Fair Folk, #1
by Lyra Selene
narrated by Heather O’Sullivan
(post may contain affiliate links)
A Feather So Black by Lyra Selene is a fae fantasy romance and the author’s adult debut.
I really love to read stories that involve the fae, and especially those that specifically mention changelings and Tír na nÓg. This one even has a glossary in the back with a pronunciation guide!
This is a Swan Lake retelling, and I did enjoy that aspect of the story. Our main POV character Fia is in a bit of a love triangle (or perhaps a square) with her first love Prince Rogan and a handsome shadow fae (and also perhaps her cursed sister).
The author’s prose is very lush and beautiful. It was a joy to listen to; Heather O’Sullivan does a great job narrating. I really love gardening and plant-related things, and I thought Fia’s forest magic was really interesting. There were a lot of ~~vibes~~ that I really enjoyed.
My main criticisms are that it ran a little long and the pacing felt a little off. Certain phrases were a little overused, too (especially during the steamy scenes). This is the author’s adult debut–she previously published a YA duology.
I definitely plan on continuing with the series, though. I’ve heard it’s planned as a trilogy. I’m hopeful we’ll get more worldbuilding regarding the various fae factions in the next one.
I might not mind oblivion, if you were the one to deliver it
– Irian
I received a copy of this book to review. Thank you to NetGalley, Orbit, and Hachette Audio for the complimentary review copies. All opinions contained herein are my own.
If you want to see more from me, check out my Bookstagram, TheStoryGraph, or Twitter.
ruse reviews 