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The Fire Opal
There was a time when Maeve O'Tullagh led a simple life; a time when she and her mother, Nuala, collected kelp on the foreshore near their cottage in Ard Macha; a time when she played among the Celtic ruins with her older brothers and daydreamed about the legendary Holy Isles, an enchanted land ruled in a past age by a beautiful goddess.
But after Maeve's sister, Ishleen, is born, her mother sinks into a deep, impenetrable trance. For years, Maeve tries to help her mother "awaken," and then the unthinkable Ishleen succumbs to the same mysterious ailment as Nuala.
Heartbroken to think that her sister and her mother might be lost to her forever, Maeve sets off on an unimaginable quest to a world filled with fantastical creatures, a web of secrets, a handsome, devious villain who will stop at nothing to have her hand in marriage—braving them all to retrieve a powerful glowing stone that will help her recover the souls of her loved ones and bring them home to Ard Macha.
An adventure-filled and spellbinding novel, The Fire Opal will enchant fantasy readers young and old.
But after Maeve's sister, Ishleen, is born, her mother sinks into a deep, impenetrable trance. For years, Maeve tries to help her mother "awaken," and then the unthinkable Ishleen succumbs to the same mysterious ailment as Nuala.
Heartbroken to think that her sister and her mother might be lost to her forever, Maeve sets off on an unimaginable quest to a world filled with fantastical creatures, a web of secrets, a handsome, devious villain who will stop at nothing to have her hand in marriage—braving them all to retrieve a powerful glowing stone that will help her recover the souls of her loved ones and bring them home to Ard Macha.
An adventure-filled and spellbinding novel, The Fire Opal will enchant fantasy readers young and old.
304 pages, Hardcover
First published May 11, 2010
5 people are currently reading
1198 people want to read
About the author
Regina McBride
12 books83 followersRegina McBride is the author of The Nature of Water and Air, The Land of Women, and The Marriage Bed. She is the recipient of fellowships from the National Endowment for the Arts and the New York Foundation for the Arts. Her poems have been widely published in literary journals and magazines, and her book of poetry, Yarrow Field, won an American Book Series Award.
She grew up in Santa Fe, New Mexico, and lived for a time in Ireland. She teaches creative writing at Hunter College in New York City, where she lives with her husband and daughter.
She grew up in Santa Fe, New Mexico, and lived for a time in Ireland. She teaches creative writing at Hunter College in New York City, where she lives with her husband and daughter.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 80 reviews
May 12, 2010
I feel kind of bad for the way I'm looking at this book right now. In its defense- and to negate what will follow- it suffers in large part from an accident of timing on my part. For one thing, I finished this the night before my last AP exam. Now, it's not that that test was particularly stressful, but that at that point I had finished my worst AP exam, so I was somewhat frustrated and looking to take it out on something. And I've been reading a lot of really, really cynical book reviews. So here goes...
The Plot Summary
Maeve O'Tullagh lives with her family- mother, Nuala, father, Desmond, brothers Fingal and Donal- in Ard Macha. One day, walking on the beach, she encounters a strange woman who gives her two little glass bottles- one for her and one for her mother. The same day, her mother announces that Ishleen, Maeve's baby sister who lived only days when she was born, is coming back. Naturally, Maeve's father and brothers (hereby referred to as THE MEN) think she is crazy.
When the baby that Nuala insists on calling Ishleen is born, THE MEN- or at least Desmond- are willing to admit their fault. There's just one problem: Nuala has fallen into what amounts to a coma. She can barely move, and only with urging; she doesn't speak. Well, she doesn't speak to THE MEN. Maeve can hear her, and talks back, sometimes even when she can't hear her mom's voice. She becomes Mad Maeve, but Ishleen picks up the habit as time goes by. All Nuala will say is that she's somewhere cold.
There's also Tom Cavan, the wildly handsome but terminally sadistic boy who is fixated on Maeve. More about him later.
Without spoilers- the defeat of the Spanish Armada causes problems, Maeve goes on Adventures, and in the end all seems to be well.
The Enjoyable Bits
I've always liked Irish mythology- I eat it up when I can get it. So I enjoyed some of that. Really, though, the rest of the book was mediocre or bad, and even the mythology didn't feel as well-rendered as it could.
The Reminiscent
Giant ice barge? Wow. The Lighthouse Land much?
The Bad Parts
- TOM. I don't know if I've ever encountered such a 'might-be-interesting-if-the-author-gave-a-shit' character in my life. I mean, he's got this crazy obsession with Maeve and particular with Angry!Maeve, to the point that he will try to depose a goddess to get his way, and he's not really explored at all. "This is how I love"? I nearly threw the book across the room. There is NO explanation for how messed up this guy is- he seems like a cutout of the 'beauty does not equal goodness' attempted trope subversion, and it doesn't play right.
- MAEVE. Long story short- she's flat. She starts out hating Tom Cavan, loving her mother and sister, determined to get them back, believing in the Holy Isles, wishing her brothers and father weren't involved in the resistence- and she ends up that way. I mean, this girl GOES TO THE HOLY ISLES. She meets a GODDESS. And she comes back in no way fundamentally changed, the way you'd think, you know, meeting a deity would change someone.
- THE CLIMAX. Maeve makes Uria mad. Uria and Tom face off. Maeve FREAKING HOVERS over the battle and distracts Tom. (I suspect he was looking up her skirt.) Uria kills Tom and then dies in the flames of her own rage. And this great confrontation is handled in two pages. What a letdown.
- FERNANDO. The INSTANT she sees him, Maeve basically falls in love with him. He is not a character. He is Maeve's Love Object, and it annoyed the heck out of me. Her obssession with him bordered on Bellaesque in terms of reader frustration.
Okay, so it wasn't as bad as I made it out to be. And if I hadn't been feeling so jaded towards teen fantasy in general, and if I hadn't wanted to take out my frustration on something, I probably would have enjoyed it more. But it did seem anticlimactic in general. There was little sense of place- I thought the barge was off the cost of Ard Macha one moment, and then it was near the Rosscoyne bog, with nothing giving a sense of movement. Granted, I did read this book as a galley, so maybe the final version will have a map to help with this.
The Plot Summary
Maeve O'Tullagh lives with her family- mother, Nuala, father, Desmond, brothers Fingal and Donal- in Ard Macha. One day, walking on the beach, she encounters a strange woman who gives her two little glass bottles- one for her and one for her mother. The same day, her mother announces that Ishleen, Maeve's baby sister who lived only days when she was born, is coming back. Naturally, Maeve's father and brothers (hereby referred to as THE MEN) think she is crazy.
When the baby that Nuala insists on calling Ishleen is born, THE MEN- or at least Desmond- are willing to admit their fault. There's just one problem: Nuala has fallen into what amounts to a coma. She can barely move, and only with urging; she doesn't speak. Well, she doesn't speak to THE MEN. Maeve can hear her, and talks back, sometimes even when she can't hear her mom's voice. She becomes Mad Maeve, but Ishleen picks up the habit as time goes by. All Nuala will say is that she's somewhere cold.
There's also Tom Cavan, the wildly handsome but terminally sadistic boy who is fixated on Maeve. More about him later.
Without spoilers- the defeat of the Spanish Armada causes problems, Maeve goes on Adventures, and in the end all seems to be well.
The Enjoyable Bits
I've always liked Irish mythology- I eat it up when I can get it. So I enjoyed some of that. Really, though, the rest of the book was mediocre or bad, and even the mythology didn't feel as well-rendered as it could.
The Reminiscent
Giant ice barge? Wow. The Lighthouse Land much?
The Bad Parts
- TOM. I don't know if I've ever encountered such a 'might-be-interesting-if-the-author-gave-a-shit' character in my life. I mean, he's got this crazy obsession with Maeve and particular with Angry!Maeve, to the point that he will try to depose a goddess to get his way, and he's not really explored at all. "This is how I love"? I nearly threw the book across the room. There is NO explanation for how messed up this guy is- he seems like a cutout of the 'beauty does not equal goodness' attempted trope subversion, and it doesn't play right.
- MAEVE. Long story short- she's flat. She starts out hating Tom Cavan, loving her mother and sister, determined to get them back, believing in the Holy Isles, wishing her brothers and father weren't involved in the resistence- and she ends up that way. I mean, this girl GOES TO THE HOLY ISLES. She meets a GODDESS. And she comes back in no way fundamentally changed, the way you'd think, you know, meeting a deity would change someone.
- THE CLIMAX. Maeve makes Uria mad. Uria and Tom face off. Maeve FREAKING HOVERS over the battle and distracts Tom. (I suspect he was looking up her skirt.) Uria kills Tom and then dies in the flames of her own rage. And this great confrontation is handled in two pages. What a letdown.
- FERNANDO. The INSTANT she sees him, Maeve basically falls in love with him. He is not a character. He is Maeve's Love Object, and it annoyed the heck out of me. Her obssession with him bordered on Bellaesque in terms of reader frustration.
Okay, so it wasn't as bad as I made it out to be. And if I hadn't been feeling so jaded towards teen fantasy in general, and if I hadn't wanted to take out my frustration on something, I probably would have enjoyed it more. But it did seem anticlimactic in general. There was little sense of place- I thought the barge was off the cost of Ard Macha one moment, and then it was near the Rosscoyne bog, with nothing giving a sense of movement. Granted, I did read this book as a galley, so maybe the final version will have a map to help with this.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
June 10, 2016
3.5 stars.
Rtc.
Rtc.
January 4, 2014
My English class is forced to go up to the ill stocked library once every three weeks, and we are also forced to find and check out a book from the terrible selection. This book was one of them. I picked up this book because it takes place in Ireland. As I began reading, my first impression was that this was a nice, cutesy historical fiction. It starts off with the narrator, Maeve O'Tullagh, finding a strange orange stone on the beach. It then flashes forward into a cute, enjoyable prose about Maeve and her family and their lives in Ireland. Several years previously, Maeve's sister Ishleen died prematurely, and after some odd but whimsical interactions with a goddess and prophecies, the daughter is reincarnated. The mother and the reincarnated Ishleen fall into a sort of coma, and Maeve's brothers go off to fight the English. Maeve has to take care of her comatose family, and this goes on for about fifty pages, with a few small subplots like Fransisco, her Spaniard crush. It's still enjoyable, and you are falsely led on to thinking that this is the plot and you think that maybe she will seek out the whimsical swan queen and cure her mother and sister, marry Fransisco, and eventually her father and brothers will come home. To be honest, I would have much preferred that to the nightmare that actually happened. Maeve offers to marry the bully Tom Cavan to go to the goddess Uria's laire and save her mother and Ishleen's souls that were encompassed in ice. After that point I just skimmed because it was completely outlandish, terrifying, and slightly disturbing (like the description of the flesh walls? Completely unnecessary).
Overall, I really loved the beginning of the book, but then it spiraled into a complete mess. By the end, several loose ends were left untied, and it seemed abrupt. The end left you stunned, thinking, 'What even just happened in the last 100 pages?' It all seemed very random. I wish the book had just kind of, stuck on track, in a way.
Overall, I really loved the beginning of the book, but then it spiraled into a complete mess. By the end, several loose ends were left untied, and it seemed abrupt. The end left you stunned, thinking, 'What even just happened in the last 100 pages?' It all seemed very random. I wish the book had just kind of, stuck on track, in a way.
May 9, 2010
When Maeve was a young child she found a large metal stick-like object embellished with a face with it a large jewel. The rod was engraved with word: THE ANSWERER. With the rain storm coming in and her fear that Maeve’s older twin brothers will damage it, she buried it. But that night Maeve came down with a high-fever and when the fever broke, she suffered a slight amnesia and had forgotten about the rod she buried.
Seven years later her mother begins to show signs of madness of hearing swans after the death of Maeve’s younger sister Ishleen the previous year. She announces to the family that she is pregnant again and Ishleen has come back.
One day Maeve and her old brothers caught Tom, a menace of a child who was graced with good looks, shooting at birds with his slingshot and knocking hatchling off ledges. In a faraway remorse Maeve didn’t notice the lady with down falling from her sleeves until she tapped her on the shoulder. She offers Maeve two bottles that appears to enclose fire sealed with the 3 twisted spirals: one for Maeve and the other for her Mam as a protection. Just minutes later Tom pops up from no where and knocks the bottle for Mam out of Maeve’s hand. Maeve then gives Mam her bottle instead.
With the “reincarnation” of Ishleen, the fire bottle is transferred to her yet on the same day Mam loses her soul leaving her body vacant. Forced to take care of the newborn and Mam at the age of 15 (or 16?) Maeve struggles to retain her sense of sanity from the viewpoint of the other villagers. But the English are coming. And then the Spaniards are coming to defend Ireland.
Yet hope begins to fade when Maeve’s brothers and Da joins the rebellion and Ishleen’s soul has been taken away. Tom, however, is in the background having come back to their home, Ard Macha, with wealth after being sent away years ago. Maeve goes on her own odyssey to find their souls while escaping Tom’s obsession. The goddess Danu and the swan-shifting woman who gave Maeve the bottles will guide her on her journey.
In this almost cross between a myth and folklore, Regina McBridge will incorporate magic realism and bend time. Flashbacks and premonitions, shapeshifters of all kinds (vultures, chimeras, swans, mermaids, etc.), a battle with a valkyrie, and blue fire when breathed in can create hallucinations of a lush forest seems to weave endless until the reader begins to be unsure of what is real and what is not anymore, just as what Maeve feels in her journey of self-identity and savior. I felt like an invader on this novel, there was just something so intimate that created this free-falling floating sensation.
Yet time is also an opponent for the reader. The first half was heavy, sluggish, dragging and in comparison made the second half seem too fast. I read the last two parts (out of four) with ease, with a calm swiftness that I did not mind the ticking of the clock because it seemed worthwhile. The first half seem as though I made no progress with what I had hoped to be the real focal point.
Despite this I would actually recommend this book. To me I believe that this book would be great for reading to a younger group of children. It is action packed with a moral lesson, filled with imagery and wild creatures delightful to the creative mind. While it may or may not be the perfect bedtime read, it would be great for a teacher (librarian or assistant) to read (in a circle) to a small group of 10 year old children (and maybe try to work in some motifs and symbolism). And hey, The Fire Opal is great at history too.
The ending, to me, is unsatisfactory. I am someone who demands the whole ending especially with epilogues. Did the brothers and father ever return (though it may appear so) and whatever happen to Francisco, the Spaniard soldier that Maeve recurred? In a chilling voice, one might say that she may never know, but will the heart will continue to live on.
The Fire Opal is a combination of history, folklore, fantasy, and adventure (with a speckle of romance) that will resonant better with a younger audience, but that does not mean young adults and adults will not find contentment with this novel.
Try The Fire Opal if you enjoyed:
Ice by Sarah Beth Durst
Sun and Moon, Ice and Stars by Jessica Day George
or just magic realism
Seven years later her mother begins to show signs of madness of hearing swans after the death of Maeve’s younger sister Ishleen the previous year. She announces to the family that she is pregnant again and Ishleen has come back.
One day Maeve and her old brothers caught Tom, a menace of a child who was graced with good looks, shooting at birds with his slingshot and knocking hatchling off ledges. In a faraway remorse Maeve didn’t notice the lady with down falling from her sleeves until she tapped her on the shoulder. She offers Maeve two bottles that appears to enclose fire sealed with the 3 twisted spirals: one for Maeve and the other for her Mam as a protection. Just minutes later Tom pops up from no where and knocks the bottle for Mam out of Maeve’s hand. Maeve then gives Mam her bottle instead.
With the “reincarnation” of Ishleen, the fire bottle is transferred to her yet on the same day Mam loses her soul leaving her body vacant. Forced to take care of the newborn and Mam at the age of 15 (or 16?) Maeve struggles to retain her sense of sanity from the viewpoint of the other villagers. But the English are coming. And then the Spaniards are coming to defend Ireland.
Yet hope begins to fade when Maeve’s brothers and Da joins the rebellion and Ishleen’s soul has been taken away. Tom, however, is in the background having come back to their home, Ard Macha, with wealth after being sent away years ago. Maeve goes on her own odyssey to find their souls while escaping Tom’s obsession. The goddess Danu and the swan-shifting woman who gave Maeve the bottles will guide her on her journey.
In this almost cross between a myth and folklore, Regina McBridge will incorporate magic realism and bend time. Flashbacks and premonitions, shapeshifters of all kinds (vultures, chimeras, swans, mermaids, etc.), a battle with a valkyrie, and blue fire when breathed in can create hallucinations of a lush forest seems to weave endless until the reader begins to be unsure of what is real and what is not anymore, just as what Maeve feels in her journey of self-identity and savior. I felt like an invader on this novel, there was just something so intimate that created this free-falling floating sensation.
Yet time is also an opponent for the reader. The first half was heavy, sluggish, dragging and in comparison made the second half seem too fast. I read the last two parts (out of four) with ease, with a calm swiftness that I did not mind the ticking of the clock because it seemed worthwhile. The first half seem as though I made no progress with what I had hoped to be the real focal point.
Despite this I would actually recommend this book. To me I believe that this book would be great for reading to a younger group of children. It is action packed with a moral lesson, filled with imagery and wild creatures delightful to the creative mind. While it may or may not be the perfect bedtime read, it would be great for a teacher (librarian or assistant) to read (in a circle) to a small group of 10 year old children (and maybe try to work in some motifs and symbolism). And hey, The Fire Opal is great at history too.
The ending, to me, is unsatisfactory. I am someone who demands the whole ending especially with epilogues. Did the brothers and father ever return (though it may appear so) and whatever happen to Francisco, the Spaniard soldier that Maeve recurred? In a chilling voice, one might say that she may never know, but will the heart will continue to live on.
The Fire Opal is a combination of history, folklore, fantasy, and adventure (with a speckle of romance) that will resonant better with a younger audience, but that does not mean young adults and adults will not find contentment with this novel.
Try The Fire Opal if you enjoyed:
Ice by Sarah Beth Durst
Sun and Moon, Ice and Stars by Jessica Day George
or just magic realism
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
January 30, 2010
I come from a big Irish family, and I grew up hearing tales about selkies, the sidh, the tuatha de Danaan, Finn MacCool, and all the other myths. This book was written in the vein, with all the old lore worked into a pretty fantastical plot. Maeve O'Tullagh encounters a mysterious woman one day, and the woman gives her two small bottles to protect her mother and herself. However, soon after giving birth to Maeve's sister Ishleen, Maeve's mother falls into a strange sleep that she cannot be woken from. When Ishleen suffers the same ailment years later, Maeve must rescue them. During her journey she encounters all manner of strange creature, including a handsome Spanish sailor. I liked how faithful this book was to Irish lore.
December 9, 2010
The library I borrowed it from has it in YA, but my library has it in Juvenile. In truth, I didn't find anything in it that would push it over into YA. Even the scenes with Francisco didn't really go anywhere, despite a hallucination of marriage and a marriage bed nothing happens... I would have preferred a little more romance. Something with Maeve going after Francisco after saving her mother and sister would have been nice. Some closure over the tundra girls, the Spaniards and Danu would also have been appreciated. It was a nice story and a fairly quick read, but even though I enjoyed it, it wasn't really what I wanted to read.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
June 11, 2011
For a while the distinct difference between the first and second halves of this book bothered me, until I read this line: It made me sad to think that the female and male world in this house were so divided. That was the difference between the halves exactly! It made it less of a weakness in form and more a demonstration of theme. It made the break make sense, although I still wish they'd been a bit more smoothly integrated.
March 8, 2021
Regina McBride seamlessly transitions from adult fiction to young adult fantasy in The Fire Opal. Using the same effortless writing that imbues each word with magic, McBride weaves a tale of mysticism, lore, and love in her Young Adult debut.
Maeve O'Tullagh is an honest, brave young woman with connections to the ancient goddesses who once ruled Ireland. With the unearthing of an ancient artifact by the hateful but attractive Tom Cavan, her land, Ard Macha, falls into a spell of darkness.
The death of her young sister, Ishleen, throws her mother into a depression until, one night, her mother hears the call of a song on the wind and knows that Ishleen will be returning to them. But on the birth of the newly reborn daughter, their mother, Nuala, falls into an impenetrable trance.
Deemed mad by fellow villagers, Maeve does not give up on her mother, nor the protection of her young sister, who has attracted the attention of Uria's henchwoman. They want her soul because she is a descendant of the goddess Danu. Long have Danu and Uria been at odds after Danu defeated the power-hungry Uria centuries ago.
Now Maeve is trapped in the crosshairs of this ancient grudge and must rally her courage to usurp Uria for good and save the souls of her mother and sister.
Filled with a plethora of Irish lore, The Fire Opal is a magical, mystical novel for readers young and old. Unique in its focus, McBride has foregone the now ever-present romance cliches in YA Fantasy to focus on the story of a young woman finding her resolve and power.
Eloquent writing makes even the mundane feel instilled with illusion. McBride's adult novel, The Nature of Water and Air, contains a depth of magical realism that could propel it into the realm of fantasy. Her aptitude for writing with such grace and poetry works wonders in her foray into genre fiction.
The last hundred pages felt rushed. McBride spent a chapter with Maeve having been lured into an imaginary life which could have been better spent elongating the final confrontation. There is very little time for Maeve to use her cunning and intelligence to create a deceit between Tom and Uria to pit them against one another.
Overall, The Fire Opal's beauty is encapsulating, the story original and poetic, and the heroine a brilliant and powerful young woman.
Maeve O'Tullagh is an honest, brave young woman with connections to the ancient goddesses who once ruled Ireland. With the unearthing of an ancient artifact by the hateful but attractive Tom Cavan, her land, Ard Macha, falls into a spell of darkness.
The death of her young sister, Ishleen, throws her mother into a depression until, one night, her mother hears the call of a song on the wind and knows that Ishleen will be returning to them. But on the birth of the newly reborn daughter, their mother, Nuala, falls into an impenetrable trance.
Deemed mad by fellow villagers, Maeve does not give up on her mother, nor the protection of her young sister, who has attracted the attention of Uria's henchwoman. They want her soul because she is a descendant of the goddess Danu. Long have Danu and Uria been at odds after Danu defeated the power-hungry Uria centuries ago.
Now Maeve is trapped in the crosshairs of this ancient grudge and must rally her courage to usurp Uria for good and save the souls of her mother and sister.
Filled with a plethora of Irish lore, The Fire Opal is a magical, mystical novel for readers young and old. Unique in its focus, McBride has foregone the now ever-present romance cliches in YA Fantasy to focus on the story of a young woman finding her resolve and power.
Eloquent writing makes even the mundane feel instilled with illusion. McBride's adult novel, The Nature of Water and Air, contains a depth of magical realism that could propel it into the realm of fantasy. Her aptitude for writing with such grace and poetry works wonders in her foray into genre fiction.
The last hundred pages felt rushed. McBride spent a chapter with Maeve having been lured into an imaginary life which could have been better spent elongating the final confrontation. There is very little time for Maeve to use her cunning and intelligence to create a deceit between Tom and Uria to pit them against one another.
Overall, The Fire Opal's beauty is encapsulating, the story original and poetic, and the heroine a brilliant and powerful young woman.
November 25, 2019
The reviews on here for this book are wretched, nearly everyone gives it 1 star. I don't know what they were all reading because this book is amazing!! I was so immersed in this world,so fully embedded in Maeve's body and experiences,it was an addictive read! Such an imaginative story and so magical,so emotional! I loved every page and I'm so sad it's over now,lol. A fine historical fantasy indeed,it felt similar to The Troll Fell trilogy in tone.
If I had any issues at all it was that the back of the book says there is a "Dashing villain determined to marry her." Ooh la la,sign me up! It turns out that there is no hot wizard or warlord or vampire or whatever, it's simply the neighborhood bully who dresses like a dandy once grown up and delights in causing Maeve emotional pain because somehow that's hot to him... Uhhhmm...Worst 'villain' ever! But he's hardly in it,so it's okay,but it was a letdown.
Also the ending left many unanswered questions,I honestly felt a bit jarred as I closed it and thought "There Has to be a sequel,she can't leave me like this!" What about the hidden sword? What about her brothers and father off at war? Does Danu come back to Ireland? And most importantly, what on earth happened to Francisco!?!? Alive or dead,is he coming back,did he transform into some object or animal as Danu hinted at!? I lay there thinking through it all trying to solve it feeling a great urge to email the author to find out.
But it was a fantastic story and I know I'll be rereading it, it's a keeper!
If I had any issues at all it was that the back of the book says there is a "Dashing villain determined to marry her." Ooh la la,sign me up! It turns out that there is no hot wizard or warlord or vampire or whatever, it's simply the neighborhood bully who dresses like a dandy once grown up and delights in causing Maeve emotional pain because somehow that's hot to him... Uhhhmm...Worst 'villain' ever! But he's hardly in it,so it's okay,but it was a letdown.
Also the ending left many unanswered questions,I honestly felt a bit jarred as I closed it and thought "There Has to be a sequel,she can't leave me like this!" What about the hidden sword? What about her brothers and father off at war? Does Danu come back to Ireland? And most importantly, what on earth happened to Francisco!?!? Alive or dead,is he coming back,did he transform into some object or animal as Danu hinted at!? I lay there thinking through it all trying to solve it feeling a great urge to email the author to find out.
But it was a fantastic story and I know I'll be rereading it, it's a keeper!
February 12, 2018
The Fire Opal is a fairy tale. Not sure if it’s a retelling or simply told in a sort of longform style of a fairy tale. It’s written in a dry, generally somber manner, yet is quite beautifully poetic. The story also strikes a compelling balance between stark pragmatism of historical fiction and the wistfulness of a fantasy quest. However, I would recommend it more to people who like reading Andrew Lang’s fairy books or Grim and Perrault than to those who enjoy retellings. Reading it put me in mind of Koschei the Deathless.
Like a fairy tale, not everything is elaborated upon or given a firm foundation. The main character makes obvious mistakes because that’s what fairy tale protagonists do, and she also receives an absurd number of magical items. There’s a romance, but it’s completely bloodless as well as boneless. She meets Fransisco, a Spanish sailor, falls in love immediately, and yearns for him forever after.
The major downside for me is that it’s ultimately pretty forgettable. It’s a swift, smooth enough read, but I actually had to go back and reread bits before finishing because they’d failed to stick in my mind. Two stars means “it was okay,” and I certainly would tell anyone interested to check it out.
Like a fairy tale, not everything is elaborated upon or given a firm foundation. The main character makes obvious mistakes because that’s what fairy tale protagonists do, and she also receives an absurd number of magical items. There’s a romance, but it’s completely bloodless as well as boneless. She meets Fransisco, a Spanish sailor, falls in love immediately, and yearns for him forever after.
The major downside for me is that it’s ultimately pretty forgettable. It’s a swift, smooth enough read, but I actually had to go back and reread bits before finishing because they’d failed to stick in my mind. Two stars means “it was okay,” and I certainly would tell anyone interested to check it out.
May 4, 2020
I enjoyed three of McBride's other Irish-y books, so I was interested in her foray into YA lit with this novel. The first half is classic McBride--moody, gritty, a bit mystical. Lovely writing--a fab start. Alas, the novel becomes a confusing mess in the second half as Maeve begins her quest. Every aspect has a magical mechanism that makes it work (or not), which of course requires oodles of explanation from a large cast of mystical characters who also have a type of magic and limit that needs explanation. Maeve's quest requires a spiral symbol, a special dress, vials on necklaces, and oh yes, the fire opal--but don't forget about the magic sword, the blackened armor, and so forth. But the climax has Maeve hovering and watching--not DOING. I thought--oh. I guess that's that then. Finally, the ending was awful, only explainable by publisher hopes for a sequel. McBride's other books are definitely worth a read. This one, not so much.
June 28, 2023
I always enjoy stories that explore the mythology of Ireland since my grandparents immigrated from there in the early 1900s. Unfortunately this book seemed more like an attempt to incorporate just about every myth and creature. I did like Maeve's grit and determination but was surprised how easily she was tempted away from her mission to save her Mam and sister. The ending was unsatisfying because I did want to know what happened to Francisco.
September 5, 2024
I always enjoy stories that explore the mythology of Ireland since my grandparents immigrated from there in the early 1900s. Unfortunately this book seemed more like an attempt to incorporate just about every myth and creature. I did like Maeve's grit and determination but was surprised how easily she was tempted away from her mission to save her Mam and sister. The ending was unsatisfying because I did want to know what happened to Francisco.
August 19, 2017
The Fire Opal was interesting. It contained adventure and...romance? Well, more like one sided romance anyways. Personally, I liked it. it was fun to read and kind of exciting! All my friends thought otherwise, but then again the book was an assignment at school.
March 28, 2024
A rather interesting book to read. Kinda gave me studio Ghibli vibes. A long, slowly executed story with some trippy confusing things happening, and underlying meanings.
I do feel there were some things left unsaid or not concluded so 4 stars is all I can give it.
I do feel there were some things left unsaid or not concluded so 4 stars is all I can give it.
July 28, 2020
2.5 stars. Creative and imaginative, but lacked some character depth. I wanted to know more about the characters outside of the situation they were in to feel connected, but that was missing.
April 5, 2022
Not for me. Didn't know this was YA until I looked on goodreads. It doesn't get started until page 154. Just didn't grab me.
November 10, 2024
3.8 stars
I became less enthralled with the story somewhere halfway through I believe, but then it picks back up towards the end. Oh all the left open endings!! 😤
I became less enthralled with the story somewhere halfway through I believe, but then it picks back up towards the end. Oh all the left open endings!! 😤
May 15, 2011
Maeve O'Tullagh is a young woman growing up in a seaside village in 16th century Ireland.
Her world seems fairly dichotomous. There is the world of men: fiercely Catholic, grounded in reality and consumed with the fight for independence. And there is the world of women: eccentric, descendants of ancient goddesses that used to rule the country and consumed with things that cannot be seen.
Shortly after giving birth to her younger sister, Maeve's mother falls into a catatonic state. This turn of events, essentially destroys her family; her brothers choose to escape by means of becoming Irish rebels, her father becomes an emotionally distant wreck and Maeve is consumed with the supernatural underpinnings of her mother's ailment. In the midst of this isolation, Maeve manages to preserve her mother's body, raise her younger sister and fall in love with a Spanish soldier sent in support of the Irish rebels.
After a number of unfortunate events, her younger sister falls into the same catatonic state that has taken her mother. This leads Maeve to go on a supernatural quest to destroy an ancient Viking goddess, a couple of god wannabes and a ship made of ice in order to restore to restore the souls of her mother and sister as well as the rightful place of the ancient goddess who once ruled the land.
I wish I could give the book more stars, but plot left too many loose ends: the goddess never actually comes back to Ireland, Maeve's Spanish lover is still lost at sea, her mother and sister still have a tenuous hold on life, the purpose of Maeve's sister's reincarnation is never fully explained, Maeve's family never reunites, the jeweled comb is never found, the non-scary god-wannabe could still dig his way out of the bog and marry Maeve against her will, the secret hidden weapon still remains secret and hidden, etc. At the moment, this book seems to be a stand alone. But even if it were the first in a series, the book offers so little resolution that it seems only half finished.
In addition, certain important character arcs don't seem fully resolved. For Maeve's character to feel truly finished, she would have to find a way to unite the male world of war and reality with the female world of mysticism and intuition. She'd have to overcome the condemnation of her social world where she is generally known as 'Mad Maeve.' Maeve's mother's character arc also doesn't seem finished. Early in the story, another character tells her that her pride will be the death of her. This never really comes to fruition. Maeve's mother's ailment would not have been prevented had she been less proud and there isn't much evidence that she overcomes this pride.
And because the goddess/human woman connection is such an important aspect of the mythological arc, I don't feel that there was enough done to reunite the goddess with her inner human and reunite women with their inner goddess. As a result, the whole 'quest' section of this novel sort of felt like an inconsequential dream.
Her world seems fairly dichotomous. There is the world of men: fiercely Catholic, grounded in reality and consumed with the fight for independence. And there is the world of women: eccentric, descendants of ancient goddesses that used to rule the country and consumed with things that cannot be seen.
Shortly after giving birth to her younger sister, Maeve's mother falls into a catatonic state. This turn of events, essentially destroys her family; her brothers choose to escape by means of becoming Irish rebels, her father becomes an emotionally distant wreck and Maeve is consumed with the supernatural underpinnings of her mother's ailment. In the midst of this isolation, Maeve manages to preserve her mother's body, raise her younger sister and fall in love with a Spanish soldier sent in support of the Irish rebels.
After a number of unfortunate events, her younger sister falls into the same catatonic state that has taken her mother. This leads Maeve to go on a supernatural quest to destroy an ancient Viking goddess, a couple of god wannabes and a ship made of ice in order to restore to restore the souls of her mother and sister as well as the rightful place of the ancient goddess who once ruled the land.
I wish I could give the book more stars, but plot left too many loose ends: the goddess never actually comes back to Ireland, Maeve's Spanish lover is still lost at sea, her mother and sister still have a tenuous hold on life, the purpose of Maeve's sister's reincarnation is never fully explained, Maeve's family never reunites, the jeweled comb is never found, the non-scary god-wannabe could still dig his way out of the bog and marry Maeve against her will, the secret hidden weapon still remains secret and hidden, etc. At the moment, this book seems to be a stand alone. But even if it were the first in a series, the book offers so little resolution that it seems only half finished.
In addition, certain important character arcs don't seem fully resolved. For Maeve's character to feel truly finished, she would have to find a way to unite the male world of war and reality with the female world of mysticism and intuition. She'd have to overcome the condemnation of her social world where she is generally known as 'Mad Maeve.' Maeve's mother's character arc also doesn't seem finished. Early in the story, another character tells her that her pride will be the death of her. This never really comes to fruition. Maeve's mother's ailment would not have been prevented had she been less proud and there isn't much evidence that she overcomes this pride.
And because the goddess/human woman connection is such an important aspect of the mythological arc, I don't feel that there was enough done to reunite the goddess with her inner human and reunite women with their inner goddess. As a result, the whole 'quest' section of this novel sort of felt like an inconsequential dream.
November 17, 2012
Reviewed by Ashley B for TeensReadToo.com
Maeve O'Tullagh is a teen living in Ard Macha with her family: Mam, Da, Donal, Fingal, and Ishleen. When still very young, Ishleen suddenly dies, depressing Maeve's mother and father. Once becoming pregnant again, Mam insists that she is pregnant with Ishleen, and she won't let the idea go. A woman at the sea gives Maeve a talisman to protect her mother. But when Mam removes it on the night of the baby's birth, she seems lost and catatonic. Maeve believes something stole her mother's soul and dedicates herself to protecting her new sister.
When Ishleen is four, she suffers the same fate as her Mam. With her Da and brothers off fighting to free Ireland from English rule, nineteen-year-old Maeve embarks on a journey to discover who has stolen their souls and save them before it's too late, encountering an ancient evil along the way.
This story was filled with magical beings and inanimate objects, and a family that thinks the mother and daughter are absolutely mad. At times, I was agreeing with the men of the family. In some parts, some very crazy stuff was happening, and I almost felt like Maeve was on an acid-trip or something. Seriously! It was nuts, but it was interesting!
The climax of the novel began in one of the last few chapters. This caused the novel to drag on for quite a long time, and it seemed to me that there were many insignificant pieces to the storyline. Also, the ending was very abrupt, which bothers me. It was left for me to wonder what happened to Francisco, a Spanish soldier, and also for Maeve's father and brothers. But really, this novel was interesting, and not really the kind of book I normally read, but it kept me interested, even if I got bored in some places. If you're into the fantasy kind of book, you might like it.
Maeve O'Tullagh is a teen living in Ard Macha with her family: Mam, Da, Donal, Fingal, and Ishleen. When still very young, Ishleen suddenly dies, depressing Maeve's mother and father. Once becoming pregnant again, Mam insists that she is pregnant with Ishleen, and she won't let the idea go. A woman at the sea gives Maeve a talisman to protect her mother. But when Mam removes it on the night of the baby's birth, she seems lost and catatonic. Maeve believes something stole her mother's soul and dedicates herself to protecting her new sister.
When Ishleen is four, she suffers the same fate as her Mam. With her Da and brothers off fighting to free Ireland from English rule, nineteen-year-old Maeve embarks on a journey to discover who has stolen their souls and save them before it's too late, encountering an ancient evil along the way.
This story was filled with magical beings and inanimate objects, and a family that thinks the mother and daughter are absolutely mad. At times, I was agreeing with the men of the family. In some parts, some very crazy stuff was happening, and I almost felt like Maeve was on an acid-trip or something. Seriously! It was nuts, but it was interesting!
The climax of the novel began in one of the last few chapters. This caused the novel to drag on for quite a long time, and it seemed to me that there were many insignificant pieces to the storyline. Also, the ending was very abrupt, which bothers me. It was left for me to wonder what happened to Francisco, a Spanish soldier, and also for Maeve's father and brothers. But really, this novel was interesting, and not really the kind of book I normally read, but it kept me interested, even if I got bored in some places. If you're into the fantasy kind of book, you might like it.
January 10, 2023
Maeve O’Tullagh is a sixteenth-century teen on the coast of Ireland. Surrounding the dank atmosphere of her hometown, Ard Macha, and its mysterious ruins, is an echo of centuries past, when goddess queens ruled, and the rocky land was a rich and fertile forest.
When a rancid-smelling Valkyrie corpse is unearthed, Maeve’s one-year-old sister Ishleen suddenly dies, sending her mother into a melancholy derangement. Maeve begins receiving mysterious visions, and encounters benevolent, shape-shifting swan women, as well as malevolent mermaids in the Atlantic tides. Meanwhile, the O’Tullaghs' cruel-hearted neighbor, Tom Cavan, is the story’s antagonist. He is constantly harassing and inciting Maeve, in a twisted attempt to win her affections.
Reading about the O’Tullaghs’ simple fishing and farming life in sixteenth century Ireland, and Maeve’s brothers’ desires to fight the invading English soldiers, sustained my interests. I liked how the historical setting was accompanied by phantasm and mysticism. The story teeters for a while on the cusp between the real world and Maeve's unearthly experiences. But once she embarks upon a magical quest and rescue mission on an enchanted Ice Barge, the story fully immerses into fantasy, becoming dreamlike and chilling.
Maeve also encounters a taste of romance with a young Spanish soldier, called Francisco. But her time with him is brief. In addition to this, the story clearly awaits a sequel to be resolved. A spooky and ethereal YA fantasy.
When a rancid-smelling Valkyrie corpse is unearthed, Maeve’s one-year-old sister Ishleen suddenly dies, sending her mother into a melancholy derangement. Maeve begins receiving mysterious visions, and encounters benevolent, shape-shifting swan women, as well as malevolent mermaids in the Atlantic tides. Meanwhile, the O’Tullaghs' cruel-hearted neighbor, Tom Cavan, is the story’s antagonist. He is constantly harassing and inciting Maeve, in a twisted attempt to win her affections.
Reading about the O’Tullaghs’ simple fishing and farming life in sixteenth century Ireland, and Maeve’s brothers’ desires to fight the invading English soldiers, sustained my interests. I liked how the historical setting was accompanied by phantasm and mysticism. The story teeters for a while on the cusp between the real world and Maeve's unearthly experiences. But once she embarks upon a magical quest and rescue mission on an enchanted Ice Barge, the story fully immerses into fantasy, becoming dreamlike and chilling.
Maeve also encounters a taste of romance with a young Spanish soldier, called Francisco. But her time with him is brief. In addition to this, the story clearly awaits a sequel to be resolved. A spooky and ethereal YA fantasy.
May 14, 2010
As an Irish girl I will admit to being somewhat biased coming into this book. With scenery like the brilliant Irish landscapes, laid out for readers to picture while experiencing the journey that was The Fire Opal, what can you expect? I was already half in love with the story before finishing the first chapter.
McBride gives her readers magic, mythology/folklore and realism all wrapped up neatly in her debut YA novel. She has made the cross from writing adult fiction to YA fantasy quite seamlessly in my opinion.
Our main character, Maeve O'Tullagh was fierce and brace and built for an adventure. With a will of her own she becomes quite the opponent for the mean spirited (and hateful in my opinion) Tom Cavan. She even proves that she is a worthy adversary for an ancient and foreboding Goddess of days old and long forgotten. Not too shabby for a 19 year old girl.
This is a story that had me wondering about so many things throughout; will Maeve "save the day" so to speak? Will she be able to resque her mom and sister in time? Will evil really conquer good? The only aspect I was truly disappointed with was the ending. It might just be me but I found it lacking. I would have appreciated more information. At the same time, although it didn't feel like a traditional cliffhanger, maybe McBride is setting up her readers for future works involving these characters? I can only hope and wait and see what McBride has in store for us.
McBride gives her readers magic, mythology/folklore and realism all wrapped up neatly in her debut YA novel. She has made the cross from writing adult fiction to YA fantasy quite seamlessly in my opinion.
Our main character, Maeve O'Tullagh was fierce and brace and built for an adventure. With a will of her own she becomes quite the opponent for the mean spirited (and hateful in my opinion) Tom Cavan. She even proves that she is a worthy adversary for an ancient and foreboding Goddess of days old and long forgotten. Not too shabby for a 19 year old girl.
This is a story that had me wondering about so many things throughout; will Maeve "save the day" so to speak? Will she be able to resque her mom and sister in time? Will evil really conquer good? The only aspect I was truly disappointed with was the ending. It might just be me but I found it lacking. I would have appreciated more information. At the same time, although it didn't feel like a traditional cliffhanger, maybe McBride is setting up her readers for future works involving these characters? I can only hope and wait and see what McBride has in store for us.
February 15, 2012
Ok so when I said I read this, I meant that I tried to read "The Fire Opal." I wanted to like this book. I really did. But after reading the first one hundred pages and skimming a little after that, I finally had to put the book down.
The main character- I forgot her name already- was just a little too boring. I felt like I was reading a book about a simpleton who wasn't all there. Not very engaging, I thought.
And then there was supposed to be this hot villian that wanted to marry her? Let's just say that mustaches aren't exactly attractive in my book. And he tortured animals as a child, if I remember the little bit that I read correctly. So all we really knew about his character and why he was bad was basically that he was born to be a villian. That's pretty much how I interpretted this.
I did want to like this book, but when a book is so boring that I can't even finish it, I would say that this isn't worth your time. Maybe "The Fire Opal" is for some people, but it just wasn't for me.
The main character- I forgot her name already- was just a little too boring. I felt like I was reading a book about a simpleton who wasn't all there. Not very engaging, I thought.
And then there was supposed to be this hot villian that wanted to marry her? Let's just say that mustaches aren't exactly attractive in my book. And he tortured animals as a child, if I remember the little bit that I read correctly. So all we really knew about his character and why he was bad was basically that he was born to be a villian. That's pretty much how I interpretted this.
I did want to like this book, but when a book is so boring that I can't even finish it, I would say that this isn't worth your time. Maybe "The Fire Opal" is for some people, but it just wasn't for me.
July 3, 2014
Just not my thing. Too much imagination not enough development. The Fire Opal was a beautiful prose but in aiming for young adult audiences it failed miserably. It was well written but unsuited for the YA genre in terms of plot and style. The characters while rich in backstory lacked personality and depth giving readers no way to sympathize with them. Maeve's age was the only young adult element. Although she was actually around 20 years she made strange naive choices. Tom was unexplainably evil and randomly 'attracted?' To the protagonist. Maeve lacked definition because we never truly got any emotion beyond anger or any personality revealing thoughts of hers . We simply didn't get inside the protagonists head. Some sections were rich in description but others such as Tom's demise were undetailed and almost noncommittal. Lastly, the plot was complex and full of imagination but revealed the intense antecedent action in rants that were confusing and difficult to process. Might work for adults, but young adults? No thanks.i
March 21, 2015
This was a BOM selection for one of my groups. The story is set in late 16th century Ireland and centers on Maeve, a young Irish girl.
"The Fire Opal" is a mixed bag. It's as if McBride could not decide what type of novel she wanted to write. The first half is a slow-moving, mostly historical novel with some hints of fantasy, and the second half is a fast-moving mix of Irish myth and adventure. I sort of enjoyed the first part, but the second part was confusing and tedious. None of the characters really came to life, even Maeve. Tom was downright strange and his obsession with Maeve made no sense. Maeve's relationship with Francisco was not believable. Another reviewer mentioned all the loose ends. I won't list them here in order not to spoil them, but basically, nothing is resolved by the end of the book. "The Fire Opal" has a strange, unfinished quality to it, like it's missing the last 50-100 pages, or it's the first part of a trilogy. I really think three stars is generous. This isn't a bad book, but it's not a great one either.
"The Fire Opal" is a mixed bag. It's as if McBride could not decide what type of novel she wanted to write. The first half is a slow-moving, mostly historical novel with some hints of fantasy, and the second half is a fast-moving mix of Irish myth and adventure. I sort of enjoyed the first part, but the second part was confusing and tedious. None of the characters really came to life, even Maeve. Tom was downright strange and his obsession with Maeve made no sense. Maeve's relationship with Francisco was not believable. Another reviewer mentioned all the loose ends. I won't list them here in order not to spoil them, but basically, nothing is resolved by the end of the book. "The Fire Opal" has a strange, unfinished quality to it, like it's missing the last 50-100 pages, or it's the first part of a trilogy. I really think three stars is generous. This isn't a bad book, but it's not a great one either.
August 14, 2010
I haven't read many books set in Ireland. But, what I have read seems to have it's own mystical quality. There's something about Ireland that makes it different and I don't think it's just the legends and myths that have been passed down for centuries. This book is no exception. I think the place and some of the events that are in the background of the story are real. But, it never feels real if that makes sense. It's almost as if the entire story takes place in a fog. It's beautifully written.
While, the story is beautiful, I never connected with any of the characters. Mauve was just the tool to tell the story. I understood why she went to such lengths to rescue her mother and her sister. And her adventure was definitely interesting. I just had a hard time investing myself in anything she did.
I think I might have found more interest in the story if I knew more about Irish legends, etc. The whole story just felt like it was missing something for me.
While, the story is beautiful, I never connected with any of the characters. Mauve was just the tool to tell the story. I understood why she went to such lengths to rescue her mother and her sister. And her adventure was definitely interesting. I just had a hard time investing myself in anything she did.
I think I might have found more interest in the story if I knew more about Irish legends, etc. The whole story just felt like it was missing something for me.
August 2, 2011
Personally, I thought this book was overall just plain awful.I thought the characters were dull and forgettable, the main character, Mauve, cared more about a possibly dead Spaniard than the actual story,and Tom, the main villain,showed some promise at the beginning, but by the end he was just plain annoying. I thought the plot itself was lame and didn't keep readers engaged the way it should. This book was to rush at all the important parts and lingered to long on the boring insignificant parts. The author wrapped up the climax in less than ten pages and i don't remember most of it, but the whole first half of the book was concentrated on the Mauve's whinny problems. The end left the reader with to many unanswered questions, but even if there is was a sequel answering them, i would not read it. I would not recommend this book to anyone.
July 27, 2010
Maeve is a fiery and spirited young girl who watches as both her mother and then her sister become shells of their former selves. Will she be next? Has she really become mad as her father and brothers believe? Or are the things she's hearing on the wind and in her mind real?
This an amazing 1st Young Adult novel for McBride! WOW! The Irish seaside is described in incredible detail to the point that you can also hear the sea and smell the air blowing in. The only issue I had was the ending which happened literally in the last couple if pages. It was very abrupt and rather unnatural. I'm hoping there will be another and that will explain and forgive this ending. Here's hoping! Read it; it's fabulous!
This an amazing 1st Young Adult novel for McBride! WOW! The Irish seaside is described in incredible detail to the point that you can also hear the sea and smell the air blowing in. The only issue I had was the ending which happened literally in the last couple if pages. It was very abrupt and rather unnatural. I'm hoping there will be another and that will explain and forgive this ending. Here's hoping! Read it; it's fabulous!
August 12, 2010
Part of Adventures in Reading post on Bewitched Bookworms.
I read five books. In five days. This was one of them. =)
http://www.bewitchedbookworms.com/201...
Set against the backdrop of the English invading Ireland, Maeve must fend off the advance of a villainous suitor while saving the souls of her mother and sister, all the while searching for her true love.
I liked it, nearly loved it, yet I was constantly confused and overwhelmed. And I must admit the ending left me wanting. I feel like there should be a sequel to this novel or it should have been 50 pages longer. I definitely feel like I was left hanging. Having said that Ms. McBride is a wonderful writer and I would love to read any of her other novels.
I read five books. In five days. This was one of them. =)
http://www.bewitchedbookworms.com/201...
Set against the backdrop of the English invading Ireland, Maeve must fend off the advance of a villainous suitor while saving the souls of her mother and sister, all the while searching for her true love.
I liked it, nearly loved it, yet I was constantly confused and overwhelmed. And I must admit the ending left me wanting. I feel like there should be a sequel to this novel or it should have been 50 pages longer. I definitely feel like I was left hanging. Having said that Ms. McBride is a wonderful writer and I would love to read any of her other novels.
October 28, 2024
Language - PG (1 swear, 0 "f"), Sexual Content - G; Violence - G
Ever sine Maeve's little sister died her mom hasn't been herself. Then Maeve's mom stars insisting that Ishleen is coming back to them and is labeled as crazy. The night that the new Ishleen is born two things happen: Maeve sees that it really is Ishleen and her mom becomes despondent. Maeve now has to face and do things she couldn't ever thought of in order to get her mom back.
I was sucked into all the action that comes up in this book. I didn't expect there to be as much action as there was. I also loved that Maeve had a weakness that brought trials and made her think in order to get out of them.
Reviewed for https://kissthebook.blogspot.com/
Ever sine Maeve's little sister died her mom hasn't been herself. Then Maeve's mom stars insisting that Ishleen is coming back to them and is labeled as crazy. The night that the new Ishleen is born two things happen: Maeve sees that it really is Ishleen and her mom becomes despondent. Maeve now has to face and do things she couldn't ever thought of in order to get her mom back.
I was sucked into all the action that comes up in this book. I didn't expect there to be as much action as there was. I also loved that Maeve had a weakness that brought trials and made her think in order to get out of them.
Reviewed for https://kissthebook.blogspot.com/
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