Melissa Marr's Ink Exchange
Caught Between Battling Fairy Courts
Leslie's life is one step away from disastrous. She endures abuse and neglect at home, her friendships are broken, and her job barely covers the monthly family bills. In an effort to gain some sort of happiness, Leslie decides to get a tattoo - the only problem is she's chosen one that's meant for the Dark Fairy King's vassal.
There's an entire world outside of the mess Leslie calls life. It's a world where the fairy courts are battling to survive. Where, unknown to Leslie, her best friend Aislinn is the queen of the Summer Court, and is working to keep that world as separate from Leslie's as possible.
Though Niall, the Summer Courts closest advisor, was given the task to protect Leslie, after she obtains her tattoo everything changes. The tattoo links Leslie directly to the Dark Court. Ever since the Summer King came back into his power, the dark fey haven't had enough to feed on. The tattoo allows the emotions that nourish the court to flow through Leslie to the fey, but what are the consequences? Can she live through the experience?
Niall works tirelessly to free Leslie from this curse, before the duties break her. As his love for her grows, in desperation he breaks ties with the Summer Court, willing to do whatever it takes to get Leslie out of there.
Leslie becomes caught in a world of court politics. She's also caught between two loves. On the one hand there's her love for the Dark King, who made her what she is, but also showers her with the peace, safety, and affection that she never had at home. Then there's Niall, who is doing everything he can to help her survive. Who she chooses and what path she takes will change the fairy court system forever.
Convincing Characters
In this tale, Melissa Marr takes three characters she briefly introduced in Wicked Lovely and pulls them to the forefront of this story. For fans of the first novel, the change in main characters may be difficult to handle.
Leslie, our main character in Ink Exchange, is a strong young girl who hides the depths of her issues from her friends. Her move from a hardened, independent girl in desperate need of change, to being dependent on the Dark Court is chilling to say the least. In many ways, she trades one form of slavery for another.
Completely insecure and downtrodden, Leslie is a realistic character whose view of the world is twisted by abuse and fear. In Leslie, readers can find a believable person who's working to understand a difficult and terrifying situation.
While Leslie is a dynamic and well defined character, it's Keenan and his evolution that'll shock readers. At the beginning of this series, Marr paints the picture of a desperate fairy king. Devastatingly charming, Keenan is the sensitive bad boy that girls of a certain age love to swoon over.
In book two, however, readers see a more manipulative side of Keenan. Focused on building his courts strength, Keenan knowingly stands by as the Dark Court takes over Leslie's life. His transformation into an efficient and "do what it takes" sort of king is extremely intriguing.
What Makes This Story Unique
Once again, Melissa Marr does an amazing job of continuing with the world and mythology she's built. The characters and storyline are engaging, and the problems the teens face are relatable. Marr does well with addressing tense situations in a way that makes the reader feel the seriousness and realness of the predicament the characters are in, without having it look like a PBS special.
Also, the changes the new main characters go through keep the story interesting, while still keeping those people the readers grew close to in the first book near enough to the conflict. Another great page turner for Marr.
Ink Exchange (Harper Teen, 2008, ISBN 978-0-06-121468-4) is the second in a series of five for Marr. The last two have yet to be published or titled.
- Wicked Lovely
- Ink Exchange
- Fragile Eternity
The Fairy Courts Often Manipulated the Human World
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