Arrow by RJ Anderson

Arrow is the 3^rd of R.J Anderson’s faerie books that began with Knife.

Arrow is a little different from it’s two predecessors in that it doesn’t concern itself solely with the trials of the Oakenfolk, and the protagonist; Rhosmari, isn’t of the Oak herself. She’s a member of the reclusive, but powerful Children of Rhys, a group of Welsh faeries introduced in Rebel, the previous book in the series.

I have to admit to not really taking to Arrow the way I did to Knife and Rebel. I’m not sure why this was. It is a direct sequel to Rebel, picking up not long after the events of Rebel, unlike Rebel which took place years after Knife. It could be Rhosmari as protagonist, her not being Oakenfolk somehow seemed off to me. She leaves her home in defiance of her mother and soon finds herself caught up in the free faery battle against Jasmine, the former Oakenfolk faery, who wants to make herself the Empress of all English faeries.

Initially Rhosmari thinks she’s being assisted by Martin, the rather hip young faery with the Shakespeare fascination, but he turns out to be working for the Empress and turns her over to Jasmine. Rhosmari escapes and makes her way to the Oakenfolk and is a key component in their struggle to eventually free themselves off Jasmine’s influence and that of her protégé; Veronica. This also forges great understanding and cooperation between the various groups of English fae, who hadn’t previously worked together. Rhosmari also seems to find love with the faery’s human ally Timothy.

Arrow, to me, had the air of been there, done that. There did need to be a 3^rd book to tie off the loose ends from Rebel, and Arrow did do that, but it seemed to lack the spark and creativity that had been present in Knife and Rebel. I found it hard to distinguish Rhosmari from Knife and Linden (the heroine of Rebel, who was very much in the background in Arrow). Her abilities were also strangely inconsistent, she discovered hidden powers or abilities just when she needed them. The fae’s weaknesses and strengths are really only observed when it suits the story, that’s been consistent throughout all 3 books.

With how bland Rhosmari was I would have appreciated a different view point. Maybe seeing more about Martin, who wasn’t really working for either Jasmine or the Oakenfolk, but rather himself, or even Veronica, who was a great bad girl, but never explored beyond being a rather one dimensional portrayal of that.

It does tie everything up neatly, but the ending is a little rushed and the pairing of Timothy and Rhosmari seemed far too convenient and wasn’t really built up enough throughout the narrative to make it totally believable.      

Rebel by R.J Anderson

Quite some time ago, I actually think it was more than two years ago now (seriously where does the time go? I need a Tardis) I read a fluffy little YA thing called Knife. I liked it and had always intended to read the sequel, I only now got to it in the TBR pile.

Rebel and Knife are two fairly different books, despite being part of the same series. I would have hesitated to call Knife YA urban fantasy, but that's exactly what Rebel is. Knife was gentler and more about the relationship between Knife; a faery and Paul; a crippled human. Knife and Paul are both in Rebel, although Knife now calls herself Peri, and they're both grown up.  There's a relationship in Rebel, but I found it more incidental than it was in Knife.

Rebel is the story of Linden, a young faery a generation on from Knife. The Queen is dying and Linden is tasked with going out into the world and enlisting other fae kind to help the Oakenfolk and continue their way of life.

It's also the story of Timothy, a troubled fifteen year old, who is Paul's cousin and has been suspended from his boarding school for fighting.

Linden stows away in Timothy's rucksack, and the two of them wind up in London, meeting some very different and dangerous fae. Both their lives have been turned upside down and their actions will determine the roads that the Oakenfolk and faery kind in general will take.

I quite liked Linden and her pluck, although she seemed to go from being fairly helpless to being quite powerful very quickly, and it was all a little too easy for her. Timothy was frustrating, but then again he's a teenage boy and they often are annoying. I liked Rob, or Robin, readers were kept guessing about his intentions and whose side he was on right to the end. I'm still not entirely sure myself.

To be totally honest Rebel is probably a little young for me, I think it's out of place in the YA section and maybe should be dropped down in the age expected to read it, but it's still quite enjoyable, and has hooked me enough to get to give the third book in the series; Arrow, a go.