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meero's review against another edition
2.0
I received an ARC of this book from NetGalley in exchange of an honest review.
Rating: 2.5 Stars
I have very mixed feelings about this book, most of which are largely unpopular just by taking a look at its other reviews and general rating. As always, I like to start with the good then work my way to what made this a 2.5 stars read for me.
I think that the dual point of views worked well for this book. Daron is a sweet, lovable character, and I really appreciated his friendship with Faye. His dynamic with his team was quite nice to read, especially his moments with Alec which started subtle but developed as the story went. Another thing I enjoyed was that Faye was allowed to act the way a teenager would, instead of gaining sudden endless wisdom for being the Chosen one. She had her moments of doubt, weakness, and acting out which I really liked.
Faye exploring the Ether world and learning some of its history and workings made for a nice introduction into this world. Although I kind of wish that we had more time for her to develop a deeper connection to this world and to the people she met, because it felt (even at the end) as if we have seen next to nothing of this magical world the main character stepped into.
This brings me to the things I didn't like about this book.
Faye and the Ether is a book with a promising premises but some poor execution. To begin with, the writing at the start of the book seems choppy and inconsistent with the writing in later chapter. I would excuse this away as the author gaining their footing, except that even later on some chapters are long and flow well while others consist of multiple small blocks of paragraphs that jump from one event to the next with only a [symbol] to signify that we have already moved on from the previous scene. I found the effect of this rather jarring, and it took me out of the story multiple times. A lot of the scenes needed to be fleshed out more, to give the reader time to get into the setting and connect to the characters' dynamics more.
Another huge pet peeve I had with the writing is the author using food to describe skin color. There is a line where the character Scyla is described with "deep spice color of [her] skin". I won't even pretend I understood what that line means.. I googled "deep spice color" and ended up looking at paint swathes for a few minutes. As a brown woman, I promise you that using "light brown", "dark brown", and "black" etc would suffice when describing people of color. Please stop making me read food comparisons for skin color.
As for the story itself, I think (once again) that the premises was pretty good but it needed far more work and the details should have been hashed out more. I finished reading the book and still had no idea what caused the war in Ether to begin with, because the information was never provided. The worldbuilding was fine in some places (talking about the different creatures, touching lightly upon their magic and shapeshifting and societal expectations), but super shaky in others I.E why that war was brewing and what Typhon's motives were or why Heracles sided with him. Additionally, Hekista's involvement came out of left field for me, because the character wasn't given enough weight to begin with for her to come back as a plot twist, and her daughter had a total of two scenes that also didn't establish or describe how proud she is or provide any context that would justify her later actions. I honestly am puzzled by a world that is full of magic, shape-shifting, and Greek mythology having homophobia as a major plot point -I will admit that that's where the book really lost me.
Overall, Faye and the Ether is a book with an interesting storyline and interesting characters, however it could have really benefited from better world-building and a far more established backstory/plot.
Rating: 2.5 Stars
I have very mixed feelings about this book, most of which are largely unpopular just by taking a look at its other reviews and general rating. As always, I like to start with the good then work my way to what made this a 2.5 stars read for me.
I think that the dual point of views worked well for this book. Daron is a sweet, lovable character, and I really appreciated his friendship with Faye. His dynamic with his team was quite nice to read, especially his moments with Alec which started subtle but developed as the story went. Another thing I enjoyed was that Faye was allowed to act the way a teenager would, instead of gaining sudden endless wisdom for being the Chosen one. She had her moments of doubt, weakness, and acting out which I really liked.
Faye exploring the Ether world and learning some of its history and workings made for a nice introduction into this world. Although I kind of wish that we had more time for her to develop a deeper connection to this world and to the people she met, because it felt (even at the end) as if we have seen next to nothing of this magical world the main character stepped into.
This brings me to the things I didn't like about this book.
Faye and the Ether is a book with a promising premises but some poor execution. To begin with, the writing at the start of the book seems choppy and inconsistent with the writing in later chapter. I would excuse this away as the author gaining their footing, except that even later on some chapters are long and flow well while others consist of multiple small blocks of paragraphs that jump from one event to the next with only a [symbol] to signify that we have already moved on from the previous scene. I found the effect of this rather jarring, and it took me out of the story multiple times. A lot of the scenes needed to be fleshed out more, to give the reader time to get into the setting and connect to the characters' dynamics more.
Another huge pet peeve I had with the writing is the author using food to describe skin color. There is a line where the character Scyla is described with "deep spice color of [her] skin". I won't even pretend I understood what that line means.. I googled "deep spice color" and ended up looking at paint swathes for a few minutes. As a brown woman, I promise you that using "light brown", "dark brown", and "black" etc would suffice when describing people of color. Please stop making me read food comparisons for skin color.
As for the story itself, I think (once again) that the premises was pretty good but it needed far more work and the details should have been hashed out more. I finished reading the book and still had no idea what caused the war in Ether to begin with, because the information was never provided. The worldbuilding was fine in some places (talking about the different creatures, touching lightly upon their magic and shapeshifting and societal expectations), but super shaky in others I.E why that war was brewing and what Typhon's motives were or why Heracles sided with him. Additionally, Hekista's involvement came out of left field for me, because the character wasn't given enough weight to begin with for her to come back as a plot twist, and her daughter had a total of two scenes that also didn't establish or describe how proud she is or provide any context that would justify her later actions. I honestly am puzzled by a world that is full of magic, shape-shifting, and Greek mythology having homophobia as a major plot point -I will admit that that's where the book really lost me.
Overall, Faye and the Ether is a book with an interesting storyline and interesting characters, however it could have really benefited from better world-building and a far more established backstory/plot.
lyatslibrary's review against another edition
4.0
“Faye and the Ether” is a story about a young girl. Faye enters a world full of mythical creatures, dangerous threats, and magic. Faye learns of her lineage and her fate as a member of the Ether. She grows up quickly, understands the way of her talents, and must make decisions that can change the destiny of the world as we know it. You know, your typical Saturday night.
What I love most about this book is how perfectly it follows the hero’s journey. We get the smallest introduction to Faye before she meets Daron, and it is all we need. The readers enter this strange and bizarre world alongside Faye, and we get to read the experience through her eyes. I thought Faye and Daron were great characters that brought some levity to such a monumental task, preventing the destruction of Earth and the Ether.
One aspect that I wish didn’t happen so quickly was the trek to the top of the mountain. For such a hefty journey, Faye and the others seem to accomplish it reasonably quickly. I always enjoy the introductory parts of the hero’s journey where the hero learns to hone their skill. I got a small aspect of it, but by the end, I feel like Faye was cheated out of her real opportunity to learn the strength of her magic. Yes, she learns through practical use, but I always think that there’s something special when the reader experiences their growth. I think there was an attempt with the globe, but it ended up that there were ulterior motives behind the globe’s use.
I enjoyed it, and I think it is a great YA fantasy book. Faye is a tenacious and robust character, and Daron is a formidable mentor. I appreciate their relationship and how they communicate with each other. Perhaps a little more prior knowledge on Daron would have built up the romance a bit more and felt more satisfactory, but I love that it did not fall into the familiar trope.
What I love most about this book is how perfectly it follows the hero’s journey. We get the smallest introduction to Faye before she meets Daron, and it is all we need. The readers enter this strange and bizarre world alongside Faye, and we get to read the experience through her eyes. I thought Faye and Daron were great characters that brought some levity to such a monumental task, preventing the destruction of Earth and the Ether.
One aspect that I wish didn’t happen so quickly was the trek to the top of the mountain. For such a hefty journey, Faye and the others seem to accomplish it reasonably quickly. I always enjoy the introductory parts of the hero’s journey where the hero learns to hone their skill. I got a small aspect of it, but by the end, I feel like Faye was cheated out of her real opportunity to learn the strength of her magic. Yes, she learns through practical use, but I always think that there’s something special when the reader experiences their growth. I think there was an attempt with the globe, but it ended up that there were ulterior motives behind the globe’s use.
I enjoyed it, and I think it is a great YA fantasy book. Faye is a tenacious and robust character, and Daron is a formidable mentor. I appreciate their relationship and how they communicate with each other. Perhaps a little more prior knowledge on Daron would have built up the romance a bit more and felt more satisfactory, but I love that it did not fall into the familiar trope.
bookish_selkie's review against another edition
4.0
Faye thought that the most difficult choice she’d need to make would be about college applications. Instead, her world changes overnight when a mysterious new student appears. Faye learns that there’s a world called the Ether, filled with mythological creatures. When the new student is revealed to be a magical protector searching for her, Faye discovers that she has a place in this magical world. But before she can adjust, Faye must quickly learn to use magic before a power-hungry villain causes chaos.
In Faye and the Ether, well-known myths and creatures we assume we know are creatively re-imagined. Mythological politics, power plays, and magical lessons create a compelling story. Faye’s struggle to adapt to the magical world was very relatable and I enjoyed seeing her form connections with a wide cast of characters! I absolutely love that there were selkies in this story; I hope we see more of them. I would recommend this if you’re seeking YA featuring magical adventures, mythological creatures, and LGBTQ rep. This was a very fun adventure and I’m looking forward to seeing how it continues! Faye and the Ether is out now! Thank you to Nicole Bailey, BooksGoSocial, and Netgalley for a free ARC in exchange for an honest review.
In Faye and the Ether, well-known myths and creatures we assume we know are creatively re-imagined. Mythological politics, power plays, and magical lessons create a compelling story. Faye’s struggle to adapt to the magical world was very relatable and I enjoyed seeing her form connections with a wide cast of characters! I absolutely love that there were selkies in this story; I hope we see more of them. I would recommend this if you’re seeking YA featuring magical adventures, mythological creatures, and LGBTQ rep. This was a very fun adventure and I’m looking forward to seeing how it continues! Faye and the Ether is out now! Thank you to Nicole Bailey, BooksGoSocial, and Netgalley for a free ARC in exchange for an honest review.
pinklemonadey's review
adventurous
mysterious
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
4.25
yakk's review
4.0
I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.
Faye and the Ether is a fun ride through a unique fantasy setting. It builds on mythology and folklore to create the world of Ether, full of different magical creatures (centaurs, selkies, sirens, and griffons to name a few).
The magic was probably my favorite part of the story. I love the idea of how the Ether provides for its people and how all the creatures can 'pull' the essentials from the Ether and 'store' their items inside it as well.
I felt like there was a lot of time with Faye and Daron just 'getting ready' for the big things to happen, which really made my interest in the plot wane. But the world more than enough made up for the 'boring' spots in the story. I am interested to see how this series continues though.
Daron and Alec was an unexpected surprise! I really did expect Daron and Faye to have some kind of romance but I am beyond happy that didn't end up happening. Daron and Alec had great chemistry and were a truly exciting couple.
Faye and the Ether is a fun ride through a unique fantasy setting. It builds on mythology and folklore to create the world of Ether, full of different magical creatures (centaurs, selkies, sirens, and griffons to name a few).
The magic was probably my favorite part of the story. I love the idea of how the Ether provides for its people and how all the creatures can 'pull' the essentials from the Ether and 'store' their items inside it as well.
I felt like there was a lot of time with Faye and Daron just 'getting ready' for the big things to happen, which really made my interest in the plot wane. But the world more than enough made up for the 'boring' spots in the story. I am interested to see how this series continues though.
Daron and Alec was an unexpected surprise! I really did expect Daron and Faye to have some kind of romance but I am beyond happy that didn't end up happening. Daron and Alec had great chemistry and were a truly exciting couple.
lazydaze22's review
adventurous
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
5.0
What a fun read! I loved the interesting concept of the Ether, the "other" world. Poor Faye has no idea what she is being dropped into, or who she really is. I liked the unique twist of the love story I wasn't expecting. The characters are all very intriguing and I was too interested in the story to go back and brush up on my mythology or look up anything. If this is your sort of thing, you may enjoy it even more. I will say, I wish I was a selkie! Eagerly awaiting the adventures in book two!
cabc's review
3.0
What I liked about this book:
-The Cover: it's gorgeous!
-The Characters: writing multiple characters can be tough, especially in fantasy stories where it's all too easy to write a bunch of one-dimensional caricatures.But I thought the author did a great job developing characters that I both liked and cared about. Plus, there's potential for further development as the series continues.
I will add - I am not a fan of Faye. The author used her character's actions to push plot points, so later in the book she says and does things that really don't fit into her character. At all. But, if she actually learns from her mistakes and continues to develop and (believably) change, then I have faith that the author can make me like her more as the series continues.
-The World-Building: this is what I love most about fantasy books. New worlds to explore! We only get a glimpse at the world the author is building, but what is in the first book is interesting stuff. I especially like the idea of everyone having a personalized tent aka sanctuary. There is a lot to keep on unpacking in further books and I'm confident the author has a lot of imagination left to share.
-The Story: even though I had issues with elements of the storytelling, I was definitely pulled into it and wanted to keep reading and learning more.
What I didn't like about this book:
-The Pacing: it's really clunky and awkward and non-stop. I felt like I was reading a running stream of conscience as we jumped from place to place and plot point to plot point. Some editing could have helped smooth this over a bit.
-The Plot: I have to admit that by the end of the book, I was totally unclear on what exactly to expect from the next book. Honestly, there was way too much going on in this particular book, but I find that to be a persistent problem in fantasy series.
Overall, there's a lot in this book that could have been improved with some solid editing. But for a debut novel, it's pretty darn good! I feel like this author has a solid foundation and will only improve as they continue to write. While I'm not sure I'll ever re-read this book, I do plan to read the next book in this series, and give the author's future books a chance. (Especially if they also have gorgeous covers!)
I do highly recommend this if fantasy YA is your jam.
-The Cover: it's gorgeous!
-The Characters: writing multiple characters can be tough, especially in fantasy stories where it's all too easy to write a bunch of one-dimensional caricatures.But I thought the author did a great job developing characters that I both liked and cared about. Plus, there's potential for further development as the series continues.
I will add - I am not a fan of Faye. The author used her character's actions to push plot points, so later in the book she says and does things that really don't fit into her character. At all. But, if she actually learns from her mistakes and continues to develop and (believably) change, then I have faith that the author can make me like her more as the series continues.
-The World-Building: this is what I love most about fantasy books. New worlds to explore! We only get a glimpse at the world the author is building, but what is in the first book is interesting stuff. I especially like the idea of everyone having a personalized tent aka sanctuary. There is a lot to keep on unpacking in further books and I'm confident the author has a lot of imagination left to share.
-The Story: even though I had issues with elements of the storytelling, I was definitely pulled into it and wanted to keep reading and learning more.
What I didn't like about this book:
-The Pacing: it's really clunky and awkward and non-stop. I felt like I was reading a running stream of conscience as we jumped from place to place and plot point to plot point. Some editing could have helped smooth this over a bit.
-The Plot: I have to admit that by the end of the book, I was totally unclear on what exactly to expect from the next book. Honestly, there was way too much going on in this particular book, but I find that to be a persistent problem in fantasy series.
Overall, there's a lot in this book that could have been improved with some solid editing. But for a debut novel, it's pretty darn good! I feel like this author has a solid foundation and will only improve as they continue to write. While I'm not sure I'll ever re-read this book, I do plan to read the next book in this series, and give the author's future books a chance. (Especially if they also have gorgeous covers!)
I do highly recommend this if fantasy YA is your jam.