Status
Available
Call number
Series
Collection
Publication
Gollancz (2013), Hardcover, 336 pages
Description
Fantasy. Young Adult Fiction. HTML: Edinburgh, 1844. Beautiful Aileana Kameron only looks the part of an aristocratic young lady. In fact, she's spent the year since her mother died developing her ability to sense the presence of Sithichean, a faery race bent on slaughtering humans. She has a secret mission: to destroy the faery who murdered her mother. But when she learns she's a Falconer, the last in a line of female warriors and the sole hope of preventing a powerful faery population from massacring all of humanity, her quest for revenge gets a whole lot more complicated. The first volume of a trilogy from an exciting new voice in young adult fantasy, this electrifying thriller blends romance and action with steampunk technology and Scottish lore in a deliciously addictive read..… (more)
User reviews
LibraryThing member SmithSJ01
Although a short novella, it’s packed to bursting point with wonderful narrative. I was reminded of Henry James’ ‘Turn of the Screw’ when I was reading this purely for the creepiness of the gothic genre and the way I felt when I read that. You can see references to Angela Carter coming
As the synopsis says, it really is compelling. Glen Almain is beautiful in the imagery used by Thompson, with its mysterious beast. We never get to know what the beast is and that is the beauty of this novella, a lot is left to you to decide, or has it been decided for you and you just aren’t aware of it? Confusion abounds as Iris becomes sucked into woods and wanders around the petrified stone. War is impending both literally and metaphorically and it’s 1936. Iris is trying to uncover the causes of her younger sister’s suicide; Daphne worked there previously as personal assistant for the Under-Secretary of War. Everything is strange and Iris begins to lose control as imagination and reality shift. Very clever, intriguing and unusual.
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through in this with the way that mystical and fantastical blur the edges of reality. I’d expected a novella to be a breeze to read, a quick short interlude between other books, yet I found myself unable to race through it. Instead I was slowed down by Iris, our narrator. There was something about the prose that meant I couldn’t just read it, I had to savour it.As the synopsis says, it really is compelling. Glen Almain is beautiful in the imagery used by Thompson, with its mysterious beast. We never get to know what the beast is and that is the beauty of this novella, a lot is left to you to decide, or has it been decided for you and you just aren’t aware of it? Confusion abounds as Iris becomes sucked into woods and wanders around the petrified stone. War is impending both literally and metaphorically and it’s 1936. Iris is trying to uncover the causes of her younger sister’s suicide; Daphne worked there previously as personal assistant for the Under-Secretary of War. Everything is strange and Iris begins to lose control as imagination and reality shift. Very clever, intriguing and unusual.
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LibraryThing member stefferoo
I was initially drawn to The Falconer thanks to that striking cover. Just absolutely gorgeous! And then I read the book's description and saw that the story was no slouch either. A mix of paranormal fantasy and historical fiction, the Fae, and a spirited heroine made this one sound very inviting.
It
Now all Aileana wants is revenge. As a result, she lives a double life, pretending to be interested in frivolous things like dances and dresses when making her appearances in high society, but when the light fades she goes out hunting. Night after night, she tracks and kills Fae, using the skills learned from her mentor, Kiaran MacKay. Kiaran, who is a faery himself, has his own reasons for wanting to see his own kind dead, but Aileana doesn't care, not as long as their goals align...and as long as she doesn't get too close.
Despite bits of historical context hinted here and there, the setting didn't actually feel like historical fiction to me. Or very Scottish, for that matter. Elizabeth May has pretty much created her own world in The Falconer; the place and time period don't matter all that much to the story anyway, but the light flavor of steampunk is a nice touch. The world is filled with all sorts of wonderful contraptions, like tea dispensers and floating lights, and Aileana is something of a tinkerer, designing and creating weapons and even her own flying machine.
Aileana herself is a great character, as fiery and determined as that amazing cover makes her out to be. When it comes to female protagonists in paranormal fiction, she ranks amongst the best I've ever met, mostly because she comes off as able and intelligent rather than irritating in her conviction. However, if I had to pick a favorite character in this book, the honor would go to her pixie sidekick-like companion Derrick. I loved that humorous, honey-guzzling little guy!
I also didn't realize until after I finished reading that The Falconer has been categorized as Young Adult. I suppose in retrospect, the book contains quite a few trappings of the genre, but honestly, they didn't jump out at me at the time. Aileana is 18 years old, but her experiences have made her older than her years, and even the story's love triangle, which I usually dread, was bearable because it wasn't quite like a real love triangle. Even as a YA novel, I feel The Falconer has excellent crossover appeal.
My final thought, and perhaps also a warning, is that this book ends in a cliffhanger, perhaps one of the more infuriating ones I've encountered in recent years. The final scenes with Aileana and Kiaran against the Fae threat were so intense and suspenseful! And when I saw that there were still quite a pages left in the book, I got all anxious and prepared for the conclusion to be revealed...only to find out that the last chapter was actually a Bestiary. Arrrggh!
So bravo, Elizabeth May, you have me hooked. Arguably, The Falconer is pretty standard in terms of paranormal fantasy and might not offer anything too new and mind-blowing, but so help me, it was a fast read and such good fun.
It
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is Scotland and the year is 1844. A year has passed since Aileana Kameron was found standing over the dead body of her mother, covered in blood. Everyone thinks she has something to do with it, but Aileana knows the truth. It was a faery who killed her mother and ripped out her heart. Now all Aileana wants is revenge. As a result, she lives a double life, pretending to be interested in frivolous things like dances and dresses when making her appearances in high society, but when the light fades she goes out hunting. Night after night, she tracks and kills Fae, using the skills learned from her mentor, Kiaran MacKay. Kiaran, who is a faery himself, has his own reasons for wanting to see his own kind dead, but Aileana doesn't care, not as long as their goals align...and as long as she doesn't get too close.
Despite bits of historical context hinted here and there, the setting didn't actually feel like historical fiction to me. Or very Scottish, for that matter. Elizabeth May has pretty much created her own world in The Falconer; the place and time period don't matter all that much to the story anyway, but the light flavor of steampunk is a nice touch. The world is filled with all sorts of wonderful contraptions, like tea dispensers and floating lights, and Aileana is something of a tinkerer, designing and creating weapons and even her own flying machine.
Aileana herself is a great character, as fiery and determined as that amazing cover makes her out to be. When it comes to female protagonists in paranormal fiction, she ranks amongst the best I've ever met, mostly because she comes off as able and intelligent rather than irritating in her conviction. However, if I had to pick a favorite character in this book, the honor would go to her pixie sidekick-like companion Derrick. I loved that humorous, honey-guzzling little guy!
I also didn't realize until after I finished reading that The Falconer has been categorized as Young Adult. I suppose in retrospect, the book contains quite a few trappings of the genre, but honestly, they didn't jump out at me at the time. Aileana is 18 years old, but her experiences have made her older than her years, and even the story's love triangle, which I usually dread, was bearable because it wasn't quite like a real love triangle. Even as a YA novel, I feel The Falconer has excellent crossover appeal.
My final thought, and perhaps also a warning, is that this book ends in a cliffhanger, perhaps one of the more infuriating ones I've encountered in recent years. The final scenes with Aileana and Kiaran against the Fae threat were so intense and suspenseful! And when I saw that there were still quite a pages left in the book, I got all anxious and prepared for the conclusion to be revealed...only to find out that the last chapter was actually a Bestiary. Arrrggh!
So bravo, Elizabeth May, you have me hooked. Arguably, The Falconer is pretty standard in terms of paranormal fantasy and might not offer anything too new and mind-blowing, but so help me, it was a fast read and such good fun.
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LibraryThing member Caitiekat
I have and audio book version of this book.
I mostly enjoyed this book. The concept was interesting: a 19th century, steampunk, aristocratic teenager that fights evil fairies to avenge her mother. What about that isn't awesome? That being said, Aileana could be pretty annoying. I loved that she
I didn't buy the love triangle. Neither guy was of interest to me and the word count wasted on dancing around "romance" would have been better spent in making Aileana more interesting. Maybe by embellishing her inventions?
I also think Elizabeth May may have been attacked by some kind of rabid animal while writing the last chapter. That's the only explanation I have for that abysmal cliffhanger.
I would have given this a lower rating, but Derrick absolutely saved it for me. I want a hilarious, drunk, annoying pixie of my very own.
I found the narrator very meh. The accents were awful. There was very little difference in character voices and I don't think her reading enhanced my experience of the book.
I mostly enjoyed this book. The concept was interesting: a 19th century, steampunk, aristocratic teenager that fights evil fairies to avenge her mother. What about that isn't awesome? That being said, Aileana could be pretty annoying. I loved that she
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could kick some Fae butt and had few qualms over slaughtering evil fae, but she had so much angst! I know she had some guilt, but oh my goodness if I ever have to hear "crimson suits you best" again, I'm going to ignore the "do not insert into ear canal" warning next time I see a box of q-tips. I didn't buy the love triangle. Neither guy was of interest to me and the word count wasted on dancing around "romance" would have been better spent in making Aileana more interesting. Maybe by embellishing her inventions?
I also think Elizabeth May may have been attacked by some kind of rabid animal while writing the last chapter. That's the only explanation I have for that abysmal cliffhanger.
I would have given this a lower rating, but Derrick absolutely saved it for me. I want a hilarious, drunk, annoying pixie of my very own.
I found the narrator very meh. The accents were awful. There was very little difference in character voices and I don't think her reading enhanced my experience of the book.
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LibraryThing member cwhisenant11
I received a free copy of this book for an honest review. This was a fantastic story! I loved the combination of historical fiction, fae hunting, romance, and some great steampunk devices thrown in for good measure. I was definitely left wanting more as the story ended with a major cliffhanger in
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the middle of an epic battle. It's difficult to even write a review since I feel like the book just ended in the middle of the story. Needless to say, I can't wait to read the next book!! Show Less
LibraryThing member wyvernfriend
I did enjoy this read, there were moments when it didn't quite work as well as it might, possibly more a 3.75 stars than 4 but the author gets a nudge up for reminding me of nice holidays in Edinburgh.
Lady Aileana Kameron lives under the shadow of her mother's death, suspicion falls on her for
When her best friend's brother returns from his studies in Oxford things change and she discovers more about herself and her role in keeping ordinary people safe from the power of Faerie.
I enjoyed it, an interesting take on the series and I'm wondering where things will go from here, there may have been a little bit of swearing about having to wait to read the next book in the story. There were some moments that didn't quite work as well as they might, particularly the marriage situation. I honestly think that most women of the period, particularly when they don't actively dislike the guy, would have just come to terms with the situation.
Still, I felt like I was in Edinburgh and enjoyed the read and want the sequel nowish.
Lady Aileana Kameron lives under the shadow of her mother's death, suspicion falls on her for
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comitting the murder but there's no evidence,. In fact it was a faerie. So now she hunts them, mixing her life as a debutante and her life as a faerie hunter, while getting fighting help from one faerie, Kiaran, and moral (and sewing support, as well as some comic relief) from another, Derrick, a pixie. She also has to deal with the politics of Victorian society where she's distrusted but as a wealthy heiress accepted.When her best friend's brother returns from his studies in Oxford things change and she discovers more about herself and her role in keeping ordinary people safe from the power of Faerie.
I enjoyed it, an interesting take on the series and I'm wondering where things will go from here, there may have been a little bit of swearing about having to wait to read the next book in the story. There were some moments that didn't quite work as well as they might, particularly the marriage situation. I honestly think that most women of the period, particularly when they don't actively dislike the guy, would have just come to terms with the situation.
Still, I felt like I was in Edinburgh and enjoyed the read and want the sequel nowish.
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LibraryThing member DeweyEver
Lady Aileana Kameron is determined to get vengeance for the death of her mother, a death which haunts her while both awake or asleep - "Crimson suits you best" is the taunt the fairy said as it tore the heart out of her mother and is a reoccurring image and catalyst for Aileana's actions throughout
Aileana is a refreshing protagonist in that she does not simper away from the thought of violence, but rather embraces her dark urges and recognizes that they are important for her continued survival. There is a slightly weak love triangle between Aileana, Kieran, and the human brother of Aileana's best friend. Gavin is a Seer, which isn't particularly helpful since he can see fairies, but has no power to stop them; yet, he is determined (most the time) to be useful and quite considerate to Aileana's lack of restraint. Kieran, on the other hand, is aloof and massively untrustworthy - fairies can't lie, but they can fudge!
There were times in this book where the secondary characters kept the plot interesting and I wish they had been drawn more into the plot line. Catherine, Gavin's sister and Aileana's best friend, is pretty on the outside AND the inside. She trusts Aileana explicitly, is willing to risk censure from both her mother and society for continuing to associate with a possible murderer (Aileana is believed to have killed her mother), and she never once turns catty. Derrick is a pixie who lives in Aileana's closet and helps repair her damaged clothing in exchange for honey. Unlike Kieran, he is firmly on Aileana's side against the other fae - he is also quite vocal about his thoughts. Aileana's father is an absentee father, which the author does not hesitate to portray the relationship accurately in all of its' tension, sense of betrayal, and awkwardness. Why he is an absentee father is never quite resolved in this book, but suggestions are made throughout the plot that may hint towards the reason.
There is an element of steampunk in this book, which will appeal to fans of that genre as well as fans of fantasy YA with a darker focus.
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the book. The book opens a year after her mother's death, a year that she was meant to spend in mourning, but she actually spent in highly difficult and dangerous training and killing sprees with Kieran McKay. Kieran is the most powerful fairy (and yes, there are different names for the different types of fairies, but it'll be easier to understand an overview without going into that much detail) left in the world, since all the others of his kind are trapped underneath a seal - but they are determined to get out. Aileana is a refreshing protagonist in that she does not simper away from the thought of violence, but rather embraces her dark urges and recognizes that they are important for her continued survival. There is a slightly weak love triangle between Aileana, Kieran, and the human brother of Aileana's best friend. Gavin is a Seer, which isn't particularly helpful since he can see fairies, but has no power to stop them; yet, he is determined (most the time) to be useful and quite considerate to Aileana's lack of restraint. Kieran, on the other hand, is aloof and massively untrustworthy - fairies can't lie, but they can fudge!
There were times in this book where the secondary characters kept the plot interesting and I wish they had been drawn more into the plot line. Catherine, Gavin's sister and Aileana's best friend, is pretty on the outside AND the inside. She trusts Aileana explicitly, is willing to risk censure from both her mother and society for continuing to associate with a possible murderer (Aileana is believed to have killed her mother), and she never once turns catty. Derrick is a pixie who lives in Aileana's closet and helps repair her damaged clothing in exchange for honey. Unlike Kieran, he is firmly on Aileana's side against the other fae - he is also quite vocal about his thoughts. Aileana's father is an absentee father, which the author does not hesitate to portray the relationship accurately in all of its' tension, sense of betrayal, and awkwardness. Why he is an absentee father is never quite resolved in this book, but suggestions are made throughout the plot that may hint towards the reason.
There is an element of steampunk in this book, which will appeal to fans of that genre as well as fans of fantasy YA with a darker focus.
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LibraryThing member CrystalCollier
This one took a little bit for me to get into, but once I did, I loved the story world. It's clean, although gory, with plenty of action.
Aileana is a tough-as-nails character, and I enjoyed being inside her head. She's got a difficult life, some major bumps along the road, and the plague of knowing
My only complaint is how the story ended. Yup. Just saying, you're probably going to want to wait until book 2 is out before you read this one.
Aileana is a tough-as-nails character, and I enjoyed being inside her head. She's got a difficult life, some major bumps along the road, and the plague of knowing
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whom to trust. Her tinkering won me over, along with her pixie pal and the isolation she experienced from her father. Despite her roughness, she's easy to understand. My only complaint is how the story ended. Yup. Just saying, you're probably going to want to wait until book 2 is out before you read this one.
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LibraryThing member krau0098
I got a copy of this book through Librarything’s Early Reviewers program to review. So thank you to Librarything and Chronicle Books for making this available for review. This book was a super fun read and I really really loved it. It was just such a fast-paced fun story.
Aileana Kameron is the
I loved this book. It was a fun and quick read about a young girl who has special powers and hunts fey. She does all of this while trying to maintain a proper upbringing as a young lady of privilege. It reminded me a lot of the Gardella Vampire Chronicles in tone but with fey instead of vampires...and it is aimed at YA not adults. It also reminds some of Karen Marie Moning’s Fever series (but it is set in Victorian times and aimed at YA). Additionally Aileana’s power are a bit Buffy the Vampire Slayerish.
Aileana is delightfully tough, while still being somewhat vulnerable at times. I enjoyed her spunk and wit throughout. She was a lot of fun to read about.
There are also some absolutely stunning male leads too. Kiaran is delightfully mysterious and surprisingly tender towards Aileana at times. Aileana also has a suitor named Gavin who has special powers of his own. The three of them end up working as a somewhat dysfunctional team to combat these vicious fey.
The story is fairly simple but still very engaging. I was just automatically pulled into it and really loved all of the characters right away.
I will say that this book isn't a masterpiece, or even anything all that ground-breaking, but it was just so much fun to read that I adored it. The writing flows effortlessly and I love reading about fey.
Pretty much this book had a ton of things I like in stories: a young woman secretly fighting monsters, Victorian society, a mysterious male lead, some well done romance, steampunk, fey, and tons of action. So it was just one of those books that was just an absolute delight for me to read.
The only huge disappointment for me was that the story ends pretty much in the middle of a battle and end with a horrible cliffhanger...now I am dying to know what happens next! I am also not a huge fan of authors who end their books with giant cliffhangers…authors shouldn’t have to bait their readers to keep them reading a series.
Overall I would definitely recommend reading if you like to read books about Fey. It was a very fun read with engaging characters, lots of action, and lots of evil Fey. Just keep in mind this is a pretty fluffy and fun read, there’s not a lot ground-breaking or spectacular here...but it’s a solid book that is a fun read. I will definitely be reading more books in the series.
Aileana Kameron is the
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daughter of a Marquess...and she is also a Falconer. Falconers have special abilities (think Buffy the Vampire Slayer) that allow them to combat the evil and dangerous Fey. For the last year a rebellious Fey named Kiaran has been training Aileana to fight, but more and more Fey are appearing. When Kiaran tells Aileana that the seal that holds the Fey prisoner is about to break, Aileana is concerned that her training won’t be good enough to reseal the prison containing the Fey. Aileana is forced to put aside her obligations to polite society to save the city.I loved this book. It was a fun and quick read about a young girl who has special powers and hunts fey. She does all of this while trying to maintain a proper upbringing as a young lady of privilege. It reminded me a lot of the Gardella Vampire Chronicles in tone but with fey instead of vampires...and it is aimed at YA not adults. It also reminds some of Karen Marie Moning’s Fever series (but it is set in Victorian times and aimed at YA). Additionally Aileana’s power are a bit Buffy the Vampire Slayerish.
Aileana is delightfully tough, while still being somewhat vulnerable at times. I enjoyed her spunk and wit throughout. She was a lot of fun to read about.
There are also some absolutely stunning male leads too. Kiaran is delightfully mysterious and surprisingly tender towards Aileana at times. Aileana also has a suitor named Gavin who has special powers of his own. The three of them end up working as a somewhat dysfunctional team to combat these vicious fey.
The story is fairly simple but still very engaging. I was just automatically pulled into it and really loved all of the characters right away.
I will say that this book isn't a masterpiece, or even anything all that ground-breaking, but it was just so much fun to read that I adored it. The writing flows effortlessly and I love reading about fey.
Pretty much this book had a ton of things I like in stories: a young woman secretly fighting monsters, Victorian society, a mysterious male lead, some well done romance, steampunk, fey, and tons of action. So it was just one of those books that was just an absolute delight for me to read.
The only huge disappointment for me was that the story ends pretty much in the middle of a battle and end with a horrible cliffhanger...now I am dying to know what happens next! I am also not a huge fan of authors who end their books with giant cliffhangers…authors shouldn’t have to bait their readers to keep them reading a series.
Overall I would definitely recommend reading if you like to read books about Fey. It was a very fun read with engaging characters, lots of action, and lots of evil Fey. Just keep in mind this is a pretty fluffy and fun read, there’s not a lot ground-breaking or spectacular here...but it’s a solid book that is a fun read. I will definitely be reading more books in the series.
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LibraryThing member anyaejo
The Falconer by Elizabeth May is the best kind of fantasy involving faeries: the kind where the MC is on a mission to kill the evil buggers! The Falconer combines an awesome steampunk version of Scotland with all my favorite evil faery legends to make a fun and action-packed book. While The
Note: I received The Falconer through LibraryThing’s Early Reviewers program for an honest review. Some things may have changed in the final version.
The Falconer by Elizabeth May (The Falconer #1)
Published by Chronicle Books on May 6th, 2014 (US)
Genres: Historical Fantasy, Steampunk, YA
Length: 336 pages
How I got my copy: Publisher
Heiress. Debutant. Murderer. A new generation of heroines has arrived.
Edinburgh, Scotland, 1844
Lady Aileana Kameron, the only daughter of the Marquess of Douglas, was destined for a life carefully planned around Edinburgh’s social events – right up until a faery killed her mother.
Now it’s the 1844 winter season and Aileana slaughters faeries in secret, in between the endless round of parties, tea and balls. Armed with modified percussion pistols and explosives, she sheds her aristocratic facade every night to go hunting. She’s determined to track down the faery who murdered her mother, and to destroy any who prey on humans in the city’s many dark alleyways.
But the balance between high society and her private war is a delicate one, and as the fae infiltrate the ballroom and Aileana’s father returns home, she has decisions to make. How much is she willing to lose – and just how far will Aileana go for revenge?
Strengths:
I can’t get over how much I loved the setting of The Falconer. There are fun steampunk inventions all over the place and Aileana likes to tinker on top of it all. Aileana also uses a nice amount of Scottish words/slang that most readers will recognize, so I easily gave her a Scottish accent in my head. All of this combines to bring to life this alternative Scotland and it is just too much fun.
I’m a fan of broken main characters and Aileana is rather broken. She saw her mother die in front of her a year ago and the rumor mill likes to blame her for the murder. This event has affected Aileana pretty deeply, which I found refreshing since it seems too many MCs these days are able to just shrug off those sorts of things.
The writing of The Falconer is fast and action-packed. It often will fade to black on any scenes that are mundane and instead skip straight to the next bit of action. I blew through this one and enjoyed having an easier read.
May is exceptionally talented at writing banter! I was laughing frequently despite the gruesomeness of events because Aileana and her various companions are just so snarky. None of her companions much like each other either, making the snark even better.
Secondary characters can really shape a book and The Falconer has some great secondary characters. There is a pixie, Derrick, who loves honey and hates Aileana’s fighting partner, Kiaran. Then there are Aileana’s human friends who have no idea what is causing her to disappear from every ball they take her to, but try their best to cover for her. I also really enjoyed Aileana’s maid and butler even though they are only on the periphery since even in their few scenes, May is able to convey their personalities strongly.
Weaknesses:
When you first start The Falconer, you’ll think the romance is going one way, then you’ll get confused and eventually things become clearer. I really didn’t like how the romance ended up and found it annoying when big battles were happening. We really need to force all MCs to go through priorities training…. Kill first, kiss second is all I’m saying.
The Falconer has the cliffhanger of all cliffhangers and not in a good way (is there a good way? I don’t know). I knew it was coming because there was no way the action could wrap up in the page that was left and, surprise! It didn’t. The ending of The Falconer is literally smack dab in the middle of the big epic battle with nothing resolved. If you can’t take that, wait for book two.
While The Falconer is nicely action-oriented, I felt that the smaller details were sacrificed for the action. I wanted more details about Aileana’s inventions or the fae and the main conflict. As action scenes were playing out, I found myself not able to remember why things had to play out this way to begin with.
The Falconer doesn’t quite jump into love triangle territory since Aileana clearly states that she isn’t in anyway interested in one of the guys in her life, but it still seems like dangerous territory. I really hope that a love triangle does not end up manifesting, but it easily could in subsequent books.
Summary:
I was sure that The Falconer was going to be at least a four-star book when I was in the middle of it. Then it tripped right before the finish line and broke my heart. If you don’t mind slightly annoying romances and cliffhangers, you definitely should read The Falconer because the rest is awesome. If cliffhangers or romances of annoyance are a pet peeve of yours, The Falconer might not be the book for you. However, I am still really excited for the sequel because I must know what happens next!
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Falconer stumbled a bit at the end, it is an addictive read and I’m dying a bit for the sequel.Note: I received The Falconer through LibraryThing’s Early Reviewers program for an honest review. Some things may have changed in the final version.
The Falconer by Elizabeth May (The Falconer #1)
Published by Chronicle Books on May 6th, 2014 (US)
Genres: Historical Fantasy, Steampunk, YA
Length: 336 pages
How I got my copy: Publisher
Heiress. Debutant. Murderer. A new generation of heroines has arrived.
Edinburgh, Scotland, 1844
Lady Aileana Kameron, the only daughter of the Marquess of Douglas, was destined for a life carefully planned around Edinburgh’s social events – right up until a faery killed her mother.
Now it’s the 1844 winter season and Aileana slaughters faeries in secret, in between the endless round of parties, tea and balls. Armed with modified percussion pistols and explosives, she sheds her aristocratic facade every night to go hunting. She’s determined to track down the faery who murdered her mother, and to destroy any who prey on humans in the city’s many dark alleyways.
But the balance between high society and her private war is a delicate one, and as the fae infiltrate the ballroom and Aileana’s father returns home, she has decisions to make. How much is she willing to lose – and just how far will Aileana go for revenge?
Strengths:
I can’t get over how much I loved the setting of The Falconer. There are fun steampunk inventions all over the place and Aileana likes to tinker on top of it all. Aileana also uses a nice amount of Scottish words/slang that most readers will recognize, so I easily gave her a Scottish accent in my head. All of this combines to bring to life this alternative Scotland and it is just too much fun.
I’m a fan of broken main characters and Aileana is rather broken. She saw her mother die in front of her a year ago and the rumor mill likes to blame her for the murder. This event has affected Aileana pretty deeply, which I found refreshing since it seems too many MCs these days are able to just shrug off those sorts of things.
The writing of The Falconer is fast and action-packed. It often will fade to black on any scenes that are mundane and instead skip straight to the next bit of action. I blew through this one and enjoyed having an easier read.
May is exceptionally talented at writing banter! I was laughing frequently despite the gruesomeness of events because Aileana and her various companions are just so snarky. None of her companions much like each other either, making the snark even better.
Secondary characters can really shape a book and The Falconer has some great secondary characters. There is a pixie, Derrick, who loves honey and hates Aileana’s fighting partner, Kiaran. Then there are Aileana’s human friends who have no idea what is causing her to disappear from every ball they take her to, but try their best to cover for her. I also really enjoyed Aileana’s maid and butler even though they are only on the periphery since even in their few scenes, May is able to convey their personalities strongly.
Weaknesses:
When you first start The Falconer, you’ll think the romance is going one way, then you’ll get confused and eventually things become clearer. I really didn’t like how the romance ended up and found it annoying when big battles were happening. We really need to force all MCs to go through priorities training…. Kill first, kiss second is all I’m saying.
The Falconer has the cliffhanger of all cliffhangers and not in a good way (is there a good way? I don’t know). I knew it was coming because there was no way the action could wrap up in the page that was left and, surprise! It didn’t. The ending of The Falconer is literally smack dab in the middle of the big epic battle with nothing resolved. If you can’t take that, wait for book two.
While The Falconer is nicely action-oriented, I felt that the smaller details were sacrificed for the action. I wanted more details about Aileana’s inventions or the fae and the main conflict. As action scenes were playing out, I found myself not able to remember why things had to play out this way to begin with.
The Falconer doesn’t quite jump into love triangle territory since Aileana clearly states that she isn’t in anyway interested in one of the guys in her life, but it still seems like dangerous territory. I really hope that a love triangle does not end up manifesting, but it easily could in subsequent books.
Summary:
I was sure that The Falconer was going to be at least a four-star book when I was in the middle of it. Then it tripped right before the finish line and broke my heart. If you don’t mind slightly annoying romances and cliffhangers, you definitely should read The Falconer because the rest is awesome. If cliffhangers or romances of annoyance are a pet peeve of yours, The Falconer might not be the book for you. However, I am still really excited for the sequel because I must know what happens next!
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LibraryThing member Shelver506
Dudes. DUUUUUUDES. Stop what you are doing. Put down what you are reading (except for this review). Put everything on hold and read The Falconer. I don’t care what you’ve heard, and I don’t care what hangups you think you might have. In fact, I think I can answer every concern you might have.
1. Ugh, but it’s steampunk. I don’t like steampunk.
Okay, you’re a crazy person, and crazy isn’t something I can fix. Steampunk is awesome. But I guess you’re allowed your tastes, so whatever. Even still, I think The Falconer‘s version of steampunk is palatable for just about everyone. First of all, it’s a steampunk set in Scotland. SCOTLAND! Not once do we step foot in London or even England proper. They don’t even like the British up there. Even better, the steampunk Elizabeth May employs is so delightfully restrained. To quote my pal Gillian Berry, it’s a “subtle steampunk that just serves to boost the world, not define it.”
Aileana’s world has delightful contraptions like stitcher spiders and ornithopters and flying carriages, all of which set my heart a-fluttering, but Ms. May does a great job of keeping the steampunk elements from overwhelming the story. The inventions are used to bolster the plot and make the world-building shine, but the story would remain both feasible and intelligible without them. The reader gets all of the balls and pretty gowns and social constraints that we’ve come to expect from books of this time period, just with some fantastic mechanical baubles thrown in.
2. There are fairies. I don’t do fairies.
Faeries. They’re faeries, not fairies. My gosh. But you know what? I can’t STAND faeries/fairies/fae/whatever. Every book I’ve ever tried with those odd beasties were complete duds for me. Really, the faeries were my biggest hangup prior to starting The Falconer. But then I read this book, and now I’m a believer. Ms. May manages to squeeze in each type of faerie typically found in YA lit (scary, sexy, funny) and make it work. We get everything from the generally harmless pixies to the seductive and dangerous daoine sith and everything in between—fae that fly, howl, bark, and charm their way through piles of dead Scots.
Interestingly, though each type of faerie also has a nearly incomprehensible Scottish name for itself, I didn’t have trouble keeping the types separated. Each kind was on the page long enough and the titles used consistently enough that I was able to tell a sluag apart from a baobhan sith, for example. Which is great, because then I didn’t miss out on the rest of faerie lore. There’s more to enjoy concerning men with the Sight and women Falconers and bloodlines and herbs and fighting techniques. As with the faerie types, I was able to follow along easily, which I appreciated.
3 . There’s a fighter girl. I’m so over fighter girls.
I get that. Fighter girls can be fun, but there are so many of them that the standard, kick-butt version does less and less for me each time. That being said, Aileana is a variation that I completely enjoyed. First of all, she’s wicked smart. Even before her mother’s death, Aileana was an avid tinkerer. She built her family’s ornithopter and was always inventing some new gadget. After her mother’s death, however, she dismantled all her fobs and fripperies and started converting them into weapons to hunt the faeries.
She’s also remarkably unapologetic about her thirst for vengeance. Since her mother’s death a year prior, this young noblewoman has murdered 158 faeries. She has gone from a wide-eyed, innocent young thing with a head full of love and marriage to a seasoned liar and hunter with a thirst for blood. Indeed, she’s become addicted to the rush of power and untainted joy she gets with each kill. Watching her struggle in an attempt to reconcile the girl that she was with what she has become is both an interesting read and a heartbreaking one. In the end, these two traits—Aileana’s brains and her drive—are what make her strong, not her ability to kill.
4. There’s a love triangle. I HAAAAAATE love triangles.
No! No love triangle! Not really. What Ms. May does here is tricky, because it sort of looks like Aileana is being prepped for a whopper of a love triangle (or even a love trident), but it never comes to pass. There are actually three wonderful boys in The Falconer, and each deserves a mention, because they’re just that wonderful.
First, there’s Derrick. Derrick is a pixie, a tiny Tinker Bell-sized faerie that lives in Aileana’s dressing room and mends her clothes in exchange for honey (too much of which makes him hilariously drunk). Of the three boys, he’s mostly played for comic relief, but he’s also a true and loyal friend to Aileana, which is pretty incredible considering her vow to kill as many faeries as she can find. All of the best quotes come from Derrick, and I would dearly like to have one of my own. (Except for one comment about an old love of his, Derrick fits the standard trope of Loyal Gay Friend pretty well.)
Next, there’s Gavin. Gavin is a human and the elder brother of Aileana’s best friend. He represents Aileana’s past and the hopes and dreams she’s set aside in exchange for revenge. If this were Shadow and Bone, he’d be Mal; if Unhinged, he’d be Jeb. I can’t say too much more about Gavin, but I truly enjoyed him and the role he filled.
Lastly, there’s Kiaran, or as Gillian and I like to call him, “KIAAAAARAAAAAAAAAN.” What a dreamboat. He’s the bad-boy side of this supposed love triangle. If Gavin is Aileana’s pure and innocent past, Kiaran is her dark and dangerous future. Kiaran is one of the most powerful types of faerie, a daoine sith, and hunts down his own kind for reasons of his own. Nowhere is Kiaran framed as the safe choice or even necessarily the best choice. However, he offers what Gavin cannot. He sees Aileana’s rage and thirst for revenge and accepts them in a way that Gavin simply can’t. In this equation, Kiaran is the best parts of the Darkling, Warner, Jack Dandy, and Morpheus, Aileana’s guide as she does what must be done.
Despite how it appears, I must stress again that this book does not contain an actual love triangle. The storyline may trend that way in later books, but it does not do so now. Even if it did, I still think readers will enjoy this book. Each boy plays his part (Loyal Friend, Good Boy, Bad Boy), but each part contains pleasant deviations from the standard form. You might think you know how each boy will react—who will be jealous of whom and how, who will attempt to control Aileana, etc.—but you can’t. Aileana is not the one to change Kiaran’s black heart. Gavin isn’t constantly playing the white knight and saving her from danger. Aileana doesn’t whine, wheedle, or manipulate the boys to do what she wants. It’s wonderful!
5. The ending. I’ve heard other people didn’t like how abrupt it was.
I’ll give you this one. The ending was rather abrupt. I liked it, because it left me with a jolt of character development that I wasn’t expecting, but it definitely killed me in the “Oh my gosh, give me the next book NOW” sort of way. What can ya do?
I strongly encourage you all to read this book. If I may quote my own Goodreads status, this book is like popcorn. Delicious, adrenaline-laced, pixie dust-flavored popcorn. It’s ridiculously addictive in the best way. The moment I have money to spend, it will go toward obtaining this book, and from me, there’s no higher praise.
Favorite Non-Spoilery Quotes:
“You know my mother thinks the waltz is indecent.”
“Your mother would find the sight of a chair leg indecent.”
When Dante described the circles of Hell, he clearly forgot the one where a hungry pixie sits on one’s shoulder for eternity.
“My ears are bleeding. I have a nasty headache. I’m trapped in a room with a murderous faery and I blame you.”
“That’s fair.”
“Perhaps it’s a honey-ache. That’s the result of eating too much of what isn’t yours.”
“But your friend offered it. So she might not have explicitly said, ‘Derrick, please eat all of the honey in my kitchen,’ but it was implied by the mere fact that she has a kitchen.”
“Well, I can safely say that I’ve never experienced a more exciting two days. I suppose I should send a note before seeing you again. ‘Are you in the company of any creature liable to attack me unprovoked? I can visit later.’”
Points Added For: Aileana, Derrick, Kiaran, Gavin; a fresh, less stereotypical twist on character tropes; Aileana’s inventive streak; subtle steampunkery; a great mix of humor, tension, and sexiness.
Points Subtracted For: A really abrupt ending, I guess.
Good For Fans Of: Faeries, bad boys, good boys, funny and supportive boys, girls who kick butt, smart girls, historical Scotland, light steampunk.
Notes For Parents: Language (I think), making out, death.
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Look!1. Ugh, but it’s steampunk. I don’t like steampunk.
Okay, you’re a crazy person, and crazy isn’t something I can fix. Steampunk is awesome. But I guess you’re allowed your tastes, so whatever. Even still, I think The Falconer‘s version of steampunk is palatable for just about everyone. First of all, it’s a steampunk set in Scotland. SCOTLAND! Not once do we step foot in London or even England proper. They don’t even like the British up there. Even better, the steampunk Elizabeth May employs is so delightfully restrained. To quote my pal Gillian Berry, it’s a “subtle steampunk that just serves to boost the world, not define it.”
Aileana’s world has delightful contraptions like stitcher spiders and ornithopters and flying carriages, all of which set my heart a-fluttering, but Ms. May does a great job of keeping the steampunk elements from overwhelming the story. The inventions are used to bolster the plot and make the world-building shine, but the story would remain both feasible and intelligible without them. The reader gets all of the balls and pretty gowns and social constraints that we’ve come to expect from books of this time period, just with some fantastic mechanical baubles thrown in.
2. There are fairies. I don’t do fairies.
Faeries. They’re faeries, not fairies. My gosh. But you know what? I can’t STAND faeries/fairies/fae/whatever. Every book I’ve ever tried with those odd beasties were complete duds for me. Really, the faeries were my biggest hangup prior to starting The Falconer. But then I read this book, and now I’m a believer. Ms. May manages to squeeze in each type of faerie typically found in YA lit (scary, sexy, funny) and make it work. We get everything from the generally harmless pixies to the seductive and dangerous daoine sith and everything in between—fae that fly, howl, bark, and charm their way through piles of dead Scots.
Interestingly, though each type of faerie also has a nearly incomprehensible Scottish name for itself, I didn’t have trouble keeping the types separated. Each kind was on the page long enough and the titles used consistently enough that I was able to tell a sluag apart from a baobhan sith, for example. Which is great, because then I didn’t miss out on the rest of faerie lore. There’s more to enjoy concerning men with the Sight and women Falconers and bloodlines and herbs and fighting techniques. As with the faerie types, I was able to follow along easily, which I appreciated.
3 . There’s a fighter girl. I’m so over fighter girls.
I get that. Fighter girls can be fun, but there are so many of them that the standard, kick-butt version does less and less for me each time. That being said, Aileana is a variation that I completely enjoyed. First of all, she’s wicked smart. Even before her mother’s death, Aileana was an avid tinkerer. She built her family’s ornithopter and was always inventing some new gadget. After her mother’s death, however, she dismantled all her fobs and fripperies and started converting them into weapons to hunt the faeries.
She’s also remarkably unapologetic about her thirst for vengeance. Since her mother’s death a year prior, this young noblewoman has murdered 158 faeries. She has gone from a wide-eyed, innocent young thing with a head full of love and marriage to a seasoned liar and hunter with a thirst for blood. Indeed, she’s become addicted to the rush of power and untainted joy she gets with each kill. Watching her struggle in an attempt to reconcile the girl that she was with what she has become is both an interesting read and a heartbreaking one. In the end, these two traits—Aileana’s brains and her drive—are what make her strong, not her ability to kill.
4. There’s a love triangle. I HAAAAAATE love triangles.
No! No love triangle! Not really. What Ms. May does here is tricky, because it sort of looks like Aileana is being prepped for a whopper of a love triangle (or even a love trident), but it never comes to pass. There are actually three wonderful boys in The Falconer, and each deserves a mention, because they’re just that wonderful.
First, there’s Derrick. Derrick is a pixie, a tiny Tinker Bell-sized faerie that lives in Aileana’s dressing room and mends her clothes in exchange for honey (too much of which makes him hilariously drunk). Of the three boys, he’s mostly played for comic relief, but he’s also a true and loyal friend to Aileana, which is pretty incredible considering her vow to kill as many faeries as she can find. All of the best quotes come from Derrick, and I would dearly like to have one of my own. (Except for one comment about an old love of his, Derrick fits the standard trope of Loyal Gay Friend pretty well.)
Next, there’s Gavin. Gavin is a human and the elder brother of Aileana’s best friend. He represents Aileana’s past and the hopes and dreams she’s set aside in exchange for revenge. If this were Shadow and Bone, he’d be Mal; if Unhinged, he’d be Jeb. I can’t say too much more about Gavin, but I truly enjoyed him and the role he filled.
Lastly, there’s Kiaran, or as Gillian and I like to call him, “KIAAAAARAAAAAAAAAN.” What a dreamboat. He’s the bad-boy side of this supposed love triangle. If Gavin is Aileana’s pure and innocent past, Kiaran is her dark and dangerous future. Kiaran is one of the most powerful types of faerie, a daoine sith, and hunts down his own kind for reasons of his own. Nowhere is Kiaran framed as the safe choice or even necessarily the best choice. However, he offers what Gavin cannot. He sees Aileana’s rage and thirst for revenge and accepts them in a way that Gavin simply can’t. In this equation, Kiaran is the best parts of the Darkling, Warner, Jack Dandy, and Morpheus, Aileana’s guide as she does what must be done.
Despite how it appears, I must stress again that this book does not contain an actual love triangle. The storyline may trend that way in later books, but it does not do so now. Even if it did, I still think readers will enjoy this book. Each boy plays his part (Loyal Friend, Good Boy, Bad Boy), but each part contains pleasant deviations from the standard form. You might think you know how each boy will react—who will be jealous of whom and how, who will attempt to control Aileana, etc.—but you can’t. Aileana is not the one to change Kiaran’s black heart. Gavin isn’t constantly playing the white knight and saving her from danger. Aileana doesn’t whine, wheedle, or manipulate the boys to do what she wants. It’s wonderful!
5. The ending. I’ve heard other people didn’t like how abrupt it was.
I’ll give you this one. The ending was rather abrupt. I liked it, because it left me with a jolt of character development that I wasn’t expecting, but it definitely killed me in the “Oh my gosh, give me the next book NOW” sort of way. What can ya do?
I strongly encourage you all to read this book. If I may quote my own Goodreads status, this book is like popcorn. Delicious, adrenaline-laced, pixie dust-flavored popcorn. It’s ridiculously addictive in the best way. The moment I have money to spend, it will go toward obtaining this book, and from me, there’s no higher praise.
Favorite Non-Spoilery Quotes:
“You know my mother thinks the waltz is indecent.”
“Your mother would find the sight of a chair leg indecent.”
When Dante described the circles of Hell, he clearly forgot the one where a hungry pixie sits on one’s shoulder for eternity.
“My ears are bleeding. I have a nasty headache. I’m trapped in a room with a murderous faery and I blame you.”
“That’s fair.”
“Perhaps it’s a honey-ache. That’s the result of eating too much of what isn’t yours.”
“But your friend offered it. So she might not have explicitly said, ‘Derrick, please eat all of the honey in my kitchen,’ but it was implied by the mere fact that she has a kitchen.”
“Well, I can safely say that I’ve never experienced a more exciting two days. I suppose I should send a note before seeing you again. ‘Are you in the company of any creature liable to attack me unprovoked? I can visit later.’”
Points Added For: Aileana, Derrick, Kiaran, Gavin; a fresh, less stereotypical twist on character tropes; Aileana’s inventive streak; subtle steampunkery; a great mix of humor, tension, and sexiness.
Points Subtracted For: A really abrupt ending, I guess.
Good For Fans Of: Faeries, bad boys, good boys, funny and supportive boys, girls who kick butt, smart girls, historical Scotland, light steampunk.
Notes For Parents: Language (I think), making out, death.
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LibraryThing member hobbitsies
I'm not a massive faerie fan (at all), but I ended up loving The Falconer! I loved how badass and tough the protagonist is - it's too rare to find that, and I'm a major fan of historical settings. If you're looking for a historical with a fantasy twist, definitely pick up The Falconer!
LibraryThing member MaryJensen
This book was interesting, and I had a good time with it. Always fun to read about a strong heroine who knows her own mind. Good read!
LibraryThing member NicoleGorr
The Falconer was just an okay novel for me. In short, the heroine's mother was killed by a fairy and she now dedicates her life to hunting and killing fairies in hopes to one day get her vengeance on the one who killed her mother. Oddly enough, she does this with the help of two fairies, one of
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which updates her on the actions of the target fairy and the other teaches her how to fight and kill. I liked both fairies, they were fun additions to the novel, and the heroine was likeable enough, but it just didn't have that spark for me. If made available to me I would read the second installment of the series, but I don't think I will go out of my way to acquire a copy. Show Less
LibraryThing member Livvvy75
Such, such, such a good book. I got way more than I bargained for.
This book was everything and more that it needed to be. There was action, a tough and brave heroine, faeries and, of course, Scotland. There aren’t nearly enough books set in Scotland. But it gets better – The Falconer is set in
Aileana was a fantastic main character. She was strong, smart, tough and as determined as anything. Pair her with a hilariously cheeky pixie and the mysterious Kiaran, and there you have it. The recipe fora fantastic faerie book.
To make the recipe even more perfect, you have to make it your own. And that’s exactly what Elizabeth May did. Her writing was fantastic and the imagination and thought that went into The Falconer is evident, particularly through her descriptions and even in the little notes at the end.
This book is worth every one of those 336 pages. I really didn’t want to stop reading. Especially at the ending. That ending + a release date of 2015 = recipe for constant checking for a specific date the book will be released. Which will most likely then lead to wringing of the hands.
An entrancingly well-crafted novel full to the brim with gripping action and intrigue. Very possibly the best faerie book I’ve read.
5/5 comets
Bye, bye Earth! Out of this world.
This book was everything and more that it needed to be. There was action, a tough and brave heroine, faeries and, of course, Scotland. There aren’t nearly enough books set in Scotland. But it gets better – The Falconer is set in
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the 1800′s. Perfect for the historical fiction lover in you.Aileana was a fantastic main character. She was strong, smart, tough and as determined as anything. Pair her with a hilariously cheeky pixie and the mysterious Kiaran, and there you have it. The recipe fora fantastic faerie book.
To make the recipe even more perfect, you have to make it your own. And that’s exactly what Elizabeth May did. Her writing was fantastic and the imagination and thought that went into The Falconer is evident, particularly through her descriptions and even in the little notes at the end.
This book is worth every one of those 336 pages. I really didn’t want to stop reading. Especially at the ending. That ending + a release date of 2015 = recipe for constant checking for a specific date the book will be released. Which will most likely then lead to wringing of the hands.
An entrancingly well-crafted novel full to the brim with gripping action and intrigue. Very possibly the best faerie book I’ve read.
5/5 comets
Bye, bye Earth! Out of this world.
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LibraryThing member LoriBivens
Although I have never been much of a fantasy reader and have never read anything from the steampunk genre, I thoroughly enjoyed The Falconer. In fact, I read the majority of the novel in one sitting. Aileana is a great character with impressive depth, and Kiaran and Derrick, despite their
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fantastical natures, seemed authentic as well. The Scottish/faery language was a bit of a barrier to me, and I wished there was maybe a pronunciation guide somewhere, but overall the plot was intriguing, and I do look forward to the next book in what is planned as a trilogy. I am hoping for more romance in the next installment, as I was a bit disappointed that there was not more in this book. I would have preferred that Gavin wanted our heroine much more than he does, and of course, there is the problem of Kiaran. A Twilight-style triangle would be really interesting. It took me quite a while to get rolling with this book, but that was mainly due to my own preconceptions. Pick this one up and give it a try! Show Less
LibraryThing member CAS2199
Lady Aileana Kameron isn't your usual debutante. She not only can see the fae, but she is also a Falconer or someone who is equipped to kill them. She has been training with Kiaran, a mysterious and beautiful fae, who, surprisingly, wants to destroy his kind and holds many secrets. Also, a pixie,
Aileana is a fun heroine in The Falconer. She's feisty, unconventional, and is downright tough. Unlike the other girls, she can hold her own and even invents various types of weaponry to fight the fae. Aileana is a little hyper focused on destroying the fae since the violent death of her mother, but overall, I enjoyed her.
What initially set me off when reading The Falconer was the time period. I thought it was set in 19th century Scotland with a fantasy twist (fae) and it is, but it's a little bit different than I expected. It's a steampunk world with steampunk technology, etc. Also, I was a little disappointed that there wasn't much focus on the Scottish world, but more on Scottish lore. Thank God for the glossary (Aileana's Beastiary) at the end of the novel which lists the various types of fae. I found myself referring to this quite a bit.
In The Falconer, readers are introduced to Gavin, Aileana's childhood friend. Aileana used to have a childhood crush on him and since his return from school, she realizes that he is hiding many secrets. Also, readers get to know the elusive and extremely good looking fae, Kiaran, a bit more and some of his motives, such as the important question of why would he help kill fae if he is fae? Lastly, my favorite character in The Falconer is the pixie, Derrick. He's hilarious, fun and some of his one-liners made me laugh out loud.
Despite my initial hesitance towards The Falconer, the plot really starts to pick up by the middle of the novel. Plus, once the fae realize all that Aileana is capable of, the action picks up tremendously and war is looming over their heads.
Of course The Falconer ends with a crazy cliffhanger (as any good trilogy should) and despite a few of my issues with the novel, I will definitely be picking up the next book in the series, which is due out next year.
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Derrick, protects her and helps her recover from her injuries. This is more than just killing fae to Aileana though. Her mother was killed by one and in turn, it has become personal. Her father, even though he doesn't know Aileana's secrets, would rather she was more conventional and spend her time taking up more leisurely pursuits, such as finding a husband; however, she wants more for herself. Elizabeth May's debut, The Falconer, is a slow to start novel, but once the action picked up, I was hooked.Aileana is a fun heroine in The Falconer. She's feisty, unconventional, and is downright tough. Unlike the other girls, she can hold her own and even invents various types of weaponry to fight the fae. Aileana is a little hyper focused on destroying the fae since the violent death of her mother, but overall, I enjoyed her.
What initially set me off when reading The Falconer was the time period. I thought it was set in 19th century Scotland with a fantasy twist (fae) and it is, but it's a little bit different than I expected. It's a steampunk world with steampunk technology, etc. Also, I was a little disappointed that there wasn't much focus on the Scottish world, but more on Scottish lore. Thank God for the glossary (Aileana's Beastiary) at the end of the novel which lists the various types of fae. I found myself referring to this quite a bit.
In The Falconer, readers are introduced to Gavin, Aileana's childhood friend. Aileana used to have a childhood crush on him and since his return from school, she realizes that he is hiding many secrets. Also, readers get to know the elusive and extremely good looking fae, Kiaran, a bit more and some of his motives, such as the important question of why would he help kill fae if he is fae? Lastly, my favorite character in The Falconer is the pixie, Derrick. He's hilarious, fun and some of his one-liners made me laugh out loud.
Despite my initial hesitance towards The Falconer, the plot really starts to pick up by the middle of the novel. Plus, once the fae realize all that Aileana is capable of, the action picks up tremendously and war is looming over their heads.
Of course The Falconer ends with a crazy cliffhanger (as any good trilogy should) and despite a few of my issues with the novel, I will definitely be picking up the next book in the series, which is due out next year.
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LibraryThing member EKAnderson
Part steampunk, part historical fiction, part urban fantasy, I suppose you could say there's something for everyone in THE FALCONER by Elizabeth May. Especially when you add in all the action and the killing. Because that's what Aileana Kameron does -- she kills faeries.
It wasn't always that way.
Having since met up with Kiaran McKay -- one of the most dangerous faeries in Scotland -- Aileana has spent most of her time training to seek revenge and hiding her true nature from her closest friends. She doesn't know why a faery like Kiaran would agree to help her, to teach her everything he knows about his secret world, but she doesn't really care. As long as she gets to kill.
But it's more dangerous now than ever, with what could very well turn out to be an apocalypse on the horizon. And Aileana's secrets are coming unravelled. Her reputation is at risk, but, with so much more at stake than her social life, she's going to need all the help she can get.
With a colorful cast of socialites, faeries, and one lovely honey-addicted pixie, THE FALCONER is a not-to-be-missed title this summer. Fans of Holly Black will love it for its faery mythology, and Hunger Games aficionados will dig the kick-ass heroine. I'm so looking forward to the next books in the series!
It wasn't always that way.
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At one point she was a fairly typical girl, living with her well-to-do parents in Edinburgh in the 1840s. Typical, if you don't count the inventions she was always working on with her mother. Or the fact that her relationship with her father left a lot to be desired. But her life then has little in common with her life since the violent death of her mother at the hands of what she's since come to realize was a faery.Having since met up with Kiaran McKay -- one of the most dangerous faeries in Scotland -- Aileana has spent most of her time training to seek revenge and hiding her true nature from her closest friends. She doesn't know why a faery like Kiaran would agree to help her, to teach her everything he knows about his secret world, but she doesn't really care. As long as she gets to kill.
But it's more dangerous now than ever, with what could very well turn out to be an apocalypse on the horizon. And Aileana's secrets are coming unravelled. Her reputation is at risk, but, with so much more at stake than her social life, she's going to need all the help she can get.
With a colorful cast of socialites, faeries, and one lovely honey-addicted pixie, THE FALCONER is a not-to-be-missed title this summer. Fans of Holly Black will love it for its faery mythology, and Hunger Games aficionados will dig the kick-ass heroine. I'm so looking forward to the next books in the series!
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LibraryThing member BookRatMisty
I did a video review of this, which can be found at the "BookRatMisty" youtube channel, but some things I mentioned, and some things I forgot to mention:
* This was a bit like an action movie with a lot if pithy one-liners, that manages to still be fun despite, or because of, how cheesy it is
*
It's not that I dislike her gleeful bloodlust as a rule; I like anti-heroes, I like explorations of darkness. It's more that it didn't quite fit with the overall. It didn't quite ring true; it felt a little forced. But as the story goes on, the layers are peeled away and you get to know her better, and it starts to work. Becomes less cheesy and more realistic.
* It could use less obviousness in the relationships, though I couldn't help but like them, and like the male lead, even if it was a little obvious and predictable.
* It wears the trappings of steampunk more than feeling like a true representation of steampunk. Everything's a little too easy, and the steampunk aspects don't really permeate the world in the way I'd like them to.
* I almost gave up in the beginning, BUT I'm glad I didn't, because I enjoyed it, and will definitely read the next book.
* This was a bit like an action movie with a lot if pithy one-liners, that manages to still be fun despite, or because of, how cheesy it is
*
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Aileana is bloodthirsty, which make her atypical and interesting, but sometimes the choices are strange. I'm all for an anti-hero or simply dubious hero, but she calls her hunted "victims," and what she does "murder," which makes it harder to like her. Again, not because she's an anti-hero, but because of how she sees herself, and how much she likes it, makes her seem psychopathic. Strange writer choice. ... It's not that I dislike her gleeful bloodlust as a rule; I like anti-heroes, I like explorations of darkness. It's more that it didn't quite fit with the overall. It didn't quite ring true; it felt a little forced. But as the story goes on, the layers are peeled away and you get to know her better, and it starts to work. Becomes less cheesy and more realistic.
* It could use less obviousness in the relationships, though I couldn't help but like them, and like the male lead, even if it was a little obvious and predictable.
* It wears the trappings of steampunk more than feeling like a true representation of steampunk. Everything's a little too easy, and the steampunk aspects don't really permeate the world in the way I'd like them to.
* I almost gave up in the beginning, BUT I'm glad I didn't, because I enjoyed it, and will definitely read the next book.
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LibraryThing member Emily_Anne
The Falconer was amazing! I was so wrapped into the story from the first page that I flat refused to get off the floor to do anything productive. (I often read on my bedroom floor. Don’t judge.)
First, let me mention the wonderful cast. The characters in The Falconer blew me away. Aileana Kameron,
During the day, she tries to be the perfect debutante. She goes to all the boring balls, deals with a father that looks right through her, and hangs out with her BFF (who is really awesome). However, Aileana is thirsty for blood and hunts the fae every night (even at balls) after her mother’s murder. With balls and killings, she never has a dull moment!
After Aileana, the second most intriguing character is Kiaran MacKay. Kiaran is Aileana’s mysterious fae trainer. They hunt at night together. However, of course, Kiaran is harboring major secrets... I’m still not sure if I can fully trust him.
Now, my favorite character, was... Derrick! Derrick is the hilarious pixie who craves honey. His antics never failed to make me laugh. Also, he is such a good friend to AiIeana. It was heartwarming!
The plot and gorgeous setting kept my nose glued to The Falconer’s pages. The author definitely knows how to write a believable and complex story and world.
I can’t not mention the ending. How? Why? What? What happened? The ending just abruptly happened in the middle of an important scene!!! I think the publishers forgot to insert the last few chapters... :)
Overall, I would not hesitate to recommend The Falconer to fans of Fantasy, Paranormal, or even Historical Fiction. *Round of applause for this book*
4/5 Stars
*Recieved for free in exchange for an honest review*
First, let me mention the wonderful cast. The characters in The Falconer blew me away. Aileana Kameron,
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our main character, is feisty, smart, and ferocious. She is the ultimate fighting, blood-thirsty protagonist. Also, she is a master weapon designer! During the day, she tries to be the perfect debutante. She goes to all the boring balls, deals with a father that looks right through her, and hangs out with her BFF (who is really awesome). However, Aileana is thirsty for blood and hunts the fae every night (even at balls) after her mother’s murder. With balls and killings, she never has a dull moment!
After Aileana, the second most intriguing character is Kiaran MacKay. Kiaran is Aileana’s mysterious fae trainer. They hunt at night together. However, of course, Kiaran is harboring major secrets... I’m still not sure if I can fully trust him.
Now, my favorite character, was... Derrick! Derrick is the hilarious pixie who craves honey. His antics never failed to make me laugh. Also, he is such a good friend to AiIeana. It was heartwarming!
The plot and gorgeous setting kept my nose glued to The Falconer’s pages. The author definitely knows how to write a believable and complex story and world.
I can’t not mention the ending. How? Why? What? What happened? The ending just abruptly happened in the middle of an important scene!!! I think the publishers forgot to insert the last few chapters... :)
Overall, I would not hesitate to recommend The Falconer to fans of Fantasy, Paranormal, or even Historical Fiction. *Round of applause for this book*
4/5 Stars
*Recieved for free in exchange for an honest review*
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LibraryThing member taleofnight
I'm not the biggest fan of faerie books, but this one interested me enough, considering the main character is killing the faeries instead of finding out she's one of them like most faeries books I've read are about AND it's set in Scotland in the 1800's. This book was pretty much screaming at me to
I have to say my favorite part of the book was Derrick. He is the best and I want him as my pixie. He is definitely the comic relief and I love him for it. I also feel like he made the book a lot more interesting for me. I found myself thoroughly enjoying the book when he was in a scene.
My one problem was that I didn't really connect with the story all that well. It's a good story, I just was distracted by all the other books I wanted to read. I can't really explain why I feel somewhat 'meh' towards the book, because I did enjoy it for the most part. I think I read it at the wrong time.
I am glad I pushed through, because it is very good, even though the ending leaves you hanging. It's a serious cliffhanger. It pretty much ends in the middle of a scene, which is quite annoying.
I want to note that right after finishing this book I loaned it to a friend and she loved it, read it in 2 days. I do think I would have loved the book if I concentrated on this book alone and wasn't reading 2 other books at the same time.
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read it because I have a slight obsession with Scotland.I have to say my favorite part of the book was Derrick. He is the best and I want him as my pixie. He is definitely the comic relief and I love him for it. I also feel like he made the book a lot more interesting for me. I found myself thoroughly enjoying the book when he was in a scene.
My one problem was that I didn't really connect with the story all that well. It's a good story, I just was distracted by all the other books I wanted to read. I can't really explain why I feel somewhat 'meh' towards the book, because I did enjoy it for the most part. I think I read it at the wrong time.
I am glad I pushed through, because it is very good, even though the ending leaves you hanging. It's a serious cliffhanger. It pretty much ends in the middle of a scene, which is quite annoying.
I want to note that right after finishing this book I loaned it to a friend and she loved it, read it in 2 days. I do think I would have loved the book if I concentrated on this book alone and wasn't reading 2 other books at the same time.
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LibraryThing member MadameWho
Steampunk Buffy!
Compulsively readable, if a little repetitive--but what the hell is up with that ending? There are cliffhangers, and then there's ending in mid-scene.
Compulsively readable, if a little repetitive--but what the hell is up with that ending? There are cliffhangers, and then there's ending in mid-scene.
LibraryThing member Eire2011
Aileana appears to be your average lady of Scotland whose father is a wealthy widowed Marquess in the 1800's who is eccentric at times though many understand as she found her mother dead. She tries hard to keep up appearances during the day but at night she's a hunter of the Fae who killed her
I found this book hard to put down from the beginning. May has a wonderful way with words that draws you right in. I loved the mixture of Steampunk, Fae, Scotland and a feisty heroine all in one book. I can't wait for the next book to be released in June!!
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mother. She's known as a Falconer and the last of her kind and out for vengeance.I found this book hard to put down from the beginning. May has a wonderful way with words that draws you right in. I loved the mixture of Steampunk, Fae, Scotland and a feisty heroine all in one book. I can't wait for the next book to be released in June!!
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LibraryThing member mariannelee_0902
There’s no doubt in my mind that you’ve read a book like this before: a quest for revenge, impending doom on the horizon, brooding and mysterious guy with a secret way to help, a dangerous race bent on destroying humanity, the fate of the world on the shoulders of one girl. This is a very
However, what Elizabeth May brings to the table is an original and refreshing spin on the fae. The fae are no longer these compassionate, flower frolicking, creatures that mean no harm. The fae are these monsters that feed on human energy; they’re ruthless killers.
Since the murder of her mother, Aileana has dedicated her life to killing as many fae as she can. With the help of Kiaran McKay, she’s a brutal and merciless eradicator of these creatures. However, the fairy who murdered her mother is still out there, and Aileana will stop at nothing until it is destroyed. Burdened by keeping up the debutante façade while protecting those she cares about seems harder and harder each day, but Lady Aileana cannot ignore the deep desire for revenge. Just how far is she willing to go?
I love stories of women who are strong and brave and kickass. That’s why I was so interested in this story in the first place. I wanted to see first hand just how badass Aileana was. And I was not disappointed.
“I’ve committed murder exactly one hundred and fifty-eight times in twelve months. My tally grows almost every night.”
She doesn’t hesitate, doesn’t let anything get in the way, she knows what she has to do, and when she has to do it. I really admired Aileana, though I would’ve wished that as a narrator, she‘d showed a bit more than what she told.
I liked that Aileana had strong relationships with other characters, such as Catherine (her best friend) and Gavin (one of the love interests). My favorite side character was definitely Derrick, a pixie who was basically the comic relief. I really enjoyed his interactions with Aileana and I think he was a really dependable friend. I would’ve wanted a more solid relationship with her father, but I’m hoping this is something we’ll see later on in the next book.
Kiaran is basically the character Aileana is “closest” to, but that’s because he’s the only one that actually knows her secret. He's... definitely something. We don’t know much of him, except that he’s cold and calculating (and gorgeous) . I enjoyed every time his demeanor would slip and we would actually see into his real emotions.
There is sort of a love triangle here, but one of the few that I really enjoyed. It wasn’t a “I love both of them, what do I do?” love triangle, but mostly a “should I listen to my heart, or perform my duty?” triangle. It was really nice to see because it was like Aileana’s normal girl side and her fairy killer sides were both at war.
The romance here is not that present (even if there is a love triangle), but when it was present it was so intense. I would be clutching the book in my hands without daring to breathe because I didn’t want the tension to break. There is a lot of sexual tension and I just wanted to take the characters and lock them in a closet or something until they resolved their issues.
There was a cliffhanger. And I couldn’t enjoy it because I felt really pissed off. It was unnecessary. I was already motivated to read the second book, there was no need to end the book in such a pivotal moment.
Overall, although a story seen before, Elizabeth May finds a way to make it her own. If you’re new to fae stories, or have never found the right one for you, definitely check out this book.
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standard plot. I may just have described The Mortal Instruments to you. Or maybe Fallen, or The Iron King. Point is, a story like this has been done before.However, what Elizabeth May brings to the table is an original and refreshing spin on the fae. The fae are no longer these compassionate, flower frolicking, creatures that mean no harm. The fae are these monsters that feed on human energy; they’re ruthless killers.
Since the murder of her mother, Aileana has dedicated her life to killing as many fae as she can. With the help of Kiaran McKay, she’s a brutal and merciless eradicator of these creatures. However, the fairy who murdered her mother is still out there, and Aileana will stop at nothing until it is destroyed. Burdened by keeping up the debutante façade while protecting those she cares about seems harder and harder each day, but Lady Aileana cannot ignore the deep desire for revenge. Just how far is she willing to go?
I love stories of women who are strong and brave and kickass. That’s why I was so interested in this story in the first place. I wanted to see first hand just how badass Aileana was. And I was not disappointed.
“I’ve committed murder exactly one hundred and fifty-eight times in twelve months. My tally grows almost every night.”
She doesn’t hesitate, doesn’t let anything get in the way, she knows what she has to do, and when she has to do it. I really admired Aileana, though I would’ve wished that as a narrator, she‘d showed a bit more than what she told.
I liked that Aileana had strong relationships with other characters, such as Catherine (her best friend) and Gavin (one of the love interests). My favorite side character was definitely Derrick, a pixie who was basically the comic relief. I really enjoyed his interactions with Aileana and I think he was a really dependable friend. I would’ve wanted a more solid relationship with her father, but I’m hoping this is something we’ll see later on in the next book.
Kiaran is basically the character Aileana is “closest” to, but that’s because he’s the only one that actually knows her secret. He's... definitely something. We don’t know much of him, except that he’s cold and calculating (and gorgeous) . I enjoyed every time his demeanor would slip and we would actually see into his real emotions.
There is sort of a love triangle here, but one of the few that I really enjoyed. It wasn’t a “I love both of them, what do I do?” love triangle, but mostly a “should I listen to my heart, or perform my duty?” triangle. It was really nice to see because it was like Aileana’s normal girl side and her fairy killer sides were both at war.
The romance here is not that present (even if there is a love triangle), but when it was present it was so intense. I would be clutching the book in my hands without daring to breathe because I didn’t want the tension to break. There is a lot of sexual tension and I just wanted to take the characters and lock them in a closet or something until they resolved their issues.
There was a cliffhanger. And I couldn’t enjoy it because I felt really pissed off. It was unnecessary. I was already motivated to read the second book, there was no need to end the book in such a pivotal moment.
Overall, although a story seen before, Elizabeth May finds a way to make it her own. If you’re new to fae stories, or have never found the right one for you, definitely check out this book.
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LibraryThing member urph818
I put down another book I was reading so I could read the Falconer, which I thought was phenomenal, and I certainly wasn't disappointed. Set in Scotland, its a well-written, action-packed story of vengeance and murder. Okay, I enjoyed the character development of Aileana, a young Aristocratic woman
Jack Murphy
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who lives a double life. She's broken yet determined, fierce and deadly, but still capable of love and compassion. I also enjoyed the romance between Aileana and her mentor Kiaran McKay. He's ruthless and cunning, dark and dangerous, deadly, but loyal to his cause, and determined to right his many wrongs. He was the perfect mentor for Aileana—smart, skilled, strong, powerful, deadly, who pushed her to the breaking point to teach her her weaknesses. I can pretty much say that I loved just about everything in this book except that it's a cliffhanger. I loved the world-building in this book which I thought was unique and VERY well done. I loved the historical and Scottish background, intertwined with dark and dangerous fairies tearing the city apart. I thought that Aileana,the elegant and beautiful lady by day and killer by night was brilliant, and tied into the rest of the plot. It's safe to say I thoroughly enjoyed reading this novel and now have to run out and get the second book in the series.Jack Murphy
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LibraryThing member lkernagh
First thing, I love the Edinburgh, Scotland setting. May has reproduced the historical parts of Old Town/New Town Edinburgh such that any visitor to the city will recognize the location. May has also given it a wonderful fantasy/steampunk appearance with the introduction of a faery race (pulled
Good stuff!
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pretty much from Scottish fae lore) and introduced enough steampunk/mechanical elements to satisfy the steampunk junkie in me. The fact that Aileana loves to tinker with mechanics and makes her own weapons/airship is also a nice nod towards women as engineers/builders of devices. the world build may not be quite as inventive as the alternate reality of Westerfeld's Leviathan series, IMO, but still well-crafted. I find the pixie Derrick to be a great character. He brings charm and levity to this action-packed story and is a nice counter to Kiaran, the warrior faerie training Aileana. For me, this comes across as a wonderful transition read between the Westerfeld's Leviathan series and Gail Carriger's Parasol Protectorate series. Aileana is 18 years old (not the younger teen of Westerfeld's story) and the story comes across as a more PG/less bawdy paranormal in comparison with the Carriger books. Great never-ending action, good characters and a wonderful setting. Only downside for me is what I tend to find in a number of debut novels - which this happens to be - in that the story does to much "showing". We are continually informed of what Aileana is feeling and it can get a bit repetitive from that perspective but that is really my only quibble with this one, that and the fact that the ending is, of course, perfectly written as a set up for the next book in the trilogy. Good stuff!
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Awards
Green Mountain Book Award (Nominee — 2016)
Language
Physical description
336 p.
ISBN
0575130407 / 9780575130401
Local notes
Lady Aileana Kameron, the only daughter of the Marquess of Douglas, was destined for a life carefully planned around Edinburgh's social events - right up until when a faery killed her mother. Now it's the 1844 winter season and Aileana slaughters faeries in secret, in between the endless round of parties, tea and balls. Armed with modified percussion pistols and explosives, she sheds her aristocratic facade every night to go hunting. She's determined to track down the faery who murdered her mother, and to destroy any who prey on humans in the city's many dark alleyways. But the balance between high society and her private war is a delicate one, and as the fae infiltrate the ballroom and Aileana's father returns home, she has decisions to make.
Fun faery steampunk battles, but a little gory for my taste.
Fun faery steampunk battles, but a little gory for my taste.