Silence and Stone

The Faeries' Promise #1

by Kathleen Duey

Alida is a faerie princess, imprisoned for years in the castle of Lord Dunraven to protect an ancient law prohibiting contact between humans and faeries. So when a human boy, Gavin, helps Alida escape to search for her long-lost family, their flight is filled with danger. Can they avoid Lord Dunraven's guards? How can they keep Alida's identity a secret?

Genres: Fantasy, Childrens, Fairies, Fiction, Young Adult

109 pages, Paperback

First published June 21, 2010

About the author

Kathleen Duey grew up in Colorado. She loved riding her horses, hiking, being in the mountains. Reading was always important to her. Writing became a fascination early in her life. In the fourth grade, Kathleen began writing stories and told everyone who would listen that she was going to be an author. Then she did nothing about it until she was 35 years old. Writing was her passion and her dream-come-true.

from: fantasticfiction.co.uk

Kathleen died of cardiac arrest at her home in Fallbrook, California. She was 69. She had struggled with dementia in her latter years which prevented her from completing her Skin Hunger trilogy.

https://web.archive.org/web/202101052...

Reviews

[D.T. Powell · Rating 5 out of 5]

A great start to another wonderful Kathleen Duey set. Looking forward to the rest of this series.

[Elfeeza Ehsan · Rating 5 out of 5]

I've always loved books about fairies and I love the fantasy genre. Reading a a book in the fantasy genre for kids was really refreshing. I enjoyed the simple story. It had a lovely flow. It gripped me from the beginning to the end. I would definitely recommend this book to my students as I'm sure the girls would love to read it and well the boys could enjoy it too as the primary supporting character is a brave and resourceful boy. I can't wait to read the prequel series and the sequel to this book.

[emch · Rating 5 out of 5]

FIRST AND ONE OF THE BEST BOOK SERIES EVER period.

[Kayla · Rating 5 out of 5]

I found this book randomly at the library in the children's section. I like books about faeries and this story did not disappoint. It had a fun story and good illustrations. Unfortunately, I tried to read the next installment and was too disinterested to finish. Maybe I'll give it another go in a few months. However, this first book was really great!

[stevie · Rating 4 out of 5]

It’s really fun re-reading childhood favorites

[Ellie82 · Rating 5 out of 5]

It was amazing and really touching

[Carrie · Rating 4 out of 5]

A (9) loved this! It is very light and simple and I would have loved it at her age, too. Cute illustrations.

[R2 Ireland · Rating 5 out of 5]

my fave book in this seris

[Lindsay · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is exactly the type of book I would’ve adored as a child which makes me adore it now.

[Molly (Conan the Librarian) Crumbley · Rating 3 out of 5]

There was a time, once, when faeries, humans, and magical creatures lived side by side in peace, and young faerie Alida enjoyed her charmed life as a princess. Just before her mother could teach her to fly, though, Alida was kidnapped and trapped in a dungeon for centuries by the evil Lord Dunraven. In the years since her imprisonment, a law was passed that prohibits any contact between faeries and humans.

With no way out of her tower cell, poor Alida has begun to fear that she will never see daylight or her family again. One day, everything changes when a brave young human boy named Gavin decides to risk breaking the law to free the captured faerie. Their road is a long and dangerous one, and poor Alida doesn’t even know how to fly or do magic any more.

Will Gavin be able to protect his new friend and keep her identity a secret from the guards who pursue them? Will Alida regain her magical abilities and find her family? Fantasy lovers will enjoy every minute of this winning tale of friendship and magic, the first in a brand new series that follows Alida and Gavin throughout their adventures.

This review originally appeared on abookandahug.com

[Renee · Rating 3 out of 5]

First in the series of The Faeries' Promise finds Princess Alida captured long ago and left as a prisoner in a castle. Though she had given up hope of escaping, a young boy - Gavin - begins giving her delicious food (flowers) instead of the normal bland items. Gavin then frees Alida having secured her promise that she will cure his ailing
grandmother with her magic. Alida returns to her home only to find that all of the fairies have disappeared. Gavin's grandmother explains what has happened to them and sheds light on why Alida was captured. Buy the series if you have readers who adore books with fairies.

[Vicki · Rating 3 out of 5]

Rated 3.5
Nice little start to a new fantasy series by Kathleen Duey (Unicorn's Secret series)
Alida is taken from her home as a very small child, and imprisoned in the castle of Lord Dunraven to protect an ancient law prohibiting contact between humans and faeries. But Alida isn't a human child, she is a a faerie child, trapped in a tiny cell at the top of a tower with no view of the outside world, and no contact with another living thing, for 60 years. Alida doesn't understand why this terrible thing has been done to her and when it will be over, until one day a human boy named Gavin, help Alida escape to search for her long-lost family.

[Teresa · Rating 3 out of 5]

Finally--a fairy book that isn't awful. The anime-style illustrations are a nice change from cartoony ones, and the descriptions, plot and character development are decent.

Alida has been held captive in a castle room for many years (Faeries live longer than humans.) until the person bringing her food talks to her, and they plot her escape. Eventually she finds out why she was turned over to the evil Lord Dunraven.

The descriptions of her captivity, and her wish to escape (and be reunited with her family) without abandoning her new friend are vivid and touching. Sequels are set up nicely.

I'm happy to have something to recommend after "Daisy Meadows".

[Lillian · Rating 5 out of 5]

I picked up this book after realizing it was the first in a companion series to The Unicorn’s Secret series. It’s about a young faerie named Alida who is imprisoned in Lord Dunraven’s castle. She manages to escape and embarks on an adventure to find her family. While the gypsies, Heart, or the unicorns don’t make an appearance, Alida does meet Ruth Oakes and Kip. I loved the fantasy feel and how it reminded me of The Unicorn’s Secret. I would definitely recommend to anyone who likes books about magic.

[Angie · Rating 3 out of 5]

A cute book. I rated this book a three as I can't exactly say I really liked it... there wasn't anything particularly wrong with this book, I'm just kind of not in the age group who would especially enjoy it. There is a faerie, who has lived in a tower cell for 60 years (she's still a child), and finally she meets a young boy who helps her to escape. This book is the first of a three-book series.

[Mary · Rating 4 out of 5]

Really like this one. More character/plot development than many fairy books. First in a new series. Alida, who has been locked in a tower most of her life by Lord Dunraven, is finally rescued by Gavin who is not sure fairies or magic are real but is desparate to find help for his ailing grandmother.

[Whisperwind · Rating 5 out of 5]

In the beginning it was sad because the faerie was locked in a tower at Lord Dunravens' castle. She didn't get the proper faerie food, which was flowers. She only got human food which was gross for her, but she ate it because she needed food. Finally there was a boy that brought her proper faerie food.

[Sylvia · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.5 stars. A nice little fantasy story for grade 3 or easy grade 4. Part one of a series based on the same little world depicted in "The Unicorn's Secret" featuring the evil Lord Dunraven and his hatred for all things magical and beautiful. (But why is he so evil?)

[Doris · Rating 5 out of 5]

A cute and sweet story aimed at the younger set, where a young fairy girl yearns for freedom from her tower prison of 60 years. She misses her family, and misses contact with other people, but most of all she misses being able to eat real food - flowers. A very nice start to a new series.

[Mercy · Rating 3 out of 5]

Better than Daisy meadows, not asgood as the Night Fairy

[Deanna · Rating 5 out of 5]

This story is about a faerie that is locked in a tower for sixty years. I like fairies.

[Emily · Rating 4 out of 5]

I like how they got away, but not how they had trapped the fairy.

[Bonnijean Marley · Rating 4 out of 5]

Delightful fantasy for young readers

[Ezra · Rating 5 out of 5]

I thought it had a lot of faeries in it.

[Celeste · Rating 5 out of 5]

I love this book.

[Dolores · Rating 3 out of 5]

3 1/2 stars. A nice promise to a good series for younger readers. Very readable and engaging.

[Thia · Rating 5 out of 5]

knights, castles, fairies, witches

[Jane · Rating 4 out of 5]

Looking forward to the second one. A good short book.