The worst thing we fear is fear itself.
“Yellow eyes.
A knife at the neck.
Chains that held her still.”
Memories like that can freeze a person into inaction. Fear can make people act in illogical ways, and the entire Faerie realm is infected by fear and depression that the High Queen created. Illogical, yes? Why would the Queen destroy her own subjects and realm with strong emotions?
The world-building is amazing. The fae are vulnerable to emotions, since they opened portals ages ago to our human realm just to access emotions. Elora, her sisters, and her friends battle throughout the book against depression and fear. Having at one time dealt with years of anxiety attacks and depression, I know for a fact that it can destroy one’s life. In this case, the emotions manifest as snow, as demirogs (briar bats?). The lack of emotions, though, takes its own toll: decay.
Sometimes during the story the characters described their plans too much before the action, but the plot is tight. There is a buildup of anxiety, fear, and yes, love until the final battle scene. If you are like me, you will feel the emotional drain afterwards as you let go of all that tension.
The character I really related to was Chloe. As a human, and a younger sister, she was remarkably resilient, graceful, and positive. Elora and Brannick might control the plot, but Chloe seems to control every moment of epiphany. I almost want to see her own epilogue.
One last thing: Brannick is the ultimate dream machine. While the romance was limited to kisses and touching and musing, his philosophy is: if you love them, let them go. If they love you back, they will return:
“But is it really support if I make you feel like you cannot do anything without me?” Contrast that with the Queen and the other evil lynchpin, Ansel, who force everyone? My flag waves for Brannick.
