In Faery Rebels we meet our heroine Bryony, a faery child, imprisoned in an oak tree. The imprisonment is for her own good, according to the queen--a kind of protective custody. The faeries, you see, have lost their magic and without magic the outside world is far too dangerous for folk so small.
Bryony longs to go out. Frightened into obedience, she doesn't sneak out of the oak tree, but she never loses the desire for fresh air and flight and new experiences. She dreams of the day she'll be given her grown-up job and hopes to be assigned as a gatherer. Going out with a basket gathering food will give her a chance to see a bit of the world. Bryony grows up working hard, and without a lot of love and trust. In the Oakenwyld where she lives, nothing is free. You have to barter. You don't give without knowing what you're going to get in return.
The problem the very young Bryony faces--she wants to go outside--is quickly overshadowed by bigger problems that face the teen-aged Bryony and her whole colony (clan? What do you call a society of faeries?) They are hiding in the tree to stay alive, but it doesn't work. They are still dying, even in the tree with no contact from the outside world.
What is killing off the faeries? Where did their magic go? These are the things Bryony is desperate to find out.
Her quest takes her into the company of humans.
The human hero, Paul, is adorable. Angry, but understandably so. Under his anger he's a nice boy. A really nice boy.
That's all I'm going to tell you about the story because I don't want to ruin it for you. But here are the things the author did well: loveable characters, plenty of conflict and tension, romance, action, characters with needs who set goals. Characters who fail and have to regroup. Mystery. A world that looks real full of characters that sound real. A plot that hangs together and an ending that pays off.
Themes? I guess THE theme might be "True love--love that sacrifices--is rewarded in the end."
Because to this selfish society, understanding dawns--love is worthwhile. Giving for the sake of giving makes you happy. To love and be loved is a wonderful feeling.
But there's a whole lot more to the book, too. There is a picture of a damaged society living in fear. Diseased. Dying. Sounds amazingly like the human condition. In what state were you born? asks the old children's catechism. In a state of sin and misery, comes the answer. And that is the same state Bryony was born into. It is not clear what will save her people. There are still two more books. But even in this first book there are pictures of sacrificial love bringing redemption. There are also pictures of the weak saving the strong, and the noble covering the ignoble.
If any of you women are looking for lovely romances for your teen daughters, this would qualify. The characters learn to sacrifice for others, and that's what makes for great love stories. That's what I want for my daughter, anyway--a man she'll happily make sacrifices for and one that loves her enough to sacrifice all other things dear to him, in order to be with her and to see to her well-being.
I'm anxious to see where the author goes with this tale. I will definitely be snapping up any new books RJ Anderson puts out. She's wonderfully talented!
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Copyright © 2009 Sally Apokedak
