Book Review: The Treachery of Beautiful Things

Goodreads summary:

A darkly compelling mix of romance, fairy tale, and suspense from a new voice in teen fiction

The trees swallowed her brother whole, and Jenny was there to see it. Now seventeen, she revisits the woods where Tom was taken, resolving to say good-bye at last. Instead, she's lured into the trees, where she finds strange and dangerous creatures who seem to consider her the threat. Among them is Jack, mercurial and magnetic, with secrets of his own. Determined to find her brother, with or without Jack's help, Jenny struggles to navigate a faerie world where stunning beauty masks some of the most treacherous evils, and she's faced with a choice between salvation or sacrifice--and not just her own.

My review:

Wow.  The Treachery of Beautiful Things is, indeed, a beautifully written book.  I'm always a little apprehensive of books about faeries, because I've read a few that have been quite disappointing.  But I very much enjoyed this one, and I think fans of The Iron Fey will love it as well.

First, I should make this clear: I would not consider The Treachery of Beautiful Things to be paranormal in any way.  It's pure fantasy, through and through.  It is absolutely magical in an old-fashioned, fairytale kind of way, and that's what made me love it.  If you grew up reading The Chronicles of Narnia, then you know what I'm talking about.  In fact, the style and mood of The Treachery of Beautiful Things is a bit like a teen version of Narnia.

I liked pretty much everything about this book.  The faerie world Long created really is beautiful and threatening at the same time.  I loved that the book was written in third-person, a refreshing change from many YA novels.  Lots of magical faerie creatures were mentioned throughout the story.  It has everything you could ask for from a book about faeries!

I loved all the characters, especially the minor ones.  Puck was a funny addition.  Jenny's brother, Tom, was a realistic character that I felt for.  Oberon was written with just the right touch of evil.  And Mab was creepy, frightening, and definitely a well-written villain.  The main characters, Jenny and Jack, were good as well.  Jenny was slightly too, I don't know, shy or quiet at times, but I liked her well enough and her character grew a lot throughout the novel.  Jack, oh, he was such a good character.  It was so sad when parts of his past were revealed.  He faces some hard decisions throughout the book, and I felt so much for what he went through.

Lastly, a couple things I wanted to mention.  I adore the title The Treachery of Beautiful Things, and I think it describes the book perfectly.  I also love the cover and I really want that girl's dress.  Just sayin'.  Oh, and guess what?  I loved the fact that this novel isn't (as far as I know) part of a series.  There is no agonizing cliffhanger at the end; everything is wrapped up perfectly and it felt complete. 

Then, my favorite quote:  "'Beware a kiss,' he told her.  'Kisses are powerful things.  You expose a part of your soul.'"  *swoon* Isn't it just gorgeous?  Now, if none of that has convinced you to go buy this book, I don't know what will.  Go read it!  It's a beautiful addition to the fantasy genre.

My rating: 9 out of 10.

~ The Bookworm