The Girl of Fire and Thorns

The Girl of Fire and Thorns is the debut novel of author Rae Carson, published by Green Willow Books, an imprint of HarperCollins. It is the first novel of the Fire and Thorns trilogy, followed by The Crown of Embers (2012) and The Bitter Kingdom (2013).

The Princess of Orovalle, Lucero-Elisa de Riqueza, was born as the chosen one, selected by God to fulfill a prophecy shown by a blue gem in her navel called the Godstone. She is the younger sister of Alodia, the future queen of her country and a more beautiful and confident person. She is married off to King Alejandro de Vega of the country Joya d'Arena. It is a country in turmoil and at war with a country named Invierne. Her new husband is kind and understanding, a surprise to Elisa. They leave the day following their wedding to travel to Joya d'Arena along with Elisa's nurse, Ximena, and lady-in-waiting, Aneaxi. While traveling their caravan is attacked and many die. Aneaxi is injured, and later dies on the road, due to infection. When they arrive at the palace, King Alejandro does not announce Elisa as his wife nor as the bearer of the Godstone, only as a special guest. While at the palace, she meets Alejandro's son, Prince Rosario, and his mistress, Condesa Ariña. She hires Ariña's maid, Cosmé, as her own to keep her under watch as she suspects Cosmé as a spy for Ariña. Elisa attends the meetings where she learns about the war. She also finds out about a book called Homer's Afflatus from Father Nicandro. Homer was the first bearer of the Godstone, and his act of service by God was to write a set of prophecies for all the bearers that followed. It was a book kept secret from her in her home country. Father Nicandro gives her a bag full of Godstones whose bearers have passed. Elisa hides the bag of Godstones in a potted palm. Cosmé finds out that Elisa bears the Godstone one day while dressing her and then kidnaps her in her sleep with the help of her brother, Humberto, and a few other companions.

Elisa awakens finding herself traveling through a desert with her captors, who treat her rather kindly, especially Humberto. After a month, they reach their destination. There, Elisa sees the war from the citizens' perspective. Most of the people are wounded children. Elisa meets with the head of the village, Cosmé's uncle, Father Alentín, who says that they need the Godstone bearer whom they believe can use sorcery to battle the powerful sorcerers of Invierne, the animagi. Elisa sees that the people of Joya are unprepared for war. To learn more of the army of Invierne, she, Cosmé, Humberto, and two others go to observe them from a cave hideout. The Invierno army decides to investigate the cave one day and the group flees, leaving Elisa hidden behind because she will only slow them down. Elisa is captured, and taken to an Animagi who wears a Godstone around his neck. She plays dumb and tricks him into sipping a drug to knock him out. She dons his robes and Godstone pendant and escapes, burning the Animagi in his tent. Elisa finds Humberto using her Godstone, and he nurses her back to health.