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Illusions Wings Aprilynne Pike Books

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Illusions Wings Aprilynne Pike Books

There is even more of the mythology that I love so much in this book.  Like in Spells, Shakespeare's writings are the human retellings  of faery lore, Shakespeare being one of the few mortals allowed into the confidence of the fae.  There are also other "human" faery tales that are mentioned as a part of the mythology of this faery world.  All of this means that there is much more of the reimagined Avalon and the mythology of King Arthur and Camelot.  Mab of traditional faery lore is also a part of the story line this time.  

I loved the humor involved with bringing technology to the faerie sentries of Avalon on temporary duty in the human world.  Not only do they have iPhones, but the little detail of mythology that the touch screens don’t work as well with the plant cells of the faerie as they do with the animal cells of the humans and their innate electrical currents is hilarious as  they try and try to make them work.  

I also liked that the boy rivalry between David and Tamani, although faerie versus human, was typical of boy struggles that we all know of.  Chelsea’s moment of vulnerability came when she confessed to Laurel about her feelings for David, a touching moment, but one that seemed less realistic than the situation between David and Tamani.  This isn’t really a normal teenage girl situation, especially handled as it was in the book.  I really loved that this whole situation wasn't glossed over at all.  In fact, sometimes Laurel's inability to get it together was downright annoying.  But these are very human traits and reactions and made her character one that a reader could feel for.  I liked that Laurel was portrayed as more personally strong with the two boys than she had been, no longer wary of sticking up for herself.

Laurel really grew in this book, seeming to embrace her faerie side far more than she had in the previous books.  The increased sentry presence in the woods behind her house prompted her to make potions and powders to keep them safe, showing more confidence in her faerie skills than we’ve seen before.  She also became more of a “thinker” in this book.  Her growth as a person was obvious in how she handled situations and choices that had to be made.  She spent more time thinking things through than she previously had.  

Things to love about Illusions...

   --The mythology.  There was even more in this book, which I loved.
   --The characters.  They were engaging and interesting and always evoking emotion.
   --Tamani.  While I liked Tamani in the previous books, I always felt like he only existed, both for the author and for the story itself, in support of Laurel.  Everything about his character was about Laurel, with nothing of Tamani himself.  That expanded with this story, especially in his dealings with Yuki and his conflicted feelings with her.
   --The tone.  The last 25% of the book was much darker than the rest of the book, and the rest of the series.  That was probably my favorite part because it became much more intense and intriguing for me.  It made the book a bit of a changing point for the story, really amplifying the struggle between the human world and the faerie world of Avalon.

Things I wanted more or less of...

   --A little more progress.  For much of the book, the entire premise was to discover the truth about Klea and Yuki.  The true action and progression only took place in the last 25% of the book.  I still enjoyed the book, and there was progression, it was just a bit drawn out.  90% of the climax of the book took place in the second to last chapter, just before concluding in a cliffhanger.

Some quotastic goodness...

   --As soon as their eyes locked, the months since she’d last seen Tamani shrank from an eternity to an instant (3).
   --He’d been back for about two weeks, and everything in Laurel’s life had been thrown into chaos.  Sexy, sexy chaos (40). 
   --“I just don’t want to cozy up to the guy whose girl I have every intention of stealing,” he said flatly, without looking at her (51).  
   --“But love is something that has to be as selfish as it is unselfish. You can’t make yourself love someone because you feel like you should. Just wanting to love someone isn’t enough (113).”  

My recommendation:  I absolutely love this series!  I definately recommend this one, but only after reading Wings and Spells.


Tags : Amazon.com: Illusions (Wings) (9780061668098): Aprilynne Pike: Books,Aprilynne Pike,Illusions (Wings),HarperTeen,0061668095,9780061668098,Fantasy - General,Romance - General,Social Themes - General,Fairies,Fairies;Fiction.,High schools,High schools;Fiction.,Interpersonal relations,Schools,Trolls,Trolls;Fiction.,Children: Young Adult (Gr. 7-9),Fantasy & Magic,Fiction,Fiction-Fantasy,JUVENILE,Juvenile Fiction,Juvenile Fiction Fantasy & Magic,Juvenile FictionSocial Themes - Adolescence,Juvenile Grades 7-9 Ages 12-14,Monograph Series, any,Science fiction (Children's Teenage),Social Themes - Adolescence,Social Themes - General,TEEN'S FICTION FANTASY,TEEN'S FICTION ROMANCE,Trolls,Trolls;Fiction.,United States,YOUNG ADULT FICTION,YOUNG ADULT FICTION Social Themes General (see also headings under Family),Young Adult Fiction Fantasy General,Young Adult Fiction Legends, Myths, Fables Arthurian,Young Adult Fiction Romance General,Fantasy & Magic,Juvenile Fiction Fantasy & Magic,Juvenile FictionSocial Themes - Adolescence,Social Themes - Adolescence,YOUNG ADULT FICTION Social Themes General (see also headings under Family),Young Adult Fiction Fantasy General,Young Adult Fiction Legends, Myths, Fables Arthurian,Young Adult Fiction Romance General,Fiction,YOUNG ADULT FICTION,Children: Young Adult (Gr. 7-9),Science fiction (Children's Teenage)

Illusions Wings Aprilynne Pike Books Reviews

Excerpt

She almost didn't notice the strange tingle that made her want to turn and look behind her.

Was she being watched?

More curious than afraid, Laurel disguised the glance over her shoulder as a toss of her long blond hair. But her watcher was immediately apparent, and Laurel's breath caught in her throat as her gaze locked with a pair of pale green eyes.

Those eyes weren't supposed to be light green. They were supposed to be the rich, emerald green that once matched his hair - hair that was now a uniform black, cut short and gelled into a deceptively casual mop. Instead of a hand-woven tunic and breeches, he was dressed in jeans and a black T-shirt that, no matter how good they looked on him, had to be terribly stifling.

And he was wearing shoes. She'd hardly ever seen Tamani wearing shoes.

You know how in a trilogy, the second one is always the worst one because it spends the most time setting up the action for book three, so that in itself, nothing seems to happen? At the same time, it is very important and you don't want to miss any of it? That is what Illusion is like. It is the third book out of four and it is not the most action packed or adventurous of the three published books, but it finally explores the relationships of the Laurel, David, Tamani triangle and starts to make headway in a direction. There is a sub-plot concerning a new faerie and the Trolls ability to withstand fae magic, but really, Illusions is about Laurel trying to make out what and who her feelings are for.

I personally am a Tamani fan, have been since Spells, so I enjoyed the development of her recognizing her desire for Tam and their time together since he has enrolled in her school to better protect her. Watching David and Tamani "fight" over her was also amusing. Nothing else really happened, since everything was leading up to the ending cliff hanger involving the new faerie. The next book should be really action packed and tense leading Laurel to realize that she can't live without Tamani and allowing her best friend to finally have the true love she has always wanted (cough, Mrs. Pike, cough).

So I would say that I definitely am glad I read this book but that if you are looking for a repeat of Spells and Wings, you will be disappointed. It is good in its own right, but much less action and a lot more time with Tamani being romantic with Laurel.

Would I/Did I buy it? Yes (I own all three!)
Would I read it again? Yes
Would I recommend it to friends? Yes
There is even more of the mythology that I love so much in this book.  Like in Spells, Shakespeare's writings are the human retellings  of faery lore, Shakespeare being one of the few mortals allowed into the confidence of the fae.  There are also other "human" faery tales that are mentioned as a part of the mythology of this faery world.  All of this means that there is much more of the reimagined Avalon and the mythology of King Arthur and Camelot.  Mab of traditional faery lore is also a part of the story line this time.  

I loved the humor involved with bringing technology to the faerie sentries of Avalon on temporary duty in the human world.  Not only do they have iPhones, but the little detail of mythology that the touch screens don’t work as well with the plant cells of the faerie as they do with the animal cells of the humans and their innate electrical currents is hilarious as  they try and try to make them work.  

I also liked that the boy rivalry between David and Tamani, although faerie versus human, was typical of boy struggles that we all know of.  Chelsea’s moment of vulnerability came when she confessed to Laurel about her feelings for David, a touching moment, but one that seemed less realistic than the situation between David and Tamani.  This isn’t really a normal teenage girl situation, especially handled as it was in the book.  I really loved that this whole situation wasn't glossed over at all.  In fact, sometimes Laurel's inability to get it together was downright annoying.  But these are very human traits and reactions and made her character one that a reader could feel for.  I liked that Laurel was portrayed as more personally strong with the two boys than she had been, no longer wary of sticking up for herself.

Laurel really grew in this book, seeming to embrace her faerie side far more than she had in the previous books.  The increased sentry presence in the woods behind her house prompted her to make potions and powders to keep them safe, showing more confidence in her faerie skills than we’ve seen before.  She also became more of a “thinker” in this book.  Her growth as a person was obvious in how she handled situations and choices that had to be made.  She spent more time thinking things through than she previously had.  

Things to love about Illusions...

   --The mythology.  There was even more in this book, which I loved.
   --The characters.  They were engaging and interesting and always evoking emotion.
   --Tamani.  While I liked Tamani in the previous books, I always felt like he only existed, both for the author and for the story itself, in support of Laurel.  Everything about his character was about Laurel, with nothing of Tamani himself.  That expanded with this story, especially in his dealings with Yuki and his conflicted feelings with her.
   --The tone.  The last 25% of the book was much darker than the rest of the book, and the rest of the series.  That was probably my favorite part because it became much more intense and intriguing for me.  It made the book a bit of a changing point for the story, really amplifying the struggle between the human world and the faerie world of Avalon.

Things I wanted more or less of...

   --A little more progress.  For much of the book, the entire premise was to discover the truth about Klea and Yuki.  The true action and progression only took place in the last 25% of the book.  I still enjoyed the book, and there was progression, it was just a bit drawn out.  90% of the climax of the book took place in the second to last chapter, just before concluding in a cliffhanger.

Some quotastic goodness...

   --As soon as their eyes locked, the months since she’d last seen Tamani shrank from an eternity to an instant (3).
   --He’d been back for about two weeks, and everything in Laurel’s life had been thrown into chaos.  Sexy, sexy chaos (40). 
   --“I just don’t want to cozy up to the guy whose girl I have every intention of stealing,” he said flatly, without looking at her (51).  
   --“But love is something that has to be as selfish as it is unselfish. You can’t make yourself love someone because you feel like you should. Just wanting to love someone isn’t enough (113).”  

My recommendation  I absolutely love this series!  I definately recommend this one, but only after reading Wings and Spells.