Community Reviews
I won this book in a Goodreads drawing. I only enter drawings for books that I think I will enjoy, and honestly the description of this one doesn't do it justice. I almost didn't enter, but I'm very glad that I did.
I really enjoyed this story, however I wish there had been more about the main character's magic, more discovery.
I really enjoyed this story, however I wish there had been more about the main character's magic, more discovery.
A Feather so Black pulls from Celtic mythology, it was new and unique for me. So I don’t have any critique on that aspect of it. I enjoyed the main character, Fia, she was independent and strong willed. Fia is a changeling (not quite human, not quite Folk), who is living in the human realm as the Queen’s foster daughter. Fia is eventually sent on a quest to find/save the Queen’s real daughter, who was kidnapped 12 years ago and has been in the Folk realm ever since. There is a love triangle, I’ve also heard some say it’s a love square. The first half of the book somewhat dragged for me, I had a hard time picking it up, it took me 12 days to finish. I sped through the last 40-50% though. I did not see the ending coming, I’m not sure yet if I was a fan of the ‘After’, the epilogue if you will. I will read the 2nd book when it comes out, very interested to see what comes of these characters.
My absolute favorite character in this book was Corra. Corra is a side character who doesn’t have a body, more of a spirit, and just flits around from object to object, mostly carvings on walls. When Fia comes across Corra for the first time, Corra describes themselves as such:
‘We are broken hearts and old sorrows. We are crumbling rocks and empty glasses and forgotten hallways and the tolling of the bell in the highest tower.’
Corra had a lot of great things to say, this being one of the first things, and I knew right then that this character was going to be great:
‘We tend to stray as time slips away - centuries, years, and minutes at play. No one to talk to. Well… no one who’ll stay.’
One bone I have to pick with this book was the amount of times something tasted or smelled like something… here are some examples:
’Tasted like all the things I’d told myself I didn’t want.’
‘Smell his sharp male scent of sun-warmed rock and vetiver.’
‘Scent of warm steel and spiced soap filled my nostrils.’
‘Smell his sharp, masculine scent, like sun-warmed skin and vetiver.’
’Smelled caustic, like carrion and burnt metal.’
‘Smell the sharp, spicy scent of his soap - vetiver and anise.’
’Smell - like sun-warmed metal and spicy musk.’
’Tasted of desire and resentment and wasted time.’
‘Taste of his lips - sweet as honey mead.’
‘Scent - like sun-warmed metal and spiced wine.’
‘Smelled like sunlight on grass, warm as the memory of a long-lost summer’s day.’
‘Scent of cool wind and black metal.’
’Sharp scent - like ice-chased water and cold steel.’
’Tasted like caged lightning and cold nights.’
‘Tasted like cold wind and new-forged metal.’
’Tasted blood and heat and ice-chased metal.’
‘Tasted of indescribable things - of sleepless nights and hidden desires.’
‘Inhaled the cool-bright scent of him, like moonlight and ice water.’
‘Tasted like old memories and spiced secrets.’
‘Tasted like unsung songs. Unspoken regrets. Unshed tears.’
‘Smelled like moonlight and ice water.’
Now that I’ve put this all out there you can tell the different people she is describing based on these descriptions. One part of the love triangle is ‘warm’ and the other is more ‘cold’.
This book is not for you if:
You don’t like extremely descriptive writing (as seen above with the tastes/smells).
You don’t like a glossary for words you’ve never seen or heard in your life.
I’ll leave you with one last quote:
‘It seemed brutally unfair that love did not follow the same laws of balance that nature did. Love could be offered but spurned; longed for but unrequited. Love could simply end - in heartbreak or triumph or slow, dull fade.’
My absolute favorite character in this book was Corra. Corra is a side character who doesn’t have a body, more of a spirit, and just flits around from object to object, mostly carvings on walls. When Fia comes across Corra for the first time, Corra describes themselves as such:
‘We are broken hearts and old sorrows. We are crumbling rocks and empty glasses and forgotten hallways and the tolling of the bell in the highest tower.’
Corra had a lot of great things to say, this being one of the first things, and I knew right then that this character was going to be great:
‘We tend to stray as time slips away - centuries, years, and minutes at play. No one to talk to. Well… no one who’ll stay.’
One bone I have to pick with this book was the amount of times something tasted or smelled like something… here are some examples:
’Tasted like all the things I’d told myself I didn’t want.’
‘Smell his sharp male scent of sun-warmed rock and vetiver.’
‘Scent of warm steel and spiced soap filled my nostrils.’
‘Smell his sharp, masculine scent, like sun-warmed skin and vetiver.’
’Smelled caustic, like carrion and burnt metal.’
‘Smell the sharp, spicy scent of his soap - vetiver and anise.’
’Smell - like sun-warmed metal and spicy musk.’
’Tasted of desire and resentment and wasted time.’
‘Taste of his lips - sweet as honey mead.’
‘Scent - like sun-warmed metal and spiced wine.’
‘Smelled like sunlight on grass, warm as the memory of a long-lost summer’s day.’
‘Scent of cool wind and black metal.’
’Sharp scent - like ice-chased water and cold steel.’
’Tasted like caged lightning and cold nights.’
‘Tasted like cold wind and new-forged metal.’
’Tasted blood and heat and ice-chased metal.’
‘Tasted of indescribable things - of sleepless nights and hidden desires.’
‘Inhaled the cool-bright scent of him, like moonlight and ice water.’
‘Tasted like old memories and spiced secrets.’
‘Tasted like unsung songs. Unspoken regrets. Unshed tears.’
‘Smelled like moonlight and ice water.’
Now that I’ve put this all out there you can tell the different people she is describing based on these descriptions. One part of the love triangle is ‘warm’ and the other is more ‘cold’.
This book is not for you if:
You don’t like extremely descriptive writing (as seen above with the tastes/smells).
You don’t like a glossary for words you’ve never seen or heard in your life.
I’ll leave you with one last quote:
‘It seemed brutally unfair that love did not follow the same laws of balance that nature did. Love could be offered but spurned; longed for but unrequited. Love could simply end - in heartbreak or triumph or slow, dull fade.’
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