Review Detail

THE RUINS OF NOE, by Danika Dinsmore, is the second in a trilogy called Faerie Tales from the White Forest. The story began in Brigitta of the White Forest (which I reviewed here) about a young fairy who does not receive destiny markings on her wings at the expected time – unlike her friends – and thus does not know what role she is intended to have in her society. When her world comes under attack, however, it is she who must save it, and in the end, is marked as having one of the highest possible destinies, that of an Elder.

When THE RUINS OF NOE opens, Brigitta has spent some time as an Elder Apprentice, and is not exactly impatient, but nor does she feel settled. Soon, her own lack of inner peace is reflected in the White Forest more generally, and she is called on once again to head out on a quest to find answers to the troubles that plague the faeries. This time, however, she has a much older and more powerful companion – the High Priestess Odelle, and thank goodness, because they find far more danger and unhappiness outside the White Forest than they had anticipated.

I cheered as Brigitta rose to the challenges before her. Like the first book in the trilogy, this story took its time getting going, but once in gear was fast-paced and engrossing. Brigitta is an engaging heroine, resourceful and just arrogant enough to get herself into interesting trouble. It is a slightly darker book than the first, which felt appropriate. As the heroine grows older and more certain of who she is, the forces she must overcome grow stronger too (much like Harry Potter). It also expanded the world created in the first book, extending the mythology and exploring the forces that make the world tick.

I have a marshmallow soft spot for fairies of all kinds, and the faeries of the White Forest are no exception. I am eager for the third book, not least because this volume did leave a few tantalizing ends dangling.