Lament: The Faerie Queen's Deception

I loved the Shiver series that Maggie Stiefvater wrote and when I saw she had another series I was so excited. I think this was a very very different feel from the last series which is good, but just wasn't for me even with how much I love my fae stories. It ended up feeling rushed in the relationship between Dee and Luke without much interaction. The other relationships weren't built on very well and felt loose and vague. Dee's personality at times felt very superficial in a way. She has no inner depths. I think the writing is well done I just expected more from the book I guess.

As a rule, I generally find the fiction directed at young women frustrating. So often, it's populated by Kicky Young Heroines with *just enough* strength and self-reliance to be bothered when they ultimately have to be rescued by the male love interest, but not quite enough to get out of trouble without his help. Too many authors lack the skill to create dramatic tension without placing the main character in a danger she just can't escape on her own, and the most dramatically convenient means of rescue is usually her love interest. The underlying message of, "no matter how strong you are, you're still a girl and girls get rescued by men who think they're pretty," is pervasive. So, it was with certain reservations that I picked up Maggie Stiefvater's "Lament: The Faerie Queen's Deception" on the recommendation of a friend. In my head I was already trying to think of diplomatic ways to compliment a Young Adult Faerie Book without having to point out Kicky Ineffectual Heroines and overly perky and harmless (or unreasonably malicious and evil) fae. "Lament" blew all that right out of the water. First, the core of the story is about women. Deirdre's relationship with her mother and grandmother, her relationship with her aunt, her relationship with the Faerie Queen, all played out across the story of a young woman making the choices that will determine the course of her life. The love story, though woven through the tale, supports the focus on Deirdre instead of overwhelming it; this is a refreshing change from the languishing heroine waiting for life to start for her and bemoaning her singlehood (usually because 'normal guys' can't handle her Special Uniqueness) until magically the perfect guy comes along who just happens to be [insert dramatic and predictable otherworldly cliche]. Part of this comes from the fact that Stiefvater balances the love interest with a strong core friendship that it can't replace, and part of it comes from the fact that like many of us, Deirdre has to make most of her really hard decisions alone, and she's faced with a lot of very realistic complication in the way she has to balance the relationships in her life. Stiefvater places her protagonist in situations where she has to acknowledge and consider the very different sorts of love and relationships in her life, and can't simply let fear or infatuation guide her choices. It creates a much better dramatic tension and a much better read than simply placing her in an inescapable danger. Stiefvater's fae were another pleasant surprise. Instead of the benign, ethereal beauties or the deliberately evil monsters I've come to expect from popular fiction (not to mention the giggly little winged flower sprites), the fae in "Lament" are complex and subtle. The word most appropriate to the faeries of the older tales is 'perilous', and these fae most certainly are. Are they good guys? Are they bad guys? Neither, really; they're somewhere outside of morality and bound

Deirdre Monaghan is a very gifted harp player, one of the best in the nation. But she is much more than an exceptional harp player, she is also a cloverhand- one who can see faeries. The realization of this unlikely talent all happens when she meets the mysterious and dreamy Luke Dillon. They-they fey, have noticed Diedre as well and their attention can only spell out disaster. The Faerie Queen has sent an assassin to kill Deirdre and it's only a matter of time before They succeed. Unsure what exactly Luke is, could he be one of Them, Diedre battles with her desire to find the truth and her desire of Luke. Lament is Maggie Stiefvater's debut novel. The characters are exceptional! Deirdre's character develops throughout the story and she is the embodiment of the perfect female heroine, unsure, imperfect, smart and real. Luke's role as the tragic hero is perfectly written. I relished in the satire and witty comments of Deirdre's best friend James, he may just be my favorite character along with Deirdre's tell it like it is grandmother. The villains, while were not prominent in the entire novel still stood out within the story. While the fey are common in literature, I loved Stiefvater's take! I also enjoyed the musical element that was displayed throughout the novel, it added so much to the novel and the plot. The plot itself was paced well and was thoroughly engaging! I had a very hard time putting this book down, even when I really needed to!! Lament has a little bit of everything; suspense, romance, intrigue, and action. The bittersweet ending will leave you yearning for more. Ballad the sequel to Lament will be available this fall! I can't wait!

It's About: Deirdre Monaghan, a sheltered teen and gifted harpist, who slowly discovers that she is strangely exceptional. Unfortunately for Dee, she's not the only one who's noticed she's strangely exceptional- the fey have taken notice, and they want to play with her. The problem is, fey playthings rarely survive the attention. As a rule, I'm not real big on faerie stories. They just don't ring my bell on a visceral level, but Lament cuts down deep. Stiefvater is a gifted author who weaves a dangerous world, and sensual characters with ease, and balances the entire package with a wonderfully wry sense of humor. The strong voice and appealing characters are easy to love, and just like the fey's playthings that fall sway to their magic, you kind of- no, I found myself- completely entranced by the villains, as well. Would I Give This Book To a Teen: Yes, absolutely. The impossible love that's impossible to deny is potent, and Dee is a fierce protagonist who refuses to be a victim to glamoured circumstances. Would I Give This Book To an Adult: Oh, I am so giving this book to adults. I'm giving this book to my best friend so she can read it and squee with me; I'm going to tell my librarian friend Kyle to get this book, and hand it to kids who are on The Endless Breaking Dawn waiting list. I'm getting another copy and sending it to my bff's sisters- there is, in fact, an extraordinarily good chance I am going to get yet another copy so my husband can read it. This is an awesome book, for serious. My 14 Year Old Son Says: Nothing, because I'm reading it again and won't give it to him. (I think he'll like it though- the action and humor will appeal to him, and as a musician himself, I'm pretty sure he'll love how important music is in this story.)

Stiefvater's debut hopefully won't get lost among the scads of YA fantasy on the shelves. Like Kristopher Reisz, she writes literary fantasy that hits hard, both in suspense, drama, laughs and in leaving the reader thinking even after the book is read.

Things I loved: This book has a guy/girl best friend pairing. EXCELLENT. Just like me in real life. Also, this book was hilarious AND scary. Not like, "OMG A MONSTER" scary, but "OMG WHAT'S GONNA HAPPEN, I CAN'T PUT THIS DOWN OR I'LL DIE BECAUSE THIS IS SO DRAMATIC AND I GOTTA KNOW" scary. I also loved that Maggie reserved most naughty language for the most epic parts of the book, 'cause that was awesome and made them have more impact. Descriptions of faeries ROCKED. Doesn't make them sound like little chicks with leaf-dresses frolicking in your birdbath behind your house. GOOD. They're scary little buggers. Another great thing, not everything is happy ever after. Great writers are never afraid to push their characters into danger. (In my opinion) 'Cause you've gotta keep your readers on their toes. AND I WAS ON THEM. Like a ballet dancer. I'm having a love/hate relationship with the cliffie (not exactly a cliffie, but it does leave you wanting more) at the end, but that's how you sell books, right? I can totally understand. And Maggie picked the PERFECT place to stop. Seriously. Perfect. Romantic scenes weren't cheesy, or at least cheesy enough for you to be like, "Oh, that's cheesy." Things I Hated: ... I can't really think of anything other than the fact that the sequel isn't out yet. If you like Young Adult Urban Fantasies, this is amazing for you.