Review: IRONSIDE: A MODERN FAERY TALE by Holly Black

In the realm of the Faery, it’s time for Roiben’s coronation. On the night of the coronation, Kaye, drunk from faery wine, declares her love for Roiben and asks for a quest. Roiben sends her on an impossible one: to find a faery that can tell an untruth, and everybody knows no faery can tell a lie, even the tiniest one. See how impossible the quest is? Miserable and convinced that she doesn’t belong anywhere, Kaye tells her mother the truth - that she is a changeling in the place of her daughter. So Kaye ventures to the Seelie Court to see Queen Silarial. In exchange for the human Kaye, she has to give out Roiben’s real name. She uses a fake one, and escapes with Ethine, Roiben’s sister. The two, along with Corny, Kaye’s gay friend, went into hiding. Later, Kaye finds out about the Seelie Queen’s plan, to let Roiben battle his sister to death for the Seelie throne. Will Kaye make it in time to warn Roiben? Or will she fail to save her love because of the quest?

     Author Holly Black brings us another tale of dark faery politics and dangerous love. Darker and deadlier than the previous novel, Tithe( I haven’t read Valiant, and judging by the summary, Valiant took place way before Tithe), Ironside is sexy and completely different from the norm. Language lively and expressively vivid, the plot is complete and not without a lot of twists and turns.

     Kaye, as always, is brave and very likeable. Roiben is his usual stay-away-from-me-as-you-will-hurt-yourself self. All of the characters are fully fleshed out and lively.

     Also, the relationship between Kaye and Roiben is as heartbreaking as ever. You’ll cry and laugh as Kaye dances a figurative dance of love with Roiben. I love how Kaye’s relationship with her mother shift and change into a deeper, truer relationship. The misunderstandings are cleared and lies busted, as Kaye learns that her mother’s love will never diminish, even if she’s a pixie.

    Intriguing and magickal, Ironside is a dark modern faery tale with a fresh angle. A job well done by Holly Black, though I wish there were more stories of Kaye and Roiben. Perhaps there are necessary full-stops for wonderful stories.

     Cover: This is a cover I Love! See how the well the black contrasts with the  shine?

Ratings: 5 stars

* For mature readers

For more info about the book or author, please click here

Review: TITHE: A MODERN FAERY TALE by Holly Black

Kaye Fierch, a sixteen-year-old girl who believed in faeries returns to her mother’s old home after an accident. She still believes in faeries, though her family and friends thought that it was her own imaginary. One night, after a friend tries to grope her, she runs and heads to the forest. There in the rain she meets Roiben, injured and bleeding to death. She saves him, and he leaves, leaving Kaye three ungranted wishes. Shortly after, Kaye receives a warning from her old faery friends, Lutie-loo and Spike to stay away from the “Dark One”, Roiben.  Kaye thought she wouldn’t see Roiben again, but one afternoon while dining in a restaurant with her friends, there Roiben was, rude and cruel, and he pisses Kaye off, but she learns his real name. One fateful night, Kaye’s faery friends tell her that she is a changeling, a pixie child left in the place of a human child since young. She is to become the sacrifice of “Tithe”, a ritual every seven years to bind solitary faeries to the Unseelie Court, only that it will not work, because Kaye is not a mortal.  She will do it, but will the faeries save her in time? Thus begins an adventure full of dangerous magick, deceiving fay and deadly romance.

     Author Holly Black brings you an enchanting tale of faery and magick, and Tithe may be one of my favorite novel. Dark and moody, this is a heavier and deadlier story than the other books I’d read. Fast moving and beautifully woven, unflinching and unforgiving, huge mistakes and deadly consequences, you would love this new age fairytale with some twists.

     The main character, Kaye is a fleshed out character, full of emotions and teen actions. However young she may be, Black’s character is very mature, and you’ll love her for her brains and bravery. Roiben is cold and distant, though there is a reason for that. He is handsome and able, a gentleman in a sea of rogues. Readers will love him for his past and his ethics, as well as his love for Kaye (ohh, big spoiler!!) and his naturally sad personality. The other characters are well constructed too, the Unseelie Queen, Seelie Queen, Kayes mother and many others. They are also highly believable and I could believe that they exist. A fine example of a great writing.

     The actions and mystery and gore and romance and suspense are fulfilling too. At least to my stomach. The building up was tense and just enough and the climax well constructed. And oh, what a cliff hanger! It just made me yearning for more.

  

     A work of art, Tithe is a dark faery tale with darker consequences, one readers with more mature taste will definitely love.

     The cover is simple, unusually how the red still conveys a dark, moody feeling. Though I still like the cover below better(well, it’s shinier and prettier).

Ratings: 4.5 stars(heehee, the writing definitely deserved 5 stars, but I seriously don’t like the cover)

 

* For mature readers(contains profanities and near disturbing images)

For more info about the book or author, please click here