Lament: The Faerie Queen's Deception by Maggie Stiefvater

Release Date: October 1, 2008
Publisher: Flux
Age Group: Young Adult
Pages: 336

Lament>noun 1. a passionate expression of grief. 2. a song, piece of music, or poem expressing grief or regret.

I pre-ordered Lament when I first heard about it a couple months ago. You can imagine my surprise when I received an email confirmation that the book was on the way a little less than a month early!! Needless to say when it showed up on my doorstep Friday, I did a little happy dance right there in front of my neighbors.

And The Story Siren even got a shout out in the novel! Okay, not exactly a shout out, but on page 102 and I quote: “You’re like a siren, leading me into dangerous places.” How cool is that!

Deirdre Monaghan is a very gifted harp player, one of the best in the nation. But she is much more than an exceptional harp player, she is also a cloverhand– one who can see faeries. The realization of this unlikely talent all happens when she meets the mysterious and dreamy Luke Dillon.

They–they fey, have noticed Dierdre as well and their attention can only spell out disaster. The Faerie Queen has sent an assassin to kill Deirdre and it’s only a matter of time before They succeed. Unsure what exactly Luke is, could he be one of Them, Dierdre battles with her desire to find the truth and her desire of Luke.

Lament is Maggie Stiefvater’s debut novel. The characters are exceptional! They are my favorite aspect of the novel! Deirdre’s character develops throughout the story and she is the embodiment of the perfect female heroine, unsure, imperfect, smart and real. Luke’s role as the tragic hero is perfectly written. I relished in the satire and witty comments of Deirdre’s best friend James, he may just be my favorite character along with Deirdre’s tell it like it is grandmother. The villains, while not prominent in the entire novel still stood out within the story, and left a lasting impression.

Although the fey are somewhat common in literature, I loved Stiefvater’s take! I also enjoyed the musical element that was displayed throughout the novel, it added so much to the novel. The plot itself was paced well and was thoroughly engaging! I had a very hard time putting this book down, even when I really needed to!! Lament has a little bit of everything; suspense, romance, intrigue, and action. The bittersweet ending will leave you yearning for more. Watch out Melissa Marr and Holly Black, there is a new faerie Queen in town!

Ballad the sequel to Lament will be available fall 2009! I can’t wait!

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