Ink Exchange

Beautiful while it lasts...

First of all - sorry my dear cousin that i hijacked your bookshelf on Sunday, but this Ink Exchange really blew me off. i didn't know which book to choose over so many of yours but this one has got International Bestseller labelled on it and it looks so new... Anyway, i was prompted to read my first faerie story (if Enid Blyton doesn't count) upon reaching home with a bunch of new reads. :D

To sum things up, the book turns out to be amazing despite finding the author's writing style very new to me, a tad hazy and difficult to follow - given that i have not read Melissa Marr's first book - Wicked Lovely (anyway, it gives room for plentiful of imaginations and to put up with the haziness, the language is exotically beautiful you've just got to pick up the story's details to paint a clearer picture by figuring up on your own, by which they're mostly found in bits and pieces throughout).

Ink Exchange went beyond my expectation and i've got to say that hey, the story is so dark, this is totally my kind of thing. Leslie, Niall and Irial as the three central characters were anything but optimistic. It left me with a bunch of heartfelt pity for the three of them. Dark pasts, woes for the uncertainties, dilemmas and more... And hence, simply nothing shallow, they were given depths by the author, and i like the fact how their twisted fates would made them cross paths.

Leslie, the main girl.

1- She's all out on her own. When home seems no longer a home when it was at her home that robbed her of safety, of protection and warmth in her life, she's all to feel threatened when she had to hold up everything and go home as if nothing's wrong just because she wouldn't want her friends to know. i'd say she's strong to be able to harbour all these kind of horrible feelings and, out of despair, to seek for her mean of gaining control back into her life - by getting an ink on her back (tattoo).

2- The author's made it even tougher for her that she virtually knows nothing about the chaos revolving around the faery world. She's made the ignorant one by her protective best friend, and also by just about anyone around her. On her free will (however, unbeknownst to her that she'd chosen Irial's symbol), she ended up being bound to Irial, the King of the Dark Court, through the "Ink Exchange" to feed his deprived Court as a channel for negative emotions, which deteriorated both her health and sanity in exchange for what her initial resolve stood for - being safe, in control and protected of her life - all of which Irial can offer to her, plus his immense affection for her.

Niall, one of the two lead (faery) male leads.

1- He's seeing it all but forbidden to act. At his Queen's will (Leslie's best friend), he's commissioned to be by Leslie's side all the time to guard her from malefic faeries. He's able to see her, feel her, and following her all around to see what's happening to her life and even whisper to her softly by her ears and yet Leslie shall neither see nor feel Niall's presence and love, as per his Queen Aisllin's Order. This follows by his darker past with his former lord, Irial. He was well aware of the consequences to mortals who fell intoxicated to his touch. This means if he loves Leslie, he'd have to stay far from her, to avoid her from falling into the category of his regrets.

2- Torn between his innate self and absolute loyalty to his King and Queen, he's constantly at the edge of revealing himself to Leslie, a pitiful dilemma. A Summer Court houses different rules from the Dark Court which he formerly belongs to. Nevertheless, for centuries after he'd sworn his allegiance to Keenan, King of the Summer Court, he knows better than anyone not to meddle with the affairs of mortals when all the time it's too tempting for him to do so. It's a contradictory he's to fight and behave from his true self as a dark kind just like Irial, his former Lord. His sense of duty towards Lordship is excellent.

Irial's my favorite character.

1- You're taking about a uniquely created Dark faery Lord. He's wicked and glamorous for sure, exuding arrogance, darkness and more darkness you can ask for where ever he goes. i'm assured of why Leslie could never be apart from him. His dictatorship's not without mercy and sympathy. How do i put it - he's definitely got a soft spot, for detesting wars in his Court and cared for his fey. Yet, he executed well, with irresistible poise, on everything a Dark faery lord should do. The basis of his acts, his sacrifices for Leslie and his Court were just... comprehensible yet purely, murkily dark.

2- The ending of the story he pulled off - threw me off balance. He realises his love for Leslie (enough to let go of her) and Niall. He gave them both what he thought the best for them. He set free of Leslie, he promised Leslie he'd never undergo another Ink Exchange to stabilise his Dark Court because it'd ultimately hurt Leslie given that he'd have to hurt himself for another Ink Exchange. In the end, he made Niall succeed over his throne, and kept himself away from Leslie. Leslie, being a mortal, and while Irial loved her, he respected her choice to live like one, to be free from the faery world. In a way, Leslie is better off without Irial nor Niall. 
"Sometimes love means letting go when you want to hold on tighter." i always hated this kind of morale but i guess that makes the story sad and beautiful while it lasts.