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A review by thefox22
The Last Changeling by Chelsea Pitcher
4.0
*eARC kindly provided by Flux via NetGalley.
*Review can be found at The Fox's Hideaway.
My Review!
I've been wanting to read this ever since I heard of it. Pretty cover, faeries, secrets, a main character going "undercover" in the real world? Sounded awesome. And The Last Changeling was a good book, though it left me feeling underwhelmed.
I loved that this was told in dual POVs. It was nice to have both of the main character's thoughts and feelings. It was also really easy to tell them apart, and I so appreciated the author huge efforts to make Elora's venture into the real world seem realistic and genuine. It made for some pretty comical moments, because she was so lost and overwhelmed in a world so unlike hers. Speaking of Elora, I really enjoyed her character. At first, she seems flighty and naive, stumbling around in a world that she doesn't understand. But she's also a strong character who only wanted to save her people, and she vowed to do whatever it took to bring peace to the Courts. But I never truly gained an understanding of her, because I couldn't figure out what she wanted and what her motives were for the things that she was doing. She's still kind of a mystery, even though I know her life's story. The one she told Taylor, the guy who took her in and made her fall in love for the first time in her long life.
Taylor was one of the sweetest guys I'd ever read about. He was adorable, so worried about offending or hurting people, and not okay with the antics of a bully. But he's also shy, and quietly suffering in a pool of grief and guilt for a tragedy that happened years ago. It's why his relationship with his parents is practically nonexistent and why he lives in the apartment above their garage, which makes for the perfect way to hide a Faerie who dropped into his life so suddenly. Except, he doesn't know she's a faerie. She keeps her identity a secret, but Taylor is pretty open about himself and his life. He's not exactly hard to figure out. And that's okay, because I adored him and his awkwardness and caring nature.
Their romance was very slow to buildup, which is okay and all. I can't tell you how many books I've read where the characters just jump into a relationship before they really get to know each other. It was a nice romance, sweet and innocent and doomed before it even began really. Because how could a Faerie and human be allowed to have their love? I wish there'd been a bit more with it, because it didn't give me any feels. But that could be the snail's pace that it went (which, again, isn't a bad thing). I think I just wanted more development from it.
I loved that this book had a diverse set of characters! Elora and Taylor befriend members of the Gay-Straight Alliance club, which became a huge message and focus of the book. Many of these characters felt unwanted and unheard, bullied and teased for being who they are. And with the help and addition of Elora, they take a stand and are able to find their courage at being tossed aside by the school and their classmates. I adored them all, even if they didn't have very deep relationships with the main characters.
And I loved that this book focused on that club and about righting wrongs. I loved the message of standing up for what you believe in and not letting yourself be pushed to be what society wants you to be. But I felt that the book was taking off in that direction when it should have been focusing on the faerie aspects. I wanted more of the fantastical story-line. Not that I didn't love the other one, not that I didn't adore the diversity and beautiful messages. But this is a fantasy, not a contemporary. And so I was left wanting more, a lot more, of the Faerie world. The plot wasn't exactly loaded with surprises and twists, but it was still intriguing. And I liked how the author told the story of the Faerie world, without dumping us with the information and leaving it at that. It actually surprised me, and I loved that. And that ending was surprising, but in a good way. I just wish there'd been more Faerie focus in the book.
The Last Changeling was a good faerie book that has lovable characters and wonderful messages. I'm excited about the sequel, because I have a feeling much of it will be spent in the Faerie world. I'm hoping for awesome details and complicated creatures of the Courts. And I can't wait to see what happens after that ending! :)
Rating: 3.5 Paw Prints!
*Review can be found at The Fox's Hideaway.
My Review!
I've been wanting to read this ever since I heard of it. Pretty cover, faeries, secrets, a main character going "undercover" in the real world? Sounded awesome. And The Last Changeling was a good book, though it left me feeling underwhelmed.
I loved that this was told in dual POVs. It was nice to have both of the main character's thoughts and feelings. It was also really easy to tell them apart, and I so appreciated the author huge efforts to make Elora's venture into the real world seem realistic and genuine. It made for some pretty comical moments, because she was so lost and overwhelmed in a world so unlike hers. Speaking of Elora, I really enjoyed her character. At first, she seems flighty and naive, stumbling around in a world that she doesn't understand. But she's also a strong character who only wanted to save her people, and she vowed to do whatever it took to bring peace to the Courts. But I never truly gained an understanding of her, because I couldn't figure out what she wanted and what her motives were for the things that she was doing. She's still kind of a mystery, even though I know her life's story. The one she told Taylor, the guy who took her in and made her fall in love for the first time in her long life.
Taylor was one of the sweetest guys I'd ever read about. He was adorable, so worried about offending or hurting people, and not okay with the antics of a bully. But he's also shy, and quietly suffering in a pool of grief and guilt for a tragedy that happened years ago. It's why his relationship with his parents is practically nonexistent and why he lives in the apartment above their garage, which makes for the perfect way to hide a Faerie who dropped into his life so suddenly. Except, he doesn't know she's a faerie. She keeps her identity a secret, but Taylor is pretty open about himself and his life. He's not exactly hard to figure out. And that's okay, because I adored him and his awkwardness and caring nature.
Their romance was very slow to buildup, which is okay and all. I can't tell you how many books I've read where the characters just jump into a relationship before they really get to know each other. It was a nice romance, sweet and innocent and doomed before it even began really. Because how could a Faerie and human be allowed to have their love? I wish there'd been a bit more with it, because it didn't give me any feels. But that could be the snail's pace that it went (which, again, isn't a bad thing). I think I just wanted more development from it.
I loved that this book had a diverse set of characters! Elora and Taylor befriend members of the Gay-Straight Alliance club, which became a huge message and focus of the book. Many of these characters felt unwanted and unheard, bullied and teased for being who they are. And with the help and addition of Elora, they take a stand and are able to find their courage at being tossed aside by the school and their classmates. I adored them all, even if they didn't have very deep relationships with the main characters.
And I loved that this book focused on that club and about righting wrongs. I loved the message of standing up for what you believe in and not letting yourself be pushed to be what society wants you to be. But I felt that the book was taking off in that direction when it should have been focusing on the faerie aspects. I wanted more of the fantastical story-line. Not that I didn't love the other one, not that I didn't adore the diversity and beautiful messages. But this is a fantasy, not a contemporary. And so I was left wanting more, a lot more, of the Faerie world. The plot wasn't exactly loaded with surprises and twists, but it was still intriguing. And I liked how the author told the story of the Faerie world, without dumping us with the information and leaving it at that. It actually surprised me, and I loved that. And that ending was surprising, but in a good way. I just wish there'd been more Faerie focus in the book.
The Last Changeling was a good faerie book that has lovable characters and wonderful messages. I'm excited about the sequel, because I have a feeling much of it will be spent in the Faerie world. I'm hoping for awesome details and complicated creatures of the Courts. And I can't wait to see what happens after that ending! :)
Rating: 3.5 Paw Prints!