Tuesday 16 March 2010

Review: Ink Exchange - Melissa Marr

Ink Exchange by Melissa Marr
Wicked Lovely, 2

Genre: YA/Urban fantasy romance
Pages: 328
Published: 2008

 Unbeknownst to mortals, a power struggle is unfolding in a world of shadows and danger. After centuries of stability, the balance among the Faery Courts has altered, and Irial, ruler of the Dark Court, is battling to hold his rebellious and newly vulnerable fey together. If he fails, bloodshed and brutality will follow.

Seventeen-year-old Leslie knows nothing of faeries or their intrigues. When she is attracted to an eerily beautiful tattoo of eyes and wings, all she knows is that she has to have it, convinced it is a tangible symbol of changes she desperately craves for her own life.

The tattoo does bring changes; not the kind Leslie has dreamed of, but sinister, compelling changes that are more than symbolic. Those changes will bind Leslie and Irial together, drawing Leslie deeper and deeper into the faery world, unable to resist its allures, and helpless to withstand its perils.


The first book was ok, nothing to write home about. This one I liked more, but only in the aspect that it was dark.

First I do have to take up something. Irial and Niall is what like, 500 years old?  More, less? And they do not look like a teenagers either (I am thinking of you Edward). Honestly, can't they just find a woman? Instead they lust after teenage girls. When I was younger I would have liked that, cos I would have seen myself as that teenage girl in love with some older guy...now  I just look at them at semi-old dirty men who should go for someone older instead.

This is then the story about Aislinn's friend Leslie who is living in hell. She has experienced rape and abuse. This is a darker YA book. Because the world she then is thrown into is even darker with death and more. The dark court is a truly dark one that feeds on humans, and fairies alike. Here I got confused, was it supposed to be a love story? It is not like she wanted to be with Irial, that tattoo made her, so that whole sexual relationship they is then wrong, and I do not know what to think. She  likes Niall, even if he would somehow kill her if they were together. But he does keep his dark side under control, and I wish they could be together. If I have to like someone it would be him. I'd like to like Leslie, but I do not know. And I would have liked to like Irial, but absolutely no. Nothing could be more wrong that what he is doing.

Aislinn, Keenan and Seth makes a couple of appearances, and by them only Seth is still a good guy. The rest seems to, I do now know.

I did like this book, because it is how fairies is supposed to be. They are not cute and sparkling. They are wicked and they steal babies, drown people and tease and kill.

Then there was the end, or what am I saying. There was no ending. I hope Marr writes something up because after a book like this the ending seemed like..well like she reached the end, wasn't sure what to do and just did something. Still I will rather read this dark fairy books than cute YA vampire books. These have an edge to them. Even if this might have been a bit too dark, no happiness at all in the entire book.

Blodeuedd's Cover Corner: Dark and beautiful
Reason for reading: Library book
Final thoughts: Dark YA with little hope in it



24 comments:

  1. B,

    I have this one on the shelf -so I only read the part of your review where you said you liked it better than the first. :)

    Have a wonderful day.

    M

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  2. Definately my favorite in the series so far. I agree. I liked it cause it was dark. I wish her next book would have stayed in that vein.

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  3. I also liked this one better than the first. In the first half I actually felt it was quite good then I felt it went a bit downhill from there. I wasn't hooked on this series until after reading the end of Fragile Eternity. Then I really wanted to pick up the first book(but then it was almost a year until release date LOL).

    Great review =D

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  4. I have wondered that same thing (OLD men, lusting after human teens) and if you think about it more than a minute, it's pretty icky...

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  5. Yet another series I've thought about starting. Not sure I'd like a book with absolutely no happiness in it although I guess I must have read others like that at some time. I'm just not remembering them.

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  6. I feel the same way about the old vampires going after teenage girls! It's so gross. The only show I remember it being somewhat of an issue was in Buffy the Vampire Slayer... everyone else ignores it completely!

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  7. I like the 1st and the 3rd alot more and can't wait for Radiant Shadows.
    Melissa Marr has on her blog links to her free story (in 2 parts) that (I think) deals with these three characters
    http://melissa-writing.livejournal.com/

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  8. Okay, so I'll be skipping this one.

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  9. I haven't read this book for exact reason that it looks too dark for me.
    Unlike you I really enjoyed the first book in the series, and This one looked too depressing. I'll read it sooner or later but if it's too dark AND it doesn't have an ending then I won't like it lol ;)

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  10. I liked this one too, but now I can't remember if I liked it better than #1!!!! I'll keep reading the series because I'm addicted!! :)

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  11. Michelle,
    The way I usually do it too ;)
    Spoilers can be bad.

    Linda,
    It was so grim and that made it good, too bad that book 3 doesn't stay like that then.

    Ladybug,
    Hm, perhaps it went downhill as you said, but at least there was a good first part. The books do have potential

    Chris
    I try not to think about it, now when I am not a teen anymore it is just gross. When i was a teen I would see nothing wrong with it since older guys were hot, but older 1000 year old guys..yeah what is wrong with them?

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  12. Dar
    There is light at the end, but that is pretty much it.

    Aarti
    Truth be told, back then I did think it weird about her turning 16 and him being old and now they could be together or whatever happened...guess I was clever back then. I had just forgotten.

    Thanks Elain :D
    Must go and read those now

    Carol,
    perhaps you should if it doesn't sound like something for you.

    Pattepoilue
    Dark it is, much more so than book 1, and the ending, ok an ending but for me it was just blah.

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  13. Staci,
    Perhaps they were equally good :D
    Good to be addicted to a series

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  14. I totally know what you mean about the dirty old man thing. I thought that when I was reading this, too. Other than that, I think I felt the same way as you about both of the books so far. I'm still interested in reading the third one, though.

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  15. I am still deciding whether or not to read this series.

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  16. I've got the this one and the first one in my TBR...I'm not sure if I'll start them anytime soon...

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  17. I have to say that I have this one my TBR pile... You have a great review of this one. But I am agreeing with Patti.. I might not be starting them anytime soon.
    Hope all is going well honey!

    Thanks for coming to my place!! =)

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  18. Brizmus
    They are such dirty old men, but well it is fiction and they look young. And I guess a teen fairy king is not as hot.
    Will read book 3 too once day

    Nise
    Hm, can't help you there, if you find it at the library then go for it

    patti,
    They will still be there waiting in a few years lol.

    Hi Cecile
    Thanks hon! All well, and like I ever could stay away from your lovely place

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  19. I am such a big fan of the series, I love all of the books. This one was indeed dark, but very good. The description of fearies was very good. :)

    Hope you like the third book!

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  20. Nina
    Dark is good, cos it is real. And it's good they can write about that too.
    I read translations so surely they will translate book 3 some day

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  21. I agree the men just seem like really really old "dirty old men." Can't they just find a nice 400 year old woman to hang out with? LOL

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  22. DC
    Lol, yes where are all the 400 year old women?

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  23. This is one series I've been looking forward to starting. Hopefully soon. It's seems to be a YA series that young and old alike seem to enjoy.

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  24. Donna,
    I hope you'll enjoy it, the darkness it good cos the faeries are so freaky

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