Review Detail

Wow, this took me right back to the early 2000's fairy stories, before the explosion of YA fantasy. There's tricksy bargains, strange paths through the woods, lost souls held in thrall in another realm, and of course beautiful fairies, who know more than they let on and certainly do not have Nettle's best interests at heart. It's a quick read, saying only what needs to be said to keep things moving, and I enjoyed the flashes of danger, magical artifacts, and sweet romance. I think it's soon pretty clear to fans of the genre where Nettle's story is going, but I was still rooting for her the entire way. In the end, a lot of the resolution seems to come together with a shrugged oh, the caprice of fairies, but I enjoyed the understated, candid style and I'm very much looking forward to the next book, which takes place in the same world.

If you know someone who wants to read ACOTAR but isn't old enough just yet, this is a great alternative.