The Treachery of Beautiful Things

Aug 26, 2012 Sam rated it 3 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: arc-or-galley, fantasy-or-paranormal, romance, fantasy

“They’re only trees. Only trees. Who’s afraid of lonely trees?”

The fantasy world in Long’s debut novel is a familiar one. With the presence of key characters such as Oberon, Titania and Puck, The Treachery of Beautiful Things becomes another faerie book among several others. Comparisons against the more notable stories in this category are inevitable. I’m sure I’m not the only one currently thinking of Julie Kagawa’s Iron Fey books, and that I wasn’t the only reader to feel the main character...more “They’re only trees. Only trees. Who’s afraid of lonely trees?”

The fantasy world in Long’s debut novel is a familiar one. With the presence of key characters such as Oberon, Titania and Puck, The Treachery of Beautiful Things becomes another faerie book among several others. Comparisons against the more notable stories in this category are inevitable. I’m sure I’m not the only one currently thinking of Julie Kagawa’s Iron Fey books, and that I wasn’t the only reader to feel the main character’s plight to locate her missing brother was oddly familiar. Slight similarities aside, Long is clearly an able writer. Her prose is as magical as her setting, and with it, I believe she did a fairly commendable job crafting together an enchanting tale. Whether or not this is an exceptional enough story to stand out against its competitors, I can’t say. What I am certain of, however, is the fact that this book is intended for a very specific audience.

The Treachery of Beautiful Things is a fairy-tale, through and through. We have the innocent damsel, the pleasant love interest, and a magical world forming the backdrop of their romantic adventure. Ruth Frances Long takes a more traditional approach with this fantasy tale – it’s old-fashioned to the core and clearly crafted in such a manner for those of us who enjoy the charm of a nice story. While happily ever afters and sweet characters may be exactly what some people are looking for – and if you find yourself nodding here, I’m confident you will appreciate this book – for a large chunk of the young adult audience, I feel it may be a little too tame. Technically, there are very few aspects that can be faulted, yet still, whatever the reason, this story failed to impress. While I can praise the world-building and appreciate the various magical aspects of this book, I wish it had left a more lasting impression.

The characters themselves are likeable, yet not particularly memorable. Jenny, the protagonist, is defined in moments of admirable bravery and remarkable innocence. While it’s safe to say she is not an infuriating character, I would have personally preferred someone with a little more fire. Jack was a fraction more intriguing with his past and his role among the trees. The mystery surrounding his position was quite appealing, yet, in the end, it was Puck, the goat-like hobgoblin, who managed to capture my interest the most. Had I been fully invested in this fairy-tale-like story, then I’m sure plenty more of the characters would have stood out to me as much as Puck did.

Although this book wasn’t momentously outstanding for me, I do believe it is a well-written and imaginative tale. The main issue here is the unfortunate truth that a reader like me probably should never have picked this up. While I did enjoy parts of it well enough, I think The Treachery of Beautiful Things is far better off in another reader’s hands. Regardless, I look forward to seeing what else this author may write in the future.

(This review also appears on my blog)(less)

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Aug 11, 2012 Giselle rated it 2 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: arc, ebook, did-not-finish, fantasy

It has some good qualities and the book is not terrible, it's just not keeping my attention at all. I'm finding I don't really care for the characters still at 65% in; the MC is easily swayed and a little too "damsel in distress" for my taste, so I'm calling quits on this on. I could see those who are big fans of fantasies with faeries - the old fashioned fairy tale style - enjoying it, it just isn't for me.

As this is a DNF and I kept getting too distracted to keep much in, I won't be reviewing...more

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Aug 20, 2012 Jen (The Starry-Eyed Revue) rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: 2012-dac, faeries-fey, netgalley, blog-tour, 2012, favorites

One of the things I loved best about The Treachery of Beautiful Things was that it kept to the more traditional faerie lore -- think more A Midsummer Night s Dream and less Wings. And several favorites from the Shakespearian comedy appear in the novel, as well, making it feel as if I was visiting old friends. I love faerie stories and was glad to see that this particular tale was a return to the faerie world I’ve always known and loved, steeped in rich folklore and magical creatures.

The imagery...more

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Nov 01, 2012 Victoria rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: 2012-reads, favorites

This book confused me so much at some parts but I still loved it so, so much! I haven't really read anything that focuses solely on fae/fairies so this was a fun and interesting read!

One thing I loved most was the ending, I didn't expect it at all and it made me so happy that it literally brought tears to my eyes. So cute. (view spoiler)

Not only is the cover of the b...more

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Aug 19, 2012 Marie rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: fey, mystery, fantasy, magic, worth-a-look

Fey books don't really go down well for me but MY GOSH. I loved this!

The cover is so beautiful and intriguing and it makes you want to travel to the world it exposes. But looks can be deceitful- if it's one thing this book reinforces its that.

It's hard to distinguish right from wrong but as the wonderful and gorgeous Jack always says 'follow your heart.' and it will lead you and help you when everything seems harder.

Tom and Jenny were only children when Tom was taken 'disappearing' into the t...more Fey books don't really go down well for me but MY GOSH. I loved this!

The cover is so beautiful and intriguing and it makes you want to travel to the world it exposes. But looks can be deceitful- if it's one thing this book reinforces its that.

It's hard to distinguish right from wrong but as the wonderful and gorgeous Jack always says 'follow your heart.' and it will lead you and help you when everything seems harder.

Tom and Jenny were only children when Tom was taken 'disappearing' into the trees that seemingly snatched him and after 7 long years of being blamed for his death, attending god knows how many counselling and appointments, suffering from nightmares she cant get out of her head and living in the shadows as an outcast Jenny returns to the forest where she happens to hear Tom playing his famous music and before she knows it she too is snatched into a land elsewhere.
There she meets Jack, guardian of the edge, knight to Oberon and slave to the forest. But also there begins a journey for Jenny nit only to survive but tosave Tom, and get home. But all is not as easy as it seems.

As its not Tom the first wanted 7 years ago it was Jenny,
And Tom is not the young boy he used to be but a man.
A man whom is now Queen Titania's lover, and loyal prince. Queen Titania is King Oberon's enemy and unknown to Jenny she is to be Queen of May, Oberon's new lover however Titania also wants her as a sacrifice to the forest and to give Queen Mab who shares Titania's body, a body of her very own.
So Mab needs a new body and Oberon needs a new Queen however Jenny is not just stuck in a war between the King and Queen but is also in a battle of her very own. A battle with her feelings, as she tries to work out her growing love for Jack, the man who tricked her, saved her and protects her.

She was chosen by the forest and by Jack and she can see the fae when only the Queen of May would be.

How will she survive when the Queen wants her dead, the King wants to control her and Jack and Puck are his bound slaves? And will Tom even want to come home should she find him?

A complicated plot and a lot to keep up with. But you will not fall short of action and it will keep your attention and not even allow you to come an inch within boredom.

A very. Very, VERY, good book! (less)

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Dec 02, 2012 Madame Butterfly rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

This book was absolutely and utterly FANTASTIC!!!!!!! I loved the imagery of it and I adored the characters! Jenny was amazing! She was strong and good, but not so overbearing in her strength that it made you roll your eyes. She was a perfect herione! Jack was wonderful!

The writing was lyrical and full. I could feel the forest all around me and see the beautiful fae creatures! The plot was wonderfully done and kept me reading and guessing the whole time. This book conveyed the ancient and new ve...more

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Mar 23, 2012 Deidra (Simply Books) rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: net-galleys

(One of) My Favorite Line(s): ""Beware a kiss," he told her. "Kisses are powerful things. You expose a part of your soul.""

Why I Loved It: Now I first requested this book because it sounded a bit like the Iron Fey series. I'll admit, I still haven't finished that series yet, but I really loved the first book in the series. So I thought, why not? And I'm so glad that I pushed request. Due to a research paper that is due Monday, I was supposed to be working on that. True reading a novel is always...more

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Aug 13, 2012 Lis (The reader lines) rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: arc, amazing-covers

I have to admit that the first time I read the summary for this book I thought about The Iron Fey series, which I love a lot. But while I started reading I was like... excited! It isn't any alike. You can think that after reading tons of books about fae, you can get bored, but I didn't. The world created by Ruth is exquisit and charming.

Yeah, you'll read again about Oberon, Titania, Puck y Mab, but HELL!!! They're not the same you read before the so beautiful it hurts to see, and so terrorific...more I have to admit that the first time I read the summary for this book I thought about The Iron Fey series, which I love a lot. But while I started reading I was like... excited! It isn't any alike. You can think that after reading tons of books about fae, you can get bored, but I didn't. The world created by Ruth is exquisit and charming.

Yeah, you'll read again about Oberon, Titania, Puck y Mab, but HELL!!! They're not the same you read before the so beautiful it hurts to see, and so terrorific it hurts to think.
Like you can read in the summary, Jenny comes to the Faerie word with the intention to take her brother's back. What she didn't thought was all the think that could happen to her there. All the treats, and the fear, all the pain, and also, all the love.
The characters are something magical, like taken from a book wrote years before on golden pages. They're totally different, almost unreal, but so real at the same time.
See? I can't be focus, I just finished it and I'm still thrilled and absolutely in love.

The heroine: Jenny is brave. That's the only word I can think of to start talking about her. I swear I don't remember any moment to dissapoint about her, of crying and so damn drama. She is a strong character. Selfless and mature.

The crush of the book: Jack... Okay, I am weird so I'll say that when I read his description I "run" to google to search "his kind of eyes" and I loved it, that was the first thing I loved about him. But then, comes to most. He is protective but not the boring and suffocating kind. He is just really lovely and good... and well, misterious.

The villians: Mab and Oberon... Oh surprise, yeah, they were the villians.. but heck, forget about the other Mab and Oberon you met before. They're are a new kind of malevolence. Don't want to say more, because I want YOU to meet them!

In fact, all about this book is great, very complete and beautiful.
It has all the things you want in a YA book: action, romance, a little of drama, amazing characters, a very well created universe, powerful writing-style, and a great plot.(less)

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May 05, 2012 Kimberly Souza rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition

“The treachery of beautiful things”, by Ruth Frances Long is published by Dial Books and is set to be released August 16, 2012.

I was doing some browsing on Goodreads when I came across this book. The cover art is beautiful and when I read the description I was very interested in reading it.

“The treachery of beautiful things” starts off with a young brother and sister (Jenny and Tom) walking home from music lessons (Tom is gifted with the flute). They decide to take a shortcut by some woods an...more “The treachery of beautiful things”, by Ruth Frances Long is published by Dial Books and is set to be released August 16, 2012.

I was doing some browsing on Goodreads when I came across this book. The cover art is beautiful and when I read the description I was very interested in reading it.

“The treachery of beautiful things” starts off with a young brother and sister (Jenny and Tom) walking home from music lessons (Tom is gifted with the flute). They decide to take a shortcut by some woods and Tom is taken by something in the forest. Jenny, scarred by the abduction and unable to reasonably explain what happened to Tom to her parents, is sent away to attend school and get counsiling.

Seven years pass and the story really begins. Jenny returns to the woods determined to find Tom and bring him home. She enters the forest only to find that she has crossed the border from the human world into the fae realm. She soon encounters Jack o’ the forest, a border guardian, and puck the hobgoblin (aka Robin Goodfellow). Jenny struggles with the reality of what is happening or rather the fantasy of it, but she is not deterred. Jack and Puck very reluctantly agree to help her after trying numerous times to get her back over the border. Let’s not forget the evil Queen Mab, King Oberon, the queen’s piper, blood drinking redcaps, maneating trees, and evil water fae.

It didn’t take me any time at all to get fully invested in this story. I liked Jenny, which is saying something because I usually find myself disliking the main female character in teen books. She didn’t do a lot of senseless whining and fit throwing, and she stuck to her guns. Don’t get me wrong, she did make some stupid choices and I had a few moments where I wanted to smack her, but overall she was a good lead character.

Jack was my favorite character in this book. He was well written and very complex. He struggles to follow his heart while battling Queen Mab and King Oberon, who are both out to get Jenny under their control. Jack finds himself wanting to be close to Jenny but knows that he needs to get her home and out of danger. He is written in a way that shows you he isn’t human, but he still wants to be free and to be the master of his own heart.

In “The treachery of beautiful things”, Puck is mischevious and not entirely trustworthy, but he is a great supporing character. This book is filled with some pretty creepy fae that will make you glad you aren’t alone in a forest with them. The romance between Jack and Jenny is subtle and in no way the main plot in this book.

Filled with beautiful descriptions and a not so fluffy take on fairies, “The treachery of beautiful things” is a lovely book that is a must read for anyone who likes teen fantasy books. This book seems to be a stand alone title, but I would love to see another title set in this world. Ruth Frances Long is an author to watch, and her books have a place on my favorite’s shelf.
(less)

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Mar 31, 2012 Julianna Helms marked it as to-read · review of another edition

Shelves: bam-covers, own-arc, e-stuff

YES! GOT APPROVED ON NG! :D

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Jan 07, 2013 Jessica rated it 2 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Throughout the first half of this book I thought I would be giving it more than 2 stars. But as I continued to read, the light-hearted whimsy and allure of romance that kept me turning pages became overshadowed by the book's flaws.

The flaws, in my opinion, are as follows:

The main character, Jenny, is not very likable. Mostly she is a very one-dimensional character, and so there really wasn't much there to like or dislike. But what WAS there was rather whiny. And kind of stupid. The author fore...more

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Aug 06, 2012 Brandi rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: so-amazing, arc, care-of-magical-creatures, defense-against-the-dark-arts

A Quick Note: I will have Ruth over on my blog, Bound 2 Astound, for an interview on August 16th! She will be giving away a copy of this book. (The giveaway will last through August 31st.) Feel free to stop by and enter to win!
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"The trees had swallowed Tom whole...."

Seven years have passed since Jenny's brother disappeared. But even after all this time, Jenny can't forget that night. Nobody will believe her, but she knows the truth: A monstrous cr...more

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Dec 18, 2012 Annie rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: young-adult, fantasy, wishlist

This is like a fairy tale. And there are so few books that are original stories that are like classic fairy tales in form and language and feel. But from the opening pages this has the weight and lyricism and beauty and darkness of a fairy tale.

I can't say I loved Jenny as a heroine. But I liked her stubbornness and I really liked that she wasn't naive or foolish; or when she was it served her. Jack is a great tragic hero and he's easy to like. The romance was a little thin but once they came to...more

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Aug 06, 2012 Jessi Larie rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: prettiest-covers

4.5/5

From my blog Auntie Spinelli Reads

"This place isn't beautiful. It's two-faced and treacherous, and so is everything here."

Aside from the Fever series by Karen Marie Moning and Iron Fey by Julie Kagawa, this is one of the top books I've read about fae! I didn't love it necessarily, but I really really liked it! And to be honest, I didn't expect to enjoy it half as much as I actually did. I'm kinda picky about faerie stories, and let's face it, there's a lot of mediocre stories about fae. But...more

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Mar 17, 2013 Alyssa (Books Take You Places) rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: wishlist

Originally reviewed on Books Take You Places.

As Jenny and her brother Tom were walking through the woods on their way home one day, her brother was taken by the woods. That’s right, he wasn’t abducted in the sense you would think, but quite literally, the woods reached out and swallowed him whole. Before Jenny is able to leave for college she comes to the conclusion that she must make peace with the woods, so she travels back to the place where her brother was taken, and is then taken by the woo...more Originally reviewed on Books Take You Places.

As Jenny and her brother Tom were walking through the woods on their way home one day, her brother was taken by the woods. That’s right, he wasn’t abducted in the sense you would think, but quite literally, the woods reached out and swallowed him whole. Before Jenny is able to leave for college she comes to the conclusion that she must make peace with the woods, so she travels back to the place where her brother was taken, and is then taken by the woods herself.

Thankfully (in my opinion) Jenny finds herself in the land of faerie and finds that her brother is now a grown man, and the lover of Queen Titania. Jack and Puck (yes – that Puck) do their best to convince her to leave the wood but she refuses, determined to rescue her brother before leaving. Thankfully she is not on her own as Jack and Puck realize that she isn’t leaving and therefore do their best to keep her safe.

I loved these characters. Jenny was determined and intelligent, but also flawed. She found herself in trouble and did her best to finagle her way out of tricky situations but I found her distress believable as she did need saving on more than one occasion. Jack o’ the forest was quite possibly my favorite. He was complicated in the sense that he believed (and some could argue) that he was not the hero of a tale, but a man bound by duty who did not always fall on the pure side of the line. Additionally, I found their romance to be believable and fun to watch unfold. It wasn’t instantaneous, but sweet and not without fault. More importantly, though the novel didn’t revolve around their romance, it was still a subtle, yet important aspect and fleshed out the novel beautifully. I was particularly fond of Puck, who you may remember from Shakespeare’s A Midsummer Night’s Dream. He was the same mischievous, and fun character that I remembered but I found him to be more layered in this novel. I don’t know what it is but when he did something “good” I found my heart skip a beat a little. I liked what the author did with her secondary characters, Tom was extremely interesting in how his music took an important role in creating his character. Titania was fiercer and slightly more evil than I remember (for reasons I can’t divulge here), she was more in charge of Oberon, who truly just seemed to love the queen and be at a loss on what to do with (and without) her.

“Beware a kiss, he told her. Kisses are powerful things. You expose part of your soul.”

It is really not question that I was bound to adore The Treachery of Beautiful Things. I mean, lets be serious, any novel that has characters from Shakespeare’s plays is bound to be an Alyssa book, not to mention the swoons, and hello? The whole thing takes place in a forest. I LOVE FORESTS. Now, don’t misunderstand me, I loved the book for those reasons but I am no fool, there has to be some uniqueness in a novel for me to have full out adoration, and friends, The Treachery of Beautiful Things has all of those things! The fey world was beautiful, intricate, and at times a tad creepy, the characters were layered and interesting, not once was I bored while reading throughout this novel. I do have to be up front here and say that though I did appreciate the way the novel ended, it wasn’t how I pictured it in my mind, nor was it the ideal ending that I had hoped for. That isn’t to say it wasn’t appropriate or lovely, because it definitely was.

Ruth Frances Long writes glorious prose, she has an innate ability to weave words together to create something magical and I can hardly wait to see what she write next, though I must admit I would like some more Jack, please!!(less)

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Feb 15, 2013 Tabitha the Pabkins rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: fey-fairies, debut, fantasy, for-review

A fairy tale, vividly told and painfully sweet.

The Treachery of Beautiful Things took a few chapters to suck me in but once it did I was hooked. I attribute this to the very descriptive writing style. While it paints the scene so well, I personally have a bad habit of getting inpatient sand wanting to skim ahead to juicer parts. So depending on the readers tastes that definitely could work for or against the story.

Jenny is a young girl about to start college, but she returns to a forested area i...more A fairy tale, vividly told and painfully sweet.

The Treachery of Beautiful Things took a few chapters to suck me in but once it did I was hooked. I attribute this to the very descriptive writing style. While it paints the scene so well, I personally have a bad habit of getting inpatient sand wanting to skim ahead to juicer parts. So depending on the readers tastes that definitely could work for or against the story.

Jenny is a young girl about to start college, but she returns to a forested area in her home town where she witnessed her brother get abducted by the trees and a Greenman seven years earlier. After years of ridicule from claiming the trees kidnapped her brother and lots of therapy she has come back to say goodbye and let go of her brother Tom.

Tom had been a young musical prodigy. The night he was taken he was playing his flute for her as they walked home through the woods. She hears this same melody being played today in the woods and dashes off into the trees swearing to herself it must be him.

So her adventure begins when she finds herself in the Realm of the fae and meets Jack o’ the Forest and Puck!
Honestly, I didn’t expect the story that I got. I was pleasantly surprised when the points of view went back and forth from Jenny and Jack. I love reading from different view points. I felt Jack was brought to life wonderfully, fighting an impossible internal battle, he was a perfect tragic character, that I couldn’t help loving. Now, Jenny could have used a bit more fleshing out in the character development and progression department but ultimately both characters captured my concern and interest.

My favorite part about The Treachery of Beautiful Things was that it ended up being a love story but completely without being a romance! I adore how the author was able to pull that off. I can’t stand overly sappy YA romance, with instant love, and oodles of teenage hormonal angst. This had none of that for me. The relationship was built and slowly strengthened the entire book, until it was something you could really believe meant something to both of them.

It was action, adventure, heartache, discovery, mystery, dark fairytale, and love story all rolled into one nice quick read!(less)

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Apr 29, 2012 Kat Kennedy rated it 2 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: kat-s-book-reviews, fun-fantasy, to-ya-or-not-to-ya, the-great-shelf-of-meh, urban-fantasy-woot, ya-pnr-maddness

For me, sometimes I rate a book because, objectively, it's just a really bad book with limited literary quality. This is not an objective rating and I need to reinforce that before we continue. It is a subjective reflection on my personal reading experience.

Because the first half of the book, that I read, wasn't necessarily a poorly written book. If you like fairy fantasy then you will probably enjoy it. I, for one, enjoy fairies - but not this kind of fairy story, and it's not the author's fau...more

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Jun 28, 2012 Coranne (The Best Books Ever) rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: finished-need-review

The Cover: If you didn't know this already- The Treachery of Beautiful Things has a very similar cover to The Hedgewitch Queen (Sarah will be reviewing that book soon). Although it always disappoints me when one of the Big 6 Publishers uses stock photos that have been used before- I appreciate the fact that they changed the picture enough that it looks different. I love the flowers that they put all over the cover, and I love that it ties in with the storyline somewhat. It is a very beautiful co...more The Cover: If you didn't know this already- The Treachery of Beautiful Things has a very similar cover to The Hedgewitch Queen (Sarah will be reviewing that book soon). Although it always disappoints me when one of the Big 6 Publishers uses stock photos that have been used before- I appreciate the fact that they changed the picture enough that it looks different. I love the flowers that they put all over the cover, and I love that it ties in with the storyline somewhat. It is a very beautiful cover, but I just wish it wasn't a stock picture.

The Characters: I wasn't really a fan of Jenny's character in the beginning. She felt a little superficial and a little too wide eyed and innocent. I have to say, though, that I thought the author developed the main character incredibly well. I loved Jack and the mystery surrounding him. And can I say how awesome it is for the hero of the book to not be some brooding bad boy? Seriously awesome. Jenny and Jack's development together felt naturally paced and believable (well as believable as fae can be). I loved Titania's character in this book, and I loved the conflict that Tom went through. The characters in this book really stood out and made me care about what happened.

The Story: This book was like a piece of triple chocolate poundcake- you know the kind with the little chocolate shavings. You stare at the cake and take one little piece and suddenly you find yourself in front of a platter covered in crumbs and you feel satisfied and a little guilty? That is this book.

The story starts off in the past, telling the story of how Jenny's big brother Tom was swallowed by the trees. Jenny has been a little off ever since- not crazy, but when you go through a trauma like that, you can't help but be affected. Jenny makes her way into the forest after hearing Tom's music (he is a flute player). She becomes hopelessly lost and finds herself in grave danger. The fae are completely intermingled in this story- and this is a fae book that uses Oberon and Titania, rather than a fae kingdom created by the author (however, there is a great deal created by the author- but alas, that is spoilerish!) I appreciate that the author doesn't explain things. It is helpful for the reader to at least know who Titania and Oberon are, and have a basic understanding of fae kingdoms. As someone who has read many fae books, I appreciated not having a page of "explaining" about all of this to skip through. This is hands down one of the best fae books I have read.

This book absolutely reads like a fairy tale. It has adventure, passion, and a satisfying ending- no major cliffhangers here (thank goodness!) I loved the classic-ness of this tale. It was wonderful reading this book and experiencing the same feelings I had when I read Beauty and the Beast or Sleeping Beauty for the first time. The book has magic and shares that magic and wonder with the reader. I loved all the twists and turns in this story- every time I thought I had predicted the next scene I was wrong! The characters are brave and fight for what they believe in.

All in all, this was a fabulous book and I hope that you put it on your "to read" list. Ruth Long is an author to watch- and personally I can't wait to read more!(less)

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Oct 15, 2012 Mandy rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: ya-fantasy

Oh my goodness, this book was...beautiful. Just beautiful. Absolutely lovely.

I loved the characters, loved the plot, loved this Faerie world the author created. It was so very real. So potent.

Couldn't put it down.

I love the ending. I love how it ties up and doesn't leave you hanging. It is a stand-alone novel.

I see no reason to give yet another overview of the book, and I think that'd kind of spoil it anyway. It'd be difficult to describe. Definitely recommend it. A must-read!

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Dec 25, 2012 Cable rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: fairy-tales, fairytales, choices, kingdoms, relationships, romance, prince

Interesting insight into fairy realm seen from the human perspective of Jenny Wren who is on a quest to save her brother, the queen's piper, stolen seven years ago. Jenny's courage and conscious help distinguish herself from the fairy folk's actions because she cares. Simply put, she has a heart, unlike her guide, Jack of the Forest. Romance entails among characters, but some not always predictable. Adventure around each corner. Only lament is that the rules of the realm were more forthright. Se...more

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May 13, 2013 Khanh rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: fairies, ya, tstl, quest, siblings

The Treachery of Beautiful Things is a beautifully written book, marvelously atmospheric, but bogged down by foolish characters and a confusing ending.

Jenny is Tom's little sister; she adores him with a child's hero-worship for an older sibling. Tom is the favored child, tremendously talented with the flute, and when he disappears into the trees one day, Jenny and their family is never the same. She can't recall what happened, except to say that Tom got eaten by trees. Her parents never get over...more

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Feb 05, 2013 Naomi Lynch added it · review of another edition

Shelves: must-reads-for-2013-x

Jenny’s story is a bit sad. On her way home from a music lesson with her brother, the trees reached out and stole him from her. Of course, anyone she tells this story to deems her crazy or fanciful. Seven years later, as Jenny is preparing to go off to college, she goes to the forest that took her brother so long ago in hopes of making peace with his disappearance and saying a final goodbye to the brother she loved so much. Turns out, the forest wants her, too.

Once in the Faerie Realm, Jenny’s o...more

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Dec 19, 2012 Gillyb rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

I admit I had trouble getting sucked into this book. It took me a while to read, which is hardly ever the case for me. It was almost like the words were too beautiful, the images too intensely vivid, that I couldn’t find my footing. We’re thrust straight into the fae world without getting grounded in Jenny’s life in the real world first. We know she’s traumatized from watching the forest steal her brother. Her parents are grief-stricken and everyone thinks she’s crazy. I think I required at lea...more I admit I had trouble getting sucked into this book. It took me a while to read, which is hardly ever the case for me. It was almost like the words were too beautiful, the images too intensely vivid, that I couldn’t find my footing. We’re thrust straight into the fae world without getting grounded in Jenny’s life in the real world first. We know she’s traumatized from watching the forest steal her brother. Her parents are grief-stricken and everyone thinks she’s crazy. I think I required at least one scene in which these things were shown.

But then it was like the book worked its magic on me. I LOVE the fairy world. Long’s descriptions… exquisite doesn’t even begin to cover it. I could see it. She paints a picture so beautiful and so creepy all at the same time. Nothing and no one is truly trustworthy. Motives are tangled. Everyone’s a trickster. It was intensely confusing at times, but I think it was meant to be. These aren’t you average fairy tale fairies. Approach these fae folk at your own peril.

And I fell in love with Jack. Jack is the best. We get to know him so well, and he’s so full of heart and feeling, despite the fact that he’s not human and doesn’t have a heart. Plus he’s HOT, which is a weird thing to say about a guy dressed in leaves, but there it is. Jenny is strong and stubborn and plucky, even if I wanted to know a bit more about her, particularly about her life at home. But you sympathize with her completely. She’s here to get her brother. At all costs.

Jack and Jenny’s relationship is complex and beautiful. It tugged on my heartstrings. It’s romantic and magical and oh-so-deep. Jack is officially on my list of Bookish Boyfriends.

Everyone’s a villain in the fae world. Every legend is alive and it’s so completely creepy. I confess I’m not well-versed in this kind of folklore, and I was a bit lost in the beginning, but eventually I was able to follow along. You don’t need to be very knowledgeable about Puck and Oberon and Titania and Mab and all that to read this book (though I have read A Midsummer’s Night’s Dream, and that may have helped clarify a few things in the beginning). I found myself wanting a few more info-dumps, if that can be believed.

Long has created an amazing folktale world, capturing the darkness and treachery that lies at the heart of all our childhood tales. Things get creepy in the forest, and yet I didn’t want to leave it. Read this book if you love old English tales, romantic love, noble sacrifices, and the kind of world where it’s impossible to break and oath. I’ll be over in the corner hoping Jack o’ the Forest comes to rescue me next (it could happen).

Originally posted at Writer of Wrongs (less)

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Dec 05, 2012 Jenna St Hilaire rated it 3 of 5 stars · review of another edition

This 363-page YA standalone packs quite a blenderful of myths and literary legends, all in one tolerably cohesive puree. The heroine, apparently called after a Charles Dickens character—or perhaps the Paul McCartney song—loses her brother in an adaptation of something on the Tam Lin/Thomas the Rhymer continuum, is offered the role of May Queen, and winds up in a struggle against Oberon and a Queen Mab-possessed Titania, aided by Puck and a boy of mismatched eyes whose mythology traces from the G...more This 363-page YA standalone packs quite a blenderful of myths and literary legends, all in one tolerably cohesive puree. The heroine, apparently called after a Charles Dickens character—or perhaps the Paul McCartney song—loses her brother in an adaptation of something on the Tam Lin/Thomas the Rhymer continuum, is offered the role of May Queen, and winds up in a struggle against Oberon and a Queen Mab-possessed Titania, aided by Puck and a boy of mismatched eyes whose mythology traces from the Green Man through the Jack-in-the-box. And that's just for starters.

The mix contains some religious symbolism, too, and to be honest, I couldn't tell what the author meant by her use of Christianish baptismal imagery and self-sacrifice. At some points it seemed downright sincere, and at others, word choices hinted at subversion. I suspect its presence arises mainly from her college-level study of History of Religions and the fact that she's "a lifelong fan of fantasy, romance, and ancient mysteries", but I could be wrong.

The romance, now that I've mentioned that, was unusually sweet for a paranormal. In a genre nowadays flooded with mouthy, worldly heroines, Jenny came as a pleasant surprise: innocent, devoted, and courageous out of goodness of heart instead of mere physical bravery. Jack departed from the Unbelievable Hotness trope and was physically imperfect, conflicted, protective, and likable. Better yet, he had a quality character arc of his own.

For a modern YA novel, the story is reasonably well written, and the depiction of fairyland is visual enough to be enjoyable. The narrative begins roughly, dark and weird and a little too obvious about the title concept—the more so since the latter seemed to bear less weight on the story later on. Sure, the pretty stuff can betray you—but heck, this is fairyland; everything is a little treacherous, including the goat-legged Puck and the antlered Oberon.

While a few of the details are predictable, the plot turns are angular and unexpected and solid. One could debate that it ends over-perfectly, but I wouldn't. I frankly thought the last bit wonderful.

I did wish Tom had played more of a role in the story; the beginning signs of hardness in him, pre-abduction, were never explained as I recall. That's a small critique, though. There's a lot in this short, ostensibly light work, and to weave all the above in and leave only one plot thread noticeably loose is success indeed.(less)

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Sep 06, 2012 Pamela Kramer rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition

"The Treachery of Beautiful Things" by Ruth Frances Long is a fairy tale turned nightmare. It's also a bit confusing at the start but entrancing at the same time.

It all started when the trees swallowed Jenny's brother. Seven years later, she finally has the courage to try to find out what happened to him. But when she enters the small woods, she finds a strange and magical place. And not necessarily magical in a good way.

The horrors that await her are described in careful, gory details. The crea...more

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Aug 31, 2012 The Library Mouse rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition

I loved the cover straightaway but little did I know what I was in store for when I went past it. I spent the grand total of less than 1 chapter in our nice, normal and safe reality. Reading this book I stumbled into a world of green, brown and danger. The more beautiful something is the more treacherous and lethal it is.

Poor Jenny was initially beyond naive and it took a fair amount of trial and error for her to realise exactly, to what lengths the woodland realm she had stumbled in, was willin...more I loved the cover straightaway but little did I know what I was in store for when I went past it. I spent the grand total of less than 1 chapter in our nice, normal and safe reality. Reading this book I stumbled into a world of green, brown and danger. The more beautiful something is the more treacherous and lethal it is.

Poor Jenny was initially beyond naive and it took a fair amount of trial and error for her to realise exactly, to what lengths the woodland realm she had stumbled in, was willing to go to use her. Nevertheless she braved it all and learnt from her mistakes. What I really liked about her was how despite everything she experienced she maintained a certain level on naivety through which she continued to have a big and caring heart. For her tale, this was both her greatest weakness and strength.

Jack on the other hand was anything but naive. He was a leafy tangle of honour, vows, strength and ancient knowledge. The mystery of his true identity, wrapped up in a foliage of curses, pain and lost hearts. The more I read the more I was able to see past all the barriers, secrets and pain. Both myself and Jenny chiselled away at his story, and after some obstacles we were finally rewarded with the true roots of his tale.

As their tales entwined, like vines round a tree, I was gripped following it through even the darkest corners of the forestland of the Realm.

Ruth Frances Long had every blade of grass, tree and creature echoing evil, danger, mystery and magic through her style of writing. I felt surrounded by danger and was wary of everything I encountered, and yet it was all so enticing, as only something lethal can be.

She made me feel like I had truly stepped into her magical Realm not only by her style of writing, but also via the used language. The way the characters spoke in riddles never quite intending what they said, the meaning just beyond my grasp and understanding; was beautifully mysterious and I confess I attempted several times to decipher the true messages. This kept me going even more and was thoroughly intriguing.
It felt like a mixture of disney classics and old fairy tales, painted with a rather dark paintbrush. This tale reminded me of stories my grandmother used to tell me as a child, stories that had been told to her by her own grandmother. Thereby which adding a classic traditional feel to it I had not been expecting. I truly enjoyed how it wasn't all airy fairy, but how this magical world was actually absolutely deadly. It was absolutely refreshing.(less)

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Aug 25, 2012 Barbara rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: bullies, fairy-tales, families, fantasy, friendship, music, romance, ncbla2013

This review has been hidden because it contains spoilers. To view it, click here. When she was ten, Jenny's fourteen-year-old brother, a talented musician, disappeared in the woods, seemingly swallowed up by the trees right before her eyes. Jenny spends the next seven years trying to convince someone that what she saw was real and not a sign of mental disturbance. When she goes to the woods for the last time before heading off to college, she once again hears Tom's flute, and ends up caught in a competition between Queen Mab (also known as Tatiana) and her estranged king, Obe...more

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Aug 12, 2012 Anagha rated it 3 of 5 stars · review of another edition Recommends it for: Those who like to read YA Fantasy

I have very mixed feelings about The Treachery of Beautiful Things. I just finished it, so it's a little difficult to process, so I'll take it one thing at a time...

Plot:
I loved the theme of this novel. When Jenny revisits the forest where years ago, her brother was snatched by the forest, instead of finding closure, she finds herself drawn in also and finds that the forest is both intensely beautiful and life-threateningly treacherous. She vows to find her lost brother, if only to save her bro...more

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Aug 11, 2012 Marissa rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

What first really drew me into this novel, was the cover. It just looks so enchanting and rich with beautiful and simple colors; it invited me into the story. All in all, I feel this was a very nice tale. It kept you guessing, and was not that predictable to me. I have not read a fantasy story with Faeries in a while so this was pretty refreshing. I thought it was creative to have this other world, this forbidden realm for the main setting.

We start out with siblings, Jenny and Tom, whom were 10...more What first really drew me into this novel, was the cover. It just looks so enchanting and rich with beautiful and simple colors; it invited me into the story. All in all, I feel this was a very nice tale. It kept you guessing, and was not that predictable to me. I have not read a fantasy story with Faeries in a while so this was pretty refreshing. I thought it was creative to have this other world, this forbidden realm for the main setting.

We start out with siblings, Jenny and Tom, whom were 10 and 14 at the time, and while they were walking together in the outdoors, Tom basically got sucked and dragged by enchanted trees, and that is the last time Jenny sees her brother. Now, we fast forward to seven years, Jenny is 17, is planning to go to University, but for some reason she is brought back the place where Tom was hastily taken away. But...now she thinks she hears Tom, his music that she remembers so well; his mad skills with the flute. She thinks she's hearing stuff, but it just calls to her, and she goes farther into the forest, and is sucked in the forbidden realm. Since she is in this new world, she is convinced that Tom might still be alive, and she has to get him, from wherever he is. So on her journey, there are definitely some obstacles, but she receives some help from some sort of Guardian, Jack, but there's some stuff he's not telling her hmmm....Anyways, there are unexpected turns that start to happen, and will Jenny ever see her older brother again? How does she get away from a King and Queen that are convinced she is some sort of Queen, as what one has planned is not so nice. And then there's Jack, whom Jenny might be falling for, but what about him, what's in his...heart? Does he feel the same for her? These are all things to perhaps consider while reading, and I must say, it was just a wonderful read. There was a nice flow; writing style/language was pretty good; the characters were really well written, especially Jack (he's one to read!). By the end of this story, I found myself on the edge of my seat, and you will see why. I thought it was a beautiful ending, finishing on a happy note :) (less)

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Jul 30, 2012 BookHookup rated it 3 of 5 stars · review of another edition

This review was also posted on The Book Hookup

**This book was obtained through Net Galley, but it did not influence the review**

Celeste’s review: I’m not going to lie, the gorgeous cover just drew me in. The first pages were as descriptive as the picture on the cover! The forest was exactly as I’d imagine a beautiful, yet creepy and very dangerous forest. One that was dangerous enough to literally engulf Jenny’s brother 7 years ago. Very cool, right? YES! So now Jenny is 17 and goes back to the...more This review was also posted on The Book Hookup

**This book was obtained through Net Galley, but it did not influence the review**

Celeste’s review: I’m not going to lie, the gorgeous cover just drew me in. The first pages were as descriptive as the picture on the cover! The forest was exactly as I’d imagine a beautiful, yet creepy and very dangerous forest. One that was dangerous enough to literally engulf Jenny’s brother 7 years ago. Very cool, right? YES! So now Jenny is 17 and goes back to the spot to say goodbye and find closure, but of course this is a novel and it’s not that simple. Before we know it, Jenny herself is lured into the woods and the magic begins :)

Shortly after Jenny crosses the threshold into the Realm she meets Jack, the handsome boy who has one blue eye and one green eye. Wow! He says he is Guardian of the Edge and calls her Jenny Wren. I loved all this and was excited to see where there relationship went. However, now I was more into the middle of the book and started to get very confused. Jenny’s goal was to find her brother who had been lost to the forest 7 years ago. While that goal seems very clear, there were so many other things going on that clouded it for me and I couldn’t follow very well. However, I still knew Jenny’s main goal and there was just something about Jack that I liked and wanted to trust, so I kept reading.

We meet many more fae folk, as well as a king and queen along the way. Every one has their own tie to Jack and to Jenny, and everyone is bound to someone and talks in riddles. Jenny, and I, the reader, had to wade through this to see what is true.

The ending redeemed the book in many ways for me as there was quite a bit of action and many details became clearer…but not everything. I’m not sure if there was missing information or I was supposed to be able to figure things out…either way I still felt lost. I am also not sure how much I felt the chemistry of the romance….or exactly the nature of all the relationships in the book. But then it seemed many things were left out. The ending itself did tie up things very nicely, but at the same time happened very quickly. It was a great story line with a lot of promise, I just needed some of the blanks filled in for me which I think would have helped it to flow better.(less)

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