This powerful and original fantasy novel is written by Laini Taylor, a relative newcomer to the author scene. Her first book, Blackbringer, begins the "Faeries of the Dreamdark" series.
Magpie Windwitch is the granddaughter of the west wind, which may explain her roving soul and daredevil antics. She travels with a band of rollicking crows, and leads them through adventures where they search for laughter, treasure, and snags.
Snags are bad spirits, monsters, or escaped devils that live to cause havoc and torment the living. There are many small devils in the world - Magpie should know, for her speciality is hunting them down. But now there are larger evils creeping back into the world, from times long past...and Magpie may be the only hope of imprisoning them again.
The best part of this book is the richly imagined world of faerie. Far from the high courts of other books, this world is populated by practical brownies, resourceful sprites, and other tiny creatures with lots of moxie. I particularly loved the dialect that the author gives her faeries. They speak in a sort of gaelic slang that heightens the sense of being right inside this fantasy world.
Those who love high fantasy's tales of good against evil (e.g. Lord of the Rings, etc) will find lots to like in this tale, and will want to read the next title: Silksinger (just as good!).
Fantasy
Grades 9-12
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