Darkfever by Karen Marie Moning
*A few months ago on Twitter, I joked that these books are like crack--without ever having read them. Now that I have bitten the bullet and tried them out, I can definitely say that they ARE like crack, and everyone should try them out.
MacKayla Lane is a twenty-two year-old who doesn't have much to worry about beyond what music to listen to, what shade to color her toenails, and which college course she should sign up for next semester. Then her sister, studying abroad in Dublin, is murdered. Mac is determined to force the Dublin police to reopen the case, so she journeys to Ireland, where she discovers all the legends about Irish fairies are true, and then some.
This is a very well-crafted, well-told story. One of my favorite aspects of the book is how the author uses foreshadowing, which is kind of a lost art form, in my opinion. Not that the foreshadowing is subtle or artful at all, but it is very effective at keeping the reader engaged with the story and guessing what's going to happen next.
Since the novel is told entirely from Mac's perspective, the main character is key to one's whole enjoyment of the book. Personally, I'm torn when it comes to Mac--I found her at turns to be very likable and refreshing, and then at other times she was just plain annoying. For an urban fantasy novel (which is what I would definitely classify this book as), she's certainly atypical. Mac is very girly, with a love for fashion (supposedly she's a reader--OF COURSE--but the only thing we catch her reading are fashion magazines), and no desire to get messy or kick anyone's ass. She's an anti-hero, basically, but with a fun twist. During the course of Darkfever--and, I'm assuming, the rest of the series--she gains wisdom and seriousness of purpose and all that good stuff. Unfortunately, I thought that process in Darkfever felt forced. Maybe it was just the fact that she whined and angsted over things way too much for way too long, but I just found it annoying and a bit nonsensical.
Before you start to worry, no, I am not going to conclude this review without talking about Barrons. Barrons is the mysterious and fabulously wealthy owner of Barrons' Books and Baubles, who teaches Mac everything she knows about the Fae. Although I do like his character, at this point I'm having trouble seeing his potential love interest-nish. Not to mention V'lane, the Fae prince, who is just gross at this point. Even without a lot of romance, though, this book still sucked me in and keep me involved in the story, which is really saying something.
Overall, this a great, refreshing twist on the UF genre. I can't wait to get the other books so I can find out what happens next!
Other Opinions:
A Buckeyegirl Reads
Monkey Bear Reviews
Stacy's Place on Earth
This is me....
*This is an Amazon Associates link. If you buy this item after clinking on the link, Santa will give me coal at Christmas. Or is it that he won't give me coal? Have to think about that one.
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