Review: The Girl With Borrowed Wings by Rinsai Rossetti

Title: The Girl With Borrowed Wings
Author: Rinsai Rossetti
Pages: 300
Publisher: Dial
Release Date: July 19, 2012

A stunningly written tale of an isolated girl and the shape-shifting boy who shows her what freedom could be--if only she has the courage to take it.

Controlled by her father and bound by desert, Frenenqer Paje’s life is tediously the same, until a small act of rebellion explodes her world and she meets a boy, but not just a boy--a Free person, a winged person, a shape-shifter. He has everything Frenenqer doesn’t. No family, no attachments, no rules. At night, he flies them to the far-flung places of their childhoods to retrace their pasts. But when the delicate balance of their friendship threatens to rupture into something more, Frenenqer must confront her isolation, her father, and her very sense of identity, breaking all the rules of her life to become free.

My Thoughts: Before I started The Girl With Borrowed Wings, my sole reason for wanting to read it was the cover. It easily lured me in, and I couldn't stop thinking about what kind of story could be inside a book with such a vibrant and gorgeous cover. Reading the summary made my curiosity grow even more. There are tons of books out there with amazing covers but with stories that don't live up to their covers' greatness. I had a good feeling about The Girl With Borrowed Wings though, and while it took some time for me to fall in love completely, it ended up being much more satisfying than I expected.

I wasn't prepared for this story at all. It really surprised me. The first couple of chapters were interesting, but I admit I wasn't exactly wow-ed. I remembered thinking, 'Where is this all going?' I came in with some expectations and was nervous when none were met right away. All I had to do was wait and be patient, though, because this story eventually crept up on me. I remember the exact moment when I suddenly realized I was in love with this book. It was an amazing feeling! However, at the same time, the moment I realized how much I cared was a moment during the book that had my heart breaking into pieces. It was very bittersweet.

In the beginning, it almost sounded like the main character Frenenqer was a wingless angel and that her father was God. I started believing that was the case because of the cover. This book actually wasn't about angels, but in a way, the father and God comparison was true. Frenenqer was an isolated and lonely girl who wanted to be free and her father was a controlling bastard with twisted ideas. I desperately wanted her father to be thrown over a cliff into crocodile-infested water. I wanted Frenenqer to take Sangris (who will I get to in a bit) up on his offer to rip her father to shreds. I don't think I've ever hated a character as much as I hated Frenenqer's father. In his goal to create the perfect daughter, he came off as an emotionless, out-of-touch prick. I won't say more because you'll have to see for yourself. Besides, it's time to focus on better things, like what made this book for me: Frenenqer and Sangris.

Frenenqer was a complicated character. It's almost hard to describe her. Although she acted docile around her father to please him, she wasn't timid and spineless in the least. She desired freedom above all else. The thing was, if she truly had the chance to be free, would she actually take it? And because of the way her parents treated her, she lacked certain emotions. Or she believed she wasn't capable of certain emotions. Like love. It made her seem like she was uncaring of others, but deep down she knew she cared. It made her a really frustrating person at times. There were some moments where I wanted to shake some sense into her because I believed she was being completely unfair. But I understood why she acted the way she did. And there were some moments where I wanted to hug and comfort her. So, it all balanced out, and I grew to really admire her character.

Her relationship with Sangris was the highlight of the novel for me. It was the reason why I fell in love with this book. Sangris is a Free person. Free people are capable of shape-shifting and traveling to any world they want. Although Free people tend to keep to themselves, Sangris wasn't afraid or uncomfortable to let Frenenqer in. He was an open book with her and couldn't help hanging around. He was fascinated and curious, even though Nenner (his nickname for her) was cold to him a lot of the time. After he started taking her to exotic cities and worlds so that she could experience freedom, it was clear that he had feelings for her. And that underneath all that sarcasm and mischievousness Sangris was really sweet and loved deeply. He was capable of all the feelings Frenenqer lacked, and he helped her see what she was missing. It was strange that, although their personalities and views were different, they still were able to understand each other in a way that no one else did. It was a special bond. I wish I could go on and on about them, especially Sangris, but just know that they were perfect together and their interactions with each other were my favorite parts of the novel.

As I got closer and closer to the end of The Girl With Borrowed Wings, I was not only scared of what would happen but also sad that it was almost over. I didn't want it to end. Thankfully the ending didn't destroy my heart like I feared, and I could see just how much Frenenqer had changed. It was wonderful to read. The Girl With Borrowed Wings was just the type of story that I needed to read. While I can't say everyone will fall in love with this book the way I did, I thought the story ended in a way that everyone could appreciate. It brought a huge smile to my face and got me close to tears. It was a story that resulted in pure happiness and love, and one that I can't recommend enough.

Rating: 5 out of 5 stars