The A Modern Faerie Tale collection by Holly Black is a beautifully crafted, imaginative, fairy-tale epic which will transform the world you know into one of ancient magic and beautiful fantasy.
From the blurb of the first book, Tithe;
‘Kaye used to see Faeries. They’re still there. But Kaye is not a child anymore. Now sixteen, she’s dragged into the thick of their dangerous, frightening world. A realm where black horses dwell beneath the sea, desperate to drown you. Where the sinister Thistlewitch divines dark futures; and where beautiful Faerie knights are driven to perform acts of brutal depravity for the love of their uncaring queens.
There, Kaye finds herself an unwilling pawn in an ancient power struggle between two rival faerie kingdoms, a struggle that could end in her death.’
This first beautifully dreamy novel throws us into the complex world that is Kaye’s life. Blacks beautiful character creation crafts characters, who though unworldly, remain relatable, believable and lovable. By the end of this first novel our love for Kaye leads us into wanting the next book immediately.
From the blurb of the second book, Valiant;
‘Escaping from a life that has utterly betrayed her, seventeen-year-old Valerie Russle flees to New York City where she takes up with a feral trio who have made their home in the labyrinthine subway system. Impulsive Lolli talks of monsters in the tunnels and of a shimmery amber-coloured powder that makes shadows dance around her. Severe Luis claims he can make deals with creatures no one else can see. And then there’s Dave, Luis’s brother, who makes the mistake of letting Val tag along.
Dragged deeper into the damaged world, a bewildered Val finds herself bound into service to a troll names Ravus. He is as hideous as he is honourable, but beneath his embittered exterior Val discovers Ravus hidea a lonely, vulnerable, heart. Val soons finds herself torn between a growing affection for him, and fear of what she and her new friends are becoming because of him.’
The darkest of the three books, Valiant, will have you hooked to the end. As Holly Black dives into the underbelly of a capital city, and the horrors that live there, through the experiences of a young woman, we are completely hooked. Impressively blending reality with magic, Black crafts a fresh set of addictive characters to fight their way through her fantastical underworld. Impossible to put down Valiant will stay with you long after reading.
From the blurb of the third book, Ironside;
‘Belonging neither in Faerie nor in the human world – Ironside – changeling Kaye has one chance to win her lover once and for all; if only she can find it.’
This sequel to Tithe brings Kaye’s story to a satisfying, but hard won, conclusion. Holly Blacks return to this character and her journey, forms in a bold, violent, book, neatly drawing all her storylines to an end while leaving room for the reader to imagine more into this universe after the close.
We give Tithe, Valiant and Ironside a collective Three Stars
Tithe ISBN – 978-1-4711-91015 Cover Price - £7.99 Available as an eBook Published by Simon & Schuster
Valiant ISBN – 978-1-4711-9103-9 Cover Price - £7.99 Available as an eBook Published by Simon & Schuster
Ironside ISBN – 978-1-4711-9102-2 Cover Price - £7.99 Available as an eBook Published by Simon & Schuster
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