Wings by Aprilynne Pike

I loved the characters in this book. Laurel, the main character, seemed like a very typical teenager, but I still liked her. The author does a really good job building her and the other’s in this book. The characters seemed “true” to themselves throughout the book, which I find important. You get a very good sense of who they are and how they feel! My favorite is Tamani, of course. I love mythological men!

The theme of this book is growth and discovery. The protag learns some secrets about her past and journeys to discover more about it and herself. It’s almost a coming-of-age story. Then you throw in the love factor. The theme is similar to others in the young adult fantasy genre. I would think the next books will focus more on the love factor. There is also a theme of acceptance from others and of accepting yourself regardless of flaws.

The plot starts as easy going learning and discovery and cycles to a suspenseful fight. One plot element of this book is mild suspense. Towards the end Laurel has to fight for her Fairy-ness. There is some mild humor in the book and some symbolism. The writing style is very clear and concise. Very easy to read, understand and like.

This book is similar to others in the genre, as Ive said. I think it stands out though because the "choice" dynamic is a little unique. In book one, the choice-phase hasn’t quite come to past yet, but in the next books, Laurel will have to choose between her fairy life and her human life. The difference is that she’s already a fairy..unlike in Twilight, where the main character has to be changed.