I received this book for free from the library in exchange for an honest review. This does not affect my opinion of the book or the content of my review.
Source: the library
Fragile Eternity
by
Melissa Marr
paranormal romance in a hardcover edition that was published by Bowen Press on April 21, 2009 and has 389 pages.
Explore it on Goodreads or Amazon
Other books by this author which I have reviewed include Unbound, Enthralled: Paranormal Diversions, Ink Exchange, Wicked Lovely, Radiant Shadows, “Changing Guards”, “Guns for the Dead”, Cursed by Death
Third in the Wicked Lovely paranormal romance fantasy series. The focus is on Seth and his desire to be forever with Aislinn.
In 2009, Fragile Eternity was nominated for the Goodreads Choice Award for Young Adult Series.
My Take
How can you not love Seth? He is so in love with Aislinn and supportive of what she needs. Aislinn herself has a fine line to walk. She’s stuck with being the Summer Queen which means she needs to work with Keenan, but she’s still angry over the stunts he’s pulled. How his evasions put her friends in danger.
There’s a good bit of background on Aislinn’s mother, Moira.
It’s interesting to watch the three courts fight over who is protecting Seth. Summer claims him as their queen’s lover while Niall claims him as a brother, and Winter wants to help simply because he distracts Aislinn from Keenan.
Oh, crack me up! Niall offers Seth the friendship of the Dark Court, and it must be paid in blood. You will ROFL when that blood is paid.
“I won’t have Keenan break him too, and you’ve proven that you won’t defend your friends from him.”
It’s an obvious move on Marr’s part, pushing Seth into Sorcha’s arms, but it’s Sorcha’s reactions that are the real surprise. Even though I cried when Seth missed the obvious point he should have nailed down. And I’m wondering about this bargain that Seth has made. As time goes by, new details arise that worry me. It’s so disturbing to see Seth in Faery…I just want to cry.
The more I know of Keenan, the more I despise him. He’ll pretend to be anything to get what he wants and once he gets it, he drops it if the girl doesn’t pass the test. This king of impulsive fun and pleasure will lie, cheat, and steal to get what he wants, uncaring who he hurts.
I really hate this chosen thing. That Keenan can simply want someone and that starts the process of changing them from mortal to faery. It’s not fair.
I find it interesting that Sorcha is feeling twitchy about her unchangingness. She wants a family, a child. And I’m anxious to read on and find out how things play out.
And as much as I hate Keenan, Marr still manages to make me feel sorrow for him, for his selfish actions that have led to this. And Seth is so angry that Aislinn is already looking for excuses for Keenan’s lies.
The Story
Aislinn is becoming more comfortable with her position as the Summer Queen, and more forgetful of how she affects Seth, on how breakable he is. A fact that Bananach wants to exploit as she bears tales of favoritism to Sorcha about the influential mortal who has the ear of three of the rulers of Faery.
It’s so hard for both Aislinn and Seth. She wants him with her but not at the price of his becoming cursed, becoming a faery while Seth simply wants Aislinn. He wants to be with her forever whatever the cost.
Nor is the peace and friendship that had been between Donia and Aislinn holding. The longer Donia holds the crown of Winter, the more she wants to strike out at Summer. Angry that she must hold back when her court is the stronger.
And with Seth missing…Aislinn mourns and her Court weakens.
The Characters
The Summer Court
The Summer Court is pleasure and fun and beginning to thrive with Aislinn as the Summer Queen, wanting to hold true to her human boyfriend, Seth Morgan, even as she’s weakening toward the Summer King, Keenan. Quinn and Tavish are Summer’s advisers. Tracey is one of the gentlest of the Summer Girls; Eliza and Siobhan are more Summer Girls while Aobheall is a water fae. Skelley is one of the guards.
Linda is Seth’s feisty mother. Moira was Aislinn’s mother; Grams is still angry with how Moira handled the fae. Boomer is Seth’s snake. Carla and Rianne are two of Aislinn’s human friends.
The Winter Court
Donia is the Winter Queen and Keenan’s true love. Sasha is her wolf companion. Evan, a rowanman, has left Summer to be with Donia. Matrice is one of the Hawthorne People.
The Dark Court
The Dark Court is the darker passions of lust, violence, fear, and sex. Niall is the Dark King and no longer Gancanagh but still Seth’s friend. Irial is the former Dark King and back to being Gancanagh. Gabriel the Hound is Niall’s left hand. Chela is Gabriel’s some-time mate. Ani is his half-mortal daughter. Ly Ergs, Vilas, and Jenny Greenteeth and her kin are some of the fae of the Dark Court.
Bananach is War and Sorcha’s other half, her sister.
Faery, the High Court
Sorcha is the High Queen of Faerie, a ruler of logic and reason. Devlin is the first faery Sorcha made, her brother, and now he is her enforcer. Hira and Nienke are two of Sorcha’s handmaids. Olivia is a faery who paints with starlight and befriends Seth.
The Crow’s Nest is a club where the fae and Seth meet up.
The Cover and Title
The cover is delicate with a shallow depth of field focusing on the blue butterfly resting on the woman’s hand while her chest and the lower half of her face is bokeh. The embossed font of the title is a deep orange which complements the orange in the butterfly’s wings.
The title is Seth and what he faces, a Fragile Eternity in which he is a danger to his friends and his love. That eternity is also fragile in his hopes with Ash.
