Graham Joyce (1954–2014)

Wow. I was on pins and needles, not sure if this tale was going to pull through the muck of fairy tale pop culture garbage. Or, worse, turn into some kind of horror tale.

It flirted sometimes with both, but then Joyce pulled it out of such dangers and the ending was just wonderful.

This was a wonderfully original story, yet faithful to what is known of old traditional Faery lore (not to be confused with the Disney-fied junk, which is even worse than the sanitized Victorian romantic gossamer notions of the Folk).

Good writing, wonderfully imagined POV, and deliciously satisfying.… (meer)

I had read a preview of this book in the summer, but decided to wait until closer to Christmas to read it, since the story opens at Christmastime. I'm glad I waited, because the ambiance of the season really added to my enjoyment.

The story drew me in immediately and had me looking for opportunities to steal away for a few minutes to read some more pages. The story, in short, winds its way through the viewpoints of several characters wrestling with how to respond to the reappearance of Tara, who disappeared 20 years earlier at the age of 16, and claims she has been living with the fairies all that time (although for her it was but 6 months). Every person in the book has a different response, based upon their relationship with Tara, and Joyce does a wonderful job of conveying their hurt, their perplexity, and their happiness at her return. I certainly hope to re-read this book at some point in the future, and I can honestly urge you to read it as well.… (meer)