I know, I know. Everyone else has already read this one. I'm way behind the times and a bad, bad blogger.
I'm not sorry. Like Donna Martin*, I'm glad that I waited. This book kicked me right out -- actually, not just out, but all the way to the other end of the Official Reading Scale™ into OH MY GOD ALL I WANT TO DO IS READ EVERYTHING IN SIGHT mode --of my slump.
I loved Lament. It felt new and the characters were psychologically complex (you know, like actual people**) as well as being likable and Maggie Stiefvater's version of the Fey was terrifying and dark and fascinating in that way where you know that if faced with Them, you KNOW you should walk away (if they let you), but you aren't sure if you'd actually be able to make your feet move.
Yeah. I loved Lament.
Ballad blew it right out of the water.
James and Deirdre are now at the Thornking-Ash School of Music. Less than two weeks in, James, a bagpipe prodigy, isn't really sure why the school wanted him -- or why he decided to enroll*** -- as there's no instructor at the school (or, for that matter, in the state) who is a better piper than him. But, as it turns out, sometimes there are worse things about being the best than a lack of teachers. Sometimes, that special spark can attract unwanted attention.
Balladhas: An adjustment to dorm life and to a private school***. Unrequited love and a possibly ruined best-friendship. Quiet agony, the desire for oblivion, foolish hope, expected betrayal. A self-absorbed, brilliant, sarcastic and utterly lovable hero. An unexpected heroine. A side character who I hope will have his own book at some point. Multiple murders. One-way telepathy that was surprisingly touching and sweet. The king of the dead. A swoony romance between two equals that I desperately hoped would end happily. Lovely imagery. The end of the world.
If you like stories about the dark side of Faerie, I cannot recommend this series highly enough. Read it, read it, read it. Now, now, now.
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*Sorry. I have 90210 on the brain. I'm halfway through Season Four right now, and WHY THE HELL DOES DONNA PUT UP WITH DAVID? He is the tooliest tool in the toolshed. And I hate his I LOVE CRYSTAL METH hat.
**Not like the literary equivalent of those plywood thingies at fairs with the face holes that you run into in some OTHER books.
***Well, if he was being honest with himself, he'd be able to answer that second question.
****That actually doesn't take all that long -- by day 11, James puts it: "It was funny--I'd really thought in the back of my head that a school filled with music geeks would be different from a regular high school, but really the only thing that was different was that we played out our roles according to where we sat in the orchestra. Brass players: jerks. Woodwinds: snobby cliques. Strings: overachievers with their hands up all the time. Percussion: class clowns."
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Book source: My local library.
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I know, I know, I KNOW.
James is a fabulous narrator -- and isn't Sullivan THE BOMB? I love him so much.
Definitely my favorite of all Maggie's books to date.
Posted by: R. J. Anderson | 18 March 2010 at 12:05 PM
I agree in every particular. Man, I loved this book! And James. *swoon*
Posted by: Angie | 18 March 2010 at 12:32 PM
I gave your blog an award over at my blog: http://jessica-agreatread.blogspot.com
Posted by: Jessica S. | 18 March 2010 at 01:10 PM
I totally agree--I thought Lament was just fine, but Ballad--WOW!
Posted by: Charlotte | 18 March 2010 at 01:46 PM
Okay, I might have to go and read these now. Thanks for the review!
Posted by: Nikki | 18 March 2010 at 02:27 PM
HAH. Now you see why I kept trying to force you to read it :D So glad you liked it!
Posted by: Kelia | 18 March 2010 at 02:44 PM
This makes me happy. I loved working with Maggie on this. I'm honored to have my name in this book.
Posted by: Andrew Karre | 18 March 2010 at 02:56 PM
I 100% agree. I loved Lament, but Ballad was OMFG AWESOME! One of my faves, for sure.
Posted by: LinzReads | 18 March 2010 at 05:18 PM
Yay for books that make us fall in love with reading all over again!
I actually haven't read Ballad yet, but I think I've resisted picking it up because of the cover -- for me (a Canadian) the burning red maple leaf is kinda off-putting. Silly, I know, but I really had a strong gut reaction to that image.
Boy, I feel a bit foolish admitting that.... Ah well. I expect I'll get past it & be able to enjoy the book in due time. I've heard tons of good stuff about it!
Posted by: Shari | 21 March 2010 at 06:03 PM
So glad to see the love for BALLAD and LAMENT spreading wider across the blogosphere! I loved both books immensely, and I'm a really picky reader. I really, really hope that Maggie continues this series once she's done working on all of her other books-in-progress.
Posted by: Angela Hoffman | 22 March 2010 at 07:11 PM
I actually just finished Lament (talk about late) and ordered Ballad immediately. Can't wait!
Posted by: Maureen E | 29 April 2010 at 12:47 AM