***** THIS REVIEW CONTAINS SPOILERS*****
The story was from James (Deirdre's best friend) and Nuala (a fairy that feeds on music) point of view. James loves Deirdre but she was in love with Luke Dillion (a fairy). Luke wasn't in Ballad but Deirdre was heart broken because he left her. James was heart-broken because she didn't love him. Then he meets Nuala and is scared of her until they spend some time together. They "fall in love" and he realizes that what he felt for Deirdre was just a "crush".
Anyway, Nuala dies every 16 years and is reborn a different being with no memory. So they figure out how to save her memories by saying her name 7 times. The Fairy queen is trying to kill Deidre so he has to leave Nuala to go save her and doesn't think that the saving memory thing works, until he digs her out of the ashes that she burned in and sees that she still had her memories. Then the story just pretty much ends, leaving you kinda hanging, wondering what is going to become of them all.
I felt as though the story just drug on. Stiefvater does plan on writing another book for this series. Overall, Ballad was good but it jumped around so much that I just got aggravated. I will continue reading the Book of Faerie series with hopes it will improve but it's not at the top of my to-read list. The overall story is interesting. What are your thoughts on the Book of Faerie series?
The story was from James (Deirdre's best friend) and Nuala (a fairy that feeds on music) point of view. James loves Deirdre but she was in love with Luke Dillion (a fairy). Luke wasn't in Ballad but Deirdre was heart broken because he left her. James was heart-broken because she didn't love him. Then he meets Nuala and is scared of her until they spend some time together. They "fall in love" and he realizes that what he felt for Deirdre was just a "crush".
Anyway, Nuala dies every 16 years and is reborn a different being with no memory. So they figure out how to save her memories by saying her name 7 times. The Fairy queen is trying to kill Deidre so he has to leave Nuala to go save her and doesn't think that the saving memory thing works, until he digs her out of the ashes that she burned in and sees that she still had her memories. Then the story just pretty much ends, leaving you kinda hanging, wondering what is going to become of them all.
I felt as though the story just drug on. Stiefvater does plan on writing another book for this series. Overall, Ballad was good but it jumped around so much that I just got aggravated. I will continue reading the Book of Faerie series with hopes it will improve but it's not at the top of my to-read list. The overall story is interesting. What are your thoughts on the Book of Faerie series?
The second book in the Books of Faerie series. I loved this more than the first book. Why? Because this one was all James all the time. I love him. I loved being in his head and on his side of the story for this one.
James and Dee have ... parted ways ... since the end of the last novel. There is a huge rift between them that neither one of them is ready to cross. Things were said and not said in the end of Lament that each would like to take back or fix, but they both believe it's not possible anymore.
James spends a good portion of the book lamenting (no pun intended) over his loss of friendship with Dee. And Dee keeps us posted on her life through a series of text messages that she never sends. It's quite heart breaking. They are starting their fist year at a Musical Prep School where a lot of crazy things happen. There are faeries about, and James hates them. However there is one faerie, named Nuala that he builds a bond with. There is a lot going on in this book there is the surface story of James and Nuala, the back ground stories of James and Dee and James and his roommate, and then there is the story about what's going on in the faerie world. They are all nicely intertwined and you find yourself really feeling for James and some of the choices he has to make. There were several places in this book where I cried. I wanted James to be happy, but some times he just sabotages himself (like we all do some times) and he is left with words unsaid. Dee is really frustrating in this one. On one hand you want to know more about what is going on with her and her cryptic messages, but on the other hand you just want to slap her for the words that come out of her mouth. And Nuala ... I don't even know what to say about her. I liked her, but I didn't. I wanted her to be happy, but not at the expense of Dee. I wanted the end to not be the way it was. But the end was good enough.
I'd love to read another novel about these characters, but according to Maggie there probably isn't going to be anymore novels in this series. That's oaky though. I guess what we got was good enough.
I don't think it would make a good stand alone read because there were a lot of references to things that happened in Lament. I recommend this book to those who loved Lament, those who wanted more for James.
James and Dee have ... parted ways ... since the end of the last novel. There is a huge rift between them that neither one of them is ready to cross. Things were said and not said in the end of Lament that each would like to take back or fix, but they both believe it's not possible anymore.
James spends a good portion of the book lamenting (no pun intended) over his loss of friendship with Dee. And Dee keeps us posted on her life through a series of text messages that she never sends. It's quite heart breaking. They are starting their fist year at a Musical Prep School where a lot of crazy things happen. There are faeries about, and James hates them. However there is one faerie, named Nuala that he builds a bond with. There is a lot going on in this book there is the surface story of James and Nuala, the back ground stories of James and Dee and James and his roommate, and then there is the story about what's going on in the faerie world. They are all nicely intertwined and you find yourself really feeling for James and some of the choices he has to make. There were several places in this book where I cried. I wanted James to be happy, but some times he just sabotages himself (like we all do some times) and he is left with words unsaid. Dee is really frustrating in this one. On one hand you want to know more about what is going on with her and her cryptic messages, but on the other hand you just want to slap her for the words that come out of her mouth. And Nuala ... I don't even know what to say about her. I liked her, but I didn't. I wanted her to be happy, but not at the expense of Dee. I wanted the end to not be the way it was. But the end was good enough.
I'd love to read another novel about these characters, but according to Maggie there probably isn't going to be anymore novels in this series. That's oaky though. I guess what we got was good enough.
I don't think it would make a good stand alone read because there were a lot of references to things that happened in Lament. I recommend this book to those who loved Lament, those who wanted more for James.
Reviewed by Joan Stradling for TeensReadToo.com
After having survived a harrowing encounter with murderous faeries, James is looking forward to leaving it all behind and attending Thornking-Ash School of Music. Unfortunately, his dealings with the faerie world aren't over.
His gift for music has attracted the attention of Nuala, a faerie muse who feeds on the creativity of those she inspires. Nuala collaborates with James on a stunning musical composition, and James starts to fall for her. It seems Nuala is falling for James, as well, and it puts them both in danger.
As Halloween approaches, James is thrust into the middle of a battle with the Faerie Queen and the King of the Dead to save Nuala's life and his own soul.
This glimpse into the darker side of the faerie world is as hauntingly beautiful as the bagpipes James plays.
James was one of my favorite characters in LAMENT, and I'm thrilled to have spent time with him again in BALLAD. Stiefvater's remarkable characters, combined with lyrical prose and kick butt plotting, bring James' story to life in a way that has stayed with me long after I've closed the book cover.
I hope to be carried off into the faerie world by Stiefvater again in the future.
After having survived a harrowing encounter with murderous faeries, James is looking forward to leaving it all behind and attending Thornking-Ash School of Music. Unfortunately, his dealings with the faerie world aren't over.
His gift for music has attracted the attention of Nuala, a faerie muse who feeds on the creativity of those she inspires. Nuala collaborates with James on a stunning musical composition, and James starts to fall for her. It seems Nuala is falling for James, as well, and it puts them both in danger.
As Halloween approaches, James is thrust into the middle of a battle with the Faerie Queen and the King of the Dead to save Nuala's life and his own soul.
This glimpse into the darker side of the faerie world is as hauntingly beautiful as the bagpipes James plays.
James was one of my favorite characters in LAMENT, and I'm thrilled to have spent time with him again in BALLAD. Stiefvater's remarkable characters, combined with lyrical prose and kick butt plotting, bring James' story to life in a way that has stayed with me long after I've closed the book cover.
I hope to be carried off into the faerie world by Stiefvater again in the future.
