"I clumsily pat his shoulder and settle on grasping the fabric of his shirt.
What do other women do when they're held?
Swoon a bit?"
What do other women do when they're held?
Swoon a bit?"
--Elizabeth May, The Falconer
Genre: YA Historical Fiction, Paranormal
Genre: YA Historical Fiction, Paranormal
Publisher: Chronicle Books
Pages: 336
Publication Date: May 6th, 2014
Source: e-galley provided by publisher via Edelweiss in exchange for an honest review
Goodreads Description
Heiress. Debutant. Murderer. A new generation of heroines has arrived.
Edinburgh, Scotland, 1844
Lady Aileana Kameron, the only daughter of the Marquess of Douglas, was destined for a life carefully planned around Edinburgh’s social events – right up until a faery killed her mother.
Now it’s the 1844 winter season and Aileana slaughters faeries in secret, in between the endless round of parties, tea and balls. Armed with modified percussion pistols and explosives, she sheds her aristocratic facade every night to go hunting. She’s determined to track down the faery who murdered her mother, and to destroy any who prey on humans in the city’s many dark alleyways.
But the balance between high society and her private war is a delicate one, and as the fae infiltrate the ballroom and Aileana’s father returns home, she has decisions to make. How much is she willing to lose – and just how far will Aileana go for revenge?
Heiress. Debutant. Murderer. A new generation of heroines has arrived.
Edinburgh, Scotland, 1844
Lady Aileana Kameron, the only daughter of the Marquess of Douglas, was destined for a life carefully planned around Edinburgh’s social events – right up until a faery killed her mother.
Now it’s the 1844 winter season and Aileana slaughters faeries in secret, in between the endless round of parties, tea and balls. Armed with modified percussion pistols and explosives, she sheds her aristocratic facade every night to go hunting. She’s determined to track down the faery who murdered her mother, and to destroy any who prey on humans in the city’s many dark alleyways.
But the balance between high society and her private war is a delicate one, and as the fae infiltrate the ballroom and Aileana’s father returns home, she has decisions to make. How much is she willing to lose – and just how far will Aileana go for revenge?
The Story I LOVE historical fiction something fierce and this book is no exception. I love the Scottish feel and how Elizabeth May incorporated technological advancement into their world. Aileana is a genius in this realm and I loved her knowledge in this aspect of the story. I also LOVE the take on the fae. There are a lot of faery stories out there and while it is not totally my thing, this version has them as the evil ones. They are to be hunted and killed because of their manipulation and the evil that resides in them. They kill humans for sport and Aileana is trained to hunt them. They continue to be cruel and conniving, as is all faery lore, but with the exception of a few, these faeries are not to revered in any way.
The Heroine I think Aileana is the bomb diggy. I love myself a strong female character and she fits the mold. She fights against the constraints of society in 1844. I love historical fiction. LOVE! But I can't help but laugh at how ridiculous most of the customs were. The etiquette of how ladies should act. What is proper vs what isn't. I love that she wants a life that she has freedom and choice and the right to make her own decisions. My heart just broke for the injustice and I felt suffocated just reading it.
Kiaran Ooooh but you know there is an exception to every rule! Kiaran is our resident faery that is central to the storyline. I can't say too much because I don't want to give away any plot points but I love his character. Cold, distant, brutal, unfeeling, dark hair that falls in his face...rawr. Just read it. K, thanks.
The Heroine I think Aileana is the bomb diggy. I love myself a strong female character and she fits the mold. She fights against the constraints of society in 1844. I love historical fiction. LOVE! But I can't help but laugh at how ridiculous most of the customs were. The etiquette of how ladies should act. What is proper vs what isn't. I love that she wants a life that she has freedom and choice and the right to make her own decisions. My heart just broke for the injustice and I felt suffocated just reading it.
Kiaran Ooooh but you know there is an exception to every rule! Kiaran is our resident faery that is central to the storyline. I can't say too much because I don't want to give away any plot points but I love his character. Cold, distant, brutal, unfeeling, dark hair that falls in his face...rawr. Just read it. K, thanks.
The Background I'm a greedy reader. I wanted more. LOTS more! The tension build up to the end was incredible but I felt like the end was so abrupt! I literally had to text Erin at Fiction Fare and ask her if my review copy was complete because I was all, wait, what...where's the rest?! And OF COURSE, I just want ALL the info about the history of the fae, what really happened to them, A BIOGRAPHY OF KIARAN'S LIFE! I need so much more! When is 2015?
Yes I think this is a super fun, fast-paced and action-filled read. The heroine is fantastic. The swoons are tension filled and oh so worth the wait. And the ending will have you wanting book 2 immediately.
This one sounds so interesting. I love that the fae are portrayed as evil and that they really are evil. That's an interesting twist on things. I'll definitely be reading this one eventually!
ReplyDeleteYes! I was so surprised with how fae were portrayed and that they are the evil spawn of the earth! The history of their kind is really interesting, too! I can't wait to get more!
DeleteI'm honestly not a big reader of fae books, and there are only two exceptions that I can think of right now. But I may have to make room for The Falconer. It sounds so INTERESTING, and I love that it's historical fiction. And I love that cover loads!
ReplyDeleteDude, Alexa, me neither. I love the Iron Fey but that's about it. This would be a good intro for non-fae people because it's not centered on the fae as the main character. They are the villains. Does that make sense? They're obviously a main conflict but not from their perspective.
DeleteI love historical fiction and the Scottish touch sounds fun! I also adore kick ass female leads so I think Aileana and I will get along well :) Ashley liked this too so I think I'll give it a shot :)
ReplyDeleteYes! I saw her review! She is legit a KICK ASS female and the fae being evil made it a whole new twist that hasn't been done before! Let me know what you think!
DeleteHey hey! This sounds really good, and I really like this cover! Would I like? I mean, you say "Yes!" in RSVP section but I'd like a personal yay or nay from you on whether or not I want to read this. And how badly I want to read it. Thank yaaaaa.
ReplyDeleteI would say it is Reserved Seating :)
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