by Aprilynne Pike
7 out of 10
To be fair, I read this book some time ago. I actually read the ebook version, which only took me an hour and a half or so. If I'd rated it immediately after reading it, I think it might have been higher. I think the fact that I read book 2 before rating has also impacted that rating.
That being said, I liked this book okay. There was a really neat premise, and I like fairies as a general rule. I don't want to spoil the big reveal, so I can't say too much, but it was a neat idea that I liked quite a lot. I don't think the author executed it that well, though.
Again, without saying too much, one of the biggest issues for this book for me was that the author kept emphasizing the scientific basis behind the magic system, but the scientific basis doesn't actually hold up. I would explain how it doesn't hold up, but then that would be telling. For the general intended audience, however, I don't think it will really be a big problem. For the nongeneral audience, you may be able to suspend your disbelief better than I was. Usually, I don't have a lot of difficulty doing so, but this was a hard sell. I can totally buy the explanation of "it's magic" as long as it's consistent, and I can buy a strange sci-fi explanation, again, as long as it is consistent.
Perhaps that is the best summation of my feelings for this book: inconsistent. I really liked some parts and felt they were done well. I felt 'meh' at best about others and felt it could have been done better.
Recommended reader: 10 to 14 year old girl. I think they wouldn't be bothered by the not-as-solid science background but could really get into the love triangle aspects that were present (and done well).
