Melina Marchetta skillfully follows up her Printz Award-winning JELLICOE ROAD with this equally mesmerizing read.

The country of Lumatere enjoyed great prosperity in the Land of Skuldenore. The land was fertile, the people happy, and the days filled with hope. Those who shared in the revelry included the king and queen, their five children, and the entire king’s guard. Finnikin, the son of the captain of the king’s guard, had a special bond with young Prince Balthazar and Balthazar’s cousin, Lucian. All three sacrificed a pound of flesh before the gods to protect their beloved homeland. While Finnikin understood the importance of such a sacrifice, he wasn’t expecting that a boyhood pledge would turn into a terrible burden after the five days of the unspeakable.

Lumatere was cursed, as some would witness, during the five days of the unspeakable. The king and queen and their eldest three daughters were found brutally murdered. Their youngest daughter, Isaboe, was found slain in a field, and all that remained of young Balthazar were a few bloody handprints. Seeking answers, the people of Lumatere turned on each other and started killing those they felt responsible, particularly the high-priestess of the forest dwellers, who cried out a curse upon the land. An imposter king and his guard moved in, the Lumateren inhabitants were forced into exile, and the kingdom was closed off.

In the 10 years since the five days of the unspeakable, Finnikin has not forgotten his childhood promise to the people of Lumatere. While traveling and learning under Sir Topher, the former first man of the king, Finnikin has seen his father sent to an impenetrable prison, the exiles shunned by foreign countries and left for dead in fever camps, and the hope for a rebirth of Lumatere shattered and broken. Seeing no other choice, Finnikin begins creating plans to bring all the exiles together into one location in an attempt to reunite his people.

A message sent from a far-away kingdom, though, unexpectedly strikes Finnikin at his very core. The message comes from a young lady, Evanjalin, who has the power to walk through the sleep of others and has claimed to walk through the sleep of the heir of Lumatere --- Balthazar. Armed with this new knowledge, Finnikin and Sir Topher are led by Evanjalin across the Land of Skuldenore in hopes of finding Balthazar and one day soon returning home.

Although her intentions are pure, Evanjalin’s methods of aiding Finnikin on the journey are intricate, confusing and downright dangerous. Even as small victories are won along the way, Finnikin begins to doubt Evanjalin’s true mission and what she asks of him. With the heavy burden of his people’s suffering on his shoulders, Finnikin begins to crumble under the pressure. Only by believing in Evanjalin --- and himself --- will Finnikin be able to pick up the pieces and see Lumatere return to its former glory.

FINNIKIN OF THE ROCK has all the components of an epic fantasy novel. The characters travel across a vast land filled with unexpected twists, turns and adventures. There is a mixture of ancient folklore and prophecy. All the elements are present for a budding romance that will sweep readers off their feet. To put it simply, it’s a fantasy lover’s dream. But it’s so much more. The underlying feeling of despair as Finnikin searches to reclaim his homeland and sense of identity is relatable on a number of levels. The kinship that the people of Lumatere share can be found in our own country, city, or even neighborhoods. And the coming of age many characters experience deepens the overall storyline and makes this book one of the best of the year so far.

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