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3.7 AVERAGE
3.7 AVERAGE
After I read this I found I no longer liked [b:Lament: The Faerie Queen's Deception|3112850|Lament The Faerie Queen's Deception (Books of Faerie, #1)|Maggie Stiefvater|http://photo.goodreads.com/books/1265410418s/3112850.jpg|3144132] as much. James and Nuala are both stronger characters and more alive than Deidre was. And James and Nuala together came across as more realistic.
James was snarky and glib and totally unrepentant, and I loved it. He was a much stronger character as shown by the fact he lost Deidre and he didn't fall apart, he was sad and missed his best friend but he moved on. He was hilarious and a great friend to Peter even though he thought the was a stupid instrument.
Nuala was complex, in the beginning she just wanted to grab a couple years to last her until she burned. Then when for the first time she was rejected she really was developed well as a character.
Deidre completely lost it when Luke was gone. I was annoyed that Luke was completely gone from this novel and angry that Deidre was so unable to cope without him, I mean sure she loved him or thought she did but they were only together two or three weeks. But the most annoying part was her collapse fit within her character that it was so believable for her not to be able to cope without Luke.
And Luke didn't even show up except as a Fey who pretended to be him to get Deidre to kill. It really wrecked Lament for me as the love story that was Lament turned out to be more of a Harpist who a hot guy/souless fey assassin into her.
James was snarky and glib and totally unrepentant, and I loved it. He was a much stronger character as shown by the fact he lost Deidre and he didn't fall apart, he was sad and missed his best friend but he moved on. He was hilarious and a great friend to Peter even though he thought the was a stupid instrument.
Nuala was complex, in the beginning she just wanted to grab a couple years to last her until she burned. Then when for the first time she was rejected she really was developed well as a character.
Deidre completely lost it when Luke was gone. I was annoyed that Luke was completely gone from this novel and angry that Deidre was so unable to cope without him, I mean sure she loved him or thought she did but they were only together two or three weeks. But the most annoying part was her collapse fit within her character that it was so believable for her not to be able to cope without Luke.
And Luke didn't even show up except as a Fey who pretended to be him to get Deidre to kill. It really wrecked Lament for me as the love story that was Lament turned out to be more of a Harpist who a hot guy/souless fey assassin into her.
dark
sad
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
dark
mysterious
slow-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
No
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
Content Warnings
Moderate: Sexual assault, Murder, Fire/Fire injury
well I definitely liked it better than the first. James and Nuala are way more interesting than Luke and Dee.
adventurous
funny
mysterious
tense
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Complicated
A fantastic story all the way through! A richer plot line than Lament with interesting twists and changing POVs. Honestly I really enjoyed it a lot.
Please visit my blog to see my review in all its glory! Thanks, Jess.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Plot: 4
Setting: 4
Writing: 5
Originality: 5
Characters: 4
Passion: 4
Overall: 26/30 = 86% = B
Cover/Title Bonus: 4
I won an ARC of Ballad on Maggie’s blog.
Ballad is the follow up book to Lament: The Faerie Queen’s Deception.
Summary (Amazon.com)
Remember us, so sing the dead, lest we remember you
James Morgan has an almost unearthly gift for music. And it has attracted Nuala, a soul-snatching faerie muse who fosters and then feeds on the creative energies of exceptional humans until they die. James has plenty of reasons to fear the faeries, but as he and Nuala collaborate on an achingly beautiful musical composition, James finds his feelings towards Nuala deepening. But the rest of the fairies are not as harmless. As Halloween—the day of the dead—draws near, James will have to battle the Faerie Queen and the horned king of the dead to save Nuala's life and his soul.
More details are on Maggi'e’s Website.
Sneak Peaks
I posted one.SNEAKPEEK
Maggie posted one.SNEAKPEEK
Plot
This story follows James and his adventure at his new school Thornking-Ash, where Dee transferred to as well. He meets a faerie girl, Nuala and they become friends in quite a roundabout way.
I really enjoyed the story. I LOVED learning about James. He’s a sweet guy! There’s lots of references to music and instruments but it’s nothing too extreme to confuse the reader.
The only thing I didn’t like about the plot is that I missed Dee’s POV. I have no idea what she was doing in this book and it kinda ticked me off to the point that I was hating her character. I would have loved her POV. The text messages just were not enough for me.
Setting
The setting is the school Thornking-Ash. There’s lots of scenes around a large round fountain, which was cool. The school is also very cool with forgotten buildings overgrown with ivy and such. There’s a quick journey to “somewhere” else that was cool too.
It’s set in present day.
Writing
Amazing. I love Maggie’s writing. She chose to write in alternating POVs between James and Nuala. There are also glimpses of unsent text messages from Dee to James that I honestly found confusing and ended up loathing to read them half way through the book. I would have rather heard from Dee than seen those texts. It was a cool idea but it made me hate Dee and I didn’t like hating Dee.
Originality
The idea of the King of the Dead was pretty cool. Nuala was also very awesome. She’s supposed to “steal” James’s soul so she can keep living, which would make her the villain but things evolve quite well for both Nuala and James.
Characters
The main character is James. He’s a very cool guy. He has an enormous ego, which was incredibly funny at times. He’s a very strong character, which was overlooked in Lament.
Nuala was refreshing. She comes out initially as overbearing but she quickly acclimates to James and then she transforms from faerie to something else entirely. Maybe a woman? She does mature a great deal.
Mr. Sullivan is James’s teacher. He’s a very cool character too. He’s like an older version of James. He ends up tutoring James to teach him the piano because he’s already mastered the pipes. He ends up helping James and Nuala.
Paul is James’s roommate and he’s freaking hilarious! The scene with the (non)beer is amazing.
Dee is there but so not there. I really missed her POV as already stated. She played such a role in Lament that I wanted her to be included in Ballad too.
Passion
I missed Dee and Luke in this addition.
James and Nuala’s relationship grows and matures really well. I really enjoyed their story.
James and Dee have an episode of confusion, which I could have slapped the shit out of Dee for, but, alas, it’s just a book.
Overall
A great read and follow up to Lament. I still wish there was more Dee to love rather than hate. I loved James and Nuala was a nice partner for him. The King of the Dead was super cool. I’m wondering if Maggie will continue with the series sometime? I’d love to know what happened to Luke and where Dee will find happiness.
Cover/Title Bonus
I love both! They are both impossibly perfect.
Series
Lament: The Faerie Queen’s Deception | My Review
Ballad: A Gathering of Faerie
Connect with Maggie Stiefvater
ico_www blogger_icon livejournalfacebook_icon twiiter_iconamazon-icon_bigger_normal_normal Flux
Trailer
Other Reviews
The Story Siren
The Magic of Ink
L.J. Boldyrev
Laura’s Book Review Shelf
Did you review Ballad too? Put the link in comments and I’ll add it!
Other Links
Author Interview by The Story Siren
Author Interview by Wondrous Reads
Author Interview by YAReads
Author Interview by Fangs, Fur & Fey
Win Ballad on Free Book Friday. Ends 10/02
Win Ballad on Book Reviews by Jess. Ends 10/08
line_separatorSo what do you think? Have you read Lament? Will you be reading Ballad? Did you enjoy it?
I’ll be giving away a copy of Ballad! See the next post.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Plot: 4
Setting: 4
Writing: 5
Originality: 5
Characters: 4
Passion: 4
Overall: 26/30 = 86% = B
Cover/Title Bonus: 4
I won an ARC of Ballad on Maggie’s blog.
Ballad is the follow up book to Lament: The Faerie Queen’s Deception.
Summary (Amazon.com)
Remember us, so sing the dead, lest we remember you
James Morgan has an almost unearthly gift for music. And it has attracted Nuala, a soul-snatching faerie muse who fosters and then feeds on the creative energies of exceptional humans until they die. James has plenty of reasons to fear the faeries, but as he and Nuala collaborate on an achingly beautiful musical composition, James finds his feelings towards Nuala deepening. But the rest of the fairies are not as harmless. As Halloween—the day of the dead—draws near, James will have to battle the Faerie Queen and the horned king of the dead to save Nuala's life and his soul.
More details are on Maggi'e’s Website.
Sneak Peaks
I posted one.SNEAKPEEK
Maggie posted one.SNEAKPEEK
Plot
This story follows James and his adventure at his new school Thornking-Ash, where Dee transferred to as well. He meets a faerie girl, Nuala and they become friends in quite a roundabout way.
I really enjoyed the story. I LOVED learning about James. He’s a sweet guy! There’s lots of references to music and instruments but it’s nothing too extreme to confuse the reader.
The only thing I didn’t like about the plot is that I missed Dee’s POV. I have no idea what she was doing in this book and it kinda ticked me off to the point that I was hating her character. I would have loved her POV. The text messages just were not enough for me.
Setting
The setting is the school Thornking-Ash. There’s lots of scenes around a large round fountain, which was cool. The school is also very cool with forgotten buildings overgrown with ivy and such. There’s a quick journey to “somewhere” else that was cool too.
It’s set in present day.
Writing
Amazing. I love Maggie’s writing. She chose to write in alternating POVs between James and Nuala. There are also glimpses of unsent text messages from Dee to James that I honestly found confusing and ended up loathing to read them half way through the book. I would have rather heard from Dee than seen those texts. It was a cool idea but it made me hate Dee and I didn’t like hating Dee.
Originality
The idea of the King of the Dead was pretty cool. Nuala was also very awesome. She’s supposed to “steal” James’s soul so she can keep living, which would make her the villain but things evolve quite well for both Nuala and James.
Characters
The main character is James. He’s a very cool guy. He has an enormous ego, which was incredibly funny at times. He’s a very strong character, which was overlooked in Lament.
Nuala was refreshing. She comes out initially as overbearing but she quickly acclimates to James and then she transforms from faerie to something else entirely. Maybe a woman? She does mature a great deal.
Mr. Sullivan is James’s teacher. He’s a very cool character too. He’s like an older version of James. He ends up tutoring James to teach him the piano because he’s already mastered the pipes. He ends up helping James and Nuala.
Paul is James’s roommate and he’s freaking hilarious! The scene with the (non)beer is amazing.
Dee is there but so not there. I really missed her POV as already stated. She played such a role in Lament that I wanted her to be included in Ballad too.
Passion
I missed Dee and Luke in this addition.
James and Nuala’s relationship grows and matures really well. I really enjoyed their story.
James and Dee have an episode of confusion, which I could have slapped the shit out of Dee for, but, alas, it’s just a book.
Overall
A great read and follow up to Lament. I still wish there was more Dee to love rather than hate. I loved James and Nuala was a nice partner for him. The King of the Dead was super cool. I’m wondering if Maggie will continue with the series sometime? I’d love to know what happened to Luke and where Dee will find happiness.
Cover/Title Bonus
I love both! They are both impossibly perfect.
Series
Lament: The Faerie Queen’s Deception | My Review
Ballad: A Gathering of Faerie
Connect with Maggie Stiefvater
ico_www blogger_icon livejournalfacebook_icon twiiter_iconamazon-icon_bigger_normal_normal Flux
Trailer
Other Reviews
The Story Siren
The Magic of Ink
L.J. Boldyrev
Laura’s Book Review Shelf
Did you review Ballad too? Put the link in comments and I’ll add it!
Other Links
Author Interview by The Story Siren
Author Interview by Wondrous Reads
Author Interview by YAReads
Author Interview by Fangs, Fur & Fey
Win Ballad on Free Book Friday. Ends 10/02
Win Ballad on Book Reviews by Jess. Ends 10/08
line_separatorSo what do you think? Have you read Lament? Will you be reading Ballad? Did you enjoy it?
I’ll be giving away a copy of Ballad! See the next post.
This is by far one of my favorite books. I actually read it before the first book Lament and still loved it though, I was out of the loop. James was an entertaining narrator and refreshingly honest. I found his character a realistic mixture of flaws, peculiarities and humor. He was far more likable and funny than Dee, who the first book was about. the plot if the book was unusual and kept me interested, even when very few things were happening I found myself entertained and amused. The book was also so poetic and beautifully written. Stiefvater is the only author who did music justice through simple words. Sometimes I felt I could hear music while I read it. Stiefvater posses the talent to blend supernatural elements with every day life, and trick people into thinking its normal. Over all I enjoyed the plot, the characters, and even the romance in the story. It's the type of book you want to read over and over again.
It is actually painful that book three isn't out yet. I need closure!
This review originates from my blog, Starting the Next Chapter.
Much like Lament, Ballad is a harrowing glimpse of the dangerous world of the fey, this time as experienced by James, Deirdre's best friend. Things have changed since the events of Lament. James and Deirdre, while attending the same prestigious music school, have drifted apart. Their friendship is strained and James finds himself the victim of unrequited love. James continues along with his same carefree attitude on the surface, all the while wondering about Deirdre and her increasing absence. It isn't until the mysterious Nuala hits the scene that James begins to see the bigger picture, one with new love and grave danger.
I will start by saying that I grew to enjoy James as a character even more in this book. He was a great narrator and made for an interesting individual to get to know. The same can not be said of Deirdre, however. I found that I disliked her as a character a lot more, which is as it should be considering the things she has done that classify her as a crappy friend to James. Her pain in the light of the end of Lament entitles her to sympathy. However, she was also a very selfish character in many respects. She is a girl that has let herself, her friends, and her future fall by the wayside. It was a very sad sight to behold after the way in which I enjoyed her character in Lament. Nuala was the big surprise for me. At first, I didn't think I would like her at all. She is abrasive, arrogant, and comes off as cold. However, she definitely surprised me as the book went on and she began to soften around the edges ever so slightly. What first came off as jealousy of Deirdre soon became apparent as being genuine dislike based upon Deirdre's behavior. I knew Nuala had become a new favorite once I stopped to think, "You know, she's right!"
I very much enjoyed the Horned King aspect of the story. It is a brilliant adaptation of Celtic myth that I loved reading. His role in this story was intricate, intriguing, and, at times, frightening. The threat posed by this figure was both mysterious and compelling in its severity. Stiefvater did and excellent job in emphasizing that this figure is not evil, nor is he good. He is a law unto himself that should not be underestimated. To take him lightly is to put yourself at risk, which is later found out, though I will not say how or by whom.
The setting was as interesting as the rest of the story. I think this story will be very appealing for those of you who are fans to books that take place at boarding schools. Thornking Ash is a school unlike any other. Its purpose as a school for the musically gifted is one thing, but when you add in its true purpose that underlies that aspect, you have a winner. Everything from the countryside surrounding the school to the school itself make for a great backdrop to the rest of the story. I especially found the hills where the Horned King roams at dusk to be well-described and foreboding. Kudos to Stiefvater for her detailed descriptions and for making the school so easy to imagine.
I couldn't have been more pleased with Ballad. There was no second book slump present here. If the third book is as good as the first two, I will be even more pleased. I can not wait to see what is coming up next in the world of James and Deirdre. I give Ballad 5 hoots for spectacular characters and picturesque settings.
Much like Lament, Ballad is a harrowing glimpse of the dangerous world of the fey, this time as experienced by James, Deirdre's best friend. Things have changed since the events of Lament. James and Deirdre, while attending the same prestigious music school, have drifted apart. Their friendship is strained and James finds himself the victim of unrequited love. James continues along with his same carefree attitude on the surface, all the while wondering about Deirdre and her increasing absence. It isn't until the mysterious Nuala hits the scene that James begins to see the bigger picture, one with new love and grave danger.
I will start by saying that I grew to enjoy James as a character even more in this book. He was a great narrator and made for an interesting individual to get to know. The same can not be said of Deirdre, however. I found that I disliked her as a character a lot more, which is as it should be considering the things she has done that classify her as a crappy friend to James. Her pain in the light of the end of Lament entitles her to sympathy. However, she was also a very selfish character in many respects. She is a girl that has let herself, her friends, and her future fall by the wayside. It was a very sad sight to behold after the way in which I enjoyed her character in Lament. Nuala was the big surprise for me. At first, I didn't think I would like her at all. She is abrasive, arrogant, and comes off as cold. However, she definitely surprised me as the book went on and she began to soften around the edges ever so slightly. What first came off as jealousy of Deirdre soon became apparent as being genuine dislike based upon Deirdre's behavior. I knew Nuala had become a new favorite once I stopped to think, "You know, she's right!"
I very much enjoyed the Horned King aspect of the story. It is a brilliant adaptation of Celtic myth that I loved reading. His role in this story was intricate, intriguing, and, at times, frightening. The threat posed by this figure was both mysterious and compelling in its severity. Stiefvater did and excellent job in emphasizing that this figure is not evil, nor is he good. He is a law unto himself that should not be underestimated. To take him lightly is to put yourself at risk, which is later found out, though I will not say how or by whom.
The setting was as interesting as the rest of the story. I think this story will be very appealing for those of you who are fans to books that take place at boarding schools. Thornking Ash is a school unlike any other. Its purpose as a school for the musically gifted is one thing, but when you add in its true purpose that underlies that aspect, you have a winner. Everything from the countryside surrounding the school to the school itself make for a great backdrop to the rest of the story. I especially found the hills where the Horned King roams at dusk to be well-described and foreboding. Kudos to Stiefvater for her detailed descriptions and for making the school so easy to imagine.
I couldn't have been more pleased with Ballad. There was no second book slump present here. If the third book is as good as the first two, I will be even more pleased. I can not wait to see what is coming up next in the world of James and Deirdre. I give Ballad 5 hoots for spectacular characters and picturesque settings.
Good urban fairy tale. Now I need to go back and read the first one!