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This article is written by a student writer from the Her Campus at JCU chapter.

Fairies–whether the word brings to mind cute Tinkerbell-esque pixies with glittering wings or tall Tolkienian elves, most of us have heard of fairies in one context or another. Superstitions abound about these magical creatures, and people have been captivated by them for hundreds of years. Check out some of my favorite (and least favorite) books about fairies, plus one bonus book on my to-be-read list.

  1. The Cruel Prince (The Folk of the Air #1) by Holly Black-  (4/5 stars) Holly Black writes about fairies quite a bit, as we’ll see in this list. The Cruel Prince is her most recent trip into the world of the fey, and I was impressed. Featuring a unique look at human-fairy relationships, specifically in a romantic sense, complicated court politics, and tons of fairy lore, but with a new spin. Definitely a look at the darker side of the fairy-realm, from nasty trickery, violence galore, and lots of gore. Super interesting characters and a love-hate romance, if you’re into that.

  2. An Enchantment of Ravens by Margaret Rogerson- (4/5 stars) I was feeling skeptical going into this book. I hadn’t read anything about fairies for a while because I felt like I was reading a lot of the same stuff over and over again, and An Enchantment of Ravens had the forbidden love trope which I am generally not a fan of. But I gave it a shot, and I’m really glad I did! If you’re fascinated by human-fairy interaction, this one is a must read. Really interesting take on the power dynamics between humans and fairies, and a heroine who I ended up really liking. I definitely recommend!

  3. The Faerie Path (Faerie Path #1) by Frewin Allan Jones- (3/5 stars) This is the first in a six-book series, which I read the entirety of. My ratings for all six books were pretty consistently three stars and The Faerie Path is a solid start IF you like the way it treats the fairy realm. Definitely lacking in the darker elements The Cruel Prince and An Enchantment of Ravens explore. More exploration of family dynamics, and with six books you better believe Jones uses pretty much every trope under the sun (long-lost princess, arranged marriages, self sacrifice, etc.) at some point. Some are well done, others less so. As a book, as a series, not strong writing or great characters. It drags a little, and honestly, definitely didn’t need to be a six-book series. But if you’re in it for the fairies and the melodrama, this one’s for you.

  4. The Iron King (The Iron Fey #1) by Julie Kagawa- (3/5 stars) First in on of those series that originally seemed like a trilogy but then just sort of kept going and branching off and now apparently is seven books? I’ve only read 1-3, which are a completed story arc in and of themselves–my understanding is that the others follow different side characters within the same world. Anyway, The Iron King was definitely a little more juvenile to me, particularly in writing style and character development. However, includes famous fairy trickster Puck (Robin Goodfellow), which is fun. For me, all three books in this series were three-star, not phenomenal, but I enjoyed them. A lot of discussion about fairies and the modern world, fairies and technology, and the conflict between those two, which is important to the plot of the series. Protagonist is a bit of a clueless Mary-Sue, and there’s a love triangle. Compelling enough for me to finish out the trilogy, but I’m not looking to go seven books deep.

  5. Wings (Wings #1) by Aprilynne Pike- (1/5 stars) This one was rough. Honestly, I should’ve known it was going to be bad from the premise, which is about three sentences of vagueness about fairies. A personality-less protagonist who looks like a supermodel starts school, immediately gets a boyfriend, and begins growing something out of her back, which she manages to conceal from her parents. Turns out, they’re not really her parents, she’s a fairy, and *spoiler alert* a plant. Yeah. The book is super boring, protagonist Laurel and her boyfriend are super perfect, and it was super dull. Would not recommend.

 

Bonus: TBR (To-Be-Read) 

  1. Tithe (Modern Faerie Tales #1) by Holly Black- This one is sort of a cheat because I actually started reading it, but had to return it to the library before I got very far. I’ve liked Holly Black’s other fairy stuff she’s written, The Cruel Prince and The Darkest Part of the Forest. However, Tithe is, I believe, earlier, and I had mixed feelings about the opening chapter or so that I did read. But I would be willing to give it a proper try if I saw it again. 

 

There you have it. What are your favorite and least favorite books about fairies?

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Mallory Fitzpatrick is a senior at John Carroll University, who loves reading, writing, and travel.