Something Wicked This Way Comes

What would you do if you could see people that others could not? Would you think you were crazy? Would you try to run away?

Aislinn is just trying to make her through her senior year of high school, which is complicated by the fact that she can see fairies. They surround her, but usually leave her alone (unaware that she can see them), until one fairy starts to follow her. In Melissa Marr's Wicked Lovely, the modern world and the world of Faerie collide as Summer King Keenan sets out to claim Aislinn as his Summer Queen.

I'm not usually a fairy book kind of girl, which is a little strange given my love of fantasy. However, I kept hearing buzz about Marr's books (Wicked Lovely is the first; there's a companion book Ink Exchange and sequel Fragile Eternity with at least one more book on the way) and was intrigued enough by the talk to jump into the first book.

Everyone knows fairies like to cause trouble, but when Keenan comes to down, accompanied by both the Summer and Winter courts, the mischief and mayhem reach new levels. Keenan is convinced Aislinn is the Summer Queen, the one he's spent nine centuries searching for. Aislinn, however, wants none of it. She wants to live a normal life, with her mortal boyfriend Seth, while winter fairy Donia still pines for Keenan, despite the clash of seasons.

If you're confused, you're not alone. Marr’s plot is well-developed, but with numerous characters roaming the pages and a tangled web of complicated relationships, the story can be difficult to follow at times. Moreover, Marr continually references events and history that occurred before the book starts, but never explicitly explains any of it to the reader. The feuding between the courts, the reasons for Keenan's quest and the Winter Queen's hatred of her son -- all play an important role in this tale, but without the back story, I was often left confused and uncertain. (My biggest complaint? How and why Keenan seemed to be connected to Aislinn's mother. A few throwaway lines in one chapter did not satisfy my curiosity.)

Overall, I enjoyed Wicked Lovely and Marr has created a lush and sensual world, where the modern steel of humans and the seasonal nature of Faerie combine. The plot – and ensuing tension – builds realistically and it’s dark enough to appeal to fans of thrillers, noirs and/or gothic stories. At the same time, there’s romance and love triangles (or quadrangles, really), a heroine to root for and an evil villain to hate.

The book is definitely targeted towards female teen readers, but adults can easily enjoy the intrigue as well. Fairy stories seem to be gaining more traction in the teen lit world (and, by extension, with adult readers of YA novels). The vampires better watch out! Before they know it, the fairies will be unleashing their mischief everywhere.

[Photo Credit: Amazon.com]