#13 Valiant by Holly Black
Valerie “Val” Russell doesn’t know anything about faeries. She lives a fairly normal life in the suburbs where she spen 
ds her time playing lacrosse, and hanging out with her best friend Ruth, and boyfriend Tom. That is until she discovers that Tom has been cheating on her with her own mother. Distraught, she runs to New York City, where she is taken in by a small group of squatters. From them, Val learns about the existence of faeries, and a powerful drug called Nevermore, which gives humans the power to do magic. Val doesn’t plan on spending too long in the city, but going home seems impossible, especially when she meets an intriguing troll named Ravus, who is investigating the murders of local faeries. Pulled into a strange world of powerful creatures and dangerous games, the only way that Val will be able to protect what’s become important to her is by stepping up and becoming the hero.
Valiant is the second book in Holly Black’s modern faerie tales, but it stands very well on its own. Fans of the first book, Tithe, will enjoy the similarly gritty yet magical atmosphere of Valiant. I was impressed by the setting that Black has given us here. On one hand it doesn’t glamorize what it’s like to be homeless in New York City. It’s also a great alternative for people who aren’t really into the “sexy leather clad heroine” subgenre of urban fantasy. Valiant, instead is an edgy story of dangerous faeries that takes place in an urban setting. Although I don’t mind the “leather clad heroine” type of books myself, novels like Valiant always seem a little more true to what urban fantasy was meant to be (at least in my opinion).
Holly Black also does a fantastic job of creating complex characters. It’s a fascinating journey to watch Val’s fall from innocence, and then rise to a hero. I also found the Beauty and the Beast-esque romantic storyline to be as satisfying to read as when I first picked up the book in 2005. One thing I didn’t enjoy as much on this reading was the initial set up on the book. Val’s boyfriend cheating on her with her own mother just seemed a little too soap opera this time. Luckily, once I got past that part, Valiant was just as gratifying as when I first read it almost four years ago.
Rating: four and a half stars
Length: 314 pages
Source: shelf
TBR Pile: 154 books
Similar Books: For more books about normal humans getting caught up in the world of scary faries, try Holly Black’s Tithe, and Melissa Marr’s Wicked Lovely (which I did not like, but a lot of people have enjoyed). Also, the effects of the drug “Nevermore” reminded me a bit of The Realms in Libba Bray’s Gemma Doyle books.
Other books I've read by this author: Tithe, Ironside, Kin, The Field Guide, The Seeing Stone
I'm currently reading I am the Messenger by Markus Zusak
xposted to bookish and temporaryworlds
ds her time playing lacrosse, and hanging out with her best friend Ruth, and boyfriend Tom. That is until she discovers that Tom has been cheating on her with her own mother. Distraught, she runs to New York City, where she is taken in by a small group of squatters. From them, Val learns about the existence of faeries, and a powerful drug called Nevermore, which gives humans the power to do magic. Val doesn’t plan on spending too long in the city, but going home seems impossible, especially when she meets an intriguing troll named Ravus, who is investigating the murders of local faeries. Pulled into a strange world of powerful creatures and dangerous games, the only way that Val will be able to protect what’s become important to her is by stepping up and becoming the hero.
Valiant is the second book in Holly Black’s modern faerie tales, but it stands very well on its own. Fans of the first book, Tithe, will enjoy the similarly gritty yet magical atmosphere of Valiant. I was impressed by the setting that Black has given us here. On one hand it doesn’t glamorize what it’s like to be homeless in New York City. It’s also a great alternative for people who aren’t really into the “sexy leather clad heroine” subgenre of urban fantasy. Valiant, instead is an edgy story of dangerous faeries that takes place in an urban setting. Although I don’t mind the “leather clad heroine” type of books myself, novels like Valiant always seem a little more true to what urban fantasy was meant to be (at least in my opinion).
Holly Black also does a fantastic job of creating complex characters. It’s a fascinating journey to watch Val’s fall from innocence, and then rise to a hero. I also found the Beauty and the Beast-esque romantic storyline to be as satisfying to read as when I first picked up the book in 2005. One thing I didn’t enjoy as much on this reading was the initial set up on the book. Val’s boyfriend cheating on her with her own mother just seemed a little too soap opera this time. Luckily, once I got past that part, Valiant was just as gratifying as when I first read it almost four years ago.
Rating: four and a half stars
Length: 314 pages
Source: shelf
TBR Pile: 154 books
Similar Books: For more books about normal humans getting caught up in the world of scary faries, try Holly Black’s Tithe, and Melissa Marr’s Wicked Lovely (which I did not like, but a lot of people have enjoyed). Also, the effects of the drug “Nevermore” reminded me a bit of The Realms in Libba Bray’s Gemma Doyle books.
Other books I've read by this author: Tithe, Ironside, Kin, The Field Guide, The Seeing Stone
I'm currently reading I am the Messenger by Markus Zusak
xposted to bookish and temporaryworlds