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Cover of Uprooted by Naomi NovikUprooted
Modern · Fiction, Fantasy, Young Adult

Uprooted

by Naomi Novik
2015 · 438 pages · Fiction
Critics' pick · Lifetime bestseller
≈ 11 hours to read · about 3 weeks at 30 minutes a day

What it's about

Agnieszka's village lies next to the Wood, a corrupted forest that swallows anyone who goes in. The valley is protected by a cold wizard called the Dragon, who every ten years takes a young woman to serve him in his tower. Everyone expects him to choose Agnieszka's beautiful best friend, Kasia. He chooses Agnieszka.

Why it's worth reading

It won the Nebula Award and was a Hugo finalist. It's a dark, enchanting fairy tale rooted in Polish folklore, with a clumsy, brave heroine.

You'll love it if you liked

Good to know

It stands alone. The Wood is genuinely creepy, and there's an attempted sexual assault early on.

By the numbers

72.6Must-Read Score
  • Readers44 out of 100 · counts 42%
  • Critics66 out of 100 · counts 34% (its stronger lane)
  • Bestseller35 out of 100 · counts 14%
  • Buzz4 out of 100 · counts 10%

Critics and Bestseller are two ways to earn a place: a book's stronger one counts more. Buzz rewards recent bestseller weeks and prizes, so older books start at zero. The parts combine into the Must-Read Score, shown on a scale where the best book we found scores 99 and the last book to make the ranking scores 50.

Where it ranks

Why it made the list

Won
Nebula Award winner (2015)
Shortlisted
Hugo Award finalist (2016)

Reads as

Epic

How we rank

Already read it? Upload your Goodreads or StoryGraph history and get the 50 best books you haven't read, tuned to your taste.Get my 50

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Quick answers

Is Uprooted worth reading?

Yes. It won the Nebula Award and was a Hugo finalist. It ranks #1,026 of the 2,816 books in our ranking, with a Must-Read Score of 72.6 (the best book we found scores 99).

What is Uprooted about?

Agnieszka's village lies next to the Wood, a corrupted forest that swallows anyone who goes in. The valley is protected by a cold wizard called the Dragon, who every ten years takes a young woman to serve him in his tower. Everyone expects him to choose Agnieszka's beautiful best friend, Kasia. He chooses Agnieszka.

How long does it take to read Uprooted?

About 11 hours (438 pages), or about 3 weeks at 30 minutes a day.

What awards has Uprooted won?

Nebula Award winner (2015).

What should I read after Uprooted?

If you liked it, try Jonathan Strange & Mr Norrell by Susanna Clarke or Babel by R. F. Kuang.