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A review by kookaburramoose
Faerie Tale by Raymond E. Feist
adventurous
challenging
dark
funny
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
2.0
In theory I should love this book, in reality it falls short most of the time, and the running theme for me would be that it’s a «product of its time».
In Faerie Tale there are four (FOUR!!) NAMED doctors; at the same time there are There are like 3 or 4 female characters total in this book (one of which only gets 1 sentence in the last chapter), and they are all cardboard cutouts imitating real women. The male characters aren’t that much better; they are all basically the same person, but at least they get to speak (and don’t get sexualised every 2 sentences). The titular faeries themselves are basically battling the illuminati (fae-luminati?), and there is so much chatter about how bloody rich these people are. But why? It’s not instrumental to the story at all, it has no bearing on anything, other than to tell us they’re rich. Maybe I sound a bit over-sensitive, but trust me - they talk about their wealth A LOT.
And to segue onto the independently rich daughter via money talks - WHEW! So she’s an heiress, which is fine - she also has a good relationship with her stepmom and subverts the bratty stepdaughter trope which is good - but apart from being flatter than a popsicle stick in character and personality, what really sticks out to me is the extreme and unrelenting sexualisation she’s subject to.
I believe she’s around about 18 years old, she’s just in her first year of college and every single male pov when she’s in the room has to point out how good looking and sexy she is. This also happens after she’s been violently sexually attacked by a faerie in the woods; EW!!!! What purpose does this serve?
Also, she meets a guy in the prologue, and is engaged to him before 5 months is up; dropping out of college (hopefully temporarily) to become his housewife (and his provider as she has so much money *cough*).
I could go on a very long tangent here to compare her arc to her estranged mothers’, how the book constantly tells us how her mum married too young (pot, kettle) and how she was a bad woman for wanting a career and leaving her young family behind. Mind you, daughter Gabbie ended up staying with her maternal grandmother and not her father, as he also focused on work - but of course that’s ok (I’m rolling my eyes if you couldn’t tell).
There are some saving graces that keep this book from 1 star, but there aren’t many of them. I liked the whole vibe of researching and feeling watched and suspicious magical stuff happening, but there was more focus on sexualising the teenage daughter than this aspect, so that was a bummer too.
The fairy-lore is mish mashed and that’s neither here nor there, but the weird conspiracy tie ins are bizarre. I don’t want to get too spoilery, but good grief what a mess.
This could have been a tight little creepy and fantastical novella - but instead every interesting thing that happens for some reason needs to be wrapped up in sexualising the daughter, or talking about all the money these people have; it drags on.
I haven’t talked about the twin boys yet, because I’m getting ready to talk about some of the saving graces of the book. Sean and Patrick’s arc is interesting and well told - this should have been the whole book - I don’t need to hear about all the nonsense everyone else is doing/thinking/saying. Their story alone still had some issues, but it was over all more interesting and at least a modicum less sexualised than the rest of the story.
The book also reads super quickly. Even when I was annoyed I kept going because it went down smooth. Obviously this is well written, and the bones are interesting - but the whole thing all together just ended up annoying me and at times genuinely pissing me off.
Even though it’s a product of its time - I’ve got to say that I’ve read plenty of books that were both written and set way earlier than Fearie Tale and that feel less aged. It bums me out because like I said - in theory this book has everything I love, unfortunately it couldn’t deliver on the premise - at least not for me.
In Faerie Tale there are four (FOUR!!) NAMED doctors; at the same time there are There are like 3 or 4 female characters total in this book (one of which only gets 1 sentence in the last chapter), and they are all cardboard cutouts imitating real women. The male characters aren’t that much better; they are all basically the same person, but at least they get to speak (and don’t get sexualised every 2 sentences). The titular faeries themselves are basically battling the illuminati (fae-luminati?), and there is so much chatter about how bloody rich these people are. But why? It’s not instrumental to the story at all, it has no bearing on anything, other than to tell us they’re rich. Maybe I sound a bit over-sensitive, but trust me - they talk about their wealth A LOT.
And to segue onto the independently rich daughter via money talks - WHEW! So she’s an heiress, which is fine - she also has a good relationship with her stepmom and subverts the bratty stepdaughter trope which is good - but apart from being flatter than a popsicle stick in character and personality, what really sticks out to me is the extreme and unrelenting sexualisation she’s subject to.
I believe she’s around about 18 years old, she’s just in her first year of college and every single male pov when she’s in the room has to point out how good looking and sexy she is. This also happens after she’s been violently sexually attacked by a faerie in the woods; EW!!!! What purpose does this serve?
Also, she meets a guy in the prologue, and is engaged to him before 5 months is up; dropping out of college (hopefully temporarily) to become his housewife (and his provider as she has so much money *cough*).
I could go on a very long tangent here to compare her arc to her estranged mothers’, how the book constantly tells us how her mum married too young (pot, kettle) and how she was a bad woman for wanting a career and leaving her young family behind. Mind you, daughter Gabbie ended up staying with her maternal grandmother and not her father, as he also focused on work - but of course that’s ok (I’m rolling my eyes if you couldn’t tell).
There are some saving graces that keep this book from 1 star, but there aren’t many of them. I liked the whole vibe of researching and feeling watched and suspicious magical stuff happening, but there was more focus on sexualising the teenage daughter than this aspect, so that was a bummer too.
The fairy-lore is mish mashed and that’s neither here nor there, but the weird conspiracy tie ins are bizarre. I don’t want to get too spoilery, but good grief what a mess.
This could have been a tight little creepy and fantastical novella - but instead every interesting thing that happens for some reason needs to be wrapped up in sexualising the daughter, or talking about all the money these people have; it drags on.
I haven’t talked about the twin boys yet, because I’m getting ready to talk about some of the saving graces of the book. Sean and Patrick’s arc is interesting and well told - this should have been the whole book - I don’t need to hear about all the nonsense everyone else is doing/thinking/saying. Their story alone still had some issues, but it was over all more interesting and at least a modicum less sexualised than the rest of the story.
The book also reads super quickly. Even when I was annoyed I kept going because it went down smooth. Obviously this is well written, and the bones are interesting - but the whole thing all together just ended up annoying me and at times genuinely pissing me off.
Even though it’s a product of its time - I’ve got to say that I’ve read plenty of books that were both written and set way earlier than Fearie Tale and that feel less aged. It bums me out because like I said - in theory this book has everything I love, unfortunately it couldn’t deliver on the premise - at least not for me.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Animal cruelty, Animal death, Sexism, Sexual assault, Sexual harassment
Minor: Pedophilia