Faery Rebels : Spell Hunter by R.J. Anderson
Hardcover: 336 pages
Publisher: HarperCollins (April 28, 2009)
ISBN-10: 006155474X
From School Library Journal
The faery world is crumbling. During a disaster called the Sundering, these small, fragile, winged creatures lost all of their magic save that which allows them to fly, and they live inside a great oak tree, fearful of people and animals. True friendship and love are foreign to them. Worse, they are falling victim to a kind of dementia they call the Silence, and are dying. Into this picture comes Knife: tough, brave, adventurous, and soon taking on the job of Queen’s Hunter. While defending herself against an attacking crow, she is rescued and taken home by a human. Knife becomes convinced that the mystery of their lost magic and the dementia are connected to the faeries’ fear of humans and becomes committed to saving her community. The heart of the book lies in the relationship that develops between Knife and the human Paul, who is a paraplegic. Anderson draws on echoes from countless fairy tales and legends about the relationships between human men and faerie women to enrich this gripping and involving story. While the main characters are vividly drawn, some of the secondary characters and background story are sketched more hastily.
What an absolute delightful surprise this book was!
Yes it is yet another YA book, very well written, with what sounded like a lot of research into stories that concerned humans and faeries.
I adore this book.
We watch the main character, Knife, grow up in the Oak Tree always wanting to leave and see the world beyond. The Queen who works hard to keep her subjects safe, and a few other faeries that become close to Knife as she grows.
Then there is Paul… the human! (horror! haha) We first meet him briefly, as a very young lad, and then some years later in a wheelchair.
One of the things that kept putting a smirk on my face is that his name is Paul McCormick. McCormick is my maiden name! (later on the cover I read that the author RJ Anderson was schooled in New Jersey (where I am originally from)… however, much as I hate to admit this.. I never came across a single winged faery while living there.
This is a story of the Faeries survival. It is also a story of dreams coming true and of finding love in the strangest places.
The book title seemed to tell me there might be a sequel but it has a very definite ending.
It is a very fast read, and quite enjoyable. Perfect for when you don’t think you will have a lot of time to read but want something light and enjoyable.
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