Fragile Eternity by Melissa Marr(Hardcover, HarperCollins)
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Fragile Eternity picks up the story of Aislinn and Seth that was started in Wicked Lovely. Aislinn is now the Summer Queen, bound to Keenan who is the Summer King, and she's still in love with Seth. Normal, un-fairy, loveable Seth. Seth has been a rock for her these past couple of months as she learned to navigate the fairy world and take her place as a ruler. As the summer solstice draws nearer, Aislinn is uncontrollably drawn to Keenan. Seth knows that Aislinn can't help it but he's determined to keep her in his life.
In a fairy tale land, we would have been happy with the ending of Wicked Lovely. We would just assume that Aislinn and Seth live happily ever after. But Melissa Marr's world is not a world of happily-ever-afters. Marr's tales of fairie are dark, disturbing, and utterly fascinating. So we meet Seth and Aislinn as they begin to question their relationship, as Seth pushes against the role of Keenan in Aislinn's life and as Aislinn wonders what will happen when Seth dies and she still has an eternity to live. In Fragile Eternity, we get inside Seth's head a little bit more. I liked that he was vulnerable, uncertain, and a bit jealous. It made his life-altering decision later in the novel seem so much more understandable. This book was definitely a cliff-hanger, though, in a way that Wicked Lovely wasn't. I was glad to read on Teen Book Review's review of Fragile Eternity that there will be another book in this trilogy (scroll down to Melissa Marr's comment for more details on that).
In a fairy tale land, we would have been happy with the ending of Wicked Lovely. We would just assume that Aislinn and Seth live happily ever after. But Melissa Marr's world is not a world of happily-ever-afters. Marr's tales of fairie are dark, disturbing, and utterly fascinating. So we meet Seth and Aislinn as they begin to question their relationship, as Seth pushes against the role of Keenan in Aislinn's life and as Aislinn wonders what will happen when Seth dies and she still has an eternity to live. In Fragile Eternity, we get inside Seth's head a little bit more. I liked that he was vulnerable, uncertain, and a bit jealous. It made his life-altering decision later in the novel seem so much more understandable. This book was definitely a cliff-hanger, though, in a way that Wicked Lovely wasn't. I was glad to read on Teen Book Review's review of Fragile Eternity that there will be another book in this trilogy (scroll down to Melissa Marr's comment for more details on that).
The best thing about Melissa Marr's books? I find myself rearranging characters and loyalties to make everything end up happy. It would tie it all up nice and neatly, but Marr doesn't do that. She isn't afraid to make the world difficult for her characters and her books are so much better and longer-lasting for it.
A word of advice. Read Wicked Lovely, then read Ink Exchange, and then read Fragile Eternity. Although Ink Exchange is a stand-alone novel, the ending of it is revealed in Fragile Eternity. Plus, you'll love Niall's character in Fragile Eternity so much more.
A word of advice. Read Wicked Lovely, then read Ink Exchange, and then read Fragile Eternity. Although Ink Exchange is a stand-alone novel, the ending of it is revealed in Fragile Eternity. Plus, you'll love Niall's character in Fragile Eternity so much more.
Posts
I hate you for getting this one Dx
ReplyDeleteYou suck for getting an ARC of this. I want to read it so bad! :)
ReplyDeleteGeez, guys, I had no idea that posting this would mean hate mail in my comments. :-p
ReplyDeleteDear Em,
ReplyDeleteI am so happy for you! You deserve it!
(but perhaps I can say that because I haven't actually read Wicked Lovely yet)
I really need to read Wicked Lovely (start there, right?). A new author to discover...
ReplyDeleteWicked Lovely is the one to start with, definitely. :)
ReplyDeleteOh, man. After reading your review my stomach is just a big ball of anxiety over this one.
ReplyDeleteI'm reading a review copy at the moment. I found it a little hard to get into, but that is probably because I haven't read any of the other books and it was a bit confusing. I love your review! I wish I'd read the other books first :L
ReplyDeleteEm,
ReplyDeleteI can't wait to read this one! The last two were excellent, but Wicked Lovely was definitely the preferred book of the two. Thanks so much for the brief review! ^_^
What is the 4th book going to be named and when does it come out?
ReplyDeleteHey, after reading some of the posts on your blog I really want to get into blogging more but not many people read my blogs :( I really want feedback on what I write but have no idea how to get it. Am I not posting enough? please check them out and give me advice. I want my blogs like yours!! off to follow your blog
ReplyDeletexxx
Imogen
Budding writer and reader
www.readingnovelideas.blogspot.com
www.writeaboutwhat.blogspot.com
Imogen - your blogs are looking great! Just make sure to keep having fun and you'll be okay. :)
ReplyDeleteI don't think they've announced a title or release date yet for book 4. Hopefully they will soon! :)
ReplyDeleteJust finished fragile Eternity about hummmm ten minutes ago, and i must say that i compeatly agree with your liking of seth's true emotions. I'm a book whore so i read as much as possible until my parents scream at me to exit the dungeon(my bedroom) so being exposed to so many different authors makes me love the ones that can connect to real life within a make beleive escape all the more. I think your review is spot on. oh and you should deffenitly post the title and release date of the fourth book as soon as you find out because that cliff hanger was seriously killer!
ReplyDeleteI was sadly disappointed in the book. :( I think, like you said in your review, "I find myself rearranging characters and loyalties to make everything end up happy." However, unlike you, I hate that I'm doing this. I hate that I no longer care for Aislinn as a character. I hate that I want her and Keenen to get together in the end.
ReplyDeleteI find myself hating that their personalities are changing, because the one thing that I love in the books that I read, is that my heros and heroines are steady and generally only change for the better. They're consistent. They're grow into their personalities - not out of them.
I feel that while reading Fragile Eternity, the characters are shedding their personalities and donning completely new ones. And I hate it.
However, I enjoyed your review. :)