Review: Tithe by Holly Black

Tithe: A Modern Faerie Tale

Faeries, faeries, faeries! I love reading about them. I thoroughly enjoyed Holly Black’s fae. They were dark and mysterious revealing more and more of who they were and their motivations as the plot progressed. There was a thin line between dark and light that was constantly blurred and there was ever a sinister otherworldly feel to both the Seelie and Unseelie courts. I hope that in the next books I learn even more about the Solitary fae, the glimpse I got of them in Tithe was fascinating.

The heroine, Kaye, is a quirky and sometimes eccentric teen. She portrays such a tough girl image, but her actions also show that she has some baggage from the unusual lifestyle she’s lead. Tithe left me with many unanswered questions about Kaye but not in a way that left me frustrated with the story. I feel like Kaye is a heroine that I’m going to enjoy watching grow from book to book in this series. As she comes to understand more about herself and who she really is, I think that she will only become stronger and more confident.  I’m not sold on the romance yet, but I’m sure that will come.

Another stand out character for me was Corny. While I loathe his character name, he was probably the most intriguing character to read. He has many issues, and a tendency toward violence, yet the kind of loyalty only those with a sensitive heart can possess. I enjoy the way he and Kaye interract and hope that their friendship continues throughout the series.

I was lost in this dark and gritty, sometimes even savage world. Somehow this author managed to combine the darker elements of faerie magic and stark reality to create something unique and incredible. I don’t know why I waited so long to read Tithe, but I know I won’t put off picking up Valiant.

Rating: 5