The Falconer
Ratings36
Average rating3.4
A rarity with me–I actually finished reading a one-star book. I did not like this one, but it held enough interest with me to finish it. I was going to rate it a two star book until the very end. I didn't care enough about the characters or the problems within the book to feel invested... then the author finished on a cliff hanger at the climax of the entire story. Instead of making me feel invested and interested, it immediately turned me off from the story, making me feel like I had just wasted all of my time for a point that would only come in the second book (and I'm assuming it would start off as slow as this book did).
The fae were the only thing interesting. The fact that the character was a lady in the Victorian London was incredibly boring. The MC literally knew the world was going to end and just... went dress shopping for her wedding, because she has to keep up appearances with 19th century social circles. Absolutely boring.
Not great. Interesting Fae mythology and things, but ultimately, not worth anyone's time.
Next.
Pros: interesting world, complex protagonist
Cons: protagonist didn't consider consequences
A year ago Aileana Kameron's mother was killed in front of her by a fae. No longer the social debutant she once was, XX now fights the fair folk at night, social engagements notwithstanding. But her reputation is suffering and her father's patience is almost gone. Soon she will have to choose her future, or have it decided for her.
While I sympathized with Aileana's history, I didn't particularly like her as a character. Her desire to kill the fae was treated very much like a drug addiction and it was hard seeing her losing her life to this obsession. I really liked her mechanical tinkering and would have enjoyed learning more about her various inventions. I was surprised by how little she thought about the consequences of her actions. Her reputation aside, the fact that she throws a bomb at monsters on a bridge in one scene with no thought of what destroying the bridge means for the city (or what kind of destruction her bomb could do in general before using it) showed how young and unprepared she was.
I liked that her best friend played a decent role in the book, and that female friendship was seen as an important factor in her life (something that's often overlooked in SFF in general).
The book is set in an alternate Scotland, where the fair folk are real but most people don't believe in them anymore. Only a few people, like Aileana can see them (with or without aid). The city felt like a vibrant place and the descriptions were very nice.
The romance aspects came up late in the book and were fairly subdued. So subdued in fact that I was actually shipping the wrong couple and was left surprised by the protagonist's choices near the end.
The book ends in a cliffhanger, and it's been a long time since I've read one of those. It was a very exciting scene so I turned the page in anticipation of the climax only to find the glossary.
It was an engaging story, fast paced with a fair amount of action.
"Crimson suits you best."
Such a seemingly innocuous comment haunts Aileana Kameron both waking and sleeping, because it was spoken to her by the faery that killed her mother. Traumatized and hungry for revenge, she takes comfort only in hunting, killing, and devising weapons against the faeries loose in the world. Of which there seem to be more and more...
First of all, can we talk about the cover? I am absolutely in love with this cover. I want her hair. And I'm going to steal her lovely little dagger to double as a letter opener. The cover set my expectations for this book extremely high.
Expectations that were...kind of sort of met? First of all, the setting. Edinburgh. I kind of have a love affair with Scotland. Or at least the idea of Scotland that's in my mind, since I've never actually been there (sadly). I think Elizabeth May loves Scotland too, because her descriptions of Edinburgh make it sound lovely - even with the bloodthirsty faeries thrown in. Also, Aileana has this amazing, ship cabin imitation room with hidden compartments and a pixie in residence. I am supremely jealous.
Aileana herself...I kind of want to smack over the head with a 2x4. While at the same time I want to go hunt faeries with her. Every time I thought I was going to get to really like her, she would say or do something else that left me like:
And she was so, so full of herself. Confidence? She has it in spades. In fucking spades. Arrogance. Bravado. Foolhardiness. Also tendencies to the dramatic. See above face.
This is who I am: a night creature who thrives on death and destruction.
I don't yield. I don't retreat from him or let him intimidate me.
faeries
I'm beginning to realize how much our secrets define us. A few days ago, he and I would have hunted together and returned to our respective lives, the same as always. Now our boundaries are fading, and we grasp those last few secrets we still do have, because baring one's soul is so much more difficult than pretending.
is
“In the end, they couldn't avoid their true nature any more than you'd be able to. Unless I'm wrong. When you imagine yourself years from now, is it the Seer you're with? Or is it you and me, planning our next slaughter?”
Publicado originalmente: El Extraño Gato del CuentoAntes de leer el libro me tope con algunas opiniones del libro un tanto acusatorias, sobre que este libro se parecía mucho a otro, pero como no leí ese libro (del cuál no recuerdo el nombre ahora) no fue tan aterradora la afirmación, pero aún así decidí posponer su lectura. Hasta que me di cuenta que se me pasó la fecha de publicación xDLas hadas y el steampunk era una combinación a la cual no me iba a resistir, sobre todo si me lleva a la tierra misma dónde todas las historias comenzaron, Escocia. Últimamente estoy buscando nuevos escenarios reales para mis lecturas, casi siempre son algún lugar de USA, ya siento que puedo a ese país y no perderme en ninguna de las ciudades. Escocia fue un lugar genial para hacer turismo librero, sin duda ha retado a mi imaginación, la necesidad de variar era abrumadora.Y no me decepcionó, me tuvo buscando imágenes de las ciudades, las cuáles había visto muy por encima, sin prestarle mucho atención. Sobre todo al querer adaptar la Escocia de 1840 real a la Escocia de 1840 según Elizabeth May, una en la cuál existen maquinas voladoras, electricidad y bombas hechas por la protagonista que pueden hacer caer a grandes hadas y todo un puente.The Falconer me ha gustado mucho, es una historia que se ha catalogado en lo Young Adult pero lo sentí un poco más maduro, quizá sea por la protagonista quién no es una damisela en apuros, a pesar de las circunstancias que llevaron a Aileana a conocer el mundo Faerie, no puede negar que ese lado oscuro es parte de ella, quizá incluso desde mucho antes que ella lo supiera. Y eso es lo que me gustó, una protagonista que disfrute con el peligro y no ande lloriqueando por las esquinas lo cruel oh cruel de su destino. Siendo yo una persona bastante fría, encontrar una protagonista que disfrute como yo de la aventura y matanza me hace feliz. El romance, o la casi ausencia de este, es otro punto de que me encantó, es algo más de segundo plano, y es más un efecto que una consecuencia.Sólo que a pesar de todo lo bueno que pude encontrar en el libro, el final no me convenció del todo. Soy muy mala imaginando batallas y peleas, a pesar de que me gustan verlas, por lo que de vez en cuando se me hacía bastante difícil meterme del todo en la piel de Aileana. Y además todo ese de “Eres el elegido” por alguna razón, por más que era algo que ya sabía, me decepcionó un poco, creo que estaba tan contenta con la personalidad de Aileana y distraída por el lindo de Kiaran y el adorable de Derrick que en algún momento olvidé por donde es que iba la historia.Es un buen debut, de la escritora modelo. Elizabeth May ha salido en varias portadas de libros por lo que no solo los escribe, está en ellos xDTwitter Blog Pinterest Tumblr Instagram
ebbene si, mi ha preso e non sono più riuscita a staccarmi. e ora, che sono arrivata alla fine, vorrei tanto continuare.. devo sapere!
per essere un romanzo d'esordio, non si può essere cosi crudeli e terminare un romanzo sul più bello :(
le uniche cose che non mi sono piaciute sono: la prima persona e il tempo verbale usato, il presente.
per il resto, qualche piccolo confronto con la serie Fever mi è venuto naturale. ci sono svariati punti in comune, ma quest'ultima rimane comunque qualche gradino sopra.
l'elemento steampunk, seppur a me non piaccia, qui è inserito in modo consono e curioso.
complessivamente, ne consiglio la lettura! è un romanzo pieno di azione, tensione e segreti che vengono snocciolati col contagocce..maledizione, voglio sapere!