Comments on: Joint Review: Lament: The Faerie Queen’s Deception by Maggie Steifvater

By: Book Boor

Book Boor — Sat, 23 Jan 2010 20:24:46 +0000

Thank goodness for your reviews. I just finished this novel and immediately got on the web to see if I’d had some sort of episode. Like you I was so looking forward to this, but it just failed because of the characters. I think I could have forgiven them all but for Deidre’s lacking. I got about halfway through and just thought please let there be a pinhole of light somewhere in this tunnel…I have hated characters for all kinds of reasons, but I hated this character because I was supposed to be rooting for her and I didn’t want to…I think more than anything I couldn’t understand why she had such fierce devotion to Luke at the expense of everything and everyone. I felt she was disloyal to James and her family. I could understand the bitchy aunt, but she had no compassion for anyone but herself and Luke. She seemed less human than the faeries in many ways. I could understand and respect their motivations, but Deidre just disappointed me. *Spoiler* No surprise that I cheered when in fact she didn’t receive the crown!

By: charley

charley — Tue, 28 Jul 2009 00:09:49 +0000

You both put into words exactly what I thought after reading this book. I was baffled. One of the many scenes that confused me was when Luke came over for Deirdre’s birthday and she introduced him to her Granna. As far as Deirdre knew, this was their first meeting, but Granna says, “What are you doing here again… go back where you belong.” To which Luke replies, “I’m not one of Them.” And Granna says, “I can smell Them on you. You reek of it.” This would have been a perfect opportunity for Deirdre to ask some pretty obvious questions (how could she not ask questions after that bizarre conversation?), but instead she just seems upset that Luke doesn’t want to stay for cake. Nothing about this book made any sense to me, but all I’ve found are positive reviews, so I was glad to finally come across yours.

By: orannia

orannia — Thu, 12 Feb 2009 19:27:36 +0000

And with everyone mentioning Melusine I went to see if my library has it…it does (I *heart* my library). It sounds….breathtakingly amazing! There are so many books out there that I wouldn’t know about if not for the Smugglers and ‘the crew’ Thank you!

By: Ana

Ana — Thu, 12 Feb 2009 09:24:59 +0000

Shannon, I understand what you are saying and generally I would agree but this is actually one of the cool things about Lament – and unfortunately an idea or plotline that was never truly explored: Deirdre and James’s genius for Music. They were truly gifted and the parts where they played were beautiful and I can’t help but to think that was MORE to be explored. Perhaps in another book?

As for Melusine, I truly can’t wait to read it! But our review will be posted over at Fantasy Cafe – since it Kristen who DARED us to read it

By: Shannon C.

Shannon C. — Thu, 12 Feb 2009 08:38:40 +0000

Heh, here’s the quote that gets me.

“I wasn’t angry. I was disappointed. For once I didn’t want someone to look at everything I could do and be awed. I wanted someone to just see me, what made me me, and be fascinated. I was so tired of hearing how great and amazing I was from people who would never know anything about me. I had let myself believe all this time that the real me was what Luke was flirting with, not the me destined for CD covers and exceptional alumini lists

I guess I like more humility in my first-person narrators. Especially when they’re kids.

And I couldn’t finish Twilight, so I suspect I should give this one a pass.

By: Angie

Angie — Thu, 12 Feb 2009 05:40:38 +0000

Oh, Thea. You didn’t make me feel bad! *hugs* I’m fine. Really. And it’s very important to get some differing opinions out there so people can appreciate the variety of responses and approach it with an open mind. I did think the writing was rather lovely. And the setting. I noted the obvious Twilight similarities but, for some reason, they didn’t weigh heavy on my mind as they have with a few other recent YA UF reads. I bought that they were genuine rather than knock-off. Wasn’t the first time, probably won’t be the last.

Interestingly, I’ve read a few awfully lukewarm responses to Fragile Eternity and so I’m really looking forward to yours as I loved the first two and am now a bit curious.

By: Danielle

Danielle — Thu, 12 Feb 2009 04:16:02 +0000

I kind of agree. I just put my copy down, and I was kind of tumbling along the whole thing. I really did not care for the charactors, even though the writing was beautiful. Pretty words really cannot make up for bad storytelling.
I’d give it at least a five.

By: Maya M.

Maya M. — Thu, 12 Feb 2009 04:13:36 +0000

*dancing up and down*
Can’t WAIT to see what you think of ‘Melusine’! Oh, how I adored it! Oh, how I’ll be crushed if you don’t! Oh, how unprofessional of a reviewer I sound like if I’m so influenced by someone diverging from my strongly held opinions! I’ve got book 3 waiting on my nighttable and am forcing myself not to dip in till I’m done with my 4 ongoing reads.

By: orannia

orannia — Thu, 12 Feb 2009 00:51:09 +0000

Have just read the review of Impossible. I’m not quite sure how I missed seeing it initially, but I have now and the book is on my TBR list You guys are so not good for my list

By: orannia

orannia — Wed, 11 Feb 2009 22:21:33 +0000

Saying my jaw almost hit the floor while reading your review would be a pretty accurate statement The premise for the book sounds absolutely amazing, which is why, as I kept reading your review, my jaw got lower and lower to the ground Thank you so much Ana & Thea for being so open and forthright about why and how the book didn’t work for you. I really appreciate that

And I’m rapt you enjoyed Fragile Eternity. I can’t wait to read it! Both Tithe and Impossible are in my library….YAH! I need something to wet my appetite before Fragile Eternity…then again, I should probably pick up Heir to Sevenwaters first