire book and it probably should've come after Battle Magic , not before.
Other books in the Circle Reforged series:
#1: The Will of the Empress ⭐⭐⭐⭐
#3: Battle Magic ⭐⭐⭐
Other books in the Emelan Universe:
#1: Sandry’s Book ⭐⭐⭐
#2: Tris’s Book ⭐⭐⭐
#3: Daja’s Book ⭐⭐⭐
#4: Briar’s Book ⭐⭐⭐⭐
#5: Magic Steps ⭐⭐
#6: Street Magic ⭐⭐⭐
#7 Cold Fire ⭐⭐
#8: Shatterglass ⭐⭐⭐⭐
#9: The Will of the Empress ⭐⭐⭐⭐
#11: Battle Magic ⭐⭐⭐
This felt like a short story that was forced to become a novel. Like an underachieving student stretching an essay to meet a required word count, it felt repetitive and too long.
I was hopeful going into a story about Evvy and Rosethorn together; I found their relationship in Street Magic interesting. Evvy mostly interacted with Briar but Rosethorn was a steady presence in the background, supporting them both, making Evvy feel welcome, and mostly just being Rosethorn. Unfortunately, since then, Rosethorn, Briar, and Evvy have been through a war together. Do we know anything about this war? Besides some bad dreams and cryptic comments throughout The Will of the Empress which made me think I had somehow skipped an entire book, the Circle Reforged series seems to be written to create confusion until you make it to the end and finally get the whole story in Battle Magic . At least in The Will of the Empress there are four protagonists so the gaping void of information is less intrusive to the story. In Melting Stones , Evvy's entire personality change and her character flaws are blamed on this war and it's just too much to try to overcome or explain with only side comments.
There were a few good moments and the concept was interesting. It just wasn't enough story for an entire book and it probably should've come after Battle Magic , not before.
Other books in the Circle Reforged series:
#1: The Will of the Empress ⭐⭐⭐⭐
#3: Battle Magic ⭐⭐⭐
Other books in the Emelan Universe:
#1: Sandry’s Book ⭐⭐⭐
#2: Tris’s Book ⭐⭐⭐
#3: Daja’s Book ⭐⭐⭐
#4: Briar’s Book ⭐⭐⭐⭐
#5: Magic Steps ⭐⭐
#6: Street Magic ⭐⭐⭐
#7 Cold Fire ⭐⭐
#8: Shatterglass ⭐⭐⭐⭐
#9: The Will of the Empress ⭐⭐⭐⭐
#11: Battle Magic ⭐⭐⭐
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January 8, 2009
I just finished listening to Melting Stones. I found it very interesting, and I especially liked the production. This book was written for and recorded by Full Cast Audio, rather than being a printed book and then adapted to the audio version.
Full Cast Audio, as always, did a wonderful job putting this book together. I love audiobooks almost without regard for the narrator; although there have been one or two so horribly narrated that I couldn't listen, in general it doesn't matter to me who's reading it so long as somebody is. But I particularly enjoy Full Cast productions. Having a different voice for each character--especially artfully acted--adds tremendously to the whole experience.
Audible doesn't--for some weird reason--carry the first, third, or fourth of The Circle Opens trilogy, which is why I haven't listened to them... I think I would very much like to hear those on audio as well, so I guess I'll have to assault my local library for copies. I listened to the second, thank goodness, because without it I would have been lost listening to Melting Stones, which is about Evvy, a character who just happened to be introduced in Street Magic. I like Evvy, and Grace Kelly, who acts her role, got to narrate this production, because it's a first-person narration. Her style is lively and attractive, and her voice well-matched to the mischievous Evvy.
The story takes place as Evvy, having got in trouble at Winding Circle, gets taken by Rosethorn on a voyage to find out why the trees and water on a certain island are being poisoned. It turns out that Evvy is very necessary on this journey, as a stone mage; she and her friend Luvo, a bear-shaped stone that is really the heart of a mountain, are the only ones who could deal with the real cause of the poisonous air and water killing the trees: the volcano that formed the island is about to erupt.
I especially like the way Evvy develops in this book. She is, because of past trauma, selfish and self-serving, unable to care about most other people (except for Rosethorn and Briar). Through the course of the book--and some seriously courageous acts--Evvy matures, realizing that she can let herself care about others, and that she wants to learn to build rather than destroy.
Full Cast Audio, as always, did a wonderful job putting this book together. I love audiobooks almost without regard for the narrator; although there have been one or two so horribly narrated that I couldn't listen, in general it doesn't matter to me who's reading it so long as somebody is. But I particularly enjoy Full Cast productions. Having a different voice for each character--especially artfully acted--adds tremendously to the whole experience.
Audible doesn't--for some weird reason--carry the first, third, or fourth of The Circle Opens trilogy, which is why I haven't listened to them... I think I would very much like to hear those on audio as well, so I guess I'll have to assault my local library for copies. I listened to the second, thank goodness, because without it I would have been lost listening to Melting Stones, which is about Evvy, a character who just happened to be introduced in Street Magic. I like Evvy, and Grace Kelly, who acts her role, got to narrate this production, because it's a first-person narration. Her style is lively and attractive, and her voice well-matched to the mischievous Evvy.
The story takes place as Evvy, having got in trouble at Winding Circle, gets taken by Rosethorn on a voyage to find out why the trees and water on a certain island are being poisoned. It turns out that Evvy is very necessary on this journey, as a stone mage; she and her friend Luvo, a bear-shaped stone that is really the heart of a mountain, are the only ones who could deal with the real cause of the poisonous air and water killing the trees: the volcano that formed the island is about to erupt.
I especially like the way Evvy develops in this book. She is, because of past trauma, selfish and self-serving, unable to care about most other people (except for Rosethorn and Briar). Through the course of the book--and some seriously courageous acts--Evvy matures, realizing that she can let herself care about others, and that she wants to learn to build rather than destroy.
January 7, 2009
I've been a Tammy fan since I was 13. I've always loved her work. It's solid young adult and makes me feel good to read it.
I started reading Circle of Magic when I was 15 and going through difficulties with my hip (which had fractured and continually needed operations). I latched right on to the characters, most of all the two main guardian Dedicates (Rosethorn and Lark). Briar was a favourite of mine as well. The cast of characters supported me through a hard time medically and also guided me through picking my major at a vocational school. (I chose plant science in the end and am so deeply pleased to have done so.)
When I saw this book at B&N, I knew it would have Rosethorn and mentions of Briar. I tucked it into my "books to buy" without thinking. I'm glad I did that as well. I've read through it and must say I quite liked it. I thought the first person POV was refreshing (it was originally going to be third person) and that the character voices were distinct. I loved meeting Rosethorn once more in her realm of plants and power. Meeting Evvy and Luvo on a deeper level was also enjoyable. The same went for the rest of the characters.
I thought the story fit the ones Tammy uses for the ambient mages of the Emelan world. The fact that "we" as readers (given the first person POV) got to interact with the "heart" of the main conflict was unique. It brought the events beyond what they could have been if it had just been an ordinary natural disaster.
I still want to hear the audio version, given that came out first. I have yet to listen to the audio versions of any of the Emelan works. I hope to.
I started reading Circle of Magic when I was 15 and going through difficulties with my hip (which had fractured and continually needed operations). I latched right on to the characters, most of all the two main guardian Dedicates (Rosethorn and Lark). Briar was a favourite of mine as well. The cast of characters supported me through a hard time medically and also guided me through picking my major at a vocational school. (I chose plant science in the end and am so deeply pleased to have done so.)
When I saw this book at B&N, I knew it would have Rosethorn and mentions of Briar. I tucked it into my "books to buy" without thinking. I'm glad I did that as well. I've read through it and must say I quite liked it. I thought the first person POV was refreshing (it was originally going to be third person) and that the character voices were distinct. I loved meeting Rosethorn once more in her realm of plants and power. Meeting Evvy and Luvo on a deeper level was also enjoyable. The same went for the rest of the characters.
I thought the story fit the ones Tammy uses for the ambient mages of the Emelan world. The fact that "we" as readers (given the first person POV) got to interact with the "heart" of the main conflict was unique. It brought the events beyond what they could have been if it had just been an ordinary natural disaster.
I still want to hear the audio version, given that came out first. I have yet to listen to the audio versions of any of the Emelan works. I hope to.
August 18, 2013
WHY IS BRIAR NOT IN THIS STORY.
Yes, yes, I understand. It might be interesting to read from Evvy's point of view. After all, I really liked Evvy as a character in Street Magic. But then again, this is not going to stop me from really wanting Briar to be in this book. Although I promise I didn't base my review on his absence.
The story was interesting enough, with a bit of character development for Evvy which I enjoyed. But that's it. So the lower-than-average rating just comes from comparing it to other books in the series/universe. Definitely was nowhere near as interesting as Will of the Empress. I feel like this could've been better as a supporting short story.
Also, once again I find myself suffering from Did-I-Miss-A-Book syndrome. In the beginning, I was confused as to who on earth Luvo was and when he became a part of the story. Well, I know now but I feel like before this book there should've been a book detailing Briar & company's travels in Gyongxe. That would've been a hell of a lot more interesting to me. But overall, I enjoyed this book.
Yes, yes, I understand. It might be interesting to read from Evvy's point of view. After all, I really liked Evvy as a character in Street Magic. But then again, this is not going to stop me from really wanting Briar to be in this book. Although I promise I didn't base my review on his absence.
The story was interesting enough, with a bit of character development for Evvy which I enjoyed. But that's it. So the lower-than-average rating just comes from comparing it to other books in the series/universe. Definitely was nowhere near as interesting as Will of the Empress. I feel like this could've been better as a supporting short story.
Also, once again I find myself suffering from Did-I-Miss-A-Book syndrome. In the beginning, I was confused as to who on earth Luvo was and when he became a part of the story. Well, I know now but I feel like before this book there should've been a book detailing Briar & company's travels in Gyongxe. That would've been a hell of a lot more interesting to me. But overall, I enjoyed this book.
December 30, 2016
I'm seriously beginning to question Tamora's pierce's writing process for these last books. I'm mostly confused by the structure of the last three books. Will of the Empress seems to be the last hurrah for the original four mages, but then Melting Stones and Battle Magic are thrown out as spinoffs even though you know how the series is going to end. I was convinced that I had read these out of order until I checked their publication dates. Luvo is introduced as a character that we should be familiar with, even though we don't know anything about him. Also, we get more hints about the mysterious traumatizing war, but still nothing concrete even though that would have been useful background for Will of the Empress.
In addition, to the weird set up. I just found this book incredibly boring. It reminds me painfully of my geology class with a bit of magic thrown in. Plus, I found all the side characters REALLY boring or annoying. Even Evvy became a bit irritating. The one good thing about this story is that Rosethorn gets to play an actual role in the story.
In addition, to the weird set up. I just found this book incredibly boring. It reminds me painfully of my geology class with a bit of magic thrown in. Plus, I found all the side characters REALLY boring or annoying. Even Evvy became a bit irritating. The one good thing about this story is that Rosethorn gets to play an actual role in the story.
May 2, 2022
i knew i really disliked this book when cute little miriam ran off and i literally said aloud ‘who cares? let her die.’ and i love children!! perhaps having lived through the covid pandemic makes me even less patient with people dithering about during impending disaster.
my problem wasn’t with evvy, it was with everyone else! that jerk murtide, that little snake norri, that rude old woman, all the stupid, squabbling villagers…i even disliked rosethorn!! she lets murtide verbally abuse evvy, and calls evvy a destroyer after evvy spends the entire book working herself to unconsciousness multiple times with the volcano spirits.
i wanted the whole darn island to blow up so i could finally stop reading about these annoying people. i’ve noticed a trend in these books where the worst things always happen to evvy with no real consequences to the perpetrators. not a fan.
my problem wasn’t with evvy, it was with everyone else! that jerk murtide, that little snake norri, that rude old woman, all the stupid, squabbling villagers…i even disliked rosethorn!! she lets murtide verbally abuse evvy, and calls evvy a destroyer after evvy spends the entire book working herself to unconsciousness multiple times with the volcano spirits.
i wanted the whole darn island to blow up so i could finally stop reading about these annoying people. i’ve noticed a trend in these books where the worst things always happen to evvy with no real consequences to the perpetrators. not a fan.
May 20, 2019
It had an altogether different feel from the other Circle of Magic books, but then I read that it was first published as an audiobook, so that does make sense of the changes. On the whole, though, even though it "felt" different, the core of the action and characters still felt familiar, like those of the previous Emelan books, and I really enjoyed reading it.
September 14, 2017
review to come :)
March 14, 2021
I like this book a lot, I just didn't realize that it was essentially a stand alone novel and not a part of the series! Great story and very exciting. A quick read.
July 2, 2021
It was a slow read at first, and for some reason I didn't like the first-person narrative, but overall I really enjoyed it!
April 25, 2017
I listened to the full-cast audio book while unpacking freight at work. I didn't love this one as much as I love the other Circle books, but it was still a breezy, fun read (err, listen).
September 16, 2019
I enjoyed all of the Geology references in this, it was really good even though it felt a bit rushed and unfinished compared to the others.
May 19, 2014
At first I was not sure about this book--but the author, Tamora Pierce, came recommended because she writes for young girls and her books give a positive image of girls and even though they are science fiction, the books make the characters realistic and show positive and good choices that the young girls can make. The book created a world where all things have a spirit--even the rocks, water, and islands.
Summary
Evvy has developed a more pessimistic view of humans since we last saw her, and after beating some bully boys to an unnecessary extent she is sent with Rosethorn and fussy Dedicate Myrrhtide to Starns, an island in need. The problems there are actually caused by magma spirits trying to break to the surface, and after negotiation and trickery are unsuccessful, the island has to be evacuated. Evvy stays behind because she got mad at a little girl named Meryem, who then ran away, and she wants to stop the volcano. She is unsuccessful, but her friend Luvo manages to convince the hearts of the mountains/islands to stand against the magma spirits. The magma spirits are sent farther off shore to erupt, and after spending three days in recovery and a further two and a half navigating ruined roads, Evvy gets to the town inn and finds that Meryem, Nori, and Jayat (who had gone after Meryem) are all safe. Evvy realises how bad it was to think of herself as superior to other people because they weren't rocks, and furthermore she loved feeling good because she had helped others. She decides to become a dedicate, like Rosethorn.
Evvy comes to the realisation that people don't always get what they want in life, showing that she has matured since the beginning of the book. Furthermore, she regrets the impersonal and obnoxious way that she referred to humans as 'meat-creatures', because though they are temporary, she is temporary too. When Evvy is almost certain that she will die, Luvo interrupts with the voices of the other islands, who together force the magma to go farther out where they will not kill the other islands. This the volcano spirits do, and they will eventually become an island themselves.
The best quote in the book was about mules.
I am looking forward to reading some of her other books such as Alanna and Wild Magic.
Summary
Evvy has developed a more pessimistic view of humans since we last saw her, and after beating some bully boys to an unnecessary extent she is sent with Rosethorn and fussy Dedicate Myrrhtide to Starns, an island in need. The problems there are actually caused by magma spirits trying to break to the surface, and after negotiation and trickery are unsuccessful, the island has to be evacuated. Evvy stays behind because she got mad at a little girl named Meryem, who then ran away, and she wants to stop the volcano. She is unsuccessful, but her friend Luvo manages to convince the hearts of the mountains/islands to stand against the magma spirits. The magma spirits are sent farther off shore to erupt, and after spending three days in recovery and a further two and a half navigating ruined roads, Evvy gets to the town inn and finds that Meryem, Nori, and Jayat (who had gone after Meryem) are all safe. Evvy realises how bad it was to think of herself as superior to other people because they weren't rocks, and furthermore she loved feeling good because she had helped others. She decides to become a dedicate, like Rosethorn.
Evvy comes to the realisation that people don't always get what they want in life, showing that she has matured since the beginning of the book. Furthermore, she regrets the impersonal and obnoxious way that she referred to humans as 'meat-creatures', because though they are temporary, she is temporary too. When Evvy is almost certain that she will die, Luvo interrupts with the voices of the other islands, who together force the magma to go farther out where they will not kill the other islands. This the volcano spirits do, and they will eventually become an island themselves.
The best quote in the book was about mules.
I am looking forward to reading some of her other books such as Alanna and Wild Magic.
December 30, 2023
UPDATE: Still not great. The name Evumeimei Dingzai (I don't even know if that's how you spell it but in the audiobook it sounds like that) is the most racist interpretation of a stereotypical "Asian" name I've ever heard. I feel like the timeline of this Circle Reforged series is also super messed up, probably based on publication date rather than timeline date.
As a HUGE fan of Tamora Pierce growing up, I was so excited to find there were books I had missed since my last time reading (2005, aged 12). I recently (2015) re-read all of her other books/series (staples from my childhood: the Song of the Lioness, the Protector of the Small, Daughter of the Lioness, the Circle of Magic and the Circle Opens) as well as read the Beka Cooper and Immortal series for the first time. All were amazing and were still SO GOOD 11 years later, reading as an (semi)adult.
Now, I decided to jump back in to get to these new Circle books. I re-read The Will of the Empress and loved it. It was just as I remembered and brought back so many memories. Melting Stones, however, was a huge disappointment. I disliked Evvy as a character and disliked that I only got to experience her with no updates on the rest of the the cast of characters we've grown to love. You only got to see Rosethorn and exposure to her was limited at best. Evvy was immature and whiny and I felt like she did not grow or learn any lessons throughout the novel, unlike what I am used to reading in Pierce's books. There was also a super shallow (albeit semi-exciting) storyline involving a volcano but nothing else... I was bored! The other books are so filled with converging storylines and differing perspectives and this book was so flat. I also though all the secondary characters were one-dimensional and forgettable. What happened to Pierce's rich writing? It was severely lacking in this book and makes me wary to read the next one in the series, Battle Magic, or her other two books coming out in October 2017 and February 2018.
As a HUGE fan of Tamora Pierce growing up, I was so excited to find there were books I had missed since my last time reading (2005, aged 12). I recently (2015) re-read all of her other books/series (staples from my childhood: the Song of the Lioness, the Protector of the Small, Daughter of the Lioness, the Circle of Magic and the Circle Opens) as well as read the Beka Cooper and Immortal series for the first time. All were amazing and were still SO GOOD 11 years later, reading as an (semi)adult.
Now, I decided to jump back in to get to these new Circle books. I re-read The Will of the Empress and loved it. It was just as I remembered and brought back so many memories. Melting Stones, however, was a huge disappointment. I disliked Evvy as a character and disliked that I only got to experience her with no updates on the rest of the the cast of characters we've grown to love. You only got to see Rosethorn and exposure to her was limited at best. Evvy was immature and whiny and I felt like she did not grow or learn any lessons throughout the novel, unlike what I am used to reading in Pierce's books. There was also a super shallow (albeit semi-exciting) storyline involving a volcano but nothing else... I was bored! The other books are so filled with converging storylines and differing perspectives and this book was so flat. I also though all the secondary characters were one-dimensional and forgettable. What happened to Pierce's rich writing? It was severely lacking in this book and makes me wary to read the next one in the series, Battle Magic, or her other two books coming out in October 2017 and February 2018.
August 21, 2016
Evvy and Rosethorn have traveled to the Battle Islands, partially to help them figure out why their plants and animals are dying and partially because Evvy has gotten herself into trouble one too many times at Winding Circle. The first book set without the original four mages, Melting Stones tells the story of Briar’s apprentice, Evvy, who was first introduced in Street Magic. Evvy, like the rocks her magic calls to, is a headstrong girl, so when people don’t listen to her because she’s young, she tends to get angry. Solving the mystery of what’s happening on the Battle Islands is a tough one to solve, but with the help of Rosethorn, a mage Evvy calls “Fusspot”, and the heart of a mountain (literal, actual mountain heart), they’re sure to figure it out.
I was a little disappointed in this one, I found Evvy to be really annoying. Although, this is the first Tamora Pierce book I’m reading for the first time now that I’m an adult, so that might be part of it. Returning to the magical world of Emelan was fantastic, though, and I still love the easy integration of magic into everyday life. Evvy is constantly bitter and pessimistic and you know when a mountain has more tolerance for people than an actual person, things aren’t going to go well for the human-to-human interactions.
Although I was disappointed in this book, I still recommend it because it is still a Tamora Pierce novel!
I was a little disappointed in this one, I found Evvy to be really annoying. Although, this is the first Tamora Pierce book I’m reading for the first time now that I’m an adult, so that might be part of it. Returning to the magical world of Emelan was fantastic, though, and I still love the easy integration of magic into everyday life. Evvy is constantly bitter and pessimistic and you know when a mountain has more tolerance for people than an actual person, things aren’t going to go well for the human-to-human interactions.
Although I was disappointed in this book, I still recommend it because it is still a Tamora Pierce novel!
December 6, 2008
Although I am a big fan of some of Pierce's other words (particularly her Tortall series - Wild Magic is a possible fav), I haven't enjoyed the last two Circle of Magic spin-offs, Melting Stones included.
There are still snatches of Pierce's original skill - real characters, real dialogue, and a really engaging and 'human' sense of magic (none of this grand whatsit stuff with the waving hands). However it's not grounded by any of the original lore, geography, or strong plot that forms the appeal of her other books.
I'm struggling to understand exactly how and why there's no book on the battle yet - I honestly got a clearer sense of Post-Traumatic syndrome from Briar in The Empress, where it's mostly glossed over. I don't really feel Evvy or Rosethorn behaved any differently in this book and in the absense of awesome spine-tingling plot details I was hanging out for any details of the previous big battle. I would also have liked to read about the discovery of Luvo - now THERE'S an interesting plot detail!
I can kind of see why the audio-format worked well, but I miss the narrative 'pull' of her previous books. I usually can't put her books down, but this time I was able to easily set the book aside for periods to do other things.
Hanging out for the next book in the Beka Cooper trilogy - hoping that'll be better!
There are still snatches of Pierce's original skill - real characters, real dialogue, and a really engaging and 'human' sense of magic (none of this grand whatsit stuff with the waving hands). However it's not grounded by any of the original lore, geography, or strong plot that forms the appeal of her other books.
I'm struggling to understand exactly how and why there's no book on the battle yet - I honestly got a clearer sense of Post-Traumatic syndrome from Briar in The Empress, where it's mostly glossed over. I don't really feel Evvy or Rosethorn behaved any differently in this book and in the absense of awesome spine-tingling plot details I was hanging out for any details of the previous big battle. I would also have liked to read about the discovery of Luvo - now THERE'S an interesting plot detail!
I can kind of see why the audio-format worked well, but I miss the narrative 'pull' of her previous books. I usually can't put her books down, but this time I was able to easily set the book aside for periods to do other things.
Hanging out for the next book in the Beka Cooper trilogy - hoping that'll be better!
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
August 13, 2015
I have been addicted to Tamora Pierce novels since middle school. That being said, I've always been a little afraid to continue reading the newer novels in fear of the loosing the magic I once experienced. I have never been more wrong. Listening to Melting Stones brought back the magic from my childhood. It is classic Pierce style with strong female leads, vibrant characters, and engaging plot lines. Specifically, Melting Stones brings back a character from a few novels ago, Evvy the stone mage. She, Rosethorn, Dedicate Initiate Myrrhflower and Luvo must identify why the trees are dying and water is being polluted on one of the Battle Islands. It is an easy to follow story line and honestly a little predictable, however it is fun and engaging.
After reading some of the reviews, its apparent many people did not find this novel up to par with Pierce's previous work. Specifically the criticisms were that it was too short and simple. I would like to clarify that the novel was originally published in Audio Book format. In fact, it was written for a full cast audio book. The print novel was not published until a year later. That being said, to be an effective audiobook, it needs a plot that is easy to follow when listening. That being said, I understand where the complaints are coming from, but I don't think they are warranted.
After reading some of the reviews, its apparent many people did not find this novel up to par with Pierce's previous work. Specifically the criticisms were that it was too short and simple. I would like to clarify that the novel was originally published in Audio Book format. In fact, it was written for a full cast audio book. The print novel was not published until a year later. That being said, to be an effective audiobook, it needs a plot that is easy to follow when listening. That being said, I understand where the complaints are coming from, but I don't think they are warranted.
October 22, 2013
Melting Stones by Tamora Pierce, published 2007.
High fantasy.
Novel. Audio book.
Grades 6-10.
Found via Booklist, reviewed by Pam Spencer Holley.
This book continues the Circle of Magic series by following Briar's apprentice Evvy as she visits an island where a volcano is forming. Readers are expected to be familiar with the previous books in the Circle of Magic series (where there are mages of many elements--Evvy controls stones), though the text does reintroduce old characters to help jog readers' memories. This book was published as an audio book a year before being published in hardback, and it was also written specifically to be read by a full cast of actors. The effect of moving between so many different voices can be jarring and distracting, keeping the reader from fully being immersed in the narrative. Reviewer Holley had a different experience, however, and praises the main cast's acting, including how "Grace Kelly as Evvy maintains a strong, steady pace." Readers already familiar with the Circle of Magic series should know to expect the amount of violence and magic present in this book.
High fantasy.
Novel. Audio book.
Grades 6-10.
Found via Booklist, reviewed by Pam Spencer Holley.
This book continues the Circle of Magic series by following Briar's apprentice Evvy as she visits an island where a volcano is forming. Readers are expected to be familiar with the previous books in the Circle of Magic series (where there are mages of many elements--Evvy controls stones), though the text does reintroduce old characters to help jog readers' memories. This book was published as an audio book a year before being published in hardback, and it was also written specifically to be read by a full cast of actors. The effect of moving between so many different voices can be jarring and distracting, keeping the reader from fully being immersed in the narrative. Reviewer Holley had a different experience, however, and praises the main cast's acting, including how "Grace Kelly as Evvy maintains a strong, steady pace." Readers already familiar with the Circle of Magic series should know to expect the amount of violence and magic present in this book.
February 1, 2008
Melting Stones is a spin-off story from Tamora Pierce's Circle of Magic series. Evvy, a youngster discovered by Briar in a previous story, is a stone mage who is traveling to an island that is suffering from poisoned water and dying plants. Evvy and her talking-heart-of-the-mountain, Luvo, and the two great mages sent to solve the problem, quickly discover that the problem is that the island is really a volcano about ready to blow its top. Evvy uses her stone magic to traveling underground and attempt to stop or change the volcano's destruction by communicating with two young, rebel volcano spirits. Unfortunately, in trying to help she might be making things worse.
This story was written for the audiobook format and released long before the print version due out later this year. I enjoyed the performance by the actors from Bruce Coville's Full Cast Audio production. I can still hear the deep booming voice of the mountain, Luvo, in my head!
As for the story, I enjoyed it, but not as much as her other series. I want to go and read her Kel and Alanna series again!
This story was written for the audiobook format and released long before the print version due out later this year. I enjoyed the performance by the actors from Bruce Coville's Full Cast Audio production. I can still hear the deep booming voice of the mountain, Luvo, in my head!
As for the story, I enjoyed it, but not as much as her other series. I want to go and read her Kel and Alanna series again!
Read
June 22, 2022Although I know that Evvy is supposed to be a victim of post-traumatic stress, I found her a fairly unlikeable character. Considering she was one of my favorites in the Circle Opens quartet, that was surprising. Rosethorn was even fairly subdued and didn’t seem like her old self. I am planning to read “Battle Magic” where we learn what happened to them (and perhaps will make me more understanding), but after this one I feel meh about continuing the series right away.
This book had a decent premise, but since Evvy is a character we don’t know as well as the original quartet her interactions with everyone also felt a little unclear and one-dimensional. All around the book was an ok read, but nothing that’s a must read. I will eventually read “Battle Magic” and perhaps after that I’ll feel more connected to “Melting Stones”.
Warning: Contains violence.
Who should read it? Fans of the overall Circle of Magic stories only.
See all my reviews and more at www.ReadingToDistraction.com or @Read2Distract
This book had a decent premise, but since Evvy is a character we don’t know as well as the original quartet her interactions with everyone also felt a little unclear and one-dimensional. All around the book was an ok read, but nothing that’s a must read. I will eventually read “Battle Magic” and perhaps after that I’ll feel more connected to “Melting Stones”.
Warning: Contains violence.
Who should read it? Fans of the overall Circle of Magic stories only.
See all my reviews and more at www.ReadingToDistraction.com or @Read2Distract
January 6, 2011
Reviewed by Joan Stradling for TeensReadToo.com
Evvy left the streets of Chammur four years ago and began training as a stone mage. Now, she's fourteen and on her way to the Battle Islands to help her mentor, Rosethorn, figure out why the plants and animals are dying.
Evvy is supposed to listen and learn, but ends up playing a much bigger role when she discovers the real reason for the Island's troubles. With the help of her friend, Luvo (the living stone heart of a mountain), Evvy must find a way to stop the destruction and save the island.
Though the plot was somewhat predictable for me, I thoroughly enjoyed reading MELTING STONES because of the characterization. Evvy is a brilliant character I couldn't help but fall in love with, and the ending left me yearning for more.
I hadn't read any of Pierce's novels before, but after MELTING STONES, I've added a couple of her other books to my reading list.
Evvy left the streets of Chammur four years ago and began training as a stone mage. Now, she's fourteen and on her way to the Battle Islands to help her mentor, Rosethorn, figure out why the plants and animals are dying.
Evvy is supposed to listen and learn, but ends up playing a much bigger role when she discovers the real reason for the Island's troubles. With the help of her friend, Luvo (the living stone heart of a mountain), Evvy must find a way to stop the destruction and save the island.
Though the plot was somewhat predictable for me, I thoroughly enjoyed reading MELTING STONES because of the characterization. Evvy is a brilliant character I couldn't help but fall in love with, and the ending left me yearning for more.
I hadn't read any of Pierce's novels before, but after MELTING STONES, I've added a couple of her other books to my reading list.
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