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3.88 AVERAGE
3.88 AVERAGE
This is a wonderful book! I liked and enjoyed it so very much!
The premise isn't something terribly original! It's about a girl that can see the fairies roaming the world all around us. It's been done many times before but this is the only one I actually liked.
Harrison based her fairy realm on research she's done and it shows. She is incorporating the Seelie and Unseelie Court mythology, as well as ways to protect yourself against evil fairies that are rooted in folklore. Her fairies are distinct personalities just like the characters. They are described beautifully, they are attributed unique gifts and habits and they can be really nasty and scary.
In most off the books about fairies, they author (1) goes for the shock factor by sexing them up, like in [b:Wicked Lovely|305234|Wicked Lovely (Wicked Lovely, #1)|Melissa Marr|https://d.gr-assets.com/books/1327814035s/305234.jpg|296240], (2) comes up with something ridiculous and unbelievable as in [b: Darkfever |112750|Darkfever (Fever, #1)|Karen Marie Moning|https://d.gr-assets.com/books/1392579949s/112750.jpg|108558] or (3) claims they are dangerous, evil and nasty but it's usually just talk; and then there's always the Disney version.
In this book Harrison chooses to stay traditional with their appearance, she keeps them detached from the human world, but still interacting with it, and when they decide to turn nasty they really do mean business. Those forest scenes were schilling.
I loved the characters as well. I liked the friendship between Fabian and Tanya. I liked that they were two independent personalities, that didn't necessarily get along, but since they were brought together by circumstances they decided to try and work out their differences in order to achieve a mutual goal, and through this ordeal a beautiful friendship was build.
Fabian was geeky and quirky, he was smart and bullheaded. He was very much what you'd expect a 12 or 13 year old boy to be and he was intriguing, mysterious and enraging at times.
Tanya was amazing! She was kind, patient and understating to the adults, than never believed her and insisting on punishing her, and to the faeries for they weren't all out to torment her. She was brave, compassionate, unbiased and just. She loved puzzles and she was a great friend! She was also naive and uncertain, she was getting mad at people and even threw the occasional tantrum but firstly she was entitled to one and secondly it only made her character more realistic and that's what I adored about Tanya. The whole plot of the book wouldn't exist if Tanya wasn't in possession of a unique ability but, and this is a big but, she is not the typical special snowflake that everyone treats as if she is the beginning and end of everything. Tanya is presented as a normal 12 year old girl that is sent to the grandmother as a punishment for being difficult that just so happens to be able to see faeries.
The plot was quite predictable but I din't mind one bit because I loved watching it unfold.
I'm not a fun of third person omniscient, I'd much prefer the third person limited point of view, and Harrison needs to work on how to handle dramatic plot deliveries as well as drooping clues inconspicuously throughout the book, but overall I enjoyed her writing.
I though the adults' book time was suspiciously little. Tanya was sent to her grandmother as a punishment but there were no chores, no lecturing, no nothing. She was felt to her own devices and allowed to roam freely which, given the circumstances, didn't make much sense.
I recommencement this book to people that like mysteries, dark and scary faerie tales, interesting characters, and don't necessarily require romance.
The premise isn't something terribly original! It's about a girl that can see the fairies roaming the world all around us. It's been done many times before but this is the only one I actually liked.
Harrison based her fairy realm on research she's done and it shows. She is incorporating the Seelie and Unseelie Court mythology, as well as ways to protect yourself against evil fairies that are rooted in folklore. Her fairies are distinct personalities just like the characters. They are described beautifully, they are attributed unique gifts and habits and they can be really nasty and scary.
In most off the books about fairies, they author (1) goes for the shock factor by sexing them up, like in [b:Wicked Lovely|305234|Wicked Lovely (Wicked Lovely, #1)|Melissa Marr|https://d.gr-assets.com/books/1327814035s/305234.jpg|296240], (2) comes up with something ridiculous and unbelievable as in [b: Darkfever |112750|Darkfever (Fever, #1)|Karen Marie Moning|https://d.gr-assets.com/books/1392579949s/112750.jpg|108558] or (3) claims they are dangerous, evil and nasty but it's usually just talk; and then there's always the Disney version.
In this book Harrison chooses to stay traditional with their appearance, she keeps them detached from the human world, but still interacting with it, and when they decide to turn nasty they really do mean business. Those forest scenes were schilling.
I loved the characters as well. I liked the friendship between Fabian and Tanya. I liked that they were two independent personalities, that didn't necessarily get along, but since they were brought together by circumstances they decided to try and work out their differences in order to achieve a mutual goal, and through this ordeal a beautiful friendship was build.
Fabian was geeky and quirky, he was smart and bullheaded. He was very much what you'd expect a 12 or 13 year old boy to be and he was intriguing, mysterious and enraging at times.
Tanya was amazing! She was kind, patient and understating to the adults, than never believed her and insisting on punishing her, and to the faeries for they weren't all out to torment her. She was brave, compassionate, unbiased and just. She loved puzzles and she was a great friend! She was also naive and uncertain, she was getting mad at people and even threw the occasional tantrum but firstly she was entitled to one and secondly it only made her character more realistic and that's what I adored about Tanya. The whole plot of the book wouldn't exist if Tanya wasn't in possession of a unique ability but, and this is a big but, she is not the typical special snowflake that everyone treats as if she is the beginning and end of everything. Tanya is presented as a normal 12 year old girl that is sent to the grandmother as a punishment for being difficult that just so happens to be able to see faeries.
The plot was quite predictable but I din't mind one bit because I loved watching it unfold.
I'm not a fun of third person omniscient, I'd much prefer the third person limited point of view, and Harrison needs to work on how to handle dramatic plot deliveries as well as drooping clues inconspicuously throughout the book, but overall I enjoyed her writing.
I though the adults' book time was suspiciously little. Tanya was sent to her grandmother as a punishment but there were no chores, no lecturing, no nothing. She was felt to her own devices and allowed to roam freely which, given the circumstances, didn't make much sense.
I recommencement this book to people that like mysteries, dark and scary faerie tales, interesting characters, and don't necessarily require romance.
Picked this as an audiobook from the library for our family to listen to in the car on vacation (and we finished it up in bedtime installments after vacation), and am glad we did! As a fan of old fae lore in which faeries are not pleasant little beings on the whole, but rather are dangerous and might steal people away, I enjoyed the atmospheric creepiness of this story. It holds true to those traditions, while retaining the magical appeal of tiptoeing around a grimy old house in the forest, or in the forest itself in the dead of night, and discovering the most bizarre of secrets. Our whole family liked it. Also, I extend compliments to the audio narrator, Nicola Barber, who did a fabulous job.
The research and lore that went into this book will always astound me. It remains a steadfast childhood favorite of mine.
adventurous
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Plot
Years later I still think about this book. Such a good whimsical middle grade book. I loved it
Tanya's mother is at her wits end, she's frustrated by Tanya's midnight rousings, her waking the house and her breaking things. At a loss what to do she sends Tanya to her Grandmother's house, Elvesdon Manor. What Tanya hasn't told anyone is that it isn't her fault that she wakes at night or makes noises, or that things get broken. Tanya can see fairies, and the fairies cast spells on her making her do these things. Tanya normally hates spending time at her Grandmother's house, but this time she finally feels like she might get some answers. Unfortunately with those answers comes a danger Tanya could never imagine.
I absolutely loved this one. It's no secret that I have been thoroughly enjoying middle grade reads this year, so it's not a huge surprise. This one is a smidgen darker than you often get with these sorts of books. Not enough to be scary or off putting for younger readers, just a deliciously different tone.
I thought Tanya was a great lead for this one. She's incredibly likeable and very believable. I could sense her frustration in her predicament with not being able to tell anyone what was happening, and being blamed for things that weren't her fault. I also admired her sense of adventure. I liked Fabian too, despite him appearing almost as a villain initially. It soon becomes clear that him and Tanya will be firm friends, and will need each other to face what is to come.
The storyline fascinated me. I find so often with books like this that faries are always friendly and characters are introduced to the fun side of magic or other worlds before they get to see the danger. We get a total about turn here, with Tanya being well versed in the malice of the fairies long before she learns that there is a nicer side. I think this flip on convention is one of the things that made me love the book so much.
I enjoyed this one so much that on finishing it I immediately bought the others in the series, and can't wait to get stuck in to them.
I absolutely loved this one. It's no secret that I have been thoroughly enjoying middle grade reads this year, so it's not a huge surprise. This one is a smidgen darker than you often get with these sorts of books. Not enough to be scary or off putting for younger readers, just a deliciously different tone.
I thought Tanya was a great lead for this one. She's incredibly likeable and very believable. I could sense her frustration in her predicament with not being able to tell anyone what was happening, and being blamed for things that weren't her fault. I also admired her sense of adventure. I liked Fabian too, despite him appearing almost as a villain initially. It soon becomes clear that him and Tanya will be firm friends, and will need each other to face what is to come.
The storyline fascinated me. I find so often with books like this that faries are always friendly and characters are introduced to the fun side of magic or other worlds before they get to see the danger. We get a total about turn here, with Tanya being well versed in the malice of the fairies long before she learns that there is a nicer side. I think this flip on convention is one of the things that made me love the book so much.
I enjoyed this one so much that on finishing it I immediately bought the others in the series, and can't wait to get stuck in to them.
adventurous
mysterious
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Complicated
Good book. There was a great story line and interesting characters. For the type of story it was it had a few twist in the plot that kept the story exciting. The different types of fey in the book were cool not very original but entertaining none the less. Good book for readers who like fairies or people who like young adult literature.
I really enjoyed the story. It took me a while to get into it, it starts slowly. But it got pretty interesting and cute.
I kept thinking I would have just loved this book had I read it when I was 10 years old :)
I kept thinking I would have just loved this book had I read it when I was 10 years old :)