Saw this book reviewed in the NY Times, and thought it sounded interesting; however, it was a little too much romance and teenage silliness for my liking. Frenenqer Paje is the obedient daughter of a controlling father and vacuous mother, who rescues a caged cat from the souk (Arab marketplace) in an oasis. The cat is actually a Free Person male named Sangris, who helps Nenner discover herself by whisking her off to faraway places. Rossetti's descriptive prose is the highlight here. 2.5 stars. ( )

I've read quite a few good books this year, including one or two that aren't part of series, or are debut novels. But I think this may be the best one yet. The story is simple, but it's one of those times when "simple" makes the story that much more powerful.

Frenequer Paje belongs nowhere, can claim no nationality or birthright. From the beginning she has been her father's creature, bowed down under the weight of his impossible expectations and trapped in a cycle of suffocation within her own small home in the middle of the desert. Sometimes she swears she can feel wings struggling to break free, but so long as she is smothered by her parents, freedom is only a faraway dream.

And then Frenequer, in a small fit of rebellion, rescues a dying cat from an animal market. That night, she awakes to find a lean, black-haired, yellow-eyed, winged boy climbing out her window. And suddenly freedom is within grasp, because that boy is a Free Person, a being born without walls or rules in their bodies, minds, and spirits. And he's willing to show her the world that exists outside the desert and beyond. But the walls holding Frenequer are not just the ones in her house, and the barriers erected by fear, repression, and shame will take much more than one boy's wings to surmount.

This is one of those books where I feel I can use words like 'lovely', 'lyrical', 'triumphant', and 'heartbreaking' to describe it, and it isn't flowery exaggeration. The prose is breathtaking, especially because it's written in the first person. And the first person window is used here to the fullest; you live through every sweet, painful, beautiful, conflicted thought and moment with Frenequer inside and outside her mind. When she struggles, you struggle. When she feels, you feel. You see what she sees, and that is what a truly well-done first person novel is made to do. The sensory detail is balanced perfectly with internal feeling, the showing with telling; it's just unreal. This is one of the few books I've read where all the components together make it feel almost poetic, although it's written as a novel.

And my gods, the romance. I read books like this and I wonder how I could stand to read one of those bland cookie cutter romances ever again. The relationship that forms between Frenequer and the mischievous, innocent, playful, wild boy she names Sangris is just...incredible. I would say very, very near perfection. The arc of it is rich with development, power, and honest conflict. There are no invented, forced relationship bumps here, and for once internal struggles take precedence over external forces. And every step of their road, whether it be forward, backward, or sideways, resonated through every one of my emotions. As for the "swoonworthy" side of it, please look no further. Rossetti is not trying to make this romance steamy or doe-eyed; it is far too deep and important for that. But she, as few authors have ever seemed to be able to, writes the interactions between Frenequer and Sangris as charged with something soft, fragile, fierce, intimate, and achingly human. It was just something that needs to be experienced, as I honestly think words are not adequate here.

And upon seeing how few reviews The Girl With the Borrowed Wings has and thinking of how I only discovered it through a small glowing review in a local newspaper, I realize how severely underrated it is, and I hope this review will encourage others to add this gorgeous novel to their to-read list. ( )

Frenenqer lives a cloistered life in a desert oasis town, where her overbearing, cold father controls every aspect of her life. She yearns for a way out, until one day she meets a free person - a shapeshifter with wings who can carry her to freedom. ( )

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. ( )