Pros: Polish folklore elements, folkmagic, some of the characters, the woods
Cons: adult/minor relationship, attempted SA that adds nothing to the story, some pacing issues
I loved the elements of Polish folklore, folkmagic, and the woods. Agnieszka discovering and developing her powers was really fun to read. Her magic versus the other kinds shown also reminded me a lot of traditional knowledge versus “western” knowledge comparisons and how powerful/effective yet underestimated traditional knowledge can be. I would have loved to see more about the magic of the valley and have that and its source/origin be explored more.
The creatures of the woods and the woods themself enriched the story and setting, as well as adding an underlying looming presence. I think all of the story involving the woods was richly descriptive. I’m a sucker for some spooky woods.
Agnieszka, Kasia, and Alosha were my favourite characters. i appreciate that they all had deeper/more complex aspects that shone though as the story progressed (

Agnieszka becoming wiser and developing her magic; Kasia being free of the expectations of being the likely choice of the Dragon, overcoming the woods, and finding her strength and affinity with the kids; Alosha as this stoic/aloof/powerful sword mage who also has a family she loves and cares for, etc.

). I probably would’ve liked The Dragon without the adult/minor relationship. The Falcon reminded me too much of a goofier Saruman. I found Agnieszka‘s experience comparable to being a female-presenting late diagnosed autistic person which added an additional level of likability and relatability to her character for me.
I loathe  adult/minor relationships  in books, especially the teenage girl and older immortal/long-lived man with a huge power imbalance. This is especially true here given how much he kept from her in the beginning and non-communicative he was. The fact that it’s an adult and minor notwithstanding, the relationship as a romance is also not well-developed and sudden. I think a close friendship would have been better for the plot and their dynamic. Very much a grumpy/well-polished old man and younger/sunshiny/chaotic person friendship.
The attempted SA that happens earlier in the book also felt completely gratuitous. I don’t think it added anything characterization-wise or plot-wise that couldn’t have been done differently or wasn’t done effectively later in the story.
Without the adult/minor romance and attempted SA I think this would have been a five star or close to five star read for me. If you like medium-paced dark fairytales inspired by slavic folklore with interesting magic systems (and can power through the negatives) Uprooted may interest you.