Book Review: Fragile Eternity
Fragile Eternity
When the last book in the Wicked Lovely series came out, I reread (mostly skimmed) all the previous books so the story would be fresher in my mind. Surprisingly, I found myself enjoying these books much more the second time around. Perhaps it was because I was already familiar with the general story line, but I found the more minor details made a lot more sense already knowing the bigger picture.
As much as I intended just to reskim these books prior to Darkest Mercy, I found myself REREADING most of Fragile Eternity in particular and am glad I did. I find the entire story as a whole so very intricate and complicated that it really needed my full attention and understanding. This installment was still hard to follow at times but the puzzle pieces fell better into place upon my rereading it.
I have to warn you that it will be hard to discuss this book without any spoilers, so be forewarned that there will be some minor ones.
Now that Aislinn has accepted her role as the Summer Queen, she is trying her best to fulfill her duties to her court, but her heart still belongs to Seth so she is only able to give half of herself to help make her court stronger. (If she gave herself fully to Keenan, her court would be at its strongest.) She truly hoped that co-ruling with Keenan would be more like a job -- and Keenan more like her coworker. But the natural pull she has to the Summer King is hard for her to deny. She is really torn between giving in and her love for Seth.
Seth recognizes this as well as the physical changes in Aislinn become evident and so he sets out on his own mission to find a way to be more equal with Aislinn and to be with her forever.
I found Aislinn was harder to like in this installment, and I think that was because she was pulled in so many different directions, she lost her OWN direction. She tried to stay true to herself, but it was inevitable that she would change in so many ways that she did not foresee.
While I still loved Seth, his desperation became a bit of a weakness, and it showed more of his flaws. For me, he came down a couple of steps, but perhaps this was part of his character development... much like Aislinn's.
Seth's relationship with Sorcha (the High Queen) was hard to understand and admittedly creeped me out a bit initially but I sort of settled in to the story line the second time around and understood it a bit better.
I spent half the book hating Keenan and the other half liking him. While I wanted to empathize with his situation as much as Aislinn's and Seth's, I just could not appreciate how he took advantage of Seth's absence by focusing on Ash and all but throwing Donia to the curb. But I also had to remind myself that he had the best interests of his court front and center most of the time so that was what drove him to do the things he did.
Sorcha was a difficult character to appreciate for me. She seemed to have the ability to be kind but she was also terrifying at the same time. I could not help but scream internally in my head at Seth to run the other way when he was in her presence. But she had to have that much power and presence to equalize her sister Bananach's formidable and distructive powers.
With Bananach constantly stirring trouble between the courts to instigate a war, which is the essence of her being, all the court rulers are posturing to ensure their strengths are visible and fully respected by the other courts, while at the same time, preparing for a war that seems all but inevitable. Peace is tenuous at best, and the primary purpose for this book, I felt, was in setting up for the ultimate battle in the last book.
Publication Date: April 21, 2009
Page Count: 389
Source: Purchased by Reviewer
Audience: Young Adult - Fantasy
When the last book in the Wicked Lovely series came out, I reread (mostly skimmed) all the previous books so the story would be fresher in my mind. Surprisingly, I found myself enjoying these books much more the second time around. Perhaps it was because I was already familiar with the general story line, but I found the more minor details made a lot more sense already knowing the bigger picture.
As much as I intended just to reskim these books prior to Darkest Mercy, I found myself REREADING most of Fragile Eternity in particular and am glad I did. I find the entire story as a whole so very intricate and complicated that it really needed my full attention and understanding. This installment was still hard to follow at times but the puzzle pieces fell better into place upon my rereading it.
I have to warn you that it will be hard to discuss this book without any spoilers, so be forewarned that there will be some minor ones.
Now that Aislinn has accepted her role as the Summer Queen, she is trying her best to fulfill her duties to her court, but her heart still belongs to Seth so she is only able to give half of herself to help make her court stronger. (If she gave herself fully to Keenan, her court would be at its strongest.) She truly hoped that co-ruling with Keenan would be more like a job -- and Keenan more like her coworker. But the natural pull she has to the Summer King is hard for her to deny. She is really torn between giving in and her love for Seth.
Seth recognizes this as well as the physical changes in Aislinn become evident and so he sets out on his own mission to find a way to be more equal with Aislinn and to be with her forever.
I found Aislinn was harder to like in this installment, and I think that was because she was pulled in so many different directions, she lost her OWN direction. She tried to stay true to herself, but it was inevitable that she would change in so many ways that she did not foresee.
While I still loved Seth, his desperation became a bit of a weakness, and it showed more of his flaws. For me, he came down a couple of steps, but perhaps this was part of his character development... much like Aislinn's.
Seth's relationship with Sorcha (the High Queen) was hard to understand and admittedly creeped me out a bit initially but I sort of settled in to the story line the second time around and understood it a bit better.
I spent half the book hating Keenan and the other half liking him. While I wanted to empathize with his situation as much as Aislinn's and Seth's, I just could not appreciate how he took advantage of Seth's absence by focusing on Ash and all but throwing Donia to the curb. But I also had to remind myself that he had the best interests of his court front and center most of the time so that was what drove him to do the things he did.
Sorcha was a difficult character to appreciate for me. She seemed to have the ability to be kind but she was also terrifying at the same time. I could not help but scream internally in my head at Seth to run the other way when he was in her presence. But she had to have that much power and presence to equalize her sister Bananach's formidable and distructive powers.
With Bananach constantly stirring trouble between the courts to instigate a war, which is the essence of her being, all the court rulers are posturing to ensure their strengths are visible and fully respected by the other courts, while at the same time, preparing for a war that seems all but inevitable. Peace is tenuous at best, and the primary purpose for this book, I felt, was in setting up for the ultimate battle in the last book.
Summary:
Aislinn never expected
to rule in Faerie--but that was before Keenan stole her mortality to
make her a monarch. Now she faces challenges and enticements beyond any
she'd ever dreamed of.
Seth never expected he would want to settle down with anyone--but that was before Aislinn. She is everything he's ever dreamed of, and he wants to be with her forever. Forever takes on a new meaning, though, when your girlfriend is an immortal faery queen.
Seth never expected he would want to settle down with anyone--but that was before Aislinn. She is everything he's ever dreamed of, and he wants to be with her forever. Forever takes on a new meaning, though, when your girlfriend is an immortal faery queen.
I loved this book... I'm a huge fan of Keenan. He doesn't always do the right thing, but he means well. I should probably reread this series too. Thanks for the review!
ReplyDeleteThanks for stopping by P.E.!! It took some time for me to appreciate this story... AND Keenan! But he redeemed himself in the last book! ;)
ReplyDeleteI haven't read this series, but definitely want to check it out!
ReplyDeleteMost people enjoyed it (including me)... but there were times when I got a little lost. Have fun when you do read it!!
DeleteI love this series, but this book was probably my least favorite.
ReplyDeleteI have to agree too that this one was my least favourite as well. Wicked Lovely (book 1) continues to be my favourite of all the books.
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