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Silksinger (Dreamdark #2)

by Laini Taylor (Goodreads Author)

4.3 of 5 stars 4.30 · rating details · 928 ratings · 162 reviews

One faerie, the last of her clan, must fight to complete her sacred duty

Whisper Silksinger is the last of the secret guardians of the Azazel, one of the powerful Djinn who dreamed the world into being. Relentlessly pursued by bloodthirsty devils, she flees to the city of Nazneen to restore the Azazel to his temple. At the same time, Hirik Mothmage is also on a secret quest...more

Hardcover, 464 pages

Published September 17th 2009 by Putnam Juvenile (first published September 1st 2009)

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Dec 25, 2009 Betsy rated it 5 of 5 stars

There was a boy. He came into my library branch. Couldn't have been more than ten years of age. A good kid. He knew to come up to the reference desk to ask his question, and he wasn't shy about it either. "I want books on fairies." Wow. Without hesitation I virtually dragged the kid over to the middle grade reader section, then got some clarification. "Fairies?" "Fairies." Right then. I looked about. Clearly this was a Spiderwick boy. We get them sometimes. Once Tony DiTerlizzi and Holly Black m...more There was a boy. He came into my library branch. Couldn't have been more than ten years of age. A good kid. He knew to come up to the reference desk to ask his question, and he wasn't shy about it either. "I want books on fairies." Wow. Without hesitation I virtually dragged the kid over to the middle grade reader section, then got some clarification. "Fairies?" "Fairies." Right then. I looked about. Clearly this was a Spiderwick boy. We get them sometimes. Once Tony DiTerlizzi and Holly Black made it okay for boys to be into fairies the gender roles dissolved just a little. As a test I tried him out on What-the-Dickens by Gregory Maguire. No go. Not interested. The Ruby Key by Holly Lisle or Changeling by Delia Sherman? Yes, those he'd take. So it was that my piece de resistance turned out to be Blackbringer (now published merely as Dreamdark: Blackbringer). I owe a lot to this action-packed series by Laini Taylor. In the first book Ms. Taylor took the old tropes, turned them on their heads, gave them a swift paddling, then lit them on fire. So to speak. Now she has come out with a sequel and has shifted the narrative around a bit. Just as gripping as its predecessor Dreamdark: Silksinger continues the story of Maggie Windwitch, introducing new characters, new situations, but the same old excitement.

Defeating the Blackbringer? Check. Continue to fly around with crow brothers? Check. Only now fairy Maggie Windwitch is on a mission. She needs to find the sleeping Djinn and wake `em up. Little does she know that she has allies in this quest. Whisper Silksinger is the last of her clan, sworn to protect the djinn Azazel. Hirik, another fairy, is from a disgraced clan, must in turn protect Whisper. Add in some betrayals, battles, and a villain hiding where you'd least suspect him, and a demon army of an untold scale and Maggie may yet find that the Blackbringer was nothing compared to the new dangers she now faces.

I decided to test the book. If I picked it up without rereading its predecessor, would I be able to follow the action in Silksinger or would lose me right at the start? As it happens, readers who've never even read the first book may be able to jump into the second without any difficulty. You really only have to know that #1: Djinns are all powerful, #2: Fairies are moderately powerful, #3: Someone wants to kill the djinns and that's bad. I didn't get around to rereading the first book, and found that Ms. Taylor catches you up on the second without dragging down the narrative one jot. Fair play to the author then.

It's also a nice thick book, that's for sure. But for as long as it is, you wouldn't really expect the story to fly by as swiftly as it does. It is a fact of nature that the more exciting a book is, the faster it flies by. If Ms. Taylor has any special writing skill superpower, it would have to be something along the lines of Action Ratcheting. That woman just knows how to crank up the tension. This is admirable when you consider how accomplished the characters are. A child reader wants the heroes to be powerful in their own ways, but not so powerful that they don't face dramatic situations. Whisper and Maggie combined would be near undefeatable, so Taylor keeps them separate from one another for quite some time. She also manages to disarm them in various ways, which doesn't seem like it would be particularly easy.

The point of view in this book actually kind of rests behind four different sets of eyeballs. There's Maggie, of course. Then there's the Hirik, Whisper, and even little Batch. Taylor doesn't stop there. These are the main characters so you get inside their heads the most, but even the villains get a bit of time to strut on the stage, thinking their dread thoughts. A consistently shifting and changing point of view is a difficult beast to master. A lot of the time authors will avoid it entirely in favor of nice, simple, quiet, easygoing first person narratives. The fact that Ms. Taylor makes it work as well as she does is to be commended, praised, puzzled over, and commended yet again.

The first book was the first in a series, true, but it felt like a stand alone book. Silksinger doesn't go quite that far. It's definitely ends on more of a To Be Continued note. With its equal boy/girl heroes, disgusting villains, and powerful plot, I consider the Dreamdark series to be one of those slow burn fantasy series. Slowly kids are discovering it. Slowly they are loving it. And those who've fallen in love with the first one will find just as much to enjoy in this next. A worthy sequel to a fantastic fantasy.

Ages 10 and up.
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Jan 10, 2013 Etta rated it 4 of 5 stars

If you read the first in the series, Blackbringer, you will not be disappointed.

Whisper and Hirik are a great follow-up duo to the practically legendary Magpie and Talon. They neither overshadow nor fall short of the previous heroes, and I fell in love with them just as I had Magpie and Talon. I just happened to fall in love a tad gentler rather than the burst of affection I felt immediately upon meeting Magpie.

The book is meant for younger readers so it is easy to fly through, but Laini Taylor'...more

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Aug 11, 2011 Maureen E rated it 5 of 5 stars

Shelves: fantasy, middle-grade-and-younger, young-adult, simply-superb

by Laini Taylor

In this sequel to Blackbringer, Taylor returns to the story of Magpie and Talon, while also weaving in the stories of several new characters.

Yay! I loved this book. Granted, I wasn’t quite as blown away as I was by Blackbringer, but I think this was simply because the world was familiar instead of being completely new. I was happy that we also got significant amounts of Mags and the other characters from the first book. I’ve noticed a slight tendency for sequels to move to complet...more by Laini Taylor

In this sequel to Blackbringer, Taylor returns to the story of Magpie and Talon, while also weaving in the stories of several new characters.

Yay! I loved this book. Granted, I wasn’t quite as blown away as I was by Blackbringer, but I think this was simply because the world was familiar instead of being completely new. I was happy that we also got significant amounts of Mags and the other characters from the first book. I’ve noticed a slight tendency for sequels to move to completely different characters, offering at most a tantalizing glimpse of the characters from the first book. I think it works for some series and not for others, so I was glad to see that Taylor chose to stick with Magpie.

And once again, the worldbuilding was absolutely amazing. The language and slang, the landscape, the culture. Above all, I felt that it was all done with a purpose. It helped to inform the motivations and actions of the characters. Because Taylor convinced me that her world and history were real (okay, you know what I mean), I believed that Hirik’s secret was a big deal.

I loved Whisper as well. Magpie is great, but I was glad to see someone who appeared to be fragile and delicate, but who actually had a great strength of character, and a pretty neat skill which wasn’t being tough and wielding a sword. We need sword-wielding girls in books, but we also need girls who sing silk into fabric.

One of the other things I really liked was the slow, understated romance. It’s definitely there, but it was so nice to have a break from the “from the first time I saw him/her, we were magically, instantly, passionately in LOVE.” This felt more like Anne and Gilbert than Heathcliff and Cathy, and that I am completely in favor of.

Book source: public library
Book information: G.P. Putnam’s Sons, 2009

My Laini Taylor reviews:
Dreamdark: Blackbringer
Lips Touch (about halfway down)

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I loved this second book in the Dreamdark series. I’m fine with fairies as long as they’re not sparkly and cute, and these ones most certainly are neither of those things. While Magpie is back, we have a new heroine in Whisper, one who adds a nice new note to the story. [2010 in books](less)

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Jul 28, 2011 Steve Cran added it

the adventure of Magpie Windwitch and her consort talon continue. Magruen one of the seven Djin who created the world has been found now Magpie must find the other 5. One was killed off already.THe first one they find is Ithuriel he is sleeping deep under ground. Magpie and Talon battle a giant python to get that Djinn. THe Sliksinger in a battle long ago allied with Fade the last Dragon to stop Onyx a very evil sorcerer and his band of his devils. they got by on flying carpets. Fade was ultimat...more

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Jan 25, 2011 Rhiannon Ryder rated it 5 of 5 stars

The Sequel to Blackbringer, Silksinger did not disappoint.
Laini Taylor has officially proven, in my eyes anyhow, that she can hold her weight in the serious authors category. The wealth of richly imagined histories, cultures and beings populating her Dreamdark world grows exponentially in Silksinger, and instead of becoming watered down material, only enhances the reading experience of her books.

Dreamdark; Silksinger finds Magpie, the Crows and Talon on a mission to find the sleeping Dijin throu...more The Sequel to Blackbringer, Silksinger did not disappoint.
Laini Taylor has officially proven, in my eyes anyhow, that she can hold her weight in the serious authors category. The wealth of richly imagined histories, cultures and beings populating her Dreamdark world grows exponentially in Silksinger, and instead of becoming watered down material, only enhances the reading experience of her books.

Dreamdark; Silksinger finds Magpie, the Crows and Talon on a mission to find the sleeping Dijin throughout the world. But things are quickly complicated by the discovery of a lone Silksinger, a group of faeries believed to be extinct, who is in dire trouble and desperately trying to save the dijin the Silksingers have been protecting all these years while in hiding.

The story arc widened considerably with this installment, adding two new and horrific villains, as well as two new (to the reader) races of faeries who are intrinsically tied into the fall of Fade. A page turning, action packed story, with such a sad ending it brought a few tears to my eyes and was so enjoyable it had me racing to Laini's blog to find out more about the next book. So I was pretty crushed when I found this on her blog post: My New Book is Announced! (June 21st 2010)
After I finished Silksinger and it became clear that the publisher (Penguin) was not hungering for another Dreamdark book at that moment in history*, *re: more Dreamdark books: some day I will finish the series! I am deeply committed to Magpie and crew and feel sick about leaving them in limbo. I will see their story through. It is just not in the cards for the next few years.
Sigh.
No honestly, I'm still so, so saddened by the news. Not what you want to hear after falling in love with a series and being left on a huge cliff hanger. Honestly, how could any publisher not adore this series!

But even after knowing this, if you read any fantasy books at all this year, make sure you read both Dreamdark: Blackbringer and Dreamdark; Silksinger. I'm telling you, you've missed out on something awesome if you haven't read them yet.
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Jan 04, 2011 Eleanor rated it 5 of 5 stars

I couldn't wait to read this book! It takes off where Blackbringer left us, with Magpie, Talon and the crows searching for more of the Djinn to restore to their former glory to save the world. It also adds in Whisper, the last of the Silksingers, who have long been thought dead, and Hirik, a faery with a secret and a desperate need to redeem his family. Whisper has in her care the smoldering ember of one of the Djinn, and Magpie is seeking her to keep her safe. What follows is their separate but...more

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Sep 08, 2010 Latricia rated it 5 of 5 stars

Shelves: fantasy, children-s-ages-10-12, tween-ages-12-14

I was so excited when I open the package with this ARC inside. It was made all the better because I wasn't expecting it. A friend who reviews for an industry magazine as well as reads for various committees of ALA got a copy of the trade paper of Dreamdark: Blackbringer and the ARC of Silksinger. She never mentioned it, but passed them on to me because she remembered I was such a fan of the first book.

There was a tiny part of me that was worried about the second book. So many fantasy series have...more I was so excited when I open the package with this ARC inside. It was made all the better because I wasn't expecting it. A friend who reviews for an industry magazine as well as reads for various committees of ALA got a copy of the trade paper of Dreamdark: Blackbringer and the ARC of Silksinger. She never mentioned it, but passed them on to me because she remembered I was such a fan of the first book.

There was a tiny part of me that was worried about the second book. So many fantasy series have great first books, but the second book falls flat or is used to simply set up the grad ending in the third book of a trilogy. Taylor didn't fall into that trap! Silksinger is just as rich and detailed as Blackbringer, maybe more so. Her skill at world-building is astounding. Maybe it's because she's also a visual artist, but the world she created for Faeries of Dreamdark (or as the publisher seems to be calling the series now Dreamdark) feels like a place you could visit.

The characters don't play second fiddle to the world though. Taylor's characters, both 'good' and 'bad', feel real. They are multifaceted and unlike many books which jump viewpoints, the Dreamdark books don't feel choppy. Getting a peek inside the different characters' heads makes them more real and more sympathetic. This is a young adult book and I really felt that the characters, who are mostly the faerie equal to teens/twenties, acted and reacted in ways that teens will relate to and understand. I loved the fact that though the big bad guy is undeniably bad (and I'm consciously using the word bad and not evil), he does have an element of sympathy and motivation beyond just 'I want power' or 'I want money'.

Earlier I mentioned that Taylor didn't use Silksing to just set up the next book in her series, Silksinger is a full and complete story. It might be a bit difficult to just pick it up and read if you have not read Blackbringer, but it wouldn't be impossible. Silksinger picks up where Blackbringer left off for Magpie and her friends, but it also starts the story of Hirik and Whisper. Like Blackbringer, the stories pick up in progress so if you like a slow building and lots of explanation, these aren't the books for you. That being said, there was never a time I really felt that I didn't know what was going on. Taylor has a knack for explaining the history and other background of the world within the action of the story or the dialog of the characters. So most of the time there is no need for lengthy passages which explain how magic works in this world or why one clan hates another. There are a few times where this does happen, but they don't distract from the story.

I've heard critics of fantasy (of all genre's really) say that current authors depend on cliched archetypes and that nothing reads as original any more. I'd love to give them the Blackbringer books. Taylor does use fantasy archetypes. There is the quest to save the world, the poor orphan alone in the world, the young man out to regain family honor, and others. You know what, that's OK! For each of those elements, they are twists that make them fresh and new to these stories. The orphan for instance, doesn't start the book that way. The readers get to see her lose the last few members of her family and that draws them into her pain and confusion.

Though I've said Silksinger is a full and complete story on it's own, it does also set up further books in the Dreamdark series. I'll be eagerly waiting to read the further adventures of Magpie, Talon and their crow family. I'm still hoping for a chance to meet Magpie's family. So it was said about Blackbringer that if you read one fantasy that year, make that the one. I'd second that for Silksinger. If you read one fantasy....if you even read one sequel, make it Silksinger and you won't be sorry!

**Unfortunately I've read on her journal a third book isn't happening at this point in time..:(**(less)

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Jul 26, 2012 Michelle rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: books-i-own, fantasy, young-adult, favorites

Originally reviewed here.

Why I Read It: After being pleasantly surprised (bit of an understatement) with Blackbringer, I immediately (I mean that literally) picked this up and devoured it. Spoiler-free review ahead (though there are spoilers for Blackbringer, so beware of that)!

THESE BOOKS!! I love them so. In the first book, Blackbringer, the action mostly takes place in the Dreamdark forest. In this second book, readers are brought to new locations and we meet new characters. It's not surprisi...more

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Apr 24, 2011 Patricia J. O'Brien rated it 4 of 5 stars

Laini Taylor is a magical writer. (I think she found a portal to Faerie) Her fairies of Dreamdark (first in Blackbringer and then in Silksinger) are tiny things that pack a wallop in a world where dragons are gone, clans are dying out and Djinn have retreated to their elemental form.
The stories are filled with great names like Magpie Windwitch and Whisper Silksinger and Talon Rathersting. The names and distinct characteristics of the beings in these tales are just one of the wonders of Ms Taylor...more

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Apr 06, 2011 Rachel rated it 5 of 5 stars

Shelves: fantasy-and-sci-fi, young-adult, children

I honestly didn't think the author could do as good a job as you she did with the first book, but Silksinger was awesome! The storyline was just as good as the first, almost more so because you find out more background information on the Djinn and main characters. In this book, Whisper Silksinger is trying to escape the devils that have killed her entire family with the Djinn Azazel safely hidden with her. She escapes to a nearby settlement where she meets a hobgoblin's caravan and Hirik, anothe...more

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Nov 21, 2009 Nerd Goddess rated it 5 of 5 stars

I had the opportunity to read an early draft of this book, and I must say, that it is AMAZING. I can't wait to be able to talk to more people about it! I felt really drawn by the book and the characters, and it was an incredible, emotional, wonderful experience of the book. I finished it, craving for more. And if this draft was good, I can only imagine how good the final product will be like!

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Sep 11, 2009 Jennifer Wardrip rated it 5 of 5 stars

Shelves: trt-posted-reviews, trt-gold-star-award-winner

Reviewed by Marta Morrison for TeensReadToo.com

The second DREAMDARK book was fantastic! I truly love this series.

Whisper, a fairy, isn't just an ordinary fairy but the last of her clan. Her clan, the Silksingers, can weave magic carpets out of silk using their voices. They were also the guardians of the Djinn, Azazel.

Now, Whisper is the last of their clan and is being chased by devils. The devils want to destroy her and her kettle with the Djinn in it. Hirik is a member of a hated clan which yea...more

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Apr 23, 2013 Carolee Noury rated it 5 of 5 stars

Shelves: favorites

Love this book! A worthy sequel (not an easy feat). The ending didn't feel like an a cliff hanger, but definitely made me want to know what happens next. Checked Taylor's blog and she's not currently working on the series, so we'll have to wait. Totally worth it.

When I read the blurb, I was afraid Magpie, Talon, and the crows wouldn't be in it, but thankfully they are. The converging storylines are fabulous. Once again the imagery, excitement, and battles are exquisite. I love the YA authors, li...more

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Jun 30, 2012 Jim rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: fantasy, audio, mmm-2012, favorites

It's been a long time since I desperately did not want a book to end. Usually there's a sense of completion, or maybe of accomplishment, when finishing a book. Not true of books by Laini Taylor; you just want them to go on and on and on.

There's something magical about her Dreamdark books. They are completely absorbing. Your emotions rise and fall with the character's successes and failures; you're completely invested in them as if you know them personally. Taylor weaves a story like a Silksinger...more

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Mar 29, 2012 Sherry rated it 3 of 5 stars

Shelves: 2012, adventure, fantasy

This is a charming fantasy for Young readers. Laini Taylor creates a tiny world of faeries, goblins, evil beings, and other assorted tiny creatures in this world where Magpie, Silksinger and Hirik three faeries of different families fight to restore order to the fabric of the world. The book moves quickly with vivid scenes. The illustrations, by the author's husband, are whimsical and expressive. The author herself in the picture on the flyleaf looks like one of her faerie characters with her ma...more

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Mar 28, 2013 Ticklish Owl rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: audiobook, faerie-tale, fantasy, magic, mythical-creatures, young-adult

If you liked this book, you might also enjoy The Girl Who Circumnavigated Fairyland in a Ship of Her Own Making, Iron Hearted Violet, or Daughter of Smoke & Bone.

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Nov 22, 2010 Shauna rated it 4 of 5 stars

I started reading this book without realizing that it was a sequel. So I must give the author credit because I don't think this book sufferered by me not having read the first book. It took me a little while to get the various characters straight in my mind at the beginning, but then I just enjoyed the ride. This was a fun and interesting fantasy book dealing with fairies, djinns, crows and other creatures. I enjoyed it enough to want to go back and read the first book, Blackbringer, to get to k...more

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Nov 05, 2012 Kaysi rated it 5 of 5 stars

4.5.

Once again,another Laini book I loved. It took me forever to get my hands on this book! And knowing its an incomplete series, I had reservations about starting it all - but after reading the first one, I was okay with it. But, this one screwed me over. The first one ended at a good spot, where that storyline was basically complete (of course there was more to come, but it hadn't really started) - this one ended with a new storyline beginning already. Aggghhhh. How frustrating there is no co...more

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Nov 06, 2010 Diane Daniels rated it 5 of 5 stars

In my review of Dreamdark: Blackbringer, I categorized this as children's literature. I was wrong. This is a young adult to adult fairytale. Younger children would probably be scared to death by this book. The first wasn't as violent and scary. I also forgot to say that there were two love stories in the first and there are two in this one as well. One is new and the other is a continuation. It's also an awesome story and Laini Taylor is an amazing writer. I was duly impressed by her ability as...more

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Jun 22, 2012 Karen (Book Light Graveyard) rated it 3 of 5 stars

I was looking forward to this sequel, honestly. The first book, Blackbringer, was so surprisingly intriguing and good that I really wanted to read this one. And that’s saying something because I’m not usually into middle-grade fairy novels. I think it’s just Laini Taylor’s writing skills that pull me through--she writes so deftly and her plots are pretty dang good for a kids book.

This book has Magpie and Talon and the crows, like in the first one, but it also introduces Whisper and Hirik as new...more

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Apr 15, 2012 Jaime rated it 5 of 5 stars

Shelves: fantasy

I was torn: five stars because it was so delightful? Or, three stars because it leaves the story unfinished with no further books in sight? I decided on five because despite not having resolved the full story arc, Silksinger was fast-paced and action-packed, with well-designed characters in a rich world full of wonderment. And the main plotline is resolved. I got lost in the story of Magpie and Whisper. I cared about them and their friends. The first Dreamdark book spent a lot of time setting th...more

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Nov 22, 2011 Chachic rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: with-illustrations, actual-books-owned

Originally posted here.

Silksinger is the second book in the Dreamdark series by Laini Taylor and is the sequel to Blackbringer. Laini Taylor has become an auto-buy author for me because I fell in love with her YA books: Daughter of Smoke and Bone and Lips Touch . I found Blackbringer a little harder to get into that her other books but ended up enjoying it quite a bit once I got used to the writing and the worldbuilding. I picked up Silksinger right after reading the first book because I wanted...more

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Sep 28, 2012 Colleen rated it 3 of 5 stars

Shelves: library-read

3.5

The second (and, unfortunately, last) book in the Dreamdark series continues the search for the Djinn to strengthen the Tapestry of the world.

Along with Magpie, Talon and the crows, we're also introduced to new characters Whisper, Hirik and Dusk, as well as sundry other minor characters.

As with the first book, there's nothing ground-breaking about these books, as they are essentially magical quest type stories as our heroes search for the maguffins (the Djinn) and have adentures along the wa...more

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May 22, 2010 Brenda rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: fantasy, young-adult

I think I have found a new favorite author. There is just something about this world that captivates me, and I find myself reading slower so that I can make the book last longer. This book (and the previous one) should be read by every fantasy lover. I'll even go so far as to say they should be read by every book lover. I'll never understand how certain YA books (I won't mention any titles here) get so darn popular, and gems like this don't get the attention they deserve.

In Dreamdark, Laini Tayl...more

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Mar 26, 2010 Laura rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: fantasy

I can't get over this woman's writing. It's absolutely, stunningly magical. Every time I read another book of hers, I start it thinking, "It's really just a kid's book, and I just happened to be in the right mood last time . . . it's not going to draw me in the same way this time."

And every time, I find myself completely lost in her world and words. I surface a few hours later, when I've read it to the last page, no pausing. And that's a rare for thing for me, anymore. I'm an adult, I don't norm...more

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Jul 09, 2011 Sara rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: fantasy, fairies

Silksinger is the second of the Fairies of Dreamdark books, a planned multi-book series that has unfortunately been put on hold by the publisher, according to the author's website. I read it after reading the first Fairies of Dreamdark book, Blackbringer, and the two books are complete stories in and of themselves, but you can tell that they are intended to be part of a larger story.

So, the story. In Silksinger, a young fairy with an unusual gift (thought to be gone from the world) is given a b...more Silksinger is the second of the Fairies of Dreamdark books, a planned multi-book series that has unfortunately been put on hold by the publisher, according to the author's website. I read it after reading the first Fairies of Dreamdark book, Blackbringer, and the two books are complete stories in and of themselves, but you can tell that they are intended to be part of a larger story.

So, the story. In Silksinger, a young fairy with an unusual gift (thought to be gone from the world) is given a big task. Whisper Silksinger is the last of her clan, and she must take a sleeping Djinn to his far-off throne. She must find a way to make this difficult journey with no money or friends. And she can't tell anyone what kind of precious cargo she's carrying. Meanwhile, Magpie Windwitch (from the first book) is on a quest of her own--looking for Djinn. She needs to find and wake the Djinn so that they will be able to keep the world from falling apart at the seams. So when Magpie hears about Whisper and her task, she and her friend Talon go off looking for Whisper and the Djinn.

Whisper soon finds a friend, who like herself, is harboring a secret. Hirik is a young fairy who wants to become the Djinn's champion, thereby clearing a stain on his family name that has lasted for thousands of years. But Hirik has to be careful to hide his secret insect-related powers, because if anyone finds out who he really is, he'll be in big trouble. As he and Whisper travel on caravans towards the city where the Djinn is to be installed on his throne, Hirik finds that he has to defend himself and his strange companion from all kinds of threats, from fairies and devils alike. And there are more fairies and creatures with crucial roles to play, some quite surprising.

This book had a couple of great plot twists, which is always fun. Most of the characters were well-drawn and I was glad to see more of Magpie and the crows. However, I had a harder time getting into this book than I did with Blackbringer, maybe because I didn't think Whisper was as vivid or compelling a character. But I pulled for her, and I liked Hirik too. I really enjoyed the interactions between Magpie and Talon in this book--funny and cute. And of course, there are so many cool touches in these books about the various talents of these fairies and the world they live in. I was sad to discover that at this time, the rest of the larger story isn't yet written--I would really look forward to reading more about the Fairies of Dreamdark. (less)

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Apr 02, 2010 Krysta rated it 5 of 5 stars

Shelves: fantasy, series, books-chrisanne-should-read, favorites

I read this book before reading Blackbringer (Dreamdark #1) by accident and in spite of that I found that I really enjoyed it. While several of the characters from the first book make important appearances and play a big role towards the end, I found that I liked having a "new" set of characters for this storyline. I particularly liked that the heroine WASN'T a feisty independent girl trying to prove to the boys that she can fight/be awesome (cause lets face it, there are lots of those books out...more

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Dec 09, 2009 Ryan Mishap rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: young-adult-fantasy

I very much enjoyed the first volume in this series--Blackbringer--even if it is targeted to a slightly younger audience than I usually prefer. The world, the made up words, the re-appropriation of other words, and the story were great in the first one and this one is matching.

Besides, a book with talking, traveling crows who smoke cigars? How could I resist!

Silksinger continues the clever world-making, mixing various cultures, magicks, faerie lore, and new ideas together into a fun-filled fanta...more

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Nov 24, 2009 Eva Mitnick rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: children, fantasy

Magpie Windwitch is, along with her friend Talon and her band of crow brothers, off on her quest to gather up all the Djinn - and it so happens that one of them, Azazel, is in the fierce possession of tiny Whisper, last of the Silksinger faeries. She's being pursued by devils who want it for their nasty devil master Ethiag, but his badness pales in comparison to Ethiag's own master, who plans to take over the world.

Magpie is as spunky and fearless as ever, and her relationship with Talon has an...more

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Jan 05, 2010 Olgy rated it 5 of 5 stars

Shelves: middle-grade

Review originally posted to the CCF site & reposted here with permission of CCF. www.childrencomefirst.com/silksinger.shtml

We received a review copy of Laini Taylor's Silksinger earlier this year from its publisher, along with the first book in the series, Blackbringer. The paperback edition of Blackbringer came out in May of 2009. The hardcover edition of Silksinger came out in September. Both titles are part of the Faeries of Dreamdark books that Taylor is writing.

Silksinger brings back...more Review originally posted to the CCF site & reposted here with permission of CCF. www.childrencomefirst.com/silksinger.shtml

We received a review copy of Laini Taylor's Silksinger earlier this year from its publisher, along with the first book in the series, Blackbringer. The paperback edition of Blackbringer came out in May of 2009. The hardcover edition of Silksinger came out in September. Both titles are part of the Faeries of Dreamdark books that Taylor is writing.

Silksinger brings back the endearing characters we met in Blackbringer. It then introduces us to a new heroine and hero, Whisper Silksinger and Hirik Mothmage, and seamlessly weave their storyline into the fabric of the Dreamdark world, thus making it a stronger and more realistic one.

Dreamdark is a world held together by the Tapestry of Creation, first woven together by the fire elementals. These are powerful entities that created the Tapestry in order to keep the darkness out. Since the Tapestry was first woven and put in place, a great betrayal has taken place and the beings that first created the Tapestry have gone dormant. Thus, with the passing of time, darkness has been gaining the upper hand and the Tapestry has been desintegrating.

The faeries that live in Dreamdark belong to various clans. Each clan has a particular ability and role they play in the story. Our heroine comes from the Silksinger clan and goes by the name of Whisper. Our hero comes from the Mothmage clan and his name is Hirik. Silksingers can weave magic with their voices. Mothmages can sense and see through their moth antennas.

A Silksinger’s voice is powerful. It has the ability to heal or hurt, build or destroy, encourage or discourage, create or obliterate. Yet Whisper, “had no mastery of her voice except in singing, when she felt the pulse of some great power guiding her to translate glyphs into sound, as only Silksingers could do.” So our heroine glides through the pages of the story as a quiet girl, whispering her words rather than talking, for fear her voice will do things she has no control over. Hirik’s ability to see and sense through his antennas is hampered by the fact that he needs to keep them covered so that no one can tell he comes from the Mothmage clan, one which is hated by all inhabitants of Dreamdark. He will have to overcome his clan’s shameful past if he is to become the champion of the elemental being he wishes to serve.

The fact that Whisper and Hirik traverse the pages of the story without solely relying on their most obvious strengths is what we most liked about this story. Both end up overcoming obstacles by relying on abilities that are within the reach of average mortals. Whisper and Hirik draw upon raw determination, focused intention, and a never-give-up attitude that finds them breaking through personal faith barriers time and again. The power and beauty of finding such a heroine and hero lies in the fact that the personality traits that Whisper and Hirik most use are those that are within reach of every boy and girl who reads these books. We all can choose to focus our eyes on a goal and go for it. Often the harder the goal is to achieve the more obstacles we have to navigate through prior to achieving that goal. It’s the same with Whisper and Hirik. Both will have to overcome their own personal doubts and fears in order to break through and reach the finish line.

It's great to find a book you love to hold in your hands and read over and over. Silksinger is such a book. It contains the elements that middle-grade boys and girls enjoy reading about: adventure, danger, epic fights of good versus evil, friendship, loyalty, betrayal, daring attempts and well-earned victories. In a day when so many middle graders are being offered books to read that are, in our opinion, not quite age appropriate, it’s a joy to discover the Faeries of Dreamdark series. One that will provide the type of engrossing, page-turning read middle grader readers want, without offending the sensibilities of their parents.
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About Laini Taylor

Hi there! I'm a writer of fantasy books for young people, but my books can be enjoyed by adults as well. My 'Dreamdark' books, Blackbringer (2007) and Silksinger (2009) are about faeries -- not dainty little flowery things, but warrior-faeries who battle devils. My first young adult book, Lips Touch, is a finalist for the 2009 National Book Award! It's creepy, sensual supernatural romance. . . abo...more

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Books by Laini Taylor

Daughter of Smoke & Bone (Daughter of Smoke & Bone, #1)

Days of Blood & Starlight (Daughter of Smoke & Bone, #2)

Dreams of Gods & Monsters (Daughter of Smoke & Bone, #3)

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Silksinger (Dreamdark #2)

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