Lovin' los libros

 

 

I really enjoyed Amber's Winter Queen, so I was really glad I received this novella for review. It is the prequel to Summer Queen, another book in the Fairy Queens' series. This short novella follows a young girl Nelay. Nelay has the gift of sight and can see fairies. However, she has been instructed never to let them know she can see them for bad things come to those who do.

 

At only 9 years old, Nelay lives a life of hardship in the desert. She uses her sight of the fairies to help her in times of need, but is careful never to let them know. She is resented by her older brother, as she is the one to earn praise from her family for finding water. I hated the way her brother treated her. He was a cruel boy but they are still family, which is why his hatred of her still hurts. After their father goes missing, it is up to them to try and find him. Nelay attracts the attention of a fairy and in a moment of desperate need, begs for help. Help is not free though and Nelay will make a promise that will definitely play a role in the next book.

 

I really liked Nelay's little character. She is strong and resilient- she's had no other choice. It's all about survival for her. She does not fear the desert and what it has to offer. She only fears for her family's survival. She is still a caring little girl- her hope and compassion haven't been stripped away by a hardened life.

 

Her brother makes a snide comment about how she will end up married and pregnant in the future and Nelay doesn't want that life for herself. I am very interested to see how this will play out in the actual novel.

 

I really like Argyle's writing style and while there's not a ton of action going on in this one, it does give us a glimpse of the pain, heartbreak, and desperation Nelay has lived through as a child so we will see how this shapes her in the future.