I love that HarperCollins has not only made these books look so pretty, but that they have made them look so pretty together. I'm sure that it's all about the marketing and Creating A Brand, but what can I say? It works. Vair nice, as Georgia would say.
Fragile Eternity is more a sequel to Wicked Lovely than Ink Exchange. It takes place after the events of Ink Exchange, and those events do factor in greatly, but the focus of the story has shifted back to Aislinn and Seth, Keenan and Donia.
Seth and Aislinn are struggling to find a way to make their relationship work even though she is no longer a mortal; Keenan will do what's best for the Summer Court regardless of who he hurts or who he truly loves; Niall's relationship with Keenan and Aislinn has taken a serious change for the worse; and the High Court has taken an interest in the one mortal who walks with the regents of the other three courts: Seth Morgan.
I found Fragile Eternity impossible to put down. (Proof: I was so busy madly trying to finish it before work that I didn't have time to post yesterday morning.) I was so happy to get back to Seth and Aislinn's story -- and I was even more happy to get Seth's perspective on their situation. He was so steady and calm and perfect in Wicked Lovely and I loved that version of him, but it was nice to learn that he's not quite as perfect as Aislinn's perspective suggested. He works to be patient, to keep his cool, he's insecure about Aislinn's relationship with Keenan and has some serious anger issues -- but learning that about him made him all the more attractive to me, because being the steady, calm guy of Wicked Lovely is a real effort for him. He's a good person already, but he wants to be even better. I wouldn't have thought it possible, but I thought he was even more of a catch after reading this book.
Other pluses: Learning more about the High Court, spending some time in Faerie.
As a whole, though, the book seemed less of a story in its own right and more of a vehicle for through plot -- it felt like most of what happened was the pieces getting put into place, a set up for What Comes Next. It didn't have the swoon-factor of Wicked Lovely or the intensity and depth of Ink Exchange. Don't get me wrong -- I'm dying to know What Comes Next. But while I couldn't put it down because I wanted to know what would happen to these characters that I've grown to care about very much over the last couple of years, I have a hard time imagining that Fragile Eternity will go over all that well with people who haven't already read the first two books in the series.
_________________________________________________________
Previously:
Yes! That's what I couldn't put into words! I love her writing style and her story, but I felt the same way with this installment. Now, of course, I can't wait for the next one! (I knew there was a downside to getting an ARC) :-)
Posted by: Faith | 03 February 2009 at 12:39 PM
I requested the first book in this trilogy from the library last night. I will be interested to see what they are all about! It does look like a good trilogy, though. I don't want to rush and read it because the library doesn't have book three and if I have to buy book three, then I will want to own book one and two... which sort of defeats the purpose of the library!
Posted by: kailana | 03 February 2009 at 02:43 PM
Oh I want I want I want! So glad to hear that there's another one planned, too!
Posted by: Laura | 03 February 2009 at 03:57 PM
I love this cover!
Posted by: Mrs. Magoo | 03 February 2009 at 09:00 PM
i read this book and i loved!!
i am very excited about the upcoming books in the Wicked Lovely Series ;)
Posted by: mckenzie | 16 May 2009 at 03:39 PM
when i read the first book I liked it a bit and bought the other two (unfortunately). I didn't like them. What did I not like?
1) The love between the boys and the girl is too artificial. I didn't feel or believe it.
2) There isn't enough description for characters, places etc. so you can't attach yourself to the story truly. In my opinion a book should make you feel the place and feelings or whatever it tells.
It's a cold story that has lots of holes in it.
Posted by: EG | 24 May 2010 at 05:01 AM