Unbeknownst to mortals, a power struggle is unfolding in a world of shadows and danger. After centuries of stability, the balance among the Faery Courts has altered, and Irial, ruler of the Dark Court, is battling to hold his rebellious and newly vulnerable fey together. If he fails, bloodshed and brutality will follow.
Seventeen-year-old Leslie knows nothing of faeries or their intrigues. When she is attracted to an eerily beautiful tattoo of eyes and wings, all she knows is that she has to have it, convinced it is a tangible symbol of changes she desperately craves for her own life.
The tattoo does bring changes—not the kind Leslie has dreamed of, but sinister, compelling changes that are more than symbolic. Those changes will bind Leslie and Irial together, drawing Leslie deeper and deeper into the faery world, unable to resist its allures, and helpless to withstand its perils. . . .
"Ink Exchange" portrays the development of Melissa Marr as an author. While I was somewhat disappointed with the conclusion of "Wicked Lovely," "Ink Exchange" was successfully conclusive in that the characters showed signs of growth. The storyline continues from "Wicked Lovely," and is vital with regards to the history Marr does not delve into.
"Ink Exchange" focuses on Leslie who is a friend of Aislinn (the Summer Queen). From the beginning of the story, Marr is not hesitant in describing that Leslie has been damaged both physically and emotionally. Leslie, wanting to regain control (at least of her body), decides to get a tattoo not realizing this particular tattoo will take away any potential choices she would make in the future. Thus, the battle between the Summer Court and Dark Court intensifies.
Again, development of characters and of the author's skill to illustrate the story/characters is intense. Marr does a superb job of telling a wonderful tale of escaping fear/pain and the consequences of doing so. Should you choose to read this story, be sure to read "Wicked Lovely" as Marr does not focus on reiterating the events from the previous book.
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Leslie's life is totally out of control ever since her mother abandoned the family. Her father turned to alcohol to numb his pain and his gambling debts force his seventeen years old daughter to work as a waitress to pay the bills. Her brother is a druggie who stays calm when he is high on marijuana; all other drugs and abstinence make him violent. To pay for his habit he offers his sister to his druggie pals.
In Faery all is peaceful, which is dangerous for the Dark Court because they feed off of the darker emotions like hate, anger, and fear. Leslie goes into a tattoo parlor and selects a very special design that is run by a half-fey. She choose one and an INK EXCHANGE between her and Irial will occur once it is completed. He will then use her as a conduit to feed the darker emotions from humans and faeries to the whole of the Dark Court. Leslie does not realize that the exchange works both ways and Irial feels more for her then the any other human. She must find the strength to become totally independent or Faery will suck the life out of her.
MIDNIGHT INK, the sequel to WICKEDLY LOVELY and VIRAL FAERY, focuses on a world in which the morality on the paranormal plane differs from those on the mortal realm. The Dark Court is not evil, but they think differently and being true to their genetic make-up see humans as sustenance; in fact other courts are much more ruthless not caring about collateral damage. Leslies has choices to make just like any teen, but her are more magical in nature as Melissa Marr writes a wonderful young adult fantasy.
Harriet Klausner
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I'm not ready to pass judgment on INK EXCHANGE. When I turned the last page and closed the book, I thought: this story is not over. Melissa Marr's first book set in the world of faerie, WICKED LOVELY, was self contained - and I'm not sure what, or who, the next book is supposed to be about. If INK EXCHANGE is supposed to be Leslie's whole story, I have to say I'm disappointed. But if it's the beginning of a series, I'm delighted.
INK EXCHANGE starts off with Leslie, the protagonist, getting ready to leave for high school while her brother smokes crack at the kitchen table. It's an early warning to the reader: this is an unrelentingly dark book. Leslie is living in a nightmare version of the human world, and it isn't long before she is unwittingly caught up in a nightmare version of the faerie world: the Dark Court. These solitary fey nourish themselves on pain, hatred, greed, lust, and just about any other ugly urge that man or faerie is capable of. They starve without this nourishment, and peaceful times are lean indeed.
Marr has set herself the difficult task of rendering these Dark faeries sympathetic to the reader. They are emotional parasites, and they literally thrive on suffering. Their King, Irial, shows us that at least some of these repulsive creatures are capable of great virtue: Irial is a devoted caretaker of his people, capable of true friendship, self-sacrifice, and sensitivity. It is moving when he exhibits these qualities, and then doubly repulsive when he sets them aside. Frequently, Marr follows the Dark faeries as they prepare for their hideous feasts - and then fades to black. But we can imagine how they must proceed, by watching how Irial treats Leslie - a girl he loves, and swears to protect. He treats her very, very badly.
I think Marr is a very talented writer indeed. Her worlds, both human and faerie, are gritty, alive, and feel very real. Her teenage protagonists are good kids who grow up too fast, and are wise beyond their years. This faerieland is no saccharine paradise for Tinkerbells and pretty princesses - profoundly alien, both gorgeous and hideous.
INK EXCHANGE was hard to put down, very compelling, but I wonder what will happen next.
