Ballad: A Gathering of Faerie (Books of Faerie, #2) by Maggie Stiefvater

Dec 12, 2010 oliviasbooks rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: young-adult-fiction, urban-fantasy-paranormal, faeries-elves-pixies, read-2010, stays-with-me, love-story-romance, low-expectations, beautiful-writing, male-point-of-view, boarding-school-plot

4,5 stars!! I am quite overwelmed by how much I liked Ballad, since after reading Lament I expected a sequel that would also barely make it into the "It-was-enjoyable-but-didn't-touch-me" category. In most cases sequels even take a slight - or not so slight - drop for me. Surprisingly Ballad turned out to be what I wished Lament had been: A beautiful but eerie story in which humans meet dangerous, but alluring and likable faeries. Both worlds are shaken up. Both main characters change because of...more

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Oct 11, 2009 Kristi (The Story Siren) rated it 5 of 5 stars

Shelves: own-arc, signed-arcs, books-i-own

Three words; addictive, magical, & wicked.

I've been eagerly awaiting this novel since the last pages of Lament. Eagerly awaiting to fulfill my craving of James, I mean! Ballad, although could be considered a sequel to Lament, is more of a companion novel. Let me just say that Ballad finally (finally!) satisfies that insatiable hunger for James, after that enticing, all to short, glimpse during Lament. And can I say, that I only love him more. His witty retorts, his one line smart ass comment...more Three words; addictive, magical, & wicked.

I've been eagerly awaiting this novel since the last pages of Lament. Eagerly awaiting to fulfill my craving of James, I mean! Ballad, although could be considered a sequel to Lament, is more of a companion novel. Let me just say that Ballad finally (finally!) satisfies that insatiable hunger for James, after that enticing, all to short, glimpse during Lament. And can I say, that I only love him more. His witty retorts, his one line smart ass comments, his idiotic t-shirts.... they only add to his charm.

Ballad is a completely different story than it's predecessor. And I don't mean that in a negative way, but it's apparent from page one, that James' story is deep. He is so much more than his humorous exterior, it's heartbreaking. The beautiful complexity of his character is unbelievable. I was in awe of that alone.

However, I cannot fail to mention the extremely talented Maggie Steifvater. I can't explain her writing. It's addictive, it almost has it's own melody, the chorus from a song that gets stuck in your head. It is absolutely beautiful, which is a completely simplistic depiction, yet there is no other word for it. It. Is. Beautiful! And the thing is, the writing for this series feels totally different than it does for Shiver. (Another one of Maggie's novels) And Shiver is beautifully written as well, but it's a different kind of beauty, am I the only one that feels this way? Maybe I'm crazy.

The story was fantastic. It alternates between James and Nuala. There are a few texts from Dee thrown in there (which I thought were crucial to the plot), but really she's sort of background music in this novel. It was fast paced, but never felt rushed. Twists and turns that I never saw coming. Entertaining as well as enjoyable.

And I'm just going to stop right there, because I could keep going, but I'm not one for a long review, and this is like the longest in my history. Needless to say, I love this series. And I loved Ballad even more. I knew there would be great things to come when I read Lament. I'm so very glad to see it a reality.
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Sep 01, 2011 Lisa rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: scholastic

Originally posted at Read Me Bookmark Me Love Me

Ballad exceeded my expectations and managed to surprise me at every turn. No longer are we focused on Dee, but on her best friend James. When he begins attending Thornking-Ash, a school for the gifted and talented, he finds himself mystified by a faerie named Nuala who just can't seem to leave him alone, and not for evil reasons either. Soon, James finds himself torn between right and wrong, friendship and love, and life and death.

I was pleasantly...more Originally posted at Read Me Bookmark Me Love Me

Ballad exceeded my expectations and managed to surprise me at every turn. No longer are we focused on Dee, but on her best friend James. When he begins attending Thornking-Ash, a school for the gifted and talented, he finds himself mystified by a faerie named Nuala who just can't seem to leave him alone, and not for evil reasons either. Soon, James finds himself torn between right and wrong, friendship and love, and life and death.

I was pleasantly surprised when Ballad broke away from Dee's narration and was told in the point of view of James. His narration was strong and enjoyable to read, a vast difference to Dee's weaker and more feminine voice. I felt that the action increased ten-fold and the novel itself moved at a fast pace, whilst still effectively developing the characters and entangling us in a variety of story lines.

Dee is largely absent in this book and makes only a few appearances at crucial moments, although the book is littered with unsent text messages from her to James. While she slowly withers away inside, due to prior events, a fire is kindling between James and Nuala, a faerie who feeds on the energies of others to survive. After a certain amount of years, she must burn alive, to be reborn without her memories. This is her last year. I found the jump between couples (Dee and Luke in Lament) to be very easy and honestly preferred this relationship a lot more. The feelings were more realistic, the romance less filled with mind games, and the stakes much higher. I quickly became emotionally invested in their journey together and found the ending to be very suitable.

The only negative about this book is Dee. After the first two meetings she had with James, I grew tired of her damsel-in-distress-I'm-so-sad attitude. Never getting over Luke, who was taken in by the faeries, she's a little unstable and a constant pain in everyone's behind. Thank goodness we didn't have to deal with her a lot! I had expected Ballad to be a continuation of Dee's story, so the complete lack of development and conclusion of her character was underwhelming.

Another great novel by Maggie Stiefvater, this author can do no wrong! Magical and romantic as always, Ballad will leave you wanting more, even after you've turned the last page. (less)

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Mar 12, 2010 Krystle rated it 2 of 5 stars

Ballad is the sequel to Lament, which I reviewed earlier. It’s got a bit of everything; romance, devious faeries, magic, and teen drama.

Maggie Stiefvater’s writing is much the same as in the previous book; pretty descriptions and a definite knowledge of mythology. There were a whole lot of new characters too and I just did not connect to any of them. Nuala while intriguing on her own with a spitfire personality, inner turmoil, and her own conflict with the fey, just did not grab me.

Seeing as how...more

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Oct 08, 2009 Heather rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: ya

Maggie Stiefvater ranks as one of my best newly discovered authors of 2009 (right up there with Patrick Ness). And it's saying something, for me, that I read two books about faeries -- never my favorite topic, especially after my Melissa Marr experience gone bad -- just to read more of her stuff, even though Lament, and Ballad are not, in some ways, as tightly written as Shiver, my hands-down favorite of hers.

But Ballad still contains her lyric prose, and better yet, a truly unique narrative voi...more Maggie Stiefvater ranks as one of my best newly discovered authors of 2009 (right up there with Patrick Ness). And it's saying something, for me, that I read two books about faeries -- never my favorite topic, especially after my Melissa Marr experience gone bad -- just to read more of her stuff, even though Lament, and Ballad are not, in some ways, as tightly written as Shiver, my hands-down favorite of hers.

But Ballad still contains her lyric prose, and better yet, a truly unique narrative voice. If you liked James in Lament, Ballad is a tribute to him. And his sarcastic, sometimes crude, commentary is a strange juxtaposition to the dreamy, bittersweet descriptions she peppered throughout Lament, and in Ballad to a lesser degree. But he works. Even if he's chasing after a killer-muse (wha??), which was only slightly less weird to me than all the harp-playing Dee did in Lament, he still works. From his commentary t-shirts to his compulsive writing-on-skin habit, this guy is someone you enjoy hearing from. Her narrative claims that he's unique, super-talented and unusually intelligent never struck me as swagger, because his own voice supports the claims.

I've heard criticism about this novel on a number of points -- Nuala's not likeable, Dee and James interact too woodenly, where the heck is Luke (spoiler alert: he makes no appearances), etc -- but I'd argue against them all. Although the plot dragged a bit in the first 100 or so pages, there's no question that Stiefvater's character interactions are planned and deliberate. In Ballad we see Dee and James coping with the trauma they experienced in Lament, and the silences and gaps develop into a telling display of just how broken the two of them have been by these events. Luke's profound absence means he's never far from your mind, and all the unanswered questions have me wondering if he'll show up in book 3. Readers are constantly directed to James' ugly scar, but much more subtly, we hear him talk about the accident and his attempts to reconcile Dee's sacrifice with the arms' length she now puts between them.

I'll agree that Nuala was, in some ways, underdeveloped. She was so similar to James that her voice was not as distinctly apart from him as some may have preferred, and I could have done with hearing a little more from her. And it was troubling to think that the strongest female character in this novel claimed she was created to be so based on what James desired. Feminism takes a small step back . . . nevertheless, Stiefvater is always about the individual making the right choice, even when it's the hardest, and in Ballad Nuala shows a fair amount of pluck and verve. In another author's hands, I'd have hated her. In Stiefvater's, she grew on me.(less)

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Jan 08, 2010 Tracy74 rated it 5 of 5 stars

Shelves: read-in-2010

Wow, I really liked this book. I wasn't sure what to expect at first. I was really hoping it was going to truly continue from where Lament left off and finished the story or at least answer some of my questions..... It did continue, but from James point of view. I really like James in Lament and loved him in Ballad. I got sucked into this story really wanting to find out what happens.
At this point I feel like I'm holding my breath with the anticipation of hearing if there will be more books in t...more

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Dec 20, 2011 Lynn rated it 4 of 5 stars

I think that the more I read by Maggie Stiefvater the more I love her books. I have found so much to appreciate about her writing. This book does not disappoint.

Be forewarned that if you read this book right after Lament you might have unfulfilled expectations. There is very little Dee and what you get of her is a very different side than in the first book. More about that in a sec. Also there is no Luke. This book if from James' perspective and takes off on a different but related direction th...more I think that the more I read by Maggie Stiefvater the more I love her books. I have found so much to appreciate about her writing. This book does not disappoint.

Be forewarned that if you read this book right after Lament you might have unfulfilled expectations. There is very little Dee and what you get of her is a very different side than in the first book. More about that in a sec. Also there is no Luke. This book if from James' perspective and takes off on a different but related direction than the first book. I think this book is more enjoyable if you take a break after reading Lament and read this one later. I enjoyed it so much more because I was prepared for the shift in narrator and focus and not pining for Dee's and Luke's story as much as if I had read this right after Lament. This allowed me to fully appreciate this story and James as a narrator and character.

There are potential mild spoilers after this so read further only if you don't mind those mild spoilers. I won't give away anything really important but some people don't want to read anything so those people beware.

One of the criticisms I had heard about for this book was involving Dee. Some people said she seemed weepy and weak. Others said she seemed like a b!#@h. I don't think that either of those criticisms are fair and here is why. It is pretty clear by the end of the book (and for me throughout the book if you pick up on the clues) that Dee is spiraling down into a deep depression and is not in a good frame of mind. She is not adjusting to the things that happened to her the prior summer. I found this very realistic. No it doesn't bring out the best in Dee, but really we are never in her head to know the depths of what she is going through. We are in James' head and thus we ache with and for him and our sympathies all lie with him. He doesn't see what is truly going on with Dee (her descent into giving up by the end=suicidal) and thus we don't totally see it either. He is understandably and rightfully hurt by the things Dee says and does. He doesn't understand how she can do/say these things nor ever seem to remember that he is hurting too. Again, we suffer with him because we are in his head and hearing everything from his perspective.

The truth is, though, that depressed people don't/can't think outside themselves very well. They are in too much pain and it is hard to see outside that cage. Compound this with the fact that Dee does love/care about James, just not in a way that matches how he loved/felt about her. She doesn't know how to relate to him or be his friend knowing how he feels about her. That is seriously hard territory to cross for a mentally healthy person, much less someone who is struggling and further more a teen. She doesn't want to involve him with the Faeries anymore either. So she takes all this stuff into herself.

I really enjoyed seeing and learning more about James. I like the way Maggie develops him and all the facets to his personality. One of the things I love about Maggie's main characters are all their facets. They seem so much more real than some of the other characters in YA I read. I also love how the male "hero"/love interests are often so different from the typical and overused YA types. You don't get some desperately beautiful bad boy that is magically tamed by the girl into someone who can finally love (but always just the one girl ever after of course). Maggie's guys can be tender/sensitive and poetic ala Sam from Shiver. They can be cocky, quirky, compulsive musicians who also suffer from some insecurities that they try and keep hidden. James is partly rebellious but also partly nerd. I love all of that about him. It made him so much more real and relatable. There is a little of James in myself so I can relate to him especially. The hero/love interests can also be silent, proud, horse whisperers who seem to be part of different species ala Sean form the Scorpio Races. You get the point.

I really hope she finishes the third book in this series. James seems to get his happy ending and Dee is left with only our hope that she can finally start to heal. It would be nice to see things move in a better direction for her and for her to have some sort of closure.(less)

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Jun 26, 2011 Kaysi rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: signed

This review has been hidden because it contains spoilers. To view it, click here. Now, I was quite excited to see this story was about James. He was a favourite in Lament - and I was just in the mood for some good sarcasm. Oh James, talented, funny, uber-sarcastic and yet, seems to be broken in some way - and this movie showed all those attributes.

I liked this more than Lament I think. I liked things from James' point of view. I did feel sorry for him a little at the end of Lament, knowing he would never get Dee - but also in saying that, at least he was alive.

First thing tha...more

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Jun 09, 2010 Sherrie Petersen rated it 5 of 5 stars

Shelves: reviewed

Nobody writes longing like Maggie Stiefvater. It clings to every page, wraps itself around your heart. Trust me. When you're done reading one of her books, you are ready to make the person laying next to you happy. Very happy.

I read Shiver last fall after Myra McEntire raved about it repeatedly. I was not disappointed. I liked it so much I bought more copies and gave them away for Christmas gifts. I told everyone I knew to read the book. Then hubby brought me Lament as a souvenir from his busine...more

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Nov 07, 2009 ~Tina~ rated it 3 of 5 stars

Shelves: fey-folk

See, I have this strange thing about me. When I read a book I put myself entirely into it. So when I read the Wicked Lovely books I was fully warped into Keenan/Seth and Ash lives. When I read Ink Exchange however, I felt lost cause it wasn't there story.
When I read Lament, again, I connected with the characters Luke and Dee.
So now comes BALLAD and again, I felt the lost of the characters that I wanted to read about.
This is only because with the Wicked Lovely books and now Lament books - I've re...more

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Jan 16, 2010 Rachel (The Rest Is Still Unwritten) rated it 5 of 5 stars

Shelves: i-own, favorites

This review has been hidden because it contains spoilers. To view it, click here. Going into this book i will admit that my expectations were high. Being a fan of Maggie Stiefvater and with Lament being one of my all time faves, i expected a lot from this book. While i was initially hesitant seeing that the story was now focused on James, but i'm happy to say my worries were not needed.
This was an excellent story. The plot itself was lovely and captivating. I love the whole world of Faerie that Maggie has created.
James had a freshness he didn't have in the first book, while...more Going into this book i will admit that my expectations were high. Being a fan of Maggie Stiefvater and with Lament being one of my all time faves, i expected a lot from this book. While i was initially hesitant seeing that the story was now focused on James, but i'm happy to say my worries were not needed.
This was an excellent story. The plot itself was lovely and captivating. I love the whole world of Faerie that Maggie has created.
James had a freshness he didn't have in the first book, while still retaining the sarcastic nature and view on life he has that make him such a unique, enjoyable character. I loved being able to see him in a whole new way and i will say my view on him is completely different than the one i had after reading Lament.
I thought Nuala was a wonderful character also, and a fitting match for James. She was feisty, witty and just has filled with sarcasm as he, himself was. I loved that she usually had a retort for the things he said. She certainly knew how to put in him in place at times. Despite their issues with each other in the beginning of the story, they both seemed to find something in each other that others hadn't before. They saw each other in a way that only they could. I think over the course of the story they both really grew as characters and no one can deny that it was because of the other. Nuala connected with James in a way that i think nobody, including Dee ever had before. She seemed to see him for exactly what he was. And it was because of James that Nuala grew into the human like, chip lovin' faerie she became. He showed her all the good things about being human and it was this that lead her to want to become a human herself.
As for Dee...well, i will say i am a tad disappointed with her. Although i understand that she's only human and everyone has their vulnerable moments and makes mistakes, i felt she just kept making bad choice after bad choice in this book. I prefer the character she was in the first book and i hope that she can find the strength to over come the hardships she's facing to be that person once again. I'll defiantly follow her on her journey....

I understood James's choice to save Dee towards the end of this book. Despite the fact that he clearly did love Nuala, and wanted to be with her, he did also love Dee and he had to do what was right. And saving Dee and stopping the evil 'homicidal faeries' was what was right. Still, praise for Paul and his sticking around to be there for Nuala while she burned.
I will say that i am happier with this ending than i was with Lament. There's more promise and hope. I'm glad that Nuala is alive (and human, i think) and that she and James can potentially have a future.

Here's the only real issue i had with Ballard....... I MISSED LUKE!! I really did! I'd love to see he and Dee be the focus in future books and perhaps have their own happy ending in the end.

I loved it and i recommend it!!!!!
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Jun 02, 2010 kari rated it 2 of 5 stars

Shelves: 2009, ya

This review has been hidden because it contains spoilers. To view it, click here. Wow, really didn't care for this one and I'm disappointed.
I was hoping this sequel was a continuation of Deirdre's story but this one is all about James and Nuala, a muse faerie who sucks the life from her sexual partners to live. Yeah, nice, huh?
James doesn't like her, isn't interested in what she has to offer until suddenly, for no apparent reason, other than it would seem he wants to make Dee unhappy, he is interested. Even though James has told Nuala he isn't interested and to leave him alon...more

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Dec 30, 2009 BOOK BUTTERFLY rated it 5 of 5 stars

Maggie' Stiefvater’s writing really is so addictive. It hooks you right from the start and seems to flow with a lyric all of its own. When I first read Lament, I was left wanting to learn more about one character in particular- James. There were quick little glimpses into his character, but not enough to satisfy my curiosity about him. I hoped that in the sequel we'd get to learn more about him. Let me just say, if you felt the same way- then Ballad will not disappoint you. Right from page one I...more Maggie' Stiefvater’s writing really is so addictive. It hooks you right from the start and seems to flow with a lyric all of its own. When I first read Lament, I was left wanting to learn more about one character in particular- James. There were quick little glimpses into his character, but not enough to satisfy my curiosity about him. I hoped that in the sequel we'd get to learn more about him. Let me just say, if you felt the same way- then Ballad will not disappoint you. Right from page one I knew that this was going to be an introspective novel. James practically jumped out of the pages and came to life for me, and I felt sad when it was over.

On the outside, James was this hilarious, talented charmer with a sarcastic sense of humor. But his character was so much more complex than that. Maggie Stiefvater enabled us to see James on a very personal, deep level. I think being allowed to get inside his head (and heart) made me fall even more in love with his character. It was almost heartbreaking at times to watch him deal with the roller coaster of emotions as Dee turned away from him and other more threatening events began to unfold. Every aspect of his personality was so endearing to me - the bag pipe playing, the smart alek one liners, the obsessive writing on his hand compulsion, his humorous t-shirts, etc. When I finished the book, I found myself actually missing James like he wasn’t just a fictional character. That’s how real his personality shown through in Ballad.
More than a companion piece than actual sequel to Lament, Ballad is told from the alternating points of view of James and an unusual faery we are introduced to named Nuala. This time around Dee is but a blip here and there- a reminder of James' painful feelings as he tries to build a life for himself at Thornking Ash and come to terms with the events of Lament. Most of the insight into what was going on with Dee was revealed through text messages typed but never sent to James. That really added a lot of suspense to the novel and was crucial to the plot. As for Nuala, she was a welcome muse for him and I found myself completely rooting for the two of them even though I knew she was potentially very dangerous for him to become involved with in any capacity whatsoever.

It’s almost like Maggie Stiefvater wrote Ballad as a love letter to James. If you liked James before, you will love him in Ballad. Maggie's writing hooks you right from the start and you become entranced in her stories and emotionally invested in her characters. I really believe it is impossible to put down a book of Maggie Stiefvater’s and walk away. With all that being said, Ballad exceeded my already high expectations by leaps and bounds. I desperately hope there will be more novels in this series.(less)

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Oct 29, 2009 Katieb (MundieMoms) rated it 3 of 5 stars

Shelves: 2009-100-book-challenge, books-i-own

Ballad starts with James and Dee at the private school for musicians. Jame's talent attracts Nuala, who just happens to be a soul snatcher (who's also a faerie muse) who finds and feeds off of those with exceptional gifts. Everyone she's been attracted to dies after she feeds on them. What neither of them excepts is to develop a relationship. I have to say that they both dish up a healthy dose of snarkiness and I love it.

James still has feelings for Dee, who's still grieving over Luke. We do ge...more Ballad starts with James and Dee at the private school for musicians. Jame's talent attracts Nuala, who just happens to be a soul snatcher (who's also a faerie muse) who finds and feeds off of those with exceptional gifts. Everyone she's been attracted to dies after she feeds on them. What neither of them excepts is to develop a relationship. I have to say that they both dish up a healthy dose of snarkiness and I love it.

James still has feelings for Dee, who's still grieving over Luke. We do get a few little mentions here and there of Luke. James's biggest worry is the fey are coming for Dee and for Nuala, and for two different reasons. Dee is the cloverhand whom the fey are drawn to and follow. Nuala is cursed to die every 16 yrs only to have to come back and not remember a thing about her last 16 years. She soon learns more about who she really is.

Now James must choose whom he will save as he comes face to face with the Queen of the Fey who wants Dee dead and the Horned King of the Dead as he's looking for his next predecessor.

I liked that some familiar characters were brought back and some lingering questions I had from Lament where answered in Ballad. Just wait till Dee's aunt comes back. She's evil and I knew she was up to no good. I also like the new characters that are introduced, as it seems like they'll be back for the third book. I am looking forward to reading the next story, as there's so much more to explore as Dee, James and those who survive the latest round of attacks from the fey will be dealing with. There's a lot of things that happen in Ballad and wow, I'm looking forward to seeing what the future holds for all of them.

I really liked that most of the book came from James's point of view and the other point of view was from Nuala. James's snarkiness and cockiness are classic (there's just something I like about snarky guys.)!! Nuala can definitely dish it right back to him. I have been so excited to read this book, but something was missing in it for me. I'm not quite sure what it is, as I totally recommend it and I can't wait for the next one!! Over all I liked it, but I wasn't in love with it like I was Lament. (less)

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Jun 12, 2013 Jules Goud rated it 4 of 5 stars

Once again, Maggie has written an amazing story.

In the second novel, we look at James in the aftermath of Lament. I have to say that I love James. He is a total smart ass and his ego couldn't fit through the door to your house but he is great! His dialogue is awesome! Brought a smile to my face!

We see that James is deeply hurt by the fact that his best friend doesn't love him and his and Dee's friendship becomes awkward. Then James meets Nuala (who is a lot like him). We see James struggle with...more

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Mar 24, 2013 Paperback Princess rated it 5 of 5 stars

Shelves: library, reviewed

This review was originally posted on Paperback Princess to view directly pls click here.

Ballad wasn't really a sequel per-se. This book concentrated on James whilst Dee only made some cameo appearances via text messages. Every 2nd chapter had text messages from Dee so we knew what was happening with her, but generally the story was about James and his introduction into the fey world. You would easily be able to read Ballad without reading Lament and you'd still be able to understand what was goi...more

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Mar 24, 2013 Loopsyloo rated it 5 of 5 stars

Ballad was amazing. I rented it from my school library, after reading Lament. It was a beautiful story with such a beautiful ending. The ending was so happy in some parts, it made the overall sadness heavier and bolder. Ballad was so magical and so thought-provoking, everytime I opened the novel to read it, I found myself lost inside with James, Nuala, Sullivan, Deidre, Luke (even though he was barely there)...

Ballad made me hunt down The Scorpio Races by Stiefvater, which let me tell you was eq...more

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Aug 05, 2012 Rhiannon Ryder rated it 5 of 5 stars

It nearly killed me waiting for the slow re-release of Lament and Ballad in their new re-prints by Scholastic. But the gorgeous new art work was well worth it. So this past Tuesday, the first mega release day of May, among my many purchases was Ballad. And even though Insurgent was in that pile of new books, I had to catch up with Dee and James first. I can't say no to a new-to-me Maggie Stiefvater read.

From the back jacket:
When his best friend, Dee, fell in love with a faerie, James realized sh...more It nearly killed me waiting for the slow re-release of Lament and Ballad in their new re-prints by Scholastic. But the gorgeous new art work was well worth it. So this past Tuesday, the first mega release day of May, among my many purchases was Ballad. And even though Insurgent was in that pile of new books, I had to catch up with Dee and James first. I can't say no to a new-to-me Maggie Stiefvater read.

From the back jacket:
When his best friend, Dee, fell in love with a faerie, James realized she'd never feel the same way about him.

Tying to escape into music, James finds himself surrounded by more faeries than ever. Before he knows it, James is trapped in a dangerous game. One where the only way to win is to betray the one you love...

Everything I loved about Lament I adored even more in Ballad. The feeling of wrongness encompassing everything going on, the dialogue, the surprising and impossible romance, it was delicious in the way that could only compete with, say, luscious caramel cheesecake. Or, you know, something else divine.

James was such an enchanting character in Lament, to be in his head this time around was such a treat. To see the faeries, Dee and the music from his perspective shone so much light on Lament it made me want to read it again, even though I only read it a couple of months ago. And of course, James was a amusing and smart-assed as ever.

"Call me," Mom said. "Later. When you're not so glib."...
"Right. I'll schedule a call when I'm thirty, then, shall I"
"Shut up." Mom's voice was fond, and for a moment I felt a tremendous, childish sensation of homesickness. "We miss you. Be careful. And call me later. Not when you're thirty."
Of all her characters he reminds me the most of Cole, who I adore, but he has his own thing as well, and I may be hard-pressed to pick a favourite. Though I am leaning towards James at the moment.

The new secondary characters were also fantastic, and it was especially interesting to see things from Nuala's perspective intermittently. The Faeries are such a huge force in this series, to be inside one of their heads, even an outsider like Nuala, added a bit of depth to the darker moments. It also gave me a bit more sympathy for their particular brand of difficulties, which will be interesting come Requiem. At least from some of the hints and reveals at the end of Ballad.

A fantastic book that totally swept me away, as per usual with Stiefvater. She's my favourite kind of bookish cheesecake, and she just proves the point a little more with everything I read of hers.

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Jul 20, 2012 Nina rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

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James, der eigentlich immer einen lockeren Spruch auf den Lippen hat, folgt seiner besten Freundin Deidre (in die er zufällig auch noch unglücklich verliebt ist) an die Musikschule "Thornking - Ash", denn zusätzlich ist er ein begnadeter Dudelsackspieler. Schon bald wird er von seinen Gefühlen für Deidre (oder "Dee") abgelenkt, denn die schöne Nuala, die leider so garnicht menschlich ist, macht ihm ein verlockendes Angebot und zieht ihn tief in die Welt der Feenwesen...
Zitate
"Ich hatte mal...more Inhalt
James, der eigentlich immer einen lockeren Spruch auf den Lippen hat, folgt seiner besten Freundin Deidre (in die er zufällig auch noch unglücklich verliebt ist) an die Musikschule "Thornking - Ash", denn zusätzlich ist er ein begnadeter Dudelsackspieler. Schon bald wird er von seinen Gefühlen für Deidre (oder "Dee") abgelenkt, denn die schöne Nuala, die leider so garnicht menschlich ist, macht ihm ein verlockendes Angebot und zieht ihn tief in die Welt der Feenwesen...
Zitate
"Ich hatte mal irgendwo von einer Studie gelesen, bei der Wissenschaftler einer Gruppe Ratten Rockmusik und einer anderen Gruppe Klassik vorgespielt hatten. An die Einzelheiten konnte ich mich nicht erinnern, aber nach ein paar Wochen stiegen die Klassikratten friedvoll die Karriereleiter empor oder trugen Birkenstocks, während die Rockratten zu Kannibalen geworden waren und sich gegenseitig in Stücke gerissen hatten. Ohne die Angabe, welche Band sich die Rockratten anhören mussten, weiß ich nicht, was das beweisen soll. Ich weiß nur: Wenn ich mir zwei Wochen lang ununterbrochen Pearl Jam anhören musste, würde ich auch meinen Zimmergenossen fressen."
"Unsterblichkeit wäre in unserer beschissenen Welt unerträglich, wenn man sie als Einziger besäße. Du müsstest Dich ständig an die vielen Jahre erinnern, in denen alle anderen nach und nach verschwunden sind. Zumindest musst Du nicht zuschauen, wie alle, die Du kennst, alt werden und sterben, während Du ewig weiterlebst."
">Der Erzengel Michael ist vom Himmel herabgekommen, und ich habe ihn gebeten: > Sage mir, wie ich meinen Freund Paul von dem Besenstil erlösen kann, welchen er verschluckt hat.< und er antwortete: > Das hier dürfte ganz nützlich sein.< Und er gab mir ein Sixpack Heineken. Frag mich nicht, warum ausgerechnet Heineken.<"
">Dein Hirn muss eine kulturelle Einöde sein. One Republic? Maroon 5? Sherryl Crow? Bist Du denn ein kleines Mädchen? Ich weiß garnicht, welche Deine Cd's ich auflegen könnte, ohne dass mir davon Brüste wachsen und ich eine Sucht nach Pralinen entwickele.<"
Fazit
"Ballade" ist der zweite Roman rund um die Feenwelt von Maggie Stiefvater. Nachdem ich Band 1 mehr oder weniger schnell verschlungen hatte, war ich natürlich gespannt, was mich im zweiten Band erwarten sollte. Dieses Mal konnten wir James als Hauptfigur betrachten, der im ersten Roman nur eine Nebenrolle gespielt hatte und so alles einmal aus einer ganz neuen Sicht betrachten.
Der Roman beginnt mit einer kurzen "Erzählung" einer Leanan Sidhe, einer besonderen Feenart. Diese ist nur sehr kurz, jedoch recht aussagekräftig, ihren Sinn findet man allerdings erst viel später in der Geschichte wieder. Das Kapitel endet mit einer SMS, die James beste Freundin Dee schreibt, jedoch niemals absendet - ein Art Kommunikation, die wir im Verlauf des Buches noch öfter antreffen werden. Stellenweise fand ich es sehr interessant, einen Einblick in das Gefühlsleben der ehemaligen Hauptperson (die dieses Mal nur noch sehr wenig auftritt) zu erhalten, andererseits konnte genau das zuweilen doch auch etwas nervig werden und als Leser dachte man irgendwann: Jetzt schick das Teil doch endlich auch mal ab!
Direkt danach beginnt James aus seiner Sicht zu erzählen und wir werden in die Geschichte hineingesaugt, die meiner Ansicht nach jedoch nur schleppend vorwärts kommt. Recht schnell begegnen wir Nuala, die von nun an irgendwie an allen Ecken und Enden zu lauern scheint, wirklich in die Feenwelt involviert oder ausreichend darüber informiert werden wir jedoch nicht. Wo ich im ersten Band an jeder Ecke einen kleinen Spannungsbogen sah, so musste ich in diesem Roman eher danach suchen, auch wenn die Geschichte im wesentlich garnicht mal so uninteressant war, der "Fortschritt" beruhte bei diesem Roman aber eher auf der Gefühlsebene und bezog sich am ehesten auf den Konflikt, dem sich James mit seinen Gefühlen für Deidre und Nuala's Anziehungskraft gegenüber stellen muss. Die Musik rückt hier noch wesentlich mehr in den Vordergrund als im Vorgänger, trotzdem fügt sie sich nur mäßig ins Geschehen ein und alles wirkt manchmal etwas gezwungen und aufgesetzt. Als man dann die Gesänge des "Dornenkönig's" - dem König der Toten vernimmt, der dann auch noch eine zentrale Rolle in der Geschichte spielen soll, wird man eher etwas überfahren als positiv überrascht und fragt sich lange Zeit, wieso der König der Toten so wichtig für die Feenwelt zu sein scheint. Trotz meiner negativen Kritikpunkte bin ich jedoch nicht völlig enttäuscht von der Geschichte, so manche Erklärung und Erzählung fand ich durchaus interessant, annehmbar oder sogar richtig gut. Die humorvollen Aspekte, die man anhand der Zitate weiter oben, durchaus herauslesen kann, machten einiges wieder wett und so manches Mal musste ich doch mehr als nur ein bisschen schmunzeln - vorallem auch über die "Heineken" - Geschichte, die in dem Zitaten erwähnt wird. Auch die einzelnen Beschreibungen der Umgebung/Figuren/Orte waren nicht zu verachten und für mich ergab sich eigentlich ein gut vorstellbares Gesamtbild, abgerundet durch das doch sehr überzeugende Finale.
Die Figur des James, die im ersten Band "Lamento", nur als Nebenrolle auftrat, wird hier näher beleuchtet. James ist, trotz seiner locker lässigen, spöttischen Art ein sensibler, etwas verrückter junger Mann, der dazu neigt,Worte, die er nicht vergessen will, auf seine Hände und Arme zu schreiben. Dies führt dazu, dass er die meiste Zeit völlig bekritzelt durch die Gegend läuft und dadurch wohl mehr Aufmerksamkeit erregt als ihm manchmal recht zu sein scheint. Als er Nuala trifft, die ihm anbietet einen Pakt zu schließen, bei dem seine musikalischen Fähigkeiten auf's äußerste verbessert werden, lehnt er erstmal eiskalt ab und erscheint so erstmal als charakterstarker, vernünftiger, junger Musiker. Diese Fassade beginnt jedoch im Laufe des Buches zu bröckeln und je größer die Anziehungskraft der schönen Fee auf ihn wirkt, umso mehr lockt ihn der Ruhm als Musiker...
Hinter der Fassade der schönen Nuala, steckt wesentlich mehr, als man am Anfang glaubt. Sie hat jede Menge Gesichter: Hart, unbamherzig, kalt, gefühlvoll, liebend, sarkastisch. Man weiß nicht ob man ihr trauen kann oder nicht und sie wirft das Bild, das wir uns im ersten Roman von den Feen machen konnten gehörig durcheinander. Durch ihr ständiges auftauchen - mal unsichtbar, mal sichtbar, entwickelt sie sich aber doch recht schnell zur Nervensäge, die diesen Ruf nur mäßig schnell wieder los wird.
Die Charaktere an sich, und seien es nur die unwichtigen Nebencharaktere, scheinen alle einen tiefern Sinn zu haben, einen Hintergrund, eine Geschichte, ein Gefühlsleben. Insgesamt konnten mich alle Charaktere irgendwie überzeugen, auch wenn mir nicht alle auf Anhieb so sympathisch waren. Der ein oder andere Bekannte aus Band 1 tritt aber auch noch auf, was bei manchen doch ein Anlass zur Freude war - zumindest für mich.
Als Fazit kann ich nur sagen: Eigentlich lohnt es sich, trotz meiner vielen Kritikpunkte, durchaus, dieses Buch zu lesen. "Ballade" sprüht vor Humor, begeistert mit interessanten Charakteren, entführt uns durch wunderbare Beschreibungen in ein "fernes Land" und endet mit einem spannungsgeladenen Finale. Für diejenigen, die Band 1 "Lamento" (Rezi gibts hier) noch nicht gelesen haben: "Ballade" lässt sich auch unabhängig lesen, vermutlich ist es jedoch, gerade auf die Feenwelt bezogen, verständlicher, wenn man vorher den ersten Band gelesen hat.
Wertung: 4 von 5 Sternen
Ein herzliches "Dankeschön" an den Pan-Verlag, für die Bereitstellung dieses Rezensionsexemplares!(less)

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Jun 12, 2012 Liviania rated it 5 of 5 stars

A little less than a year ago, I received an e-mail promising me homicidal faeries. I, being the sort too dumb to know when a deal is too good to be true, said yes. In return for the novel, I became a fan of the affable and clever Maggie Stiefvater. And now that I've read BALLAD her insidious claim is stronger than ever. I'm waiting for the paperback of SHIVER, but maybe I shouldn't. I might owe her my collection of shamrock memorabilia.

When BALLAD opens, James is still recovering from the event...more A little less than a year ago, I received an e-mail promising me homicidal faeries. I, being the sort too dumb to know when a deal is too good to be true, said yes. In return for the novel, I became a fan of the affable and clever Maggie Stiefvater. And now that I've read BALLAD her insidious claim is stronger than ever. I'm waiting for the paperback of SHIVER, but maybe I shouldn't. I might owe her my collection of shamrock memorabilia.

When BALLAD opens, James is still recovering from the events of LAMENT. He almost died and the only person who knows why he almost died can't help him recover since she's pretty much shattered by the events too. Along comes Nuala, attracted by James's talent with the bagpipes. Of course, she might be attracted to the piper himself as well. Of course, that might not be his only problem, since the faeries aren't overly found of Deirdre. Of course, James is too neurotic to really process any of this.

Maggie Stiefvater knows how to string together a sentence. She knows how to haunt you with a motif. She knows how to write music so that you hear it in your heart. She knows how to create a unique narrative voice, so that you don't need the name before the chapter or the epigraph to know whether James or Nuala is speaking. (Or to separate them from Deirdre's voice in LAMENT.) She knows how to rip your heart out of your chest without resorting to tearjearker tactics. All it takes are Dee's unsent text messages, full of everything she needs to say to James but can't. (And she would be the absolute bitch Nuala thinks she is if we didn't have those messages to tell us what she's repressing.)

If Blogger eats this review like it did my first review of LAMENT, I'll cry. I don't want to think about this too much, I just want to pour it out. That's what reading BALLAD was like: an experience that swept me away into James and Nuala's world of music and love and pain and desperate hope. Also, the book is funny. James and Nuala are both sarcastic and quick-witted. Many of the side characters hold their own. I love the side characters, especially Paul. They sneak up on you, going, "Hey, I've been here this whole time. Being awesome. Now that you know it, I'm going to level up in awesome just to blow your mind." They're like Stiefvater herself in that way.

Now if you'll excuse me, I have to go hug my book. And cry over the fact I don't have time to re-read it or LAMENT.

Now, both B&N and Amazon are showing BALLAD as In Stock despite the fact the release date is Oct 1st. So go ahead and click on the cover and buy yourself a copy. You won't regret it . . . except for the fact you'll be a slave to Stiefvater's brilliance. (less)

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May 20, 2012 Andrea rated it 3 of 5 stars

Shelves: urban-modern-fantasy

This author has a real talent for writing believable characters with unique voices. Now I think she should put some more effort into plot-building. After two books, I still don't feel like I understand what's going on with the whole faerie thing, and why Dee and James are involved. I also feel like the characters are never in any real danger--even climactic events seem to be dealt with relatively easily. I'm glad there's going to be another book, because maybe we'll get some real answers. I real...more

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Apr 19, 2012 Manda Scott rated it 5 of 5 stars

Those of you who are not writers will have to bear with me a moment. Those of you who do make a living writing, will know what it is to hand in a book. Before it, there are the weeks, possibly months, of lock-down, when your friends think you've given up on them, your partner thinks you've fallen out of love, your parents and children think they've lost you to some cult which prevents you from ever contacting the outside world and when they have the bad grace to die before the book's done, and t...more Those of you who are not writers will have to bear with me a moment. Those of you who do make a living writing, will know what it is to hand in a book. Before it, there are the weeks, possibly months, of lock-down, when your friends think you've given up on them, your partner thinks you've fallen out of love, your parents and children think they've lost you to some cult which prevents you from ever contacting the outside world and when they have the bad grace to die before the book's done, and their surviving spouses want some kind of input, they are surprised when you bite their heads of because, don't they get it? Nothing Matters But the Book.

Strangers who think they can just ring up in the middle of a working day (which stretches from getting up to going to bed) are put right with very little sympathy or tact, editors get one-line answers to lengthy emails, planned meetings with agents are cancelled because the book isn't done yet.

And then one day you come to the end of the fifth, or fifteenth draft and suddenly all the pieces have slid into place and the writing is at last coherent and your editor who said, 'the answer is always in the text' was absolutely right and you've put the last full stop at the end of the last sentence and tidied up the presentation and attached it to an email and hit 'send'...

And then there's the vacuum of afterwards. Granted there is a pile of admin to be done that would reach to the ceiling were it not all electronic, but there's a gap when you can't touch the book because it's gone to someone else who is going to edit the version they have and the one thing worse than handing in a poorly finished book is messing with it aftewards: version control is everything.

That's when you need to sit down and devour someone else's writing. You know it took them a year of hard work to create, but you're still going to read it in a day. Or less. You need absolutely stunning, magical, wonderful, awe-inspiring writing, but it needs not to be in your field. It needs to be utterly impossible for you to sit there and wish you'd written it, or wonder why you hadn't written something just like it. It needs to be different. And inspiring. And how hard it is, exactly, to find that kind of a book amidst all the absolute drivel that is printed and published?

Very hard. But Ballad, by Maggie Stiefvater is that book. Granted, it would help if you're read it's predecessor, 'Lament' first, but you don't have to, and actually, it won't hurt if you read them in reverse. Lament was about Dee, who fell in love with Luke - the faerie assassin sent to kill her - and Ballad is about Jamie, who loved Dee, but falls in love with Nuala, who lives by feeding off superbly talented young men. And Jamie is as talented as they come. It's a love story. It's a faerie story, but these are not Tinkerbell 'say-I-don't-believe-in-fairies-and-watch-them-die' kind of fairy, these are faeries, and they kill people. They don't like iron, they can be summoned by burning thyme, they are afraid of Cernunnos, in his guise as the Thorn King, Lord of the Dead (Stag-dreamers, read this; you'll love it) - or they were until the new queen of Faerie, devised a way by which they might ally themselves with Him.

It's a school story too - Thornking-Ash is a boarding school for talented musicians, but the teachers know more than they should do about Faerie and the narrative arc of Sullivan, the coolest teacher in the world, is outstanding.

It's the use of language that sets Maggie Stiefvater's writing apart. The sheer, glorious poetry of every line. The ability to get inside the heads of her characters, so that everyone, even the most minor, is full and rounded and not a cardboard cut-out two-dimensional cipher. These are real people, who can hear the Thorn King singing.

And then there's the plots - she understands the rules of the old Celtic ballads, of the ways They (the faeries) work. But she knows that rules are there to be broken and it's in the breaking of them that she shines.

Read this: it's easy, it's wonderful, it'll make you laugh out loud and wish you were adolescent again. Well, maybe not the latter, but it will make you smile. And it will re-affirm your belief in the power of language and the ability of black marks on a white page to hold someone completely against the lure of computer games and all the internet holds. (less)

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Feb 25, 2012 Rebecca Ann rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: teen-fairy-witch, candy

That's right, I read two books in one day. I guess that means I liked this series, even if the first one was little awkward and underdeveloped. In the second book, Stiefvater improved her writing a LOT. The structure was different, changing from first person narration from one character in the first book to first person from two characters in this one. I actually liked that she switched to james' POV in this, instead of following the somewhat boring Dee again. James is more complex, and his humo...more

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Feb 14, 2012 Libby rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: fantasy, to-buy

Ballad is a sequel to Maggie Stiefvater’s Lament and it is my favorite of the two. The story focuses on James rather than Dierdre and he is a much stronger and more likable character. In Ballad, Dee and James are attending the musical boarding school Thornton-Ash. Faeries are being drawn to the school because of Dee and her ability to see them. As usual, they are causing problems for all around them. However, one faerie is different from the rest.

Nuala, a faerie muse who feeds on the creative e...more

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Feb 01, 2012 BookChic Club rated it 4 of 5 stars

I didn't like this book as much as I thought I would. As mentioned in my Lament review, I loved James' character and was excited to see a book written from his point of view. I still enjoyed reading from James' perspective and we got a much deeper characterization of him than what we saw from Dierdre's viewpoint, which was just a carefree, funny guy. In this book, he is still funny, but there's a lot more going on inside his head than we ever thought. I really enjoyed seeing that shift between t...more

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Dec 08, 2011 Sonia rated it 1 of 5 stars · review of another edition

La Stiefvater mi aveva trascinata senza troppi ma e troppi se con Shiver, mi aveva incuriosita con Whisper - anche se la mia curiosità ne era uscita un po' delusa perché non avevo ritrovato lo stesso potere di Shiver - e ora con Destiny, seguito di Whisper, speravo di trovare o ritrovare un po' del fascino della scrittrice.
Tentativo fallito su ogni fronte.
Mi trascino questa lettura da giorni, senza aver il coraggio di abbandonare precipitosamente il libro, ma senza avere la voglia e la forza d...more La Stiefvater mi aveva trascinata senza troppi ma e troppi se con Shiver, mi aveva incuriosita con Whisper - anche se la mia curiosità ne era uscita un po' delusa perché non avevo ritrovato lo stesso potere di Shiver - e ora con Destiny, seguito di Whisper, speravo di trovare o ritrovare un po' del fascino della scrittrice.
Tentativo fallito su ogni fronte.
Mi trascino questa lettura da giorni, senza aver il coraggio di abbandonare precipitosamente il libro, ma senza avere la voglia e la forza di continuare la lettura fino alla fine.
Purtroppo mi ha annoiata fin dal principio: ho immediatamente riconosciuto i toni che già mi avevano tediata in Whisper e che qui non facevano altro che ripetersi e ripetersi.
Attenzione: il mio non è un giudizio negativo sullo stile dell'autrice o sul contenuto del libro. Mi rendo conto che nei casi in cui una storia mi annoia, non accade solo per le pecche della scrittrice ma probabilmente anche per un'incompatibilità del mio animo da lettrice con determinate storie e determinati modi di raccontarle.
In questa in particolare non ho trovato nulla che meritasse la mia attenzione.
Il romanzo è incentrato sulla figura di James, il ragazzo che nel primo volume aveva un ruolo secondario, come migliore amico di Dee, la protagonista, ma all'epoca messo in secondo piano da Luke, il ragazzo di cui Dee si innamora.
Uscito Luke fuori di scena, James segue Dee al conservatoro di Thornking Ash, perché profondamente innamorato di lei, eternamente non ricambiato. A questo amore si aggiungerà la passione di Nuala per James: inizialmente la fata-vampiro lo sceglie come vittima, per poi capire che prova qualcosa di forte nei suoi confronti.
Queste le prime 150 pagine e più: a quel punto mi sono ritrovata a pensare.
Ma che me ne importa?? Chi se ne frega di James, che non mi ha mai particolarmente colpita, o di Deirdre, che qui non fa che piagnucolare e imbastire sms che non manderà mai, o della fata banalmente stereotipata che si presenta come cattiva per poi sciogliere il suo cuore? Davvero, che me ne faccio di questa gente?
Ho trovato questo tipo di storie un po' ovunque, è vero, e continuo a leggerne: questa purtroppo ha il difetto di non attrarmi neanche per come è raccontata, o per le dinamiche, né di interessarmi e incuriosirmi.
Ho avvertito una piattezza nella narrazione che, ripeto, non è dovuta esclusivamente alle doti dell'autrice ma anche alla mia incompatibilità con la sua narrazione, evidentemente.
Mi dispiace di aver sprecato una lettura e di esserne uscita così annoiata, ma purtroppo capita anche questo.
Spero che voi riusciate a trovarci il bello che io non ci ho trovato!!!(less)

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Nov 10, 2011 Kate rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: young-adult, fae, supernatural

I was very sad when I finished this story. Not that I didn't love it - because I did - but Ballad was the last remaining Maggie Stiefvater novel that I hadn't read, which means no more until next year probably.

I don't think I need to tell you again how much I love Maggie Stiefvater's writing. It is absolutely magical and beautiful and lyrical and whatever other wonderful adjectives you can think of to describe wordsmiths. It gives me that warm, fuzzy good book feeling and at the same time makes...more

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Oct 11, 2011 Sarah Darlington rated it 4 of 5 stars

BALLAD is the companion novel to Maggie Stiefvater's novel Lament. Except where Lament mostly followed mostly Dee's story, Ballad follows James. Both James and Dee have just started at their new music school. Although their relationship has become strained so we rarely see Dee in this novel. James' gift for music has attracted Nuala, a soul-snatching faerie muse who fosters and then feeds on the creative energies of exceptional humans until they die. The story switches between both James and Nua...more

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Aug 16, 2011 Yuko86 rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: urban-fantasy, young-adults, fae, read-in-2011

Destiny costituisce il secondo e ultimo volume della saga Books of faerie di Maggie Stiefvater, serie di esordio della scrittrice che si è poi conquistata la fama con la trilogia The Wolves of Mercy Falls (Shiver, Deeper, Forever).

La storia riprende più o meno da dove l’avevamo lasciata solo che il pov slitta, passando da Dee a James: è proprio questo cambiamento, secondo me, a far decollare il romanzo molto di più del volume precedente, Whisper.

James è intelligente, ironico, sarcastico e risult...more Destiny costituisce il secondo e ultimo volume della saga Books of faerie di Maggie Stiefvater, serie di esordio della scrittrice che si è poi conquistata la fama con la trilogia The Wolves of Mercy Falls (Shiver, Deeper, Forever).

La storia riprende più o meno da dove l’avevamo lasciata solo che il pov slitta, passando da Dee a James: è proprio questo cambiamento, secondo me, a far decollare il romanzo molto di più del volume precedente, Whisper.

James è intelligente, ironico, sarcastico e risulta molto più interessante del personaggio di Dee, che oltretutto in Destiny passa il 90% del tempo a piangersi addosso e ferire i sentimenti del povero suonatore di cornamusa.

Altro personaggio davvero notevole è quello di Nuala, una Leanan Sidhe: costretta a bruciare ogni tredici anni per poi rinascere senza alcun ricordo, vive succhiando la linfa vitale ai musicisti dotati di talento, che si innamorano perdutamente di lei e le vendono la loro anima in cambio di ispirazione e amore. Ma James non è uno stupido, ha già incontrato il popolo fatato, sa che non è formato da fatine alla Campanellino ma da esseri spietati che chiedono sempre qualcosa in cambio dei loro favori.
Ma quando colei che ami ha in testa un altro, cosa ti trattiene dal gettarti tra le braccia del tuo carnefice?

Destiny è un romanzo ricco di sentimenti e emozioni, che sia James che Nuala tentano di nascondere senza però riuscirci del tutto: testimonianza ne sono le braccia del ragazzo, ricoperte da parole che creano una sorta di diario personale in cui sfogare tutte le proprie incertezze e la propria frustrazione.

Interessante la scelta dell’autrice di alternate capitoli dedicati a James a altri dedicati a Nuala, con come intermezzo pagine di sms scritti da Dee al suo migliore amico e mai inviati.

Tragico e commovente l’epilogo: la giusta fine per un libro tutto in crescendo, che consiglio non solo a chi ha amato il precedente volume ma anche a chi ne è rimasto non del tutto convinto, perchè Destiny è decisamente una spanna sopra Whisper.

(less)

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Jun 26, 2011 Jennifer rated it 4 of 5 stars

I read Ballad without reading the first book in the series, and I must say....I LOVE JAMES! I mean, he's witty, artistic, sarcastic, and honorable. I'm not swoony over him, but I just like him so much. I'd have wanted him as my best guy friend in high school, and I'm super glad that he has Nuala when Dee is so selfish and stand offish for the whole book. I really disliked her intensely (she pulls some pretty selfish and immature crap) until the end when James (and thus the reader) realize that s...more

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topics	posts	views	last activity
Nuala or Dee?	22	65	May 20, 2013 11:05am
Stiefvater's Book...: Ballad	1	3	Feb 27, 2013 06:04pm
other people who play instruments ?	4	12	Jul 22, 2012 07:42pm
why ???	6	38	May 10, 2012 09:06am

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Ballad: A Gathering of Faerie (Books of Faerie #2)

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