Customer Reviews

Bones of Faerie

5 star:		(14)
4 star:		(19)
3 star:		(10)
2 star:		(1)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

Wow, this was a very imaginative and well written book. The trend towards faeries in YA books is nothing new. This book however takes a totally fresh spin on the subject.

The heroine is plucky,determined and brave. She suffers the loss of her Mother and sister, and physical abuse at the hands of her Father. Despite this she is not bowed down. I love her!

The setting is a post-apocalyptic world in which small towns survive in isolation, afraid of faeries and magic. This is result of the war between Faerie and humankind. Both sides have been devastated.

For romance lovers, there is a subtle romantic interest woven through. I don't want to give away anymore of the plot- buy the book yourselves, and enjoy!

All in all, a wonderful read both for YA and not so YA.
I hope there is a sequel.
If you are a fan of Melissa Marr and Holly Black, you will love this book.

Overall, this book was a great story filled with adventure and the price we're all willing to pay to survive. The writing at times got irritating due to its repetitive nature. For example, on one single page I read:
"and I looked in the mirror and saw--"
"I screamed, and I screamed I saw--"
"I fled from him, and as I fled I saw--"
I shut my eyes, and behind closed lids I saw--"
This sort of pre-vision dialogue certainly became noticeable and therefore irritating, and distracting. The imagery throughout the book is well written and familiar. For example I loved, "Oak and maples and elms all reached toward the rain, sighing happily as water soaked through their leaves and into their roots."

The plot moved, though sometimes slow. The beginning started off right, fact-paced and exciting, the middle, during the journey outside, it all became slower. The end, again, picks up leaving you on the edge of your seat and rooting for the characters. Throughout the whole book you feel for Liza and you keep hoping she finds what she is looking for, physically and emotionally.

The characters, all, are well defined and concrete though, not to say that they are perfect. I am left at the end wanting to learn more about Tara, Caleb,Kate and Matthew's history. I feel like I still don't know enough about them. For the story itself--good enough. For me and my overzealous imagination--I wanted to know everything.

Liza is sucha strong character, so kind and caring and passionate.But above all else she is majorly self-sacrificing, which is a wonderful point for young girls to take away from the book. Allie, the young, sweet healer, is a reliable friend and a deeply caring individual filled with unconditional love. Yet, she's smart and knows her limits. Matt's character is much in the same way very protective and strong and throughout the book the reader really gets a clear glimpse into his maturing and evolving personality. I found it endearing to read how Liza and Matt's relationship grows-- both become so reliant on each other and love blossoms in the most unexpected circumstances. Liza's parents though, are one of the characters that leave you wanting more, especially her mother, Tara, who by the end of the book you realize has a long history in this world, much of which is hugely relevant to this story.Her father--well, I'm glad for his outcome.

What I mostly enjoyed about this book were the allusions to us and the current events surrounding us everyday, mainly war and the outcomes of war. Liza learns, among other things, that there are two sides to each story. And even though you might have grown up thinking, "these people are the bad guys" that doesn't make you the good guy. This book really makes one think about how war effects each and every individual, even years after it may be over. There are repercussions and no one is without fault. We must all live with our mistake, yet except people for what they are , not shunning them because they are different.

Reading the first sentence, I felt a frisson, and knew I was reading something special. Janni Lee Simner has created a truly haunting world, our own, but devastated after a war between humans and faeries. For the children growing up post war, including the teenage narrator, its causes are mysterious, but like any war, its aftereffects still resonate and burn.

Some things I really liked about this book were the relationships between characters, and understanding why certain characters became the way they are, without condoning what they do. I'd tell more, but that would be spoilery.

There is a mystery to solve, magic to discern, and a world to set right. Luckily, there will be a sequel, because it's too much to do all in one book!

Liza knows the rules. After all, it is only the strict rules of her small town that keep everyone safe now that the War with the faeries has ended. No strangers are allowed in town. All signs of magic must be destroyed. But since some of those signs showed up in her baby sister and their father abandoned the baby to a horrific fate...and since Liza's mother left...things have been different.

For one thing, Liza has just found a sign of magic in herself. All signs of magic must be destroyed.

So Liza stumbles out into the dangerous post-War world on her own, intent on protecting the town from her own evil magic--whatever it may turn out to be. Now that she's away from her father and the rules she's lived with her entire life, she's surprised to find that things may not be as they seem.

Simner drives the post-apocalyptic world to ultra-realistic proportions with little details that go a long way. Familiar cities destroyed in the war and simple tokens leftover from Before will give readers much to shudder about.

But not everything is realistic. Harmless plants will make readers cringe after they learn about murderous trees in forests charmed by faerie magic and plants that yearn for human blood. This is not your mother's fairytale.

Dark faerie magic has grown evermore popular in young adult books, and this tale will grab readers who are already fascinated with the lore and new fans alike. But BONES OF FAERIE blazes its own trail as it brings an alternate reality with its own set of rules to the faerie realm.

Creative and witty, with scenes that will replay long after the last page is turned.

Reviewed by: Julie M. Prince

Many years before 15-year-old Liza was born, there was a great war between humanity and Faerie. It caused devastation on both sides, and Faerie hasn't been heard from since. However, danger still lurks in the shadows.

Liza's community has learned to survive by keeping to themselves and guarding against the magic that remains. The residents battle against thorny plants and crops that resist being harvested. Venturing into the surrounding forest especially after nightfall is greatly discouraged, since the "living" trees threaten to attack any who pass them. However, the trees and plants are not the only major threat. For some, a child is considered the greatest enemy.

After the War, there were reported incidents of children born with the traits of Faerie and developing supernatural abilities that ultimately destroyed their families --- a tragedy to which the community is no stranger. As decreed, anyone who appears to have Faerie traits is "cast out."

Liza understands that the rules put down by her strict (and abusive) father are meant to protect them and their community. However, she is haunted by the horrific death of her newborn sister Rebecca, whom her father left on a hillside to be "taken back by the Faerie." Then her mother suddenly leaves. In the midst of her guilt and confusion, Liza begins to have vague yet powerful visions of the future as well as the past --- a trait of the Faerie. Determined to find answers, Liza sets out on a journey to locate her mother and discover who she really is.

Joined by her friend Matthew, a boy who understands the destruction magic can cause, and her beloved cat Tallow, Liza sees the horrific remnants of war (including what happened to the victims) and uncovers the terrible truth behind the War and a surprising family secret.

Post-apocalyptic fiction, fantasy and science fiction novels have been around for centuries, but BONES OF FAERIE fuses familiar genre elements into a story that is as intriguing as it is disturbing. Literary allusions and echoes of historical events are seen and felt throughout, helping to create a mysterious world that readers can easily step into. What's surprising is that the story takes place in the near future in North America, even though it could be set in another time and location. Exploration of certain characters' motives, however, is at times limited, making it difficult to truly understand the uncertainties and hopes that they may have. Whether or not this factor is done on purpose, there is a possibility for a prequel or companion novel. Readers will get lost in the haunting vision of BONES OF FAERIE.

--- Reviewed by Sarah Sawtelle

I enjoyed Bones of Faerie, but all the way through it I just felt like something was missing. I didn't care about the characters as much as I would have liked to, and I was quite frustrated by the lack of explanation about the war. It was an important event that was mentioned time and time again, but was one that wasn't explored enough. I would have loved to hear more about the cause and effect, and why the faeries did what they did.

Saying that, there were a lot of things I liked. The different faerie mythology was interesting, and I especially liked how the trees were creatures to be feared and avoided. Allie and Liza's cat, Tallow, were my favourite characters, and I thoroughly enjoyed all of their scenes. Allie's healing was such a cool faerie power to possess and, as proven more than once, very useful too!

Overall, Bones of Faerie is an enchanting, quick read, and is a book that faerie fans will love. I'm no expert when it comes to the fey but, if asked, I would probably recommend other novels before this one.

Lately I've been a complete sucker for faery books. This probably started with Wicked Lovely, and then continued with Holly Black's Tithe trilogy.

I liked this book--for the most part. I felt that it read like a novella, meaning that while the writing was above average, the plot was too short. It starts too quickly, with no introduction to much background information, and little known about the characters prior to being thrown into "action". The "action", however, felt methodical and a little forced.

I enjoyed the characters, but wish that they were developed more. I wish the relationships were more developed as well. I got into the characters and the story and it was over. I hope that there is a sequel, because if the story ends on page 247, I don't think it's living up to it's potential.

I really liked how this book sounded... I liked it enough to buy it in hardcover--at BORDERS. That usually means that a.) someone I love told me to buy this book RIGHT. NOW. b.) I have high expectations for this book. or c.) I have a coupon! Options b.) and c.) are both applicable.

Did this book meet my expectations? Not quite. Would I buy it again? Probably in paperback. Would I recommend it? Yes, but only to people I know that like fantasy quick reads.

I really enjoyed this book. The story is based in a dystopian world in which faeries and humans have fought and destroyed the world around them. Now, the inhabitants of the world are faced with many strange things - trees that can kill them, shadows that walk around without a body, and food that does not want to be harvested from the ground. The only way the inhabitants of Liza's village know how to survive is to get rid of any magic within their town - even if it means killing young children.


When Liza realizes that she has magic, she flees her town and is thrown into a world that she has avoided for so long. Joined by a boy from her town, Matthew, with secrets of his own, they make their way to the closest city to find answers about what is happening to her and the world they live in.


Simner's characters are so well written in this story. I loved Liza - she was smart and caring and vulnerable - and her story is gripping and heart wrenching at times. With the lose of her sister and mother, Liza must find her way out into the world and bring back answers to what is happening to her. Matthew is also so well written. He has secrets that he has kept for years and sharing those secrets opens him up to so many things.


I love the post-apocalyptic world that Simner created. There is so much destruction after The War between the fae and humans and it has effected so many people in so many ways. The world feels real and the reader gets lost in it. Everything is alive and fighting back - right down to the smallest seed - fighting for survival.


I really enjoyed this book. It was a fast read that grabs your attention from the beginning. Its not like any faery stories I have read - and that's okay. The end was satisfying but left me wanting to know more about the world that Liza and Matthew live in.

Every once in awhile, a book comes along that makes me shake my head in wonder. It might be a fresh take on an old idea, or prose that sings, or characters that are so real they could bleed. Bones of Faerie is such a book, for all those reasons and many more I can't even articulate.

This is my first encounter with Simner's work, and in only the first few pages, I was struck by her stark, emotional writing. When a storyteller can bring a reader close to tears in only the first few pages, you know the book is not to be missed. Her word choice is deliberate and masterful at all times, and more than once I reread a sentence just to savor it one more time before moving on. To sum it up - wow. I have become a fast fan.

Beyond the actual writing, the story of the Bones of Faerie is equally special. Part post-apocalyptic thriller and part fantasy-adventure, the book spins the tale of Liza, a girl with one foot in two very different worlds. She lives in a place where magic has polluted the land, scarred by the Faerie War that destroyed the human world as we know it. Here -- in a land formerly known as Missouri -- the plants fight back when crops are harvested, butterflies burst into flames without warning and formerly gentle animals have been changed forever by magic. Magic is illegal and a scourge on society in this world, and magic ultimately robbed Liza of her mother and her infant sister, as well as other innocent children born tainted by enchantment. It is not to be trusted -- it is to be feared, to be reviled.

So when Liza begins to experience strange visions herself, she knows that she must run away to protect her family from shame -- and possibly, to save her life from the wrath of her abusive, magic-hating father. Liza finds herself lost in the enchanted woods, where magic has completely taken over and even the rocks on the ground aren't safe. To make matters worse, Liza is followed by a strange and ominous shadow that seems to want something from her. Fortunately, an old friend from home saves her life from the feral magic of the forest, and both are in turn rescued by a new, mysterious friend who gives them safe passage to another community that has embraced magic, and learned to live in harmony with it. Here, Liza realizes she can find answers to the mystery of her missing mother, her strange visions and the truth about the Faerie War. But first, Liza must learn to see life through new eyes, to overcome prejudice and fear, and to reevaluate the view of the world she's held since birth. As she discovers more and more about magic and its role in her history, she learns more about her past, her present and her future.

I enjoyed the breadcrumbs of the old world that Simner weaves into her dystopian fantasy. Here, coins are treasures from a forgotten world. Maps are artifacts -- renderings of a world of full of empty roads to cities that no longer exist. It's shiver-inducing, atmospheric stuff, and it's part of what makes this book really exciting.

Overall, Bones of Faerie is a beautifully imagined work that I have recommended to many friends -- even those I wouldn't refer to other "faerie" tales like Marissa Marr's Wicked Lovely books, or Julie Kagawa's delicious Iron Fae series (although I'm a huge fan of both). It's a quick read, full of potential waiting to be explored in its follow up, Faerie Winter.

Synopsis
The world has changed after the war between Faerie and humans. Plants are bloodthirsty, cities were demolished, and magic has seeped into the next generation. Liza has just suffered the loss of her baby sister, who was left on the hillside when she was born with the telltale magic taint, when her mother runs off. Liza, noticing a stirring of magic around her runs away from town and from safety in her single desire to do no harm with the magic she seems to be infected with. Accompanied by her friend Matthew, she goes on a journey to save her mother and discover what magic has in store for her.

Review
This book really reminded me of The Giver by Lois Lowry. There is a similarity in inclusiveness of the community and the fears about going "outside." I really enjoyed this book, and had a hard time putting it down. It is fairly short, 256 pages, and the story does raise many more questions than it answers. You certainly finish the book wishing for a companion novel or a continuation of Liza's story.

My Recommendation
I really enjoyed this book, though I was a bit traumatized by the death of one of the characters. I'd say go out and buy this one. 5/5 - Worth the Full Price