Lumatere Chronicles Read-Along

Lumatere Chronicles Read-Along

• Jan 21, 2013

The Background

I've been so obsessed with Melina Marchetta ever since I read Jellicoe Road last summer. I spent the first 80 or so pages really confused, but I ended up falling in love with the story, the characters and Melina's writing. A few months later, I devoured Saving Francesca and The Piper's Son. In a moment of Marchetta fangirling, I bought her two fantasy books - Finnikin of the Rock and Froi of the Exiles. And they've been sitting on my Kindle ever since.

While browsing the blog world one day, I saw a comment between Magan and Lisa about reading Finnikin of the Rock. I then proceeded to inform them that I better be included. Or else. After talking with Magan, Lisa and Alexa, I've decided to host a Lumatere Chronicles Read-Along. I checked Goodreads, and I saw these books hanging out on a lot of TBR piles. Well, now's your chance to read it! Bonus: You get to join in on some fabulous bookish discussions.

The Essentials

First of all, you don't have to be a blogger to participate. Anyone and everyone is welcome! I've created a reading schedule that has us reading Finnikin of the Rock in February and Froi of the Exiles in March. I've got us finishing up the first week of April, which is clearly perfect since Quintana of Charyn (book three) will be released in the US in April. I thought it was April 9, but Amazon now says April 23. Either way, it's still perfect timing!

Every Friday, I'll post some thoughts on that week's reading. Join the discussion in whichever way suits you best - either leaving a comment with your own thoughts or writing a post on your own blog. Just leave a link to your post in the comments if you go that route so we can all come read!

Finnikin of the Rock is 399 pages, and I've got it broken down to about 100 pages a week. Froi of the Exiles is 592 pages, so I think we'll be reading closer to 120ish pages a week. I'm hoping that's a good pace for everyone! I know some people read faster and find it hard to slow down, so feel free to read ahead. Just don't post any spoilers in the weekly discussion post, pretty please.

The First Book (from Goodreads)

Finnikin of the Rock and his guardian, Sir Topher, have not been home to their beloved Lumatere for ten years. Not since the dark days when the royal family was murdered and the kingdom put under a terrible curse. But then Finnikin is summoned to meet Evanjalin, a young woman with an incredible claim: the heir to the throne of Lumatere, Prince Balthazar, is alive.

Evanjalin is determined to return home and she is the only one who can lead them to the heir. As they journey together, Finnikin is affected by her arrogance... and her hope. He begins to believe he will see his childhood friend, Prince Balthazar, again. And that their cursed people will be able to enter Lumatere and be reunited with those trapped inside. He even believes he will find his imprisoned father.

But Evanjalin is not what she seems. And the truth will test not only Finnikin's faith in her... but in himself.

The Author (From Melina's Website)

Melina Marchetta's novels have been published in eighteen countries and in seventeen languages. Melina's first novel, Looking for Alibrandi, swept the pool of literary awards for young adult fictions when it was published, winning the Children's Book Council of Australia (CBCA) Book of the Year Award for Older Readers among many others.

Melina taught secondary-school English for ten years, during which time she released her second novel Saving Francesca, which won the CBCA Book of the Year Award for Older Readers, followed by On The Jellicoe Road, which won the American Library Association's Michael L. Printz Award for Excellence in Young Adult Literature in 2009. Melina's next novel, Finnikin of the Rock, won the Aurealis Award for Best Young Adult Novel, and was followed by The Piper's Son, the critically acclaimed companion novel to Saving Francesca. Melina has also written a book for younger readers, The Gorgon in the Gully, which was released in 2010. The second book in the Lumatere Chronicles, Froi of the Exiles, was published in 2011 to much international praise. The final novel in The Lumatere Chronicles, Quintana of Charyn, was released in Australia in September 2012 and will be released in the US in April 2013.

The Reading Schedule

Finnikin of the Rock Reading Schedule

Week 1 (February 3 - 8) :: To Part Two

Week 2 (February 10 - 15) :: To Chapter 18

Week 3 (February 17 - 22) :: To Part Three

Week 4 (February 24 - March 1) :: To End

Froi of the Exiles Reading Schedule

Week 1 (March 3 - 8) :: To Chapter 9

Week 2 (March 10 - 15) :: To Chapter 18

Week 3 (March 17 - 22) :: To Part Three

Week 4 (March 24 - 29) :: To Chapter 32

Week 5 (March 31 - April 5) :: To End

The Sign Up

Interested in joining? Just leave a comment below! I've never hosted a read-along before, but I'm trying to keep it simple and easy. All you have to do to participate is read with other cool book nerds and come talk about the book as you read them. What's more fun than that?! Also, use the hashtag #LumatereRA to share your thoughts on Twitter as we go along!