Status
Available
Call number
Series
Collections
Publication
HarperCollinsChildren'sBooks (2009), Edition: (Reissue), Paperback, 336 pages
Description
Seventeen-year-old Aislinn, who has the rare ability to see faeries, is drawn against her will into a centuries-old battle between the Summer King and the Winter Queen, and the survival of her life, her love, and summer all hang in the balance.
User reviews
LibraryThing member ladycato
Aislinn has always been able to see faeries mingling in the mortal world. However, her grandmother - who is likewise gifted - has raised her to be cautious. Don't stare at invisble faeries. Don't speak to them. Don't attract their attention. All these rules fall apart when Aislinn noticed mobs of
I loved this book. It's a fast and enjoyable read. The chapters are short and suspenseful, and I surprised myself by reading half the book in one sitting. The characters are fantastic and well-rounded, too. Even Keenan, the Summer King, is a sympathetic character, even though his actions are often selfish and arrogant. I have zero complaints about this book. Even the cover is gorgeous.
I'll definitely be seeking out the rest of this series.
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faeries following her and whispering about how she is "the one" and about "the Summer King." When the Summer King himself enrolls in Aislinn's school and pursues her despite her constant rebuffs, she begins to get a bit worried, and not just for herself. When faeries are involved, no one is safe, and that includes her beloved grandmother and her dear friend Seth.I loved this book. It's a fast and enjoyable read. The chapters are short and suspenseful, and I surprised myself by reading half the book in one sitting. The characters are fantastic and well-rounded, too. Even Keenan, the Summer King, is a sympathetic character, even though his actions are often selfish and arrogant. I have zero complaints about this book. Even the cover is gorgeous.
I'll definitely be seeking out the rest of this series.
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LibraryThing member fyrefly98
Summary: Don't look at fairies, don't react to fairies, and above all else, don't let the fairies know you can see them. Those are the rules that Aislinn (pronounced Ashling) has lived with her whole life, and for the most part, they've kept her as safe as could be expected. However, none of the
Review: I will make a confession: I absolutely judged this book by its cover, (and by the fact that it's on a table at the local bookstore with Twilight and a bunch of other similarly-covered books), and I was fully expecting it to be completely silly, and probably also rage-inducing. But, well, holy cow, I was in for a surprise... this book was really, really good.
For starters, I was shocked to discover that I empathized not only with the girl who has to deal with the supernatural (and supernaturally hot) guy, but also with the guy himself. In fact, this book has no shortage of sympathetic characters - not only Ash and Keenan, but also Seth, Ash's mortal friend and romantic interest, and especially Donia, the Wintergirl. She's the previous girl to undergo the trial, out of love for Keenan, but now she's so infected with cold that it hurts to touch him, and she's forced not only to work for the Winter Queen, but also to watch the man she still loves court another. She's got the toughest choices of anyone in the novel, and chapters from her point of view were correspondingly the most interesting.
I was also really impressed by the worldbuilding and mythology that Marr packs into this book. The whole Winter Queen/Summer King/Winter Girl dynamic is complex enough to be interesting, and yet Marr does a much better job of explaining how the entire process works than I could manage. Marr also makes conspicuous use of a lot of traditional fairy lore, and yet builds an intricate world of three Fae courts (Summer, Winter, and Dark, although we don't see much of the last one in this book) that manages to feel original, and just dark and dangerous enough. I did read this book a little too close in time to Terry Pratchett's Wintersmith, and so Summer and Winter and their respective personifications got a little tangled in my brain occasionally, but for the most part, Marr does such a good job creating her world that it really does seem like there might be Fae everywhere, out of sight to normal mortals.
While on the whole I enjoyed this book, there were a few elements that I wasn't crazy about. The first was that after a certain point in the story, certain elements of the outcome became almost inevitable. Not to say there weren't still some surprises to come, but once it became clear to the readers and the characters that these things were inevitable, a lot of the fight went out of the story, making what had come so far feel somewhat pointless, and leaving a slightly off taste in my mouth.
Secondly, there was one particular point on which I wanted to smack Ash around for a little while. On the whole, she was a very relatable narrator, having normal teenage girl insecurities, but also possessing two things that certain other of her literary compatriots (*cough*BELLA*cough*) lack... namely, a brain, and a spine. Most of the time, anyways. On one occasion, though... well, seriously, I cannot see fairies. I have not spent my entire life distrusting and fearing fairies. AND YET, even *I* know that YOU DO NOT DRINK THE FAERIE WINE. I mean, my GOD, girl! Gah.
Alyssa Bresnahan does a nice job with the audiobook narration - distinguishable voices for all of the main characters, not too fake-growly for the boys, and able to capture the emotions of Ash and Donya particularly well. 4 out of 5 stars.
Recommendation: It looks like your typical teen girl/paranormal guy overwrought young adult fantasy romance, but it actually manages to take that genre in some very unexpected, very cool directions. Fans of YA fantasy, and probably fans of regular romance too, should definitely check this one out.
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usual rules seem to apply when one of the fey begins following her around, showing up at her school, and using all of his wiles to charm her. But, then again, he's not your usual fairy; he's Keenan, the Summer King. His mother, the Winter Queen, has bound his magic and is slowly taking more and more power for herself, and the only way Keenan can make things right is to find a mortal girl who can take up his mother's staff without being permanently infected by winter's chill. Keenan has been looking for this woman - his love, his Queen - for centuries, and is convinced that Aislinn will be the one. But Ash can see through his glamors... and she wants nothing to do with him.Review: I will make a confession: I absolutely judged this book by its cover, (and by the fact that it's on a table at the local bookstore with Twilight and a bunch of other similarly-covered books), and I was fully expecting it to be completely silly, and probably also rage-inducing. But, well, holy cow, I was in for a surprise... this book was really, really good.
For starters, I was shocked to discover that I empathized not only with the girl who has to deal with the supernatural (and supernaturally hot) guy, but also with the guy himself. In fact, this book has no shortage of sympathetic characters - not only Ash and Keenan, but also Seth, Ash's mortal friend and romantic interest, and especially Donia, the Wintergirl. She's the previous girl to undergo the trial, out of love for Keenan, but now she's so infected with cold that it hurts to touch him, and she's forced not only to work for the Winter Queen, but also to watch the man she still loves court another. She's got the toughest choices of anyone in the novel, and chapters from her point of view were correspondingly the most interesting.
I was also really impressed by the worldbuilding and mythology that Marr packs into this book. The whole Winter Queen/Summer King/Winter Girl dynamic is complex enough to be interesting, and yet Marr does a much better job of explaining how the entire process works than I could manage. Marr also makes conspicuous use of a lot of traditional fairy lore, and yet builds an intricate world of three Fae courts (Summer, Winter, and Dark, although we don't see much of the last one in this book) that manages to feel original, and just dark and dangerous enough. I did read this book a little too close in time to Terry Pratchett's Wintersmith, and so Summer and Winter and their respective personifications got a little tangled in my brain occasionally, but for the most part, Marr does such a good job creating her world that it really does seem like there might be Fae everywhere, out of sight to normal mortals.
While on the whole I enjoyed this book, there were a few elements that I wasn't crazy about. The first was that after a certain point in the story, certain elements of the outcome became almost inevitable. Not to say there weren't still some surprises to come, but once it became clear to the readers and the characters that these things were inevitable, a lot of the fight went out of the story, making what had come so far feel somewhat pointless, and leaving a slightly off taste in my mouth.
Secondly, there was one particular point on which I wanted to smack Ash around for a little while. On the whole, she was a very relatable narrator, having normal teenage girl insecurities, but also possessing two things that certain other of her literary compatriots (*cough*BELLA*cough*) lack... namely, a brain, and a spine. Most of the time, anyways. On one occasion, though... well, seriously, I cannot see fairies. I have not spent my entire life distrusting and fearing fairies. AND YET, even *I* know that YOU DO NOT DRINK THE FAERIE WINE. I mean, my GOD, girl! Gah.
Alyssa Bresnahan does a nice job with the audiobook narration - distinguishable voices for all of the main characters, not too fake-growly for the boys, and able to capture the emotions of Ash and Donya particularly well. 4 out of 5 stars.
Recommendation: It looks like your typical teen girl/paranormal guy overwrought young adult fantasy romance, but it actually manages to take that genre in some very unexpected, very cool directions. Fans of YA fantasy, and probably fans of regular romance too, should definitely check this one out.
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LibraryThing member klarusu
Another in the long line of YA 'supernatural' romance books. This was entertaining enough - this time it's fairies instead of vampires but the essential premise runs along the line of all the others that spring up regularly in this genre: high school girl drawn into supernatural world against her
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wishes, romantic entanglements etc. etc. etc. What made this slightly interesting was the dark portrayal of the fey which was an innovative take on the girl-meets-monster theme but ultimately it did no more than momentarily divert me. For the record, I'm not a genre snob - I can and do enjoy YA books (for shame, even the vampire ones ...) but this was just not a particularly riveting one. I doubt I'll read more of this series - more entertaining and interesting fish to fry. Show Less
LibraryThing member Ameliaiif
Oh my gosh! im like the only person who *didnt* like it! Wow I almost feel nervous now... - First I should be honest: I couldn't even finish this. It was just so godawful! This is one of the LEAST romatic books I have ever, EVER read! How can people find it romantic? HOW?!?! I hated all the
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characters: Aislinn, her stupid gross friend/boyfriend, and keenan especially. Oh my gosh! - Yes, everyone put one hand over your mouth and another hand in the air and point at the girl who couldnt even finish WICKED LOVELY because she found it sooo disturbing. Ummm nobody, NOBODY has the right to ever criticize stephenie meyer's content ever ever again! and PS I read the complete summary of marr's newest "masterpiece" FRAGILE ETERNITY on a friend's blog and you know, I didn't think it was possible for her to get any MORE inappropriate or filthy, but she surprised even me! You can call me moralistic and self-righteous, but I just really, really find it disturbing that this stuff is being marketed to teens. Girls, do you really find this stuff romantic? Well, this one doesn't, that's for sure. I'm off to go find Mr. Darcy and the other classic love interests and maybe they can give me shock treatments or something.I hope I don't lose any friends over this [I feel pretty meek:] Show Less
LibraryThing member faith42love
This book brought me out of my reading funk and transported me back to my highschool years. I was very much like Ash when I was her age, minus the fairy sight. I truely enjoyed how Marr had Ash stick up for herself and ask for what she wanted, even when it was difficult, rather than blindly
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following a mans will. Ash was a refreshing change to most of the female characters I have read. Thank you Mrs. Marr for such a strong sensible, refreshing female lead. I also admire the lack of lables in the book, for example when Ash 'puts on her boots' she could have just as well 'put on her doc martians.' In my opinion, (that is what we're here for right) lables date a novel and do not allow for a timelessness. I believe Wicked Lovely is a great 21st century faery tale, that can be told for ages to come. Show Less
LibraryThing member dasuzuki
I’m not normally too into the whole fairie idea so I was surprised how much I enjoyed this book. The story draws you in almost immediately and I did not want to put the book down until I found out how things would end up between Aislinn, Seth, Keenan and Donia. The best part of this book for me
I hate to compare this book to Twilight because it’s totally unrelated but I did prefer Aislinn as the heroine over Bella in Twilight. Bella was a little to clingy and overly dependent on Edward. Aislinn has a nice balance of a slightly vulnerable yet strong heroine. So you have to admire her and hope she ends up with a happy story. I cannot wait to start Marr’s next book.
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was I did not predict the ending. I know what I wanted to happen but I was surprised by what actually took place.I hate to compare this book to Twilight because it’s totally unrelated but I did prefer Aislinn as the heroine over Bella in Twilight. Bella was a little to clingy and overly dependent on Edward. Aislinn has a nice balance of a slightly vulnerable yet strong heroine. So you have to admire her and hope she ends up with a happy story. I cannot wait to start Marr’s next book.
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LibraryThing member BooGirl
Having started this book in late 2009 I had lost interest half way through. I finally got around to finishing it and I had to admit the ending was very unoriginal.
The plot of the story had potential but even with Melissa Marr's talent for writing the characters seemed to lack originality. However
I would have given this 2 stars but Marr's use of semi-mature content was a refreshing change from all the YA novels where the real teenage scene of today is vastly overlooked.
Still debating on whether I want to continue the series.
The plot of the story had potential but even with Melissa Marr's talent for writing the characters seemed to lack originality. However
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Aislinn's ability to stand up for herself was a nice change to the [self absorbed, lack of independence or no self respect] females we see in YA books today.I would have given this 2 stars but Marr's use of semi-mature content was a refreshing change from all the YA novels where the real teenage scene of today is vastly overlooked.
Still debating on whether I want to continue the series.
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LibraryThing member krissa
Wow, this one sucked me in right away and couldn’t let go. Before I read this one I was thinking “Do I really wanna read anymore teen fantasy?”. It was all starting to feel the same with all the angst and drama. Vampires, faeries, werewolves, superpowers. I was feeling a little overwhelmed
Did it have angst? Yes, but very different then the kind I was expecting.
Drama? Some, but not a great deal of that either.
Faeries? Yes, but I don’t think those were what I expected either. I thought they would be more like all the other “things” we have run into lately. Vampires, werewolves, ect. Who live among people, but are still separate. Another species. And I guess to an extent the faeries were too, but them also struck me more like people who had special powers and could do things. (the main characters anyway. Some of the other fairies, were kinda creepy).
This story had a good mix of lore, and was well woven into the plot. Sometimes that is what makes a book interesting is the tidbit that are dropped throughout it, and it definitely added texture to this story.
I like that Aislinn was a good, strong, intelligent character. I like that Seth believed her, trusted her, and stood by her no matter what. And I like Keenan and Donia too, but I won’t tell you why here, you will just have to read the book. :P
I found myself cheering for different characters all the way through, and about 40 pages from the end, I couldn’t put it down, but just knew it wasn’t going to end well, and at that point I wanted EVERYONE to win. But, it ended just as I would have ended it, and so I’m a satisfied girl =D
I loved the story twist, turns and surprises. I had a couple of moments where the penny dropped, and I was left shaking my head at the brilliance, and wondering why I hadn’t seen it coming? It was a ride that kept the pages turning… I have a feeling this one will stick with me for a while…
Now, on to a nice mystery ;D
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and frankly, done. I didn’t know if I had it in me to get all the way through another. But I’m glad I took the time for this one.Did it have angst? Yes, but very different then the kind I was expecting.
Drama? Some, but not a great deal of that either.
Faeries? Yes, but I don’t think those were what I expected either. I thought they would be more like all the other “things” we have run into lately. Vampires, werewolves, ect. Who live among people, but are still separate. Another species. And I guess to an extent the faeries were too, but them also struck me more like people who had special powers and could do things. (the main characters anyway. Some of the other fairies, were kinda creepy).
This story had a good mix of lore, and was well woven into the plot. Sometimes that is what makes a book interesting is the tidbit that are dropped throughout it, and it definitely added texture to this story.
I like that Aislinn was a good, strong, intelligent character. I like that Seth believed her, trusted her, and stood by her no matter what. And I like Keenan and Donia too, but I won’t tell you why here, you will just have to read the book. :P
I found myself cheering for different characters all the way through, and about 40 pages from the end, I couldn’t put it down, but just knew it wasn’t going to end well, and at that point I wanted EVERYONE to win. But, it ended just as I would have ended it, and so I’m a satisfied girl =D
I loved the story twist, turns and surprises. I had a couple of moments where the penny dropped, and I was left shaking my head at the brilliance, and wondering why I hadn’t seen it coming? It was a ride that kept the pages turning… I have a feeling this one will stick with me for a while…
Now, on to a nice mystery ;D
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LibraryThing member sensitivemuse
Wicked Lovely by Melissa Marr introduces to you, Aislinn (pronounced as Ash-Ling), who can see faeries but does whatever she can to avoid them. They're not those pretty ones you see in fairy tales. Some are malevolent, others are tricksters, one very special one named Keenan, who is the Summer
It took me a while to get into this story at first. I haven't read many fantasy books with faeries in them. This book is essentially the first one I have read featuring faeries and fey. I thought the plot was a little slow to get into. It took a while to get the ball rolling. As the book progresses, the story did get my attention and the ending was great! The thing about this book is, I felt like screaming at Aislinn sometimes or just grabbing her by the shoulders and shaking her to get a hold of herself and to grow a backbone, take a stand! and just DO something.
I didn't really like Aislinn though. I found her hard to like. I think throughout the book she's just always in denial or always hiding away. Sometimes her behaviour made me roll my eyes a bit. I just felt like saying to her: "Oh just kiss Seth and get on with it, just be his bloody girlfriend or I will." (because Seth is just, awesome!) or "Take a stand for once and just DO IT". Surprisingly enough, Aislinn finally does get a backbone and this is where the story takes and turn and really gets my attention. At the end of the book, my opinion of her has changed just a little, ever since she decided to play things her way, in many ways her loyalty and love for her friends and family pushed her to be more brave and more assertive. I love Seth. He's the dream boyfriend and is such a great guy, he's so patient, loving and caring and although I understand why Aislinn hesitates, it never hurts to give him a try, which made some parts of the book so frustrating. However of all the characters I like Donia the most. She was down to earth, serious, mature, and although she loves Keenan so much she was willing to risk everything for him. I thought what Keenan and Donia have is really nice, albeit tragic. Queen Beira is your typical wicked Queen. Nothing from her really stands out as being an ultra villain. I've seen worse evil characters before.
Overall it was an all right read. It was off to a slow start, but it caught my attention enough to get through with it and finish. The ending was good albeit, a little quick, and I'm left with quite a few questions of my own. It turned out to be a not bad book for my first time with faeries and fey.
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King, is out to seduce Aislinn so she can become his Summer Queen. There are a lot of obstacles in the way of course, first Aislinn doesn't want to be Summer Queen. Second, she knows faeries to be dangerous and wants nothing to do with them. Third, Keenan's mother, the Winter Queen Beira will do whatever she can to prevent Keenan from making Aislinn his Summer Queen.It took me a while to get into this story at first. I haven't read many fantasy books with faeries in them. This book is essentially the first one I have read featuring faeries and fey. I thought the plot was a little slow to get into. It took a while to get the ball rolling. As the book progresses, the story did get my attention and the ending was great! The thing about this book is, I felt like screaming at Aislinn sometimes or just grabbing her by the shoulders and shaking her to get a hold of herself and to grow a backbone, take a stand! and just DO something.
I didn't really like Aislinn though. I found her hard to like. I think throughout the book she's just always in denial or always hiding away. Sometimes her behaviour made me roll my eyes a bit. I just felt like saying to her: "Oh just kiss Seth and get on with it, just be his bloody girlfriend or I will." (because Seth is just, awesome!) or "Take a stand for once and just DO IT". Surprisingly enough, Aislinn finally does get a backbone and this is where the story takes and turn and really gets my attention. At the end of the book, my opinion of her has changed just a little, ever since she decided to play things her way, in many ways her loyalty and love for her friends and family pushed her to be more brave and more assertive. I love Seth. He's the dream boyfriend and is such a great guy, he's so patient, loving and caring and although I understand why Aislinn hesitates, it never hurts to give him a try, which made some parts of the book so frustrating. However of all the characters I like Donia the most. She was down to earth, serious, mature, and although she loves Keenan so much she was willing to risk everything for him. I thought what Keenan and Donia have is really nice, albeit tragic. Queen Beira is your typical wicked Queen. Nothing from her really stands out as being an ultra villain. I've seen worse evil characters before.
Overall it was an all right read. It was off to a slow start, but it caught my attention enough to get through with it and finish. The ending was good albeit, a little quick, and I'm left with quite a few questions of my own. It turned out to be a not bad book for my first time with faeries and fey.
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LibraryThing member serpentkills
I really enjoyed this book. The faeries in this story are just as they should be -- dangerous, untrustworthy, and completely oblivious to the desires of mortals. They're inhuman and not to be trifled with. They are perfect.
But what I really love about this story is that the human protagonist whose
For me, Aislinn just makes this book. She's tough and independent, but not in a way that's over the top. She knows what she wants and she is not at all pleased with the Summer King for interfering with that. And the Summer King, not at all used to being so strongly resisted, is kind of at a loss for how to deal with her.
I haven't read a whole lot of books about faeries in the modern world, but this was a great one. Highly recommended.
But what I really love about this story is that the human protagonist whose
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life these faeries are playing with is not content to just sit back and let them decide her fate. Aislinn has had the Sight her whole life and knows perfectly well what atrocities faeries can and do commit. When she's forced into a corner and left with two options she doesn't like, she doesn't fall apart about it -- she gets pissed and she fights for what she wants.For me, Aislinn just makes this book. She's tough and independent, but not in a way that's over the top. She knows what she wants and she is not at all pleased with the Summer King for interfering with that. And the Summer King, not at all used to being so strongly resisted, is kind of at a loss for how to deal with her.
I haven't read a whole lot of books about faeries in the modern world, but this was a great one. Highly recommended.
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LibraryThing member patinagle
Fun modern/Goth take on the myths of faerie. Interesting characters and lush descriptions.
LibraryThing member schnaucl_read
Ash is a mortal who has always been able to see faeries. She's kept her head down and kept herself from notice, not an easy task when she has to ignore visual and auditory cues that no one else can see or hear.
Unfortunately, the Keenan, the Summer King of the faeries, takes notice of her, not
Ash doesn't want to be a queen, she just wants to be left alone with her best friend turned boyfriend, Seth.
I wasn't a huge fan of Keenan who came off as extremely whiny and arrogant. (How could everyone not love me? I am beautiful and wonderful! Answer: you're a whiny jerk).
I was glad that the author clearly wasn't a fan of the "stalking a girl is okay because they're meant to be together" approach, which is used far, far too often in all kinds of media. I was even more glad that Ash was still able to be with Seth, who I much preferred to Keenan.
I also much preferred Marr's handling and sex and drugs to the Casts'. Yes, it's a part of the teenage world. When one of the characters is known to have a rather promiscuous sexual past, he shows a clean bill of health before anything happens. Sexy? No. But realistic and honest, yes. And ever so much better than, oh my god! Sex! I'll end up pregnant and STD ridden and I'll be a total slut after kissing one guy!
I was not loving that Ash ate and drank faery food though. It always irritates me when someone who is supposed to be very familiar with the the lore does that. I'm not hugely into faeries and that's something I'm aware of.
I still think someone needs to sit Keenan and his crew down and explain some things. Giving a woman lip service about equality is not the same as actually treating her as an equal.
I'm also curious what's going to happen with Donia. By the end I'm not sure if she was acting as Keenan's equal or if there was some sort of scheme going on.
Anyway, I enjoyed this book. I think it may have helped that I knew it was a book a lot of people have read but didn't necessarily know anything about the hype other than that it existed.
Unfortunately, the Keenan, the Summer King of the faeries, takes notice of her, not
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because of anything she did or didn't do, but because he had a dream about her and that means she may be the one to break his mother's (the Snow Queen) binding of his power.Ash doesn't want to be a queen, she just wants to be left alone with her best friend turned boyfriend, Seth.
I wasn't a huge fan of Keenan who came off as extremely whiny and arrogant. (How could everyone not love me? I am beautiful and wonderful! Answer: you're a whiny jerk).
I was glad that the author clearly wasn't a fan of the "stalking a girl is okay because they're meant to be together" approach, which is used far, far too often in all kinds of media. I was even more glad that Ash was still able to be with Seth, who I much preferred to Keenan.
I also much preferred Marr's handling and sex and drugs to the Casts'. Yes, it's a part of the teenage world. When one of the characters is known to have a rather promiscuous sexual past, he shows a clean bill of health before anything happens. Sexy? No. But realistic and honest, yes. And ever so much better than, oh my god! Sex! I'll end up pregnant and STD ridden and I'll be a total slut after kissing one guy!
I was not loving that Ash ate and drank faery food though. It always irritates me when someone who is supposed to be very familiar with the the lore does that. I'm not hugely into faeries and that's something I'm aware of.
I still think someone needs to sit Keenan and his crew down and explain some things. Giving a woman lip service about equality is not the same as actually treating her as an equal.
I'm also curious what's going to happen with Donia. By the end I'm not sure if she was acting as Keenan's equal or if there was some sort of scheme going on.
Anyway, I enjoyed this book. I think it may have helped that I knew it was a book a lot of people have read but didn't necessarily know anything about the hype other than that it existed.
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LibraryThing member YAaddict
Wicked Lovely is a modern take on a faery tale. I love it when two worlds collide, that's why I love paranormal books. I loved the quotes from old folk tales dating back to the 1800's that was at the beginning of every chapter. That seemed to add some depth to the story. I was impressed by Marr's
All the main characters had their own emotions and problems to deal with and that kept the story moving and interesting. I immediately liked Seth. A tough exterior with a heart of gold inside. He is proof not to judge a book by it's cover. I enjoyed the relationship between Aislinn (love that name) and Seth. Aislinn was a strong girl with a good head on her shoulders. The fact that she could see the fey when others couldn't made her more eye to eye with them and not quite so much the damsel in distress. My favorite character in this story was Donia. I felt for her as she was forced to watch her true love seeking for someone else. It was a love/hate thing with Keenan for me. But as I continued to read his POV I understood him more and was more compassionate to his situation. I will be excited to see how theses characters develop as I continue reading the series.
The faery world was exciting for me. I enjoyed the different courts in their world and how it affected the way they were governed. I hope the next book goes more into detail about the different courts. This book played in my head like a movie as I read it. I could see all the crazy looking faeries as Marr described how they looked. The ended was very exciting and done well. The epilogue left me with more questions and made me want to run out to get the next book. Looks like I'm addicted to another series!
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ability for having different characters point of views. Sometimes I get confused and annoyed when POV's are constantly switching, But Marr did it in a way where it was easy to understand and interesting to see the different sides of the scenes going on.All the main characters had their own emotions and problems to deal with and that kept the story moving and interesting. I immediately liked Seth. A tough exterior with a heart of gold inside. He is proof not to judge a book by it's cover. I enjoyed the relationship between Aislinn (love that name) and Seth. Aislinn was a strong girl with a good head on her shoulders. The fact that she could see the fey when others couldn't made her more eye to eye with them and not quite so much the damsel in distress. My favorite character in this story was Donia. I felt for her as she was forced to watch her true love seeking for someone else. It was a love/hate thing with Keenan for me. But as I continued to read his POV I understood him more and was more compassionate to his situation. I will be excited to see how theses characters develop as I continue reading the series.
The faery world was exciting for me. I enjoyed the different courts in their world and how it affected the way they were governed. I hope the next book goes more into detail about the different courts. This book played in my head like a movie as I read it. I could see all the crazy looking faeries as Marr described how they looked. The ended was very exciting and done well. The epilogue left me with more questions and made me want to run out to get the next book. Looks like I'm addicted to another series!
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LibraryThing member the_bibliophibian
This is one of those books that I pick up when there's nothing else to read, because no matter how many times I read it it's always good.
Aislinn is a high school junior who just wants to live her life. That life, however, changes irreparably when new-boy-at-school Kennan shows up. He's gorgeous,
(The above review was originally published in a high school paper, and the book is deliberately presented as more like Twilight than it actually is, because that's the only series people at my school read.)
Aislinn is a high school junior who just wants to live her life. That life, however, changes irreparably when new-boy-at-school Kennan shows up. He's gorgeous,
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mysterious, and definitely interested in Aislinn. Aislinn knows he isn't human. He quickly attracts the adoration of her friends and teachers alike; everyone wants to be near him. Except Aislinn. Unlike some "heroines" who are content to let their monstrous stalkers watch them sleep, Aislinn wants nothing to do with Keenan, and makes sure he knows it. She's determined to slip his grasp, and as she struggles to do just that, she finds herself taking shelter more and more often with Seth, an old friend who may be becoming something more. It is Seth who stands by Aislinn as she comes to terms with the fact that some things can't be fought off or run from... but they might sit up and pay attention if you know how to drive a hell of a hard bargain. Along for the ride is Donia, Keenan's last lover, whom he doomed, and who is determined to keep Aislinn from a similar fate. As the critical moment draws nearer, however, it may not be Kennan who is the greatest threat, and Aislinn and her allies may be forced to his side simply to survive.(The above review was originally published in a high school paper, and the book is deliberately presented as more like Twilight than it actually is, because that's the only series people at my school read.)
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LibraryThing member lux_aeterna
A very refreshing fantasy novel that has all the traditional elements of a story about the world of Faerie but doesn't succumb to the "girl marries prince" cliché. It's nice to see a girl who, despite being extraordinary, still acts like a normal girl and falls for a normal person and not a
Great cast, great universe and a well written story. Followed by two sequels set in the same universe, but the stories don't necessarily have to follow each other, as opposed to wearing out the original.
Verdict: Don't be fooled by the back cover, which markets the novel as another 'brooding fantasy creature seeks girl and puts her in danger' story; this is a great fantasy and a welcome change to the vampire trend. I'd read this over Twilight any day.
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sparkling brooding heartthrob with no flaws.Great cast, great universe and a well written story. Followed by two sequels set in the same universe, but the stories don't necessarily have to follow each other, as opposed to wearing out the original.
Verdict: Don't be fooled by the back cover, which markets the novel as another 'brooding fantasy creature seeks girl and puts her in danger' story; this is a great fantasy and a welcome change to the vampire trend. I'd read this over Twilight any day.
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LibraryThing member monsterofbooks
Yay I finally finished this book. So what are my thoughts about it?? Well I normally don't read books on fairies because it just isn't my thing but Wicked Lovely made it my thing. Melissa Marr did a wonderful job of creating a world that felt amazing to imagine. It was definitely well written and
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will keep the readers reading. All the characters are very believable and you can relate to. Aislinn's fear is well described and you really can understand her point of view. I loved how she was so persistent on keeping Keenan away from you, she showed that as a women you need to be strong on your own and make your own choices. Though I did feel that sometimes when she complained to Seth, she looked like a damsels. But other then that she was well written. Anyways I could go on about the characters and how they were well-written but I won't, I'll stop there. Anyways the complaints I have for this book is a) it sometimes wasn't well described so I was confused or found the topic funny. b) it's a bit slow at the beginning and c) the story line is predictable. Other then that it was a well written book. I was unsure If I should rate this a 4 stars or 3 stars, but I honestly believe this is a good book so I'm giving it a 4. Show Less
LibraryThing member bookwormygirl
Aislinn might seem like an average teenager- but she is quite far from it. For Aislinn sees faeries. Faeries who are powerful and mischievous... who walk amongst humans, but remain unseen. She has learned to live with her sight and even has rules - for she must NEVER stare at invisible fairies;
Luckily for Aislinn - she has found a "safe harbor" at her friend, Seth's, house. You see Seth lives in a train car - converted into comely living quarters. A train car made of steel and Faeries don't like steel - it pains and weakens them. But lately something is different.
For starters, two fairies (Keenan and Donia) have begun following her. And, since they have no idea that she can see or hear them, she notices that they are speaking of her. They have even initiated a conversation with her under the glamor of a human. As she tries to once again separate herself from the faeries torment and makes her way to the trainyard where Seth resides, she is caught unaware when they follow her and begin hanging out right outside his door.
Aislinn is already on edge, but when Keenan shows up at her school, acting as a fellow student with a crush on her, she quickly realizes that something is terribly wrong. It is now up to Aislinn to stand her ground or risk being forever changed - of having to choose between fairy life or the life she has lead avoiding faeries, but it will be even harder to choose now that her feelings for Seth have developed into more than just friendship.
I will have to be honest on this one, I had a hard time getting through this book. It started slow for me and there were a few times where I put it down and just took a break from it. Eventually, it did get better and I finished it. My favorite parts of the whole book were Aislinn and Seth's relationship. I loved reading the parts where they were beginning to understand their feelings for one another and how their friendship grew into something sooo big and beautiful. I felt myself falling in love with him right alongside Aislinn. I thought it was fantastic that Seth wasn't the standard golden boy from most YA novels - I liked that he was piereced and had tattoos, leather jacket, and all. I thought that was very refreshing. Out of all the characters, I would have to say my favorite was Donia. I had a soft spot for her from the start and even though at times I was conflicted with what her actions would be, I felt that she was the most honest and relateable character of them all.
In the end, I did enjoy this very different take on faeries. I thought Ms. Marr did a fantastic job in the blending of realism with the mythical fey. All in all, I can definitely recommend to teen and adult fans of slightly goth fantasy.
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NEVER speak to invisible fairies; and, most importantly, NEVER attract their attention.Luckily for Aislinn - she has found a "safe harbor" at her friend, Seth's, house. You see Seth lives in a train car - converted into comely living quarters. A train car made of steel and Faeries don't like steel - it pains and weakens them. But lately something is different.
For starters, two fairies (Keenan and Donia) have begun following her. And, since they have no idea that she can see or hear them, she notices that they are speaking of her. They have even initiated a conversation with her under the glamor of a human. As she tries to once again separate herself from the faeries torment and makes her way to the trainyard where Seth resides, she is caught unaware when they follow her and begin hanging out right outside his door.
Aislinn is already on edge, but when Keenan shows up at her school, acting as a fellow student with a crush on her, she quickly realizes that something is terribly wrong. It is now up to Aislinn to stand her ground or risk being forever changed - of having to choose between fairy life or the life she has lead avoiding faeries, but it will be even harder to choose now that her feelings for Seth have developed into more than just friendship.
I will have to be honest on this one, I had a hard time getting through this book. It started slow for me and there were a few times where I put it down and just took a break from it. Eventually, it did get better and I finished it. My favorite parts of the whole book were Aislinn and Seth's relationship. I loved reading the parts where they were beginning to understand their feelings for one another and how their friendship grew into something sooo big and beautiful. I felt myself falling in love with him right alongside Aislinn. I thought it was fantastic that Seth wasn't the standard golden boy from most YA novels - I liked that he was piereced and had tattoos, leather jacket, and all. I thought that was very refreshing. Out of all the characters, I would have to say my favorite was Donia. I had a soft spot for her from the start and even though at times I was conflicted with what her actions would be, I felt that she was the most honest and relateable character of them all.
In the end, I did enjoy this very different take on faeries. I thought Ms. Marr did a fantastic job in the blending of realism with the mythical fey. All in all, I can definitely recommend to teen and adult fans of slightly goth fantasy.
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LibraryThing member TheDivineOomba
I'll start with the inevitable - The obvious comparison to Twilight. This was a much better book than Twilight. It has characters that make sense, a Heroine who is has an actual true reason for being the Loner girl, but still manages to have friends kept at a distance. She doesn't give up her life
Now, the book really isn't much like Twilight at all, with exception of the loner girl and the immortal who wants her. The girl is totally believable. She has a reason to keep her distance from everybody and has managed to do it without becoming a total loner. Her love interest is also believable, I've known men like him, friendly to everyone, but only close to a few.
The fairies are truly scary. Ash (short for Aislinn) has a very good reason to be scared of them. Melissa Marr manages to capture the darkness of the fairy world, but does it discreetly, so the reader has a choice of making this book a very dark fantasy, or reading it as something lighter. There are a number of violent scenes, most relating to the evil Winter Queen, who really is a scary character.
Pacing was a bit slow. The reader is told very early on why Keenan is going after Aislinn. The chapters in between seem mostly filler, with a bit of character development. I also wish that Keenan was written differently - he seems too human in this story. A Summer Elf King should be prone to more emotional fits.
I really enjoyed this story. I especially like the way the story resolved itself. Everybody was true to character and was an intelligent solution, very true to Titania and Oberon. This is the first book in a trilogy, but it ended completely with no unresolved plot lines.
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for her love interest and she is smart and actually has plans for the future.Now, the book really isn't much like Twilight at all, with exception of the loner girl and the immortal who wants her. The girl is totally believable. She has a reason to keep her distance from everybody and has managed to do it without becoming a total loner. Her love interest is also believable, I've known men like him, friendly to everyone, but only close to a few.
The fairies are truly scary. Ash (short for Aislinn) has a very good reason to be scared of them. Melissa Marr manages to capture the darkness of the fairy world, but does it discreetly, so the reader has a choice of making this book a very dark fantasy, or reading it as something lighter. There are a number of violent scenes, most relating to the evil Winter Queen, who really is a scary character.
Pacing was a bit slow. The reader is told very early on why Keenan is going after Aislinn. The chapters in between seem mostly filler, with a bit of character development. I also wish that Keenan was written differently - he seems too human in this story. A Summer Elf King should be prone to more emotional fits.
I really enjoyed this story. I especially like the way the story resolved itself. Everybody was true to character and was an intelligent solution, very true to Titania and Oberon. This is the first book in a trilogy, but it ended completely with no unresolved plot lines.
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LibraryThing member DF5B_LaurenB
This book was good. It was a quick read but the book was written very well. It completely pulled me into the world of faeries and fantasy.
LibraryThing member stephxsu
Aislinn, a fierce and independent girl living in the outskirts of Philadelphia, can see faeries. This is not a good thing. If the faeries find out about her Sight, she and the people she love may be in danger. So Aislinn lives cautiously, fearfully, constantly seeking refuge at her best friend
But Aislinn’s anonymity is about to be threatened. She has been singled out by Keenan, the Summer King of the faeries, as The One, the mortal girl who has the power to bring back the full power of summer and defeat the icy grip of the Winter Queen, Beira, Keenan’s mother.
Being the object of Keenan’s attention is not a good thing, however. Just ask Donia, the last chosen girl who decided to risk mortality for her love for Keenan. Instead, she failed the test and is trapped as the Winter Girl, plagued by cold and pain constantly, until the next girl comes along and agrees to take the test.
Beira’s extra-careful attention to Aislinn seems to be a good indication of her fate, though. Aislinn wants nothing to do with the faeries. She would rather stay mortal and be with Seth, who means more than a friend to her, but she has no choice. She must use her brains and courage to accept her fate, while managing to make it as good as possible for herself.
WICKED LOVELY has its moments, but for a debut novel it’s not impressive enough. The concept of being unable to escape your fate is interesting, but I feel that not enough happened in the book. Nevertheless, I would still encourage any urban fantasy lovers to pick this up.
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Seth’s living quarters, a large steel train car.But Aislinn’s anonymity is about to be threatened. She has been singled out by Keenan, the Summer King of the faeries, as The One, the mortal girl who has the power to bring back the full power of summer and defeat the icy grip of the Winter Queen, Beira, Keenan’s mother.
Being the object of Keenan’s attention is not a good thing, however. Just ask Donia, the last chosen girl who decided to risk mortality for her love for Keenan. Instead, she failed the test and is trapped as the Winter Girl, plagued by cold and pain constantly, until the next girl comes along and agrees to take the test.
Beira’s extra-careful attention to Aislinn seems to be a good indication of her fate, though. Aislinn wants nothing to do with the faeries. She would rather stay mortal and be with Seth, who means more than a friend to her, but she has no choice. She must use her brains and courage to accept her fate, while managing to make it as good as possible for herself.
WICKED LOVELY has its moments, but for a debut novel it’s not impressive enough. The concept of being unable to escape your fate is interesting, but I feel that not enough happened in the book. Nevertheless, I would still encourage any urban fantasy lovers to pick this up.
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LibraryThing member jasmyn9
Ash has the extremely rare ability to see faeries, and she must do everything she can to make sure they never find out. But when a fairy of sun court takes a special interest in her, it becomes more and more difficult to keep her secret. Ash must find out why they have taken such an interest in her
A great book and a very quick read. Every main character (with the exception of one) is very dynamic and as events unfold, they personalities and reactions change which made me latch on and cheer for the good guys and want to yell and scream at the bad guys. The only downfall to the book was that the ending is slightly predictable, which is why it's only 3.5 instead of 4 stars. A worthwhile read that is the first tale of Faerie, and I look forward to reading the second.
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before she can return to her normal life, but will the faeries let her?A great book and a very quick read. Every main character (with the exception of one) is very dynamic and as events unfold, they personalities and reactions change which made me latch on and cheer for the good guys and want to yell and scream at the bad guys. The only downfall to the book was that the ending is slightly predictable, which is why it's only 3.5 instead of 4 stars. A worthwhile read that is the first tale of Faerie, and I look forward to reading the second.
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LibraryThing member COSSETTE28
Andrea Barelle
August 2, 2008
Book Review
EDCI 4120/5120
Summer, 2008
Marr, M. (2007). Wicked lovely. New York: HarperCollins
GRADE LEVELS: 7-12
CATEGORY: FICTION; FANTASY
READ-ALOUDS: pages 9; 33-34; 137-140; 200-202; 295; 327-328
SUMMARY: This book follows the story of Aislinn. She is a girl that can see
THEMES: The theme of this book seems to be the battle between good and evil. Keenan needs to bring peace back to his world and the only way to do that is to marry a girl who can help him defeat his mother. However, there is a theme of man vs. himself as Aislinn has to come to terms with the decisions she must make. On the outside she seems to have it together, but on the inside she is torn between making the right decision.
DISCUSSION QUESTIONS:
1. How do Aislinn’s decisions affect her and the world around her?
2. What does the author reveal about the relationship between Aislinn and Seth? Why is it important?
3. What are the conflicts that book addresses?
READER RESPONSE: Honestly, I’m not even sure if I got the book. I chose it for its cover which reminds me that you should never judge a book by its cover. It was a great cover, but the book was lacking. I was confused and never really felt like I knew what was going on. I wouldn’t teach the book and I most likely wouldn’t put it on a book list. However, if one of my students wanted to read it I wouldn’t stop them. The book was just a disappointment to me.
August 2, 2008
Book Review
EDCI 4120/5120
Summer, 2008
Marr, M. (2007). Wicked lovely. New York: HarperCollins
GRADE LEVELS: 7-12
CATEGORY: FICTION; FANTASY
READ-ALOUDS: pages 9; 33-34; 137-140; 200-202; 295; 327-328
SUMMARY: This book follows the story of Aislinn. She is a girl that can see
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fairies. She has inherited the girl from her mother’s family. She has followed the rules of her gift, but that all changes when the Summer King requests her as his wife. She becomes caught up in a power struggle between him and his mother. Keenan, the Summer King, has been looking a long time for a queen and Aislinn is the girl he wants. She can help him to dethrone his wicked mother, the Winter Queen. She has to wrestle with many decisions. If she doesn’t marry Keenan, summer may cease to exist, but if she does marry him, she will no longer be human and have to live as a fairy. THEMES: The theme of this book seems to be the battle between good and evil. Keenan needs to bring peace back to his world and the only way to do that is to marry a girl who can help him defeat his mother. However, there is a theme of man vs. himself as Aislinn has to come to terms with the decisions she must make. On the outside she seems to have it together, but on the inside she is torn between making the right decision.
DISCUSSION QUESTIONS:
1. How do Aislinn’s decisions affect her and the world around her?
2. What does the author reveal about the relationship between Aislinn and Seth? Why is it important?
3. What are the conflicts that book addresses?
READER RESPONSE: Honestly, I’m not even sure if I got the book. I chose it for its cover which reminds me that you should never judge a book by its cover. It was a great cover, but the book was lacking. I was confused and never really felt like I knew what was going on. I wouldn’t teach the book and I most likely wouldn’t put it on a book list. However, if one of my students wanted to read it I wouldn’t stop them. The book was just a disappointment to me.
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LibraryThing member xicanti
A girl with the Sight attracts the Summer King's attention.
I don't know why, but I'd always assumed that WICKED LOVELY was in the first person. It's actually in third, and I think it works better for it. Marr utilizes three viewpoint characters: Ash, who has struggled with the Sight all her life;
What's more, Marr does a good job of showing us how they relate to one another, and this helps the romance along. She doesn't tell very much; it's show, show, show, and it works well. But the time she actually came out and said what was going on between the characters, I was eager to see if I was reading the signs right and wanted to see my theories confirmed or denied.
The book is a quick read, overall. Marr doesn't exactly keep you guessing, but she does make you eager to see how everything will go down. I gobbled it down with very little difficulty.
But I've got to admit, I'm not exactly over the moon about it. It was a quick read. It was fun. But it wasn't special. I appreciated how Marr developed each character and their relationships with all the others, but I myself never really came to care for them. I felt the most for Donia, and I related to her in a fairly abstract way.
I think much of the problem was that everything was so clear-cut. I guessed the ending early on. I was eager to see if I was right or not, but since there weren't really any surprises along the way... well, it just didn't have the same impact as something with a lot of twists and turns. Pair that with the good-but-not-stellar characters, and you've got a satisfied-but-still-kinda-disappointed me.
I'm glad I read it, and I do recommend it to those who enjoy YA and/or contemporary fantasy. But I'd say it's one to borrow from the library, not one to rush out and buy.
(A slightly different version of this review originally appeared on my blog, Stella Matutina).
I don't know why, but I'd always assumed that WICKED LOVELY was in the first person. It's actually in third, and I think it works better for it. Marr utilizes three viewpoint characters: Ash, who has struggled with the Sight all her life;
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Keenan, the Summer King who has searched for his bride for centuries; and Donia, whose love for Keenan wasn't enough to make her the Summer Queen. We first see Keenan and Donia through Ash's eyes, and they're cast in a decidedly unflattering light. As we get to know them, though, they become more sympathetic. We come to see why they are the way they are.What's more, Marr does a good job of showing us how they relate to one another, and this helps the romance along. She doesn't tell very much; it's show, show, show, and it works well. But the time she actually came out and said what was going on between the characters, I was eager to see if I was reading the signs right and wanted to see my theories confirmed or denied.
The book is a quick read, overall. Marr doesn't exactly keep you guessing, but she does make you eager to see how everything will go down. I gobbled it down with very little difficulty.
But I've got to admit, I'm not exactly over the moon about it. It was a quick read. It was fun. But it wasn't special. I appreciated how Marr developed each character and their relationships with all the others, but I myself never really came to care for them. I felt the most for Donia, and I related to her in a fairly abstract way.
I think much of the problem was that everything was so clear-cut. I guessed the ending early on. I was eager to see if I was right or not, but since there weren't really any surprises along the way... well, it just didn't have the same impact as something with a lot of twists and turns. Pair that with the good-but-not-stellar characters, and you've got a satisfied-but-still-kinda-disappointed me.
I'm glad I read it, and I do recommend it to those who enjoy YA and/or contemporary fantasy. But I'd say it's one to borrow from the library, not one to rush out and buy.
(A slightly different version of this review originally appeared on my blog, Stella Matutina).
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LibraryThing member JDpirate5
"Rule #3: Don't stare at invisible faeries.
Aislinn has always seen faeries. Powerful and dangerous, they walk hidden in mortal world. Aislinn fears their cruelty—especially if they learn of her Sight—and wishes she were as blind to their presence as other teens.
Rule #2: Don't speak to
Now faeries are stalking her. One of them, Keenan, who is equal parts terrifying and alluring, is trying to talk to her, asking questions Aislinn is afraid to answer.
Rule #1: Don't ever attract their attention.
But it's too late. Keenan is the Summer King who has sought his queen for nine centuries. Without her, summer itself will perish. He is determined that Aislinn will become the Summer Queen at any cost—regardless of her plans or desires.
Suddenly none of the rules that have kept Aislinn safe are working anymore, and everything is on the line: her freedom; her best friend, Seth; her life; everything.
Faerie intrigue, mortal love, and the clash of ancient rules and modern expectations swirl together in Melissa Marr's stunning 21st century faery tale."
~*~“Wicked Lovely is a sexy, updated fairy tale as timeless as the seasons and as modern as titanium body jewelry. Marr’s fey are gorgeous, terrifying creatures. I couldn’t put this book down.”
- Clare B. Dunkle
~*~“Riveting and dark: I love this tale of a smart, tough girl who walks the razor’s edge between an ancient fairy curse and her future!”
- Tamora Pierce
Now, of course, how was I supposed to resist this book when it has that cover, those reviews by two great authors, when it's about faeries, and when it's recommended as a book Twilight lovers would enjoy?
I wasn't supposed to, I couldn't, and I'm so glad I didn't!
This book is so cool because you can't help but root for all the characters to get what they want, even though their desires clash with one another's.
It's cool because it has all the elements of an old-age fairy tale and of a strong, modern story.
The characters are likeable, and their predicaments are gripping.
The story is very different from a lot of books that I've read; it was so original and intriguing that I couldn't put it down (I'm sure the people I slammed into while walking and reading simultaneously understand that it was all in the pursuit of literary fulfillment).
I kept thinking that I had the next event, the final plot, pegged down, but I didn't. It wasn't in the least bit predictable!
At the beginning of every chapter, there's a quote from different book that Marr used to compile information about the fey.
For example, the quote from chapter eight:
"'A Cornish woman who chanced to find herself the guardian of an elf-child was given certain water with which to wash its face...and the woman ventured to try it upon herself, and in doing so splashed a little into one eye. This gave her the fairy sight.'
~Legends and Romances of Brittany by Lewis Spence (1917)"
So that was cool :)
With all that being said, however, I must admit that I was a little confused the first few pages. Marr throws you right into Aislinn's world (and I was a little annoyed that a modern girl had such an old, Pagan name, even if she isn't normal) pretty unceremoniously. So when you read it, understand that Aislinn can see all the faeries around people, no one else can, it's something she inherited from her mother, and she doesn't want the faeries to know she can see them, or else they'll get angry their secret's out and blind or kill her.
My other scruple is that, while it was tough to predict, the ending was blah. Ho hum. Yawn. The epilogue jumped all over the place and it sort of made me like, "Okayyyyyy...that didn't resolve much..."
It was a touch disappointing.
My spoiler-filled complaints (jump down to "HERE" to avoid them):
Why was grandma suddenly found unconscious? If Breia had attacked her, she wouldn't still have been in her apartment/alive. O, oops! Grandma fell!
It would have made sense if Marr had given her a heart attack from the shock, or something.
What did all the people in Aislinn's world think when she, Seth, and her family all just disappeared?
I dunno. There was more, but they escape me at this moment.
HERE, it is safe to presume reading if you skipped the spoilers:
So while the ending wasn't "wow"-worthy, it's not worth missing this book.
The prologue itself will grab you and pull you into the faery ring, and you'll never be the same after the Fey have gotten a hold of you.
PS: I was cruising some other blogs on this site and I happened upon one that had a YouTube video of Sally, from Nightmare Before Christmas, singing her song, the words of which, I couldn't help but notice, apply perfectly to Donia's predicament in this book. The lyrics are below, so read the book and come back, look them over, and tell me what a genius I am for catching that :)
"Sally`s Song:
I sense there's something in the wind
That feels like tragedy's at hand
And though I'd like to stand by him
Can't shake this feeling that I have
The worst is just around the bend
And will he notice my feelings for him?
And will he see how much he means to me?
I think it's not to be
What will become of our dear friend?
Where will his actions lead us then?
Although I'd like to join the crowd
In their enthusiastic cloud
Try as I may it doesn't last
And will we ever end up together?
No I think not, it's never to become
For I am not the one"
PS: This review is also a post on my blog.
Aislinn has always seen faeries. Powerful and dangerous, they walk hidden in mortal world. Aislinn fears their cruelty—especially if they learn of her Sight—and wishes she were as blind to their presence as other teens.
Rule #2: Don't speak to
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invisible faeries. Now faeries are stalking her. One of them, Keenan, who is equal parts terrifying and alluring, is trying to talk to her, asking questions Aislinn is afraid to answer.
Rule #1: Don't ever attract their attention.
But it's too late. Keenan is the Summer King who has sought his queen for nine centuries. Without her, summer itself will perish. He is determined that Aislinn will become the Summer Queen at any cost—regardless of her plans or desires.
Suddenly none of the rules that have kept Aislinn safe are working anymore, and everything is on the line: her freedom; her best friend, Seth; her life; everything.
Faerie intrigue, mortal love, and the clash of ancient rules and modern expectations swirl together in Melissa Marr's stunning 21st century faery tale."
~*~“Wicked Lovely is a sexy, updated fairy tale as timeless as the seasons and as modern as titanium body jewelry. Marr’s fey are gorgeous, terrifying creatures. I couldn’t put this book down.”
- Clare B. Dunkle
~*~“Riveting and dark: I love this tale of a smart, tough girl who walks the razor’s edge between an ancient fairy curse and her future!”
- Tamora Pierce
Now, of course, how was I supposed to resist this book when it has that cover, those reviews by two great authors, when it's about faeries, and when it's recommended as a book Twilight lovers would enjoy?
I wasn't supposed to, I couldn't, and I'm so glad I didn't!
This book is so cool because you can't help but root for all the characters to get what they want, even though their desires clash with one another's.
It's cool because it has all the elements of an old-age fairy tale and of a strong, modern story.
The characters are likeable, and their predicaments are gripping.
The story is very different from a lot of books that I've read; it was so original and intriguing that I couldn't put it down (I'm sure the people I slammed into while walking and reading simultaneously understand that it was all in the pursuit of literary fulfillment).
I kept thinking that I had the next event, the final plot, pegged down, but I didn't. It wasn't in the least bit predictable!
At the beginning of every chapter, there's a quote from different book that Marr used to compile information about the fey.
For example, the quote from chapter eight:
"'A Cornish woman who chanced to find herself the guardian of an elf-child was given certain water with which to wash its face...and the woman ventured to try it upon herself, and in doing so splashed a little into one eye. This gave her the fairy sight.'
~Legends and Romances of Brittany by Lewis Spence (1917)"
So that was cool :)
With all that being said, however, I must admit that I was a little confused the first few pages. Marr throws you right into Aislinn's world (and I was a little annoyed that a modern girl had such an old, Pagan name, even if she isn't normal) pretty unceremoniously. So when you read it, understand that Aislinn can see all the faeries around people, no one else can, it's something she inherited from her mother, and she doesn't want the faeries to know she can see them, or else they'll get angry their secret's out and blind or kill her.
My other scruple is that, while it was tough to predict, the ending was blah. Ho hum. Yawn. The epilogue jumped all over the place and it sort of made me like, "Okayyyyyy...that didn't resolve much..."
It was a touch disappointing.
My spoiler-filled complaints (jump down to "HERE" to avoid them):
Why was grandma suddenly found unconscious? If Breia had attacked her, she wouldn't still have been in her apartment/alive. O, oops! Grandma fell!
It would have made sense if Marr had given her a heart attack from the shock, or something.
What did all the people in Aislinn's world think when she, Seth, and her family all just disappeared?
I dunno. There was more, but they escape me at this moment.
HERE, it is safe to presume reading if you skipped the spoilers:
So while the ending wasn't "wow"-worthy, it's not worth missing this book.
The prologue itself will grab you and pull you into the faery ring, and you'll never be the same after the Fey have gotten a hold of you.
PS: I was cruising some other blogs on this site and I happened upon one that had a YouTube video of Sally, from Nightmare Before Christmas, singing her song, the words of which, I couldn't help but notice, apply perfectly to Donia's predicament in this book. The lyrics are below, so read the book and come back, look them over, and tell me what a genius I am for catching that :)
"Sally`s Song:
I sense there's something in the wind
That feels like tragedy's at hand
And though I'd like to stand by him
Can't shake this feeling that I have
The worst is just around the bend
And will he notice my feelings for him?
And will he see how much he means to me?
I think it's not to be
What will become of our dear friend?
Where will his actions lead us then?
Although I'd like to join the crowd
In their enthusiastic cloud
Try as I may it doesn't last
And will we ever end up together?
No I think not, it's never to become
For I am not the one"
PS: This review is also a post on my blog.
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LibraryThing member dbhutch
The start of a new series by Melissa Marr is off to a great start. It is always a bad thing when the human world and the Faery world collide, but what happens when they share the same space AND you have a mortal hman who can see the Fey? Very scared humans for sure. Aislinn, a high school girl, is
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able to do just that. And she has done a remarkable job of keeping that seceret, from both races, until now. For now, a faery is stalking her. And not just any fey, the King of the Summer Court, who has it in his head that Aislinn is his long (as in 9 centuries) lost Queen. Soon Aislinn finds herself in a big mess, wanted by the Farie world to help mend the Summer Court, while at the same time she find her true love, a human named Seth. But as the chosen Queen, she is slowly becoming Fae herself. Will she be able to endure? Show Less
Subjects
Awards
Eliot Rosewater Indiana High School Book Award (Nominee — 2011)
Pacific Northwest Library Association Young Reader's Choice Award (Nominee — 2010)
Gateway Readers Award (Nominee — 2010)
Green Mountain Book Award (Nominee — 2011)
Lincoln Award: Illinois Teen Readers' Choice Award (Nominee — 2010)
Florida Teens Read Award (Nominee — 2009)
Black-Eyed Susan Book Award (Nominee — High School — 2010)
Georgia Peach Book Award for Teen Readers (Nominee — 2010)
RITA Award (Finalist — Young Adult Romance — 2008)
Locus Recommended Reading (First Novel — 2007)
OYAN Book Rave (2008)
Language
Original publication date
2007-06-12
Physical description
336 p.
ISBN
0007263074 / 9780007263073
Local notes
Aislinn has always seen faeries. Powerful and dangerous, they walk hidden in the mortal world, and would blind her if they knew of her Sight. Now faeries are stalking her. One of them, Keenan, who is equal parts terrifying and alluring, is trying to talk to her, asking questions Aislinn is afraid to answer. Keenan is the Summer King and has sought his queen for nine centuries. Without her, summer itself will perish. He is determined that Aislinn will become the Summer Queen at any cost! Suddenly none of the rules that have kept Aislinn safe are working any more, and everything is on the line: her freedom; her best friend, Seth; her life; everything.
Fun with faeries.
Fun with faeries.
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