I've heard a lot of glowing reviews about this book. While there were some parts of it that were absolutely great, I just couldn't get past how annoying I found Mac as a heroine.
Moning does a great job building a believable world, where the Fae fit in through glamours and Dark Zones (as Mac terms them). I haven't read a lot of fairie paranormal novels yet, so I can't really compare to others, but Moning's depictions of their lovely/disgusting appearances, coupled with their different powers such as feeding off of beautiful people were refreshing compared to other paranormal-urban fantasy novels I've read. Furthermore, her descriptions of Dublin make me feel like I am there with Mac, and make the city come alive for me.
For some reason, Mac frustrates me. Maybe it's because I'm not a girly-girl who cares about nail polish and perfectly matching outfits, or the fact that I'd have to dye my hair dark to stay alive. I have a lot of trouble relating to characters like this. I'm also not a huge fan of the way the story is told. Mac is telling the story as if these events have already happened to her, which frustrates me to no end and also results in some extremely obvious instances of foreshadowing. It's almost not even foreshadowing, just her telling us that Jericho gave her a warning and boy, would she learn to heed it. I think I would have enjoyed this book much more if she had been experiencing the events as they happened.
But my issues with Mac were not enough to detract from the story, which kept me interested from start to finish. I love the mystery and intrigue surrounding Mac as she stumbles her way through Dublin and attempting to find her sister's murderer. Moning's masterful description of Jericho who is deliciously sexy, painfully mysterious and at times, a little frightening only adds to the attraction of the novel. By the end of the novel, we don't really know what exactly he is. I can't wait to find out more about him. Thankfully, there is no insta-love between Jericho and Mac. In fact, they are almost hostile to one another throughout the book, which is a bit of a relief after the young adult books I've read recently.
I also enjoyed Vlane and the effect he has on Mac, who seems to represent herself as a goody-two-shoes Southern Georgia Belle. Moning's rich and detailed descriptions of the feelings Mac has when she sees Vlane make me feel like he is right in front of me making me feel the same way. I can't wait to meet (view spoiler).
Overall, this was a quick and easy read that kept me captivated from start to finish. I can't wait to move on to the next one. (hide spoiler)]
