Author: Herbie Brennan
Publisher: Bloomsbury
Genre: Fantasy/Adventure
Page Count: 368
Rating: 4 out of 5
Cover Rating: 3.8 out of 5. It's interesting, although I think they could have made it a little less blue and kind of girly, because I think this book would appeal to teens from both genders.
Back Cover:
There was nothing on the paperback about the contents; I picked it up because I am always on the lookout for a good faerie book that doesn't involve excessive romance and because Eoin Colfer (the author of my all-time favorite series Artemis Fowl) said that "Faerie Wars is an outstanding blend of fantasy, mythology, and science." Well. I trust his judgement. Also, VOYA, SLJ, Booklist, The Guardian, The NYTBR, and Kirkus all thought it was great.
My expectations: Obviously, I had pretty high expectations.
They weren't quite met, but I have to say I really enjoyed this book anyway.
About the book: Faerie Wars is an interesting mix. It said on the cover (somewhere among those rave reviews) that it was funny, but I found the humor fell flat for me; that isn't to say I didn't find it unamusing. I found it more quirky and interesting than funny. It was kind of like The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy, in some ways, with the characters and the plot going in all different directions and strange things happening at every turn.
The writing style was unlike any other I've come across. Herbie Brennan has, according to Wikipedia, written over 100 books, fiction and nonfiction, so it's not like it was a debut novel or anything like that--I couldn't really tell. I like his style, either way.
There are a lot of narratives, in this book and in the other books in the series. I got confused a few times, but remembered who they were pretty soon after I noticed they were talking to so-and-so. Brennan is good at cliffhangers as well--it was infuriating at times, but they certainly were effective in keeping me turning the pages to the next scene. Overall, the plot was strong and moved fast.
I kept getting confused as to how old Henry (the MC) was. Sometimes I thought he was more like 11, and other times there were references that indicated someone more like 14. I think he's actually the latter, although some of his thoughts/reactions didn't quite fit that idea. I never really got attached to Henry.
I liked Pyrgus more. He was more interesting, frankly. I liked his spunk and, at the same time, his compassion. He had a strong character, and many of the things he did were well-meaning, even if they didn't always work out in the end.
Holly was independent and determined. Sister of Pyrgus, she was headstrong and refused to let anyone push her around just because she was a girl. She was smart, too--she controls the Emperor's spy network--and probably my favorite out of the trio.
I love Fantasy, and the world in this book is amazing. Fairies, portals, demons, magic, and excellent villains made the surroundings in which the story takes place highly enjoyable to read about.
Other: References, (which is why I think Henry was older than he originally seemed), some language, and violence.
Do I recommend this book? Yes!
