Review: Fairies of Death by Victoria Liiv
Category:
Rating:
Introduction:
Collecting life force is essential for death fairies survival. To give it away is a death sentence.
Isay’s life drastically changed when she was forced into the Death Court of the Fae. Although one might expect to feel safe when being guarded like a Royal treasure, Isay is far from it. Her life force attracts the attention of every death fae. Her guardians might more successfully control their hunger, but no one is entirely immune to her appeal. In the midst of intrigue and fear, she is drawn to one of her protectors. Karmuth’s softer demeanor, and incredibly blue eyes, lull Isay to believe he poses less of a threat. She will learn in time that the opposite is true.
Karmuth has an arrangement with one of the courtesan’s in the court: sex for life force. He never considered why Sela offered the deal, collecting life force without killing his victims was the sole reason he kept going back to her. The arrangement never interfered with his personal affairs but an irresistible nature fairy may change that. Isay’s innocence and determination captivated him from the moment he first saw her. Her presence also awakened an insatiable hunger that Sela’s services failed to alleviate.
When Isay runs into danger head first, Karmuth must protect her from more than the Death Court and himself, but also a brewing conflict with an ancient enemy.
Friends are not to be trusted, love is a distraction, and death is certain. But whose death?
Review:
Reviewed by Nethra Deckland
So, Fairies of Death by Victoria Liiv… Where do I begin? Well, let’s start with the good stuff. The premise? Top-notch. I mean, who wouldn’t be intrigued by fae courts with powers tied to the essence of life itself? From gobbling up emotions or life force itself to dishing out life force like it’s candy, it’s a pretty wild ride of possibilities. But here’s the kicker: the execution kinda missed the mark. Instead of a solid narrative, you’re left with a plot that’s as holey as Swiss cheese. Sure, the idea’s fresh, but without that solid delivery it’s a letdown.
Victoria Liiv struggles with world building, leaving readers confused by the mix of modern clothing and vehicles alongside medieval weapons and court systems. This inconsistency detracts from the immersion, making it difficult to suspend disbelief. Additionally, the lack of clarity in the court and political systems, as well as the blurred military hierarchies, further muddle the story, leaving much to be desired in terms of coherence and depth.
Minor spoilers ahead. Isay’s inability to touch anyone in Fairies of Death had me raising some serious eyebrows. I mean, if her mom, who’s a life force generator, could marry the king of the death fae, shouldn’t they have had a bit of a sticky situation consummating their love? And if they managed to navigate that, why’s Isay stuck with the same problem? It’s like the author forgot to connect the dots there. There wasn’t any back story to how the king and her mother came to marry. Vague doesn’t even begin to cover it. I was left hanging onto a thread of conviction, desperately searching for more depth and clarity.
Isay, the female protagonist, left me feeling a bit meh. Sure, the author tried to paint her as this headstrong and confident character, but honestly, she just came off as irrational, immature, and stubborn to a fault. I get it, she’s nineteen. I wouldn’t have minded her initial naivety or irrationality if she showed some character growth as the story progressed. Throughout the story, Isay lacked any real depth. She’s just… there. A princess with no ambitions, no hobbies (that would have been something at least), and no distinguishable traits beyond her royal status. It’s like she’s missing a layer or two of personality, leaving me wondering what’s going on inside her head. Am I the only one who felt she showed more empathy towards the rabbit she had to kill in order to save some one than the servant who got assassinated simply because she accidentally touched Isay?
Karmuth, our MMC, didn’t quite hit the mark for me either. He fell into that all too familiar trope of the “I must protect her at all costs” kind of guy. And boy, did he not get the memo about personal space. It’s like he’s velcroed to Isay, never giving her a chance to breathe, let alone make her own decisions. Look, I’m all for assertive males, but come on, Karmuth, give the girl some room to spread her wings. Sure, Isay wasn’t exactly a shining beacon of good choices, but hey, we all need to learn from our mistakes, right? Let her stumble and grow on her own terms. Honestly, besides his overprotective streak, Karmuth didn’t really stand out to me as someone worth rooting for as the main male character.
And I didn’t buy their insta love either. I mean, sure, Karmuth’s curiosity about Isay, the whole “can’t touch her” dilemma, had me intrigued at first. But falling head over heels for a girl who’s more like a royal blank slate than a fully fleshed out character? It’s a stretch, to say the least. And Isay’s sudden interest in Karmuth? Total mystery to me. Maybe she’s into guys who shadow her every move like clingy puppy dogs, desperate to please? Who knows. But seriously, a little more depth and substance from both sides wouldn’t have hurt.
I had been really frustrated with the story when I reached the mid point of the book and when that fae lord, what’s his name, decided to kidnap Isay all because he saw her at a club one time and she said no and decided I had enough of this book. I really didn’t care if things could have gotten better and improved after that point because I was tired of depthless character and the rickety story line with no essence. Not a book I would recommend to anyone!
Book Cover:
