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3.7 AVERAGE
3.7 AVERAGE
I loved this book and of course the first but there were few questions which remain unanswered to me. The first was where was Luke when Deirdre needed him?
adventurous
emotional
fast-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:
No
Ballad: A Gathering of Faerie is the sequel to Lament: The Faerie Queen's Deception.The book picks up where Lament left off. James and Dee are at the music school Thornking-Ash, and it seems as if they cannot escape the devious and murderous fey that nearly killed James in Lament.
Ballad is told from the point of view of James, and I think Maggie Stiefvater made a smart choice in doing this because get an up-close-and-personal look into the mind of a wonderful character. Not only is James being tormented by his near-death experience and love for Dee, but he can't help but feel himself getting attracted to Nuala, a homicidal faerie who can only gain strength by sucking the life out of talented humans, and James is her target. But something is different this time. Nuala develops feelings for James, and as Halloween approaches, James is forced to choose between the lives of Nuala and Dee.
As I've come to expect with Maggie Stiefvater's works, Ballad is beautifully written. The plot is fast-paced and heart-pounding up to the end, and Stiefvater has a way for making you truly care for all of the characters you're supposed to care for, even the minor characters like James' roommate Paul and the English teacher Mr. Sullivan. Dee is more of a minor character in this book, and we mostly see how she is dealing with the absence of Luke (the homicidal faerie SHE fell in love with in Lament) through unsent text messages to James that are scattered throughout the book.
I especially loved Nuala's character and loved the sections that were told from her point of view. She's lovable, feisty, and of course, a little evil, and Stiefvater did an exceptional job of illustrating the change in Nuala throughout the book.
Fans of Lament will NOT be disappointed with Ballad.
Ballad is told from the point of view of James, and I think Maggie Stiefvater made a smart choice in doing this because get an up-close-and-personal look into the mind of a wonderful character. Not only is James being tormented by his near-death experience and love for Dee, but he can't help but feel himself getting attracted to Nuala, a homicidal faerie who can only gain strength by sucking the life out of talented humans, and James is her target. But something is different this time. Nuala develops feelings for James, and as Halloween approaches, James is forced to choose between the lives of Nuala and Dee.
As I've come to expect with Maggie Stiefvater's works, Ballad is beautifully written. The plot is fast-paced and heart-pounding up to the end, and Stiefvater has a way for making you truly care for all of the characters you're supposed to care for, even the minor characters like James' roommate Paul and the English teacher Mr. Sullivan. Dee is more of a minor character in this book, and we mostly see how she is dealing with the absence of Luke (the homicidal faerie SHE fell in love with in Lament) through unsent text messages to James that are scattered throughout the book.
I especially loved Nuala's character and loved the sections that were told from her point of view. She's lovable, feisty, and of course, a little evil, and Stiefvater did an exceptional job of illustrating the change in Nuala throughout the book.
Fans of Lament will NOT be disappointed with Ballad.
Ballad is the companion book to [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]. I had just finished Lament, and rushed to pick up Ballad.
Lament is Deirdre's story and Ballad belongs to James. Ballad picks up where Lament left off, and James and Dee are now attending a musicians conservatory. Things are a little awkward between them after James confessed his feelings in Lament. James meets Nuala, a fairy who is drawn to his musical talents.
I was happy to read James POV in this story, since he was one of my favorite characters in Lament. However, I wish there was a little of Dee's POV to help me better understand what was going on with her. I did not enjoy her character as much in this book. And sadly we do not hear much from Luke at all.
All the same, this was another compelling installment in the series that hooked me from beginning to end. Another great read from Maggie Stiefvater. Not sure if she is continuing this series, but I would love to read more!
Lament is Deirdre's story and Ballad belongs to James. Ballad picks up where Lament left off, and James and Dee are now attending a musicians conservatory. Things are a little awkward between them after James confessed his feelings in Lament. James meets Nuala, a fairy who is drawn to his musical talents.
I was happy to read James POV in this story, since he was one of my favorite characters in Lament. However, I wish there was a little of Dee's POV to help me better understand what was going on with her. I did not enjoy her character as much in this book. And sadly we do not hear much from Luke at all.
All the same, this was another compelling installment in the series that hooked me from beginning to end. Another great read from Maggie Stiefvater. Not sure if she is continuing this series, but I would love to read more!
I didn't like this as much as Lament, but it was still pretty good. It had a slow beginning but got better about halfway through.
i had to return this book to the library so unfortunately i didn't end up finishing this amazing story :(
adventurous
mysterious
fast-paced
Loveable characters:
Yes
I encountered some annoying translation flaws.
The most memorable characters are the ones who allow you to find your identity while they are seeking their own. James is devastatingly self-depricating and sarcastic when we meet him, which is only furthered by his ill-fated loves. The angst and the despair and depression were what made this novel so beautiful, and the humor and witty dialogue hiding deeper, more sinister emotions kept things light enough to make it easy to read. This is a GREAT novel; Lament was nothing compared to this. I love all of the characters, and they will stay with me forever because they each taught me something about myself while finding their own story.
Graded By: Jenny
BFF Charm: Yay
Swoonworthy Scale: 5
Talky Talk: Out Standing In a Field
Bonus Factors: POV Switch, King of the Dead
Relationship Status: That Book a Friend Set Me Up With And I Went Along Begrudgingly, But Liked Surprisingly Well
Read the full book report here.
BFF Charm: Yay
Swoonworthy Scale: 5
Talky Talk: Out Standing In a Field
Bonus Factors: POV Switch, King of the Dead
Relationship Status: That Book a Friend Set Me Up With And I Went Along Begrudgingly, But Liked Surprisingly Well
Read the full book report here.