Jack
Written on Feb 27, 2013
I really enjoyed this book. The characters were lovely, well rounded and entertaining. They all interacted really well with each other and it felt so real! No cookie cutter characters here. These characters are full of flaws, worries, fears, happiness, sadness. Every emotion in the book.
There was a bit of mystery involved in this book too! Ms. Wilson was able to keep me guessing as to what Teague's accident was in the beginning of the book, what exactly happens in the Darkness; why it was so scary, and just what did the Willow Family do to get into so much trouble and why everyone hated them so much. Hopefully there will be some light shed on these subjects in the next book.
The characters really grow and mature in this book, which is something I haven't seen so much lately. It was a much welcomed surprise.
Teague, who starts of as a very angry young man, hating the world and the accident that happened to him, meets Cailin, a pixi (although he doesn't know that until much later!) who shows him that even through all the bad thats happened to him, that there can still be joy in life.
Cailin, who's quite tall for a pixi is feared and not well liked by most in her clan. Both because she dyes her hair, wears outrageous looking attire and her sheer height make her a bitter person. A pixi is taught that they must never lie, and always be polite and kind. Which is hard for Cailin because she has a temper. She does enjoy the solitude and superiority feeling she gets when pixis stay clear of her because of her tall stature. But she too grows as a person once she enters Teague's life. She enjoys the freedom of being herself, but she is also very afraid of entering a new world, one in which she has no experience in and is literately no bigger then a Barbie doll. She learns to get over her fears, become a better person, accept who she is despite her flaws, and learns to care for Teague on a level she didn't think possible.
As much as I really enjoyed this book there were a few flaws. There were some grammatical errors sprinkled throughout, but not enough to detract me from getting sucked into the world the author created.
There was also a bit of an issue with the world building. I found it hard to picture what the pixie world looked like. How did they live in the forest? Up in trees, on the ground, in the hollow of trees? I would have loved to know more about their daily lives. I'd love to know more about the laws and culture of the pixies as much of it remains a mystery. Knowing more of what the pixie world looked like would have made reading those parts of the book much more enjoyable.
There was a pretty big cast of characters to keep up with, but each character introduced an in turn each point of view that was throughout the story was well executed. I could remember who was who, where they were and what they were talking about. Although I had to say I cared a lot more about Teague and Cailin then I did the pixie world.
Overall a really enjoyable read. Although not everything was resolved at the end, Teague and Cailin were able to reunite, and the pixie world has been set up so that something will definitely be going on in the next book.
I'm very excited to read the next book and can't wait until it comes out.