Fragile Eternity by Melissa Marr Book Review

Fragile Eternity by Melissa Marr

(Hardcover, HarperCollins)
Rating:

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).

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.

Ink Exchange by Melissa Marr Book Review

Ink Exchange by Melissa Marr
(HarperTeen, Hardcover)
Rating:

Leslie has a dark secret, a secret so crippling that she's been afraid to live for the past year. In an effort to take back control of her life, Leslie decides to get a tattoo on her back. The ink used for her tattoo, though, contains elements of faerie that make Leslie aware of a world that she didn't know existed, and she isn't sure she wants to know.

Ink Exchange is a dark and somewhat disturbing tale of faeries. Like it's companion book Wicked Lovely, Ink Exchange is built on a world where faeries co-exist next to humans, though mortals as they are called cannot see the faeries. Leslie knows nothing of the faery world when she decides to get her tattoo. All she knows is that her brother sold her for his next high and she's afraid it might happen again. Leslie is a broken, damaged girl when we first meet her. When she chooses her new tattoo, Leslie thinks that she is merely choosing to take her life back. Little does she know that she's allowing a dark faerie to control her. Leslie is a fighter with attitude though and she valiantly trys to maintain control, with the help of her friends Aislinn (main character of Wicked Lovely) and Niall (a faery whom Leslie has a crush on). Niall is broken and damaged in his own way and it's interesting to see how the two characters deal with their fates. As with Wicked Lovely, I didn't see the ending coming. The ending I chose was a little neater, more happy, but Melissa Marr's ending was powerful and perfectly right for Leslie. That's why I'm just the reviewer, not the writer.

If you're wondering whether to read Wicked Lovely first, it's not necessary. Ink Exchange is definitely a stand-alone and not a sequel. However, if you're interesting in reading Wicked Lovely, I recommend reading it first because Ink Exchange picks up shortly after Wicked Lovely left off and, thus, gives away the ending of Marr's first book. I also highly recommend these books for fans of Holly Black.

Ink Exchange has been nominated for the 2008 Cybils Awards in the Science Fiction/Fantasy category.

Wicked Lovely by Melissa Marr Book Review

Wicked Lovely by Melissa Marr
(HarperTeen, Hardcover)
Rating:

Perfect for fans of Holly Black! Aislinn sees fairies wherever she goes, and they aren't always nice fairies. For most of her life, she has tried to ignore them. But suddenly, the fairies won't leave her alone and they are whispering that she might be the next Fairie Queen. Full of dark wit, fairie intrique, and love, this is a gripping tale with a surprise ending. (At least, it was a surprise for me. For some reason, I was reading clues that weren't really there. I've talked to other people who weren't as surprised as me.) My favorite part of this book was Aislinn, who is scared of fairies yet stands up to them when needed, and also Seth. I challenge you to read Wicked Lovely and not wish that there was a Seth in your life! :-)