Lament: The Faerie Queen's Deception

By Maggie Stiefvater

Sixteen-year-old Deirdre Monaghan is a painfully shy but prodigiously gifted musician. She's about to find out she's also a cloverhand—one who can see faeries. Deirdre finds herself infatuated with a mysterious boy who enters her ordinary suburban life, seemingly out of thin air. Trouble is, the enigmatic and gorgeous Luke turns out to be a gallowglass—a soulless faerie assassin. An equally hunky—and equally dangerous—dark faerie soldier named Aodhan is also stalking Deirdre. Sworn enemies, Luke and Aodhan each have a deadly assignment from the Faerie Queen. Namely, kill Deirdre before her music captures the attention of the Fae and threatens the Queen's sovereignty. Caught in the crossfire with Deirdre is James, her wisecracking but loyal best friend. Deirdre had been wishing her life weren't so dull, but getting trapped in the middle of a centuries-old faerie war isn't exactly what she had in mind . . . Lament is a dark faerie fantasy that features authentic Celtic faerie lore, plus cover art and interior illustrations by acclaimed faerie artist Julia Jeffrey. FROM THE AUTHOR OF THE NEW YORK TIMES BESTSELLING NOVEL SHIVER

• Language: English
• Publisher: Flux
• Release date: Sep 8, 2010
• ISBN: 9780738722290

Maggie Stiefvater

After a tumultuous past as a history major, calligraphy instructor, wedding musician, technical editor, and equestrian artist, Maggie Stiefvater is now a full-time writer and New York Times bestselling author of the Shiver trilogy, The Scorpio Races, and The Raven Boys. Her debut series, the Books of Faerie, is published by Flux. Maggie lives in the middle of nowhere, Virginia, with her charmingly straight-laced husband, two kids, four neurotic dogs, and a 1973 Camaro named Loki. Follow her on Twitter at @mstiefvater, and visit her online at www.maggiestiefvater.com.

Book preview

Sixteen-year-old Deirdre Monaghan is a prodigiously gifted musician. She’s about to find out she’s also a cloverhand—one who can see faeries.

Unexpectedly, Deirdre finds herself infatuated with a mysterious boy named Luke who enters her ordinary life, seemingly out of thin air. But his interest in her might be something darker than summer romance. When a sinister faerie named Aodhan shows up with deadly orders from the Faerie Queen, it forces Dee right into the midst of Faerie. Caught in the crossfire with Deirdre is James, her wisecracking but loyal best friend.

Deirdre had been wishing her summer weren’t so dull, but taking on a centuries-old Faerie Queen isn’t exactly what she had in mind.

Chock-full of the fierce and the fey, Lament is musical, magical, and practically radiating romance. A blood-fresh reinvention of old traditions, perfect for engaging sharp minds and poetic hearts.

—Cynthia Leitich Smith, author of Eternal

To my dad, because he’s like me,

and Ed, because he’s not.

Woodbury, Minnesota

Lament: The Faerie Queen’s Deception © 2008 by Maggie Stiefvater.

All rights reserved. No part of this book may be used or reproduced in any matter whatsoever, including Internet usage, without written permission from Flux, except in the form of brief quotations embodied in critical articles and reviews.

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This is a work of fiction. Names, characters, places, and incidents are either the product of the author’s imagination or are used fictitiously, and any resemblance to actual persons, living or dead, business establishments, events, or locales is entirely coincidental.

First e-book edition © 2010

E-book ISBN: 978-07387-2229-0

Book design by Steffani Sawyer

Cover design by Lisa Novak

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Acknowledgments

This novel wouldn’t have been possible without the help of several people: my generous and charming editor Andrew, who believed in this novel back when it was a fugly duckling; my friend Naish, who dropped everything for tireless editing sessions and fixed grammatical errors that even drunk monkeys speaking English as a foreign language wouldn’t have made; my sister Kate, whose intense enthusiasm for Luke and Deirdre kept this story alive and who giggled with me over the plotting process (one word, Kate: splat-shmear); my sister Liz, who threatened me into beginning this story in the first place … no really, she did threaten me—I have it in writing; my mom, because without her I wouldn’t be here; my cyber-chums for their enthusiasm, especially Wendy, who lives in a place where they stand upside down; and of course my husband/love-slave Ed, whose long-suffering expression hides a true heart.

prologue

He didn’t know how long he’d been clinging there. Long enough for the bone-cold water to drive the feeling from his legs. Long enough for his fingers to tire of holding his head above water. Somewhere in the distance, the eerie wail of the hounds quickened his heartbeat.

He closed his eyes, concentrating on keeping his hold on the old well’s uneven sides, willing his heart to slow. They can’t smell you in here. They’ll lose your scent in the stream and they’ll never find you here.

The water’s chilly touch crawled farther up his neck and he tightened his grip, looking up to the clear night sky. Sighed. Weary. How long had he been doing this? As long as he could remember. Above the well, the howls fell away; they’d lost the scent.

Just leave me alone. Haven’t I paid enough? He prayed for Them to go back where They came from, but he didn’t expect an answer. God’s attentions were for those with souls, a status he’d lacked for a thousand years or more. He swallowed. Deep in his chest, he felt the soft and curious rustling that meant They’d entered the cage room. He reached down through the water to his pocket, withdrew two old, rusty nails, and held them tightly. All he had to do was not cry out. He could do this.

Somewhere else, in a small, round, gray room of stone and moss soft as a fox cub’s fur, a dove beat furiously in a cage made of a net of the hair-fine wires. Wings crashed into the bars, and claws scraped at the perch only to unsuccessfully seek purchase on the thin wire sides. It was a frenzy not of a desire to escape—the cage had no door—but rather of fear. It was the worst kind of fear—the hopeless kind—and it sent the bird’s eternal heart racing until it seemed it would burst out of its breast.

Somehow, slender hands took the pale dove from where it trembled at the bottom of the cage and held it out to a bright lady, oddly golden in this gray-green room.

When she spoke, her voice shimmered in the room, beautiful enough to draw tears. The wing, she said softly, holding up a candle. The fingers gently tugged the dove’s wing outward from its body and offered the prone bird to the lady. The candle she held reflected the colors of the sun in the dove’s eye.

The lady smiled thinly and held the pale flame beneath the bird’s wing.

The boy in the well shuddered. Biting his lip, he pressed his forehead into his arms, willing himself quiet. The pain in his chest gnawed and burned, squeezing his heart with a fiery touch. As quickly as it began, it abated, and he gasped silently.

The lady in the gray room held the candle beside her face, illuminating her beauty: beauty that looked at the beauty of a perfect summer day and scoffed that they should bear the same description. He always chooses the hard way, doesn’t he? The dove began to thrash wildly at the sound of her voice. This time, she held the candle closer, and the flames seized the feathers, twisting and blackening them like shreds of paper. The dove froze, beak parted in silent pain, eyes fixed blankly on the ceiling.

In the well, the boy gasped again, audibly, and tried to remember to hold his head above water. His heart writhed within him, and as he squeezed his eyes shut as tightly as he could, his heartbeat stopped. Feeling curiously hollow, he slid silently under the water, fingers limp, the nails he had been holding tracing a slow line into the dark below him.

His head jerked back, his neck seized in an inhuman grip. He was pulled into the night and dropped to the clover-scented ground, water trickling from his mouth.

You’re not to die quite yet, old friend. The Hunter looked down at him, neither angry nor happy with his captured quarry. The chase was done, so the entertainment was over. Hounds milled around the body in the clover. Work to do.

Book One

… you’ve left my heart shaken

With a hopeless desolation, I’d have you to know

It’s the wonders of admiration your quiet face has taken

And your beauty will haunt me wherever I go.

—Bridgit O’Malley

one

You’ll be fine once you throw up, Mom said from the front seat. You always are."

Standing behind our dusty station wagon, I blinked out of my daze and tugged my harp case out of the back, feeling nauseated. It struck me that Mom’s statement was just about the only reason I needed to avoid a career in public music performance. Keep that pep talk coming, Mom.

Don’t be sarcastic. Mom tossed me a cardigan that matched my pants. Take this. It makes you look more professional.

I could’ve said no, but it was easier just to take the sweater. As Mom had already pointed out, the sooner I got into the auditorium and threw up, the easier it would be. And once I got this over with, I could return to my ordinary life until the next time she decided to take me out of my cage. I did refuse Mom’s offers to help me carry my harp, though plenty of the other students heading inside had parental retinues. Somehow it was easier to be utterly insignificant without anyone you knew watching.

We’ll park the car, then. And find a seat. Call if you need us? Mom patted her dove-blue purse, which matched her plunging dove-blue top. And Delia should be here soon, too.

The thought of my diva-aunt pushed me slightly closer to the vomit end of the sick scale. Oh Deirdre, she would say loudly, can I help you run through those scales? You really are a bit flat on the upper range. And then I would throw up on her. Hey, maybe that wasn’t a terrible plan after all. Though, knowing Delia, she’d probably correct my form. Deirdre, dear, really, you need a better puke arc if you’re going to ever blow chunks professionally.

Great, I said. My parents waved and left me to find the competitors’ area. I shielded my eyes and scanned the broad concrete side of the high school. Shining brightly in the early afternoon glare was a huge canvas sign that said Competitors’ Entrance. I’d sincerely hoped I wouldn’t have to return to the school until my junior year started. Yeah. Farewell, mine dreams.

Man, it was hot. I glared up at the sun, eyes narrowed, and my eyes were drawn to the moon hanging in the sky next to the sun. For some reason, this appearance of the ghost of the moon gave me an odd prickle in my stomach—nerves of a different kind. It had a sort of magic, magic that made me want to stay and stare at it until I could remember why it enchanted me. But staying outside in the heat wasn’t helping my nervous stomach, so I left the pale disc behind and I hauled my harp over to the Competitors’ Entrance.

As I pushed through the heavy doors, it occurred to me that, before my mother mentioned it, I hadn’t wanted to puke at all. I hadn’t even been thinking about the competition. True, I’d had my familiar glassy-eyed, all-attention-devoted-to-not-hurling look on my face on the drive over, but not for the reason my mother assumed. I had still been lost in last night’s dream. But now that she’d brought it up, and with the competition in sight, all was right again with the world and my stomach was a disaster.

A woman with two chins and a clipboard asked for my name.

Deirdre Monaghan.

She squinted at me—or maybe that was her normal expression. Someone was looking for you earlier.

I hoped she meant James, my best (only) friend. Anyone else, I wasn’t interested in them finding me. I wanted to ask what they looked like, but I was afraid that if I talked much, I’d lose my tenuous control over my gag reflex. Mere proximity to the competition area was definitely antagonizing the whole bile thing.

Tall, light-haired woman.

Not James. But not Delia, either. Puzzling, but not really a priority, all things considered.

The woman scribbled something next to my name. You’ll need to pick up a packet at the end of the hall.

I held a hand over my mouth and asked carefully, Where can I practice?

If you go down the hall past where you get the packet, the big double doors on the—

I couldn’t wait much longer. Right. The classrooms down there?

She wagged her chins. I took that as a yes and walked farther inside. My eyes took a minute to adjust to the light, but my nose operated immediately. The familiar smell of my high school, even without any students nearby, pricked my nerves. God, I was so dysfunctional.

My harp case rang. The phone. I fished it out and stared. A four-leaf clover was stuck to the back of it, damp and fresh. Not one of the ones where the fourth leaf is stunted, either, and you can obviously see it’s just a mutation of a three-leaf clover. Each of these leaves was perfectly formed and spread.

Then I remembered that the phone was ringing. I looked at the number, hoping it wasn’t Mom, and flipped it open. Hi, I said tightly, peeling the four-leaf clover off the phone and putting it in my pocket. Couldn’t hurt.

Oh, James said sympathetically, picking up on my tone. Though his voice was thin and crackly over the line, it still had its usual calming effect. The bile in my throat momentarily retreated. I should’ve called earlier, huh? You’re puke-a-rella already.

Yeah. I headed slowly toward the double doors at the end of the hall. "Distract me, please."

Well, I’m running late, he said cheerfully. So I’m probably going to have to tune my pipes in the car and then run in shirtless and half-dressed. I’ve been lifting weights. Maybe they’ll score high for a defined six pack, if they aren’t awed by my mere musical genius.

"If you manage just your skirt, at least the judges’ll give you Braveheart points."

Don’t mock the kilt, woman. So, did you have any entertaining dreams last night?

Uh … Even though James and I were just friends, I hesitated to tell him. My intensely detailed dreams were usually a source of great amusement for us—two nights ago, I’d dreamt I was being interviewed by a Harvard college counselor who was up to her neck in cheese (Gouda, I think). The mood of last night’s dream still lingered with me, in a sort of appealing way. I couldn’t really sleep well enough to dream, I finally said.

Oh. The moon. It suddenly occurred to me that my dream was where I had seen a moon in a daytime sky—that was where the sense of déjà vu came from. I was disappointed that it was something so normal.

Well, that’s typical, James was saying.

Delia’s coming, I told him.

Oh, so it’ll be the whole sister-on-sister catfight thing today, huh?

No, it’s the whole ‘my kid’s more talented than you are’ thing.

Neener neener, James added helpfully. Oh, damn. I really am late now. I have to get my pipes into the car, but I’ll see you soon. Try not to spaz out.

Yeah, thanks, I said. The phone went silent, and I stuffed it back in my case as I arrived at the double doors. Behind them I could hear a vaguely muffled cacophony. I waited in line for my competition packet, pulling my harp behind me. Finally, I accepted my crisp manila envelope and turned to go. I was so eager to get out of there that my harp tipped precariously. Next thing I knew, the student behind me was stumbling under the weight of it.

"Uh—God. He carefully set the harp back upright and I realized I knew him: Andrew from the brass section of the school orchestra. Trumpet, maybe. Something loud. He grinned hugely at me—boobs first, then face. You have to be careful. Those inanimate objects will get away from you."

Yeah. If he got much funnier, I was going to throw up on him. I pulled my harp a few inches away from him. Sorry.

Hey, you can chuck your harp at me any time.

I didn’t know how to respond to that, so I just said, Yeah. Effortlessly, I became invisible and Andrew turned away. Funny how it was just like any other day in high school.

Except that it wasn’t. Standing next to the double doors, listening to the roar of voices and instruments behind it, I couldn’t forget why we were all here. Tons of students were warming up for their turn on stage. Warming up for their shot at winning a prize at the 26th Annual Eastern Virginia Arts Festival. For their chance to impress the college and conservatory representatives who would be watching from the audience.

My stomach turned again and this time I knew there was no going back. I fled for the girl’s bathroom, the one in the basement below the gym, so that I could puke in private. Leaving my harp by the sinks, I barely made it in time, arms resting on the old gray-yellow toilet seat that reeked of too much cleaner and too many students.

I hate this. My stomach gurgled more. Every time I played in public, this happened. I knew it was stupid to be afraid of crowds, and I knew that the throwing up and nerves were all my fault, but I still couldn’t stop it. James had looked up the fear of public humiliation for me (katagelophobia), and one afternoon we’d even tried hypnosis, complete with self-actualizing pamphlets and soothing music. We’d just ended up slap-happy new fans of New Age music.

I still wasn’t done. My stupid hair was falling in my face, and my choppy haircut was too short in front to pull back into my ponytail. I imagined going onstage with chunks in my bangs. I cry only when I’m frustrated, and I was getting dangerously close.

And then, I felt a cool hand gently pulling my hair back from my face. I hadn’t even heard anyone come into the bathroom. But somehow I wasn’t surprised—like I’d expected someone to come find me here. I knew without looking that it was definitely a guy’s hand, and definitely not James.

I started to pull my head away, embarrassed, when the owner of the hand said firmly, Don’t worry about it. You’re almost done.

And I was. I finally couldn’t throw up anymore and I was left shaky and utterly empty. And for some reason, I wasn’t totally undone by the idea of a guy standing behind me. I turned around to see who had witnessed the most unsexy thing a girl could do. If it was Andrew, I was going to punch him for touching me.

But it wasn’t Andrew. It was Dillon.

Dillon.

The guy from my dream. Here to save me from public humiliation and lead me triumphantly to a standing ovation.

He held out a handful of paper towels and smiled disarmingly. Hi. I’m Luke Dillon. He had one of those soft voices that oozed self-control, a voice you couldn’t imagine raised. It was, even in the context of a barf-filled bathroom, amazingly sexy.

Luke Dillon, I repeated, trying not to stare. I took the towels with a still-trembling hand and wiped my face. He had been hazy in the dream, like all dream people, but this was definitely him. Lean as a wolf, with pale blond hair and eyes even paler. And sexy. The dream seemed to have left that bit out. You’re in the girl’s bathroom.

I heard you in here.

I added, in a voice more wavery than I wanted, You’re blocking me in the stall.

Luke moved to the side to let me out and turned on one of the taps so I could wash my face. Do you need to sit down?

No—yes—maybe.

He retrieved a folding chair from the cubby behind the stalls and put it next to me. You’re white as white. Are you sure you’re okay?

I sank down onto the chair. Sometimes after I’m done—uh—doing that, I pass out. I smiled weakly as my ears started to roar. One of my—uh—many charms.

Put your head between your knees. Luke knelt beside the chair and watched my upside-down face. You know, you have very pretty eyes.

I didn’t answer. I was going to pass out in front of a perfect stranger on a bathroom floor. Luke reached between the tangle of my arms and legs and pressed a wet paper towel against my forehead. My hearing came back in a rush.

Thanks, I muttered, before very slowly sitting up.

Luke crouched before me. Are you sick? He didn’t seem particularly concerned about me being contagious, but I shook my head vigorously.

Nerves. I always throw up before these things. I know I should know better—but I can’t stop it. At least I won’t throw up on stage now. Might still faint, though.

How Victorian, Luke remarked. Are you done fainting for now, though? I mean, do you want to stay in the bathroom, or shall we go out?

I stood. I stayed standing, so I must have recovered. No, I’m better. I—uh—really need to warm up, though. I think I’ve only got forty-five minutes or something until I play. I’m not sure how much time I’ve wasted. I pointed to the stall he’d found me in.

Well, let’s get you outside to practice. They’ll let you know when you need to go on, and it’s quieter.

If he were any other guy in the school, I would have given him the brush-off there. I think this was actually the longest conversation I’d had with someone other than James or my family in the last two years. And that wasn’t even counting the puking as part of the conversation.

Luke shouldered my harp case. I’ll take this for you, as you’re Victorian and feeble. If you’ll carry this for me? He held out an exquisitely carved little wooden box, very heavy for its size. I liked it—it promised secrets inside.

What’s in here? Right after I asked the question, I realized that it was the first one I’d asked him since he touched my hair. It hadn’t even occurred to me to question anything else about him—as if everything up to now was unquestionable and acceptable, part of an unwritten script we both followed.

Flute. Luke pushed open the bathroom door and headed for one of the back exits.

What are you competing in?

Oh, I’m not here to compete.

Then why are you here?

He looked over his shoulder and flashed me a smile so winning that I got the idea he didn’t smile like that very often. Oh, I came to watch you play.

It wasn’t true, but I liked his answer anyway. He led me out into the sun behind the school and made his way to one of the picnic benches near the soccer field. A student’s name blared across the grounds from the speaker near the back door, and Luke looked at me. See? You’ll know when you need to go.

We settled there, him on the

Reviews for Lament

[devilwrites · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

The premise: The day that Deirdre Monaghan meets Luke Dillon, she starts to see faeries. Day by day, her life starts getting weirder and weirder, and what's worse, she's become infatuated with the mysterious Luke, a boy she knows isn't fully human but doesn't care. What she doesn't know is that Luke's been sent with a purpose, and that purpose might get her killed. And yes, if this book sounds like a cross between Stephenie Meyer's Twilight and Melissa Marr's Wicked Lovely, it's intentional on my part, because those are the two books I thought of while reading this one. I don't mean that as an insult or turn-off either, as the book does grow into its own story by the end, but before I got there, I was reminded of previous works. :)My RatingGive It Away: but if faeries are YOUR THING, it's worth the cash, maybe even a must have, but given my bias against faeries in general, I'm not the best judge of that. It's a VERY fast read, so fast you won't even realize where you are in the book until you're halfway through it, and one really nice thing about this edition (I don't know if all of the editions will have this) is the interior art: the inside covers have lovely drawings as well as each "book" of the, well, book. ;) It's all done by the same artist that did the cover, and while the art isn't the kind of style I like, it's lovely to look at, especially in black and white. There's a lot of things I like and/or am interested in this book that might make me consider the sequel, Ballad when it comes out, but I'll definitely keep an eye on Stiefvater's future work. She's already got a title coming up that's not related to this series at all called Shiver, and from what I gather, it focuses on my particular fetish, werewolves, or at least her brand of them. The full review, which includes MAJOR SPOILERS, as well as cover art commentary (for both the old and new covers!) may be found in my LJ. As always, comments and discussion are most welcome. :)REVIEW: Maggie Stiefvater's LAMENTHappy Reading! :)

[sandsing7 · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

This was a MUCH better Twilight with a much more powerful heroine! I'm noticing a pattern in Maggie Stiefvater's novels where almost too much happens in the last 40 pages. The novel is so nicely paced, and then it's an all out frontal attack with action and information and twists and connections! More like an movie than a traditional book, now that I think of it. It's an interesting technique.

[aridy_1 · Rating: 2 out of 5 stars]

So many flat characters! I read the second book in the series first and the main character in that is nothing like the one found in the first one and vice verse. So much more could have come out of this story.

[pennma05-1 · Rating: 3 out of 5 stars]

At first I wasn't sure if I was going to get into this book. It starts out really slow but as I kept reading, I did start to get interested enough to like it. But overall it just felt a little lackluster.

[eire2011 · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

This book caught my attention from the moment I picked it up and found it hard to put down. It's an amazing tale of the Fae, love, confusion, magic and what can happen when you follow your heart.
Deidre was used to getting attention for her music abilities though she just wants to be loved for herself. Her best friend James is always there to lend support, defend and bring comic relief. When she encounters Luke on a summer day for a competition, she has no idea how much he will change her life and get her to believe in herself. Deidre soon learns that she's a cloverhand who is someone that can see the Fae and she has powers. With the support of James, Luke and unlikely allies, she learns to believe in herself and starts learning how to use her powers. Not everything is as it seems and tragedy will strike, causing her to question what she took for granted and two people she holds dear will be put into danger. Read more to find out what happens, it will be well worth the wait!

[klarsenmd · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

Just like everything she writes, this was lovely and funny at the same time.

[slsmitty25 · Rating: 2 out of 5 stars]

Sigh, was it me or did this book jump all over the place? I kept hoping to figure it out but felt completely off kilter. I love The Scorpio Races though so I will continue to read Stiefvater.

[laurat81 · Rating: 2 out of 5 stars]

After having read Stiefvater's Wolves of Mercy Falls series first, I was expecting a bit more from her early work. The concept of this young adult novel was intriguing, but the execution was lacking. I was most bothered by the fact that people in Deirdre's life, including her best friend and snobby coworker, accept that she's being followed by Faeries without even blinking an eye. Also, I had trouble beliving the romance between Deirdre and Luke. There are ways to master believability, even in fantasy, but this wasn't it. I really really wanted to love it.

[staciesnape-1 · Rating: 3 out of 5 stars]

The first time I heard about Maggie Stiefvater was a few years ago, and since then I have read some really good books by here. Shiver, the first in her Wolves Of Mercy Falls series was fresh and new, the first two book in the Raven Cycle were very unique blend of paranormal and mystery and The Scorpio Races was such a hauntly beautifully book I wished and hoped to a series. As you can see, I've really enjoyed my Maggie experience, and when I cam across Lament and Ballad in the charity shop I snatched them p instantly , looking for a new series for me to sink my teeth into a fall in love with. Unfortunately, for whatever reason, Lament didn't grip me like her other books did. I really do think I was just a little bit too old for this one.The one thing I loved the most about Maggie's writing is the slow build up to the story, how there was always a sense of suspense through out. However with Lament I felt that the pace of the book was just too quick, there thing seemed to be moving at a million miles per hour and all the secrets were laid bare. Yes, it took some time before we found them out but when we did, it was like 'here they are, there you go. Enjoy' it felt like they were just pushed upon us and I didn't enjoy that aspect of the book.While I enjoyed the idea behind the book, I didn't like just how accepting Deidre was of the Faerie world, everything freaky and Luke. In YA paranormal books, when the main character has had a string of unexplained incidents or talents from a young age, the quick belief of what he or she is comes across as more believable, we didn't have that here. She just seemed to believe what she and those around her were with little to none convincing. Fact paced relationship's happen to be another thing I cant stand, and with Luke and Deirdre it was as though they went from him holding her hair back while she threw up before show, I'd like to say she'd never met him before that too.., and within days she was always thinking about him and felt like she knew him inside out. I just did not get their relationship at all Because of how immature the characters came across I found it very difficult connecting with them. Being 25, it's really seldom I find a main character who is between 16-18 that I can connect with these days, so it's not completely Maggie Stiefvater's fault. However I didn't find her a likeable character either. She was at times pretty self centered, and when something happens to someone in her family, she doesn't seem all that concerned with it and reacts different to how I would have expected.All in all, this book just wasn't for me. And yes, I was disappointed but like already stated, I think it was just too much to do with age.

[devafagan-1 · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

I have tried a number of other urban fantasy-type books lately that promised me a thrilling lush romance. This is the only one that has really delivered. Maybe it just presses my buttons, but I totally bought the chemistry between Deirdre and Luke. And oh, the ending. Ow. It's been a while since I found a romance that really twisted my heart the way I sometimes want it twisted.

Despite all that, I definitely had a soft-spot for James. I am a sucker for the witty male best friend.

I also loved that the main character is a harpist, and that Celtic music figures so prominently in the plot. Go musicians! I particularly enjoyed the song excerpts at the beginning of each section of the novel.

I am very much looking forward to the sequel!

[floratina · Rating: 2 out of 5 stars]

READ IN DUTCH

I liked the series about the wolves and that was why I wanted to try this series as well. I had little to no knowledge about fairies and whatsoever but I thought; lets give it a try.

I was not really what I expected it to be. The love story was weak and not really imaginative, the story itself was not great either. I was quite disappointed reading it. For me, it was not as special as her other series, which I enjoyed. I wouldn't recommend this series, please try her other series!

[mrsdanaalbasha · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

I've read Shiver before this book and I got to say this book is much better. There is more magic in it's pages. I am just enjoying it so much.

[mbklibrary · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

oooh I enjoyed this story. Based in celtic folklore this faerie story is dark and somewhat reminiscent of Melissa Marr's faerie tales. Our main characters Diedre and Luke are in an impossible situation. Terrible things happen, and strength comes from places unknown all the way to the heartbreaking end. There is a sequel but it is not about these two but about Diedre's best friend James. Well written, the book was engaging, the characters were well drawn (Aodhan will give you chills) and the plot kept you guessing.

[melumebelle-1 · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

I think I enjoyed the style of this book more than I enjoyed the story (the story was fine, mind you, but the style was mesmerizing).

[rosetyper9 · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

I only grabbed this book so I could read the second book in this series for The Blog With Bite review that is due in a couple of weeks. I started to read it and in an instant I was hooked. I love a good faerie tale, especially one that has been thoroughly researched and even contains some new bits of faerie lore that I didn't know. The plot moved along at a pretty good pace, I was very happy with that, it was pretty amazing how some enemies turned friends and some friends turned enemy. I loved the main characters, especially together, they have the intensity, the forbidden longing that Edward and Bella possess times a thousand. I wish the more decent faerie could have taken Deirdre as well...*sigh* but I am not the author, so I don't get to make those choices. The ending plot twist was a pleasant surprise, it was enough of one that I didn't even see it coming, which is unusual for me, cause I am good at guessing and picking up the foreshadowing. I loved this book and am about to jump right into the second. One thing I did think that was a bit odd and different was that the faerie believed in God and Hell...usually with faerie tales faerie don't have beliefs like that or they have some form of the Old Gods.

[lauraodom-1 · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

I read this because I've really enjoyed other books by this author and learned this was her first. It was okay. Nothing fabulous, but not bad either. Probably won't read the sequel. 3.5 of 5 stars.

[camibrite · Rating: 3 out of 5 stars]

It was good, and I want to read the sequel...but this book just didn't have much of an emotional impact for me.

[btweenlibshelf · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

Lament was my first attempt to reading Young-Adult fiction. And I have heard and read so many good reviews about Maggie Stiefvater's books I thought what the heck I am diving into this genre and seeing what happens.So I began to read Lament:The Faerie Queen's Deception and was blow away. I enjoyed the symmetry of how both the supernatural world and the real world (earthly) flowed in and out of each other with out even a glitch.I enjoyed Deirdre's and Luke's chemistry even though there was always doubt on the surface.I wish Granna's story could have been told more, and I really thought that Delia was the faerie queen for a moment because of how she was always away when something tragic happened to the family.So all in all I really enjoyed this book and I can't wait to read Ballad, which I start today.

[lafon_1 · Rating: 2 out of 5 stars]

The only saving grace of this novel was James. And even he becomes lame towards the end. Why won't authors allow sarcastic, hilarious, handsome, and talented people stay as they are in novels? Oh yeah... 'cause they might actually make the book ENJOYABLE! As this entire review has been taken up by James let's spend one nanosecond talking about... what's her name again? Right, it's Dierdre. Anyway she whines, is selfish, whines, pines after Luke, whines, cries, whines, throws up. Oh did I mention whines? Yes, OK good. And the fey... Will it kill you authors to write from their point of view. The fey here are your typical allergic-to-iron-and-are-evil/hate-humans brand.

[cecily2_1 · Rating: 3 out of 5 stars]

This book reminded me a lot of Holly Black's novels; I think they're probably written better than this, but Lament is still pretty good.

I'm giving it three stars instead of four because a) the male main character reminded me of Edward in Twilight, in a bad way, and b) all the talk about souls and Hell annoyed my inner atheist.

[aimelire · Rating: 3 out of 5 stars]

I'm not certain what to make of this book. The story was o.k. The main character, Dee, has many bizarre events happen around her and the beginning. She has never questioned who she was. A young man walks up to her and offers to help her with a recital and she just doesn't seem to question his motives, why he is there. I will give it to my students to see if they are more accepting of Dee and her choices.

[angelswing_1 · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

Wow! I simply loved this book! I plan to read the sequel Ballad too. Great book. I strongly recommend it if you can suspend your disbelief and enter the world of Faerie.

[wyvernfriend · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

The Faerie in this book are the faerie of legend, mean, capricious and like to play games with humans. Deirdre aka Dee is a cloverhand, a human who can see faerie. She finds herself drawn to the mysterious Luke who inspires her. However Luke is an assassin from the Faerie world. This is an interesting story, I like the world and I liked the resolution, it isn't an easy solution to the issues, but it's a good resolution. It's pretty much a complete story and interesting, I was surprised that there was a sequel but it's a pleasant surprise. The life of a musician was pretty accurately portrayed too!

[lms8esmith · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

I love how Maggie Stiefvater can weave a magical tale of longing and keep me hooked all the way through her novels. Lament's pairing of Dee and Luke, with the ever present James, is genius. I am pretty sure I experienced the same tangled web when I was in high school. This will be a great addition to my classroom library.

[lyricaltwin · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

An amazing start to a series, Maggie Stiefvater has outdone herself with Lament. I loved how it was centered around music and Maggie Stiefvater's writing is just amazing every time I read it. I find myself looking at a sentence and thinking "That was an amazing description" or "what a wonderful way to put it". Absolutely stunning.

[smg6mstewart · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

The book is perfect for teenage romance, and it also has danger and mystery from the faerie world.

[larissabookgirl_1 · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

It began with a balled, an ancient story of lament, a song of love and death sung with the voice of an angel by a girl who to the world is all but invisible. That is she is invisible to the human world but not to the faeries, not any more. Deirdre has captured the attention of the faeries and that can be deadly.Deirdre is falling in love with Luke; however Luke is no ordinary boy. Over a thousand years old and assassin to the Queen, Luke is dangerous, a killer, and yet Deirdre cannot help but follow when he calls, putting her life in his hands, which is exactly what the faeries want. Will love be enough to conquer death or are Deirdre and Luke as fated to tragedy as the lover in the balled of lament?Lament is a tale of love wrought through with heartache, music and magic, only this tragedy is also beautifully threaded with hope. As a modern story of faeries there is a seamless blending of fantasy and magic with the everyday that creates one of the most enthralling and authentic tales that is simply a pleasure to read.

[amberic · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

Dee is harpist and an amazing one! One day before a competition she meets a boy names Luke. Even though she knows there is something just not right about him, she decides to just leave it alone. She loves the way she is with him and that's okay with her. She soon discovers her world just isn't ordinary and that she has special gifts of her own. She also finds out her new boyfriend is a Fairy and there is a whole world of them and they are drawn to her and the Queen wants her dead. Luke was sent there to kill her, but then something happens and he can't do it! That puts his life in jeopardy along with anyone close to Dee. The Queen will stop at nothing to get to her so Dee must face her and save the people she loves... But can she do it in time?

[ejstevens_1 · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

I began reading Lament: The Faerie Queen's Deception by Maggie Stiefvater the day before St. Patrick's Day thinking that the fall of four leaf clovers on the front cover was appropriate for the holiday. I wasn't able to put it down. This book has a pleasant mix of compelling characters and shadowed mystery that kept me reading even when I should have turned the light off for bed (always a sure sign that I'm enjoying a book!). I recommend Lament to fans of young adult, fantasy, and paranormal romance.

[fhickling-1 · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

Maggie Stiefvater is one of my fav. I just love how she wrights her books