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Ballad A Gathering of Faerie A Lament Novel Maggie Stiefvater Books

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Ballad A Gathering of Faerie A Lament Novel Maggie Stiefvater Books

Prologue: I’ve read, I believe, all of Stiefvater’s novels, and I think that she an amazing writer. I am also not writing this as a teaser, so there will be reveals that you shouldn’t read before you read the first book.

That said I had a hard time getting into this book—not sure why, but perhaps because the major character from the first novel steps back and (semi-central) James becomes the pivotal character. They have moved on from their prior school to a famous high school for musicians. And they have also moved on, to some extent, from each other. Dee’s communication to James consists primarily of unsent text messages. While James is working hard to understand this new, odd school, he starts hearing music coming from the hills, and seeing and hearing one of Them who wants to become his mentor in exchange for . . . . Where is the music coming from? What does she want from James?
Read on to find (some of) the answers. Oh, and as was mentioned above, this tale has a walloping finish—two late, late nights for me.


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Ballad A Gathering of Faerie A Lament Novel Maggie Stiefvater Books Reviews

**spoilers below**

It took me a month and a half to read this book...FAR TOO LONG. I just couldn't get into it. I was still caught up on Dee and Luke and when I started reading and figured out there wasn't going to be any real closure on that relationship, I was a little saddened. I hated the character Nuala from beginning to end and by the end of the book I wasn't that fond of James either...he ended up looking like a real jerk. I understand that he was in love with Dee. But he had years to tell her and waited until she fell in love with someone else to do so (typical) Then gets pissed at her for not feeling the same way and gets frustrated at her being heartbroken over her losing Luke (I'm assuming that's what has happened if there isn't going to be a book about them). Give the girl some time and credit for what she did do. I mean she did choose to save his life (james) over Lukes
I'll admit it was wrong of her to kiss James knowing how he felt about her and then tell him she was thinking of Luke while she did it...that was a pretty crappy thing to say and do. But other than that she was nice to James even when she needed him and he was too busy obsessing about her loving him. When Dee and Luke were together she never once rubbed it in James's face the way he did with his relationship with Nuala. Yeah, we get it he was moving on but did he really have to be such a (add really bad word here)
I just really didn't much care for this book and I only read it b/c I had bought it and started it and I didn't want my money and little bit of time go to waste.
There were parts in the book that just seemed kind of stupid and silly and I just didn't get it. Like, James dies when chasing Cernunnos????? Did he drag him through water? Did he die from just touching Cernunnos? Did Cernunnos just stop running and decide to kill him? And how did Nuala die too? Or where they really dead? They whole section seemed like it was added just to help with some sort of information that needed to be passed on to the reader but it just added to my hate of this book. When and why did Dee kill Linnet? Did she really see Luke? She mentions how They tricked her...how? Too much was said and then ignored later on so that I was left hanging and wondering. Una and Brennan appeared a bit why couldn't Luke? Frustration frustration.
I guess I can see where people who are fans of James will like this book but I didn't know I was supposed to be pulling for him in the last book so I didn't really pay much attention to him until he grew a pair (too little too late)and told Dee he loved her. UGH..... This book just frustrates me and puts me in a bad mood. lol.
On a different note...the description of things was beautiful. I could picture every little thing and all the colors and I could even imagine the smells.
Since James the jerk and Nuala the (insert bad word rhyming with witch here) got a happy ending, all I can hope for it that Maggie Stiefvater will find it in her heart and creative imagination to give Dee and Luke one as well.
I know a lot of people won't agree with me on this but that's ok...it's just different opinions. but I wouldn't mind it if anyone would like to clear up any of the questions above. -)
I know a lot of the reviewers comment that this didn't live up to the first book. That Dee was a shadow of herself or the writing or story didn't flow in quite the same way... I get where they're coming from, but I don't entirely agree. This book has its own kind of beauty in it. It's different from Lament. It's a different storyline, different POV and, most significantly, the characters are different because they've been shaped by what happened in Lament. <Spoilers for Lament ahead> James nearly died and he declared his love to Dee without any response from her, then watched as she fell in love with another man. Dee chose her best friend's life over giving her true love life to be with her, thus losing him to the fairy realm. In one fell swoop she lost her best friend (because the "L" word was tossed out there and can never be taken back) and her soul mate (because to not die forever he's now stuck in fairydum somewhere).

So when we start this book, they are changed. Dee may be shell of herself, but it didn't feel like a plot device as much as a real continuation of her story, only Ballad wasn't her story, it was James's story, so that shadow was cast against the light of his tale. Yes, it was sad that Dee lost so much of herself, but I think it made sense that after being so brutally used up by the fairies and then losing so much, she had lost so much of herself. So it was probably a good thing this wasn't her POV story, because she'd lost her fight.

James is a brilliant character and I loved being in his head for this book. The first person POV shifts between him and Nuala were distinct and engaging and the storyline kept me turning the pages. In addition to the beauty of this author's prose, I love the depth of emotion, the raw humanity of it, even as we're transported to a magical world-within-our-world of fairies.

This is a definite 5 star read, in a different way than Lament, but still extraordinary and beautiful.
I can't believe it took me this long to finish this particular book of Stiefvater's. This now leaves me with only one book of hers that I have yet to read. Ballad was exactly as the name indicates. The story seemed to form it's own music in reading. What Stiefvater can do with words mesmerizes me. I am a true fan for life. I loved loved loved Nuala and James. Their characters are two of my favorite characters out of all the characters I've ever read from Stiefvater. Their story is beautiful and yet tragic at the same time. You can't help but feel their every emotion and be drawn into this wicked web that is weaved through out each chapter. Trust me when I tell you that this is a book you won't be disappointed with.
Prologue I’ve read, I believe, all of Stiefvater’s novels, and I think that she an amazing writer. I am also not writing this as a teaser, so there will be reveals that you shouldn’t read before you read the first book.

That said I had a hard time getting into this book—not sure why, but perhaps because the major character from the first novel steps back and (semi-central) James becomes the pivotal character. They have moved on from their prior school to a famous high school for musicians. And they have also moved on, to some extent, from each other. Dee’s communication to James consists primarily of unsent text messages. While James is working hard to understand this new, odd school, he starts hearing music coming from the hills, and seeing and hearing one of Them who wants to become his mentor in exchange for . . . . Where is the music coming from? What does she want from James?
Read on to find (some of) the answers. Oh, and as was mentioned above, this tale has a walloping finish—two late, late nights for me.