For someone who loves fantasy, I have yet to read a fairy book I like much. This was my third attempt. "Good Fairies of New York" was just gross and another one I read a while back wasn't bad but I don't remember the title so, clearly, it wasn't striking. I have been curious about Melissa Marr for a while -- I saw her at last year's "Books for the Beast" conference, then saw her again at the National Book Festival. On both occasions, she was a tad odd. I chalked it up to her general discomfort with appearing in public. Not all authors are naturally "into" speaking before a crowd. At that first meeting, she did make me laugh. When asked by an audience member as to whether she liked "Twilight," she paused quite a bit. Then, she quietly responded, "Well, I'm a feminist..." I howled. After that, she basically "read" a thesis paper, never looking at the audience. The paper was interesting (she is a college professor) but the delivery a bit flat. At the National Book Festival, she didn't stand at the podium, like most speakers, but sat in a chair (somewhat behind and blocked by the podium) and had her publicist interview her. When addressing questions from the audience, she had her publicist "take" some of the questions. It gave the overall impression of one of those shy authors you often hear about, but rarely see. It was also a bit off-putting. Many of the more popular YA authors have a natural affinity in connecting with their readers. My curiosity was peaked, and I finally picked up "Wicked Lovely." With a remarkable similarity in plot to that book whose name I can't remember, this is the tale of a young woman who discovers she is, in fact, a fairy and not fully human. Pursued by and entangled with fairy nobility, she works to find safety and maintain some semblance of herself. With mature and rich descriptions, the writing here has potential, but the story itself fell flat for me. I didn't get that "page-turning" quality that makes for a really good read. Things happened, and then more things happened, and then certain inevitable things happened, and it was all pretty to picture from an image standpoint, but it didn't have that critical build I like. There is also inconsistency. Some characters are fully realized, others come off as mustachioed villains (can you say "mommy issues" much?). The lead character, Aislinn, has far more chutzpah than Bella, but still struggles with a lack of self-esteem and ends up kind of wishy-washy as a result. In the end, she stands up for herself, but I'm not sure I buy the sudden strength after 300 pages of running away. Dialog rarely moved the plot forward and often seemed repetitive. Some of the fairy characters talk like they have been around for a really long time, others (including a main character) seemed to have a different style of speech every time they open their mouths. The point where I lost it was when Aislinn goes into the bedroom of her friend, Seth, and describes the setting like some 17 year-old girl's vision of the perfect vampire boudoir -- complete with black sheets and melting candles. Not likely for a guy who lives in an abandoned railway car. And with all the specific details given on descriptions, some critical plot points are dismissed too quickly. Aislinn's "will she/won't she" sexual tensions aren't really resolved, as she spends the night with a gentleman, but I wasn't completely clear on what actually happened. When she discovers a major talent beyond the normal, it is covered in a single sentence -- one I had to read over a few times as it felt like a drive-by of an important clue. My problems with the book are clearly mine. The novel received excellent reviews and one colleague gushed about how much she enjoyed it. I suspect that my issues may be more with the genre. Fantasy often has romance, but it often takes a back seat to the action (see: "Hunger Games"). Fairy-themed books tend to focus on romance over the action, and obviously, that is just not my thing. So, a decent read for those who like romance. Which is not me!
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