Format e-ARC
Print Length 304 pages
Publisher Sourcebooks Fire
Published June 1, 2014
THE GIRL WHO NEVER WAS is the story of Selkie Stewart, who thinks she’s a totally normal teenager growing up in Boston. Sure, her father is in an insane asylum, her mother left her on his doorstep—literally—when she was a baby, and she’s being raised by two ancient aunts who spend their time hunting gnomes in their Beacon Hill townhouse. But other than that her life is totally normal! She’s got an adventurous best friend who’s always got her back and an unrequited crush on an older boy named Ben. Just like any other teenager, right?
When Selkie goes in search of the mother she’s never known, she gets more than she bargained for. It turns out that her mother is faerie royalty, which would make Selkie a faerie princess—except for the part where her father is an ogre, which makes her only half of anything. Even more confusing, there’s a prophecy that Selkie is going to destroy the tyrannical Seelie Court, which is why her mother actually wants to kill her. Selkie has been kept hidden all her life by her adoring aunts, with the help of a Salem wizard named Will. And Ben. Because the boy she thinks she’s in love with turns out to be a faerie whose enchantment has kept her alive, but also kept her in the dark about her own life.
Now, with enchantments dissolved and prophecies swinging into action, Selkie finds herself on a series of mad quests to save the people she’s always loved and a life she’s learning to love. But in a supernatural world of increasingly complex alliances and distressingly complicated deceptions, it’s so hard to know who to trust. Does her mother really wish to kill her? Would Will sacrifice her for the sake of the prophecy? And does Ben really love her or is it all an elaborate ruse? In order to survive, Selkie realizes that the key is learning—and accepting—who she really is.
My Opinion
You know those books- the one’s that you just know you are going to love. The book that you are half way through thinking what the heck? This is not what I signed up for? That is how I felt reading this book. Fae folks, love them- orges love them, enchantments and a hidden realm, heck yeah I am there. This book has all the ingredients of a great story but to be honest it was not mixed up very well.
Selkie the main character’s voice never clicked with me. She should be exciting- she is after all half fae and half orge. Instead she is more of a wow-is me-kinda gal who doesn’t listen to anyone. She has this protective barrier around her that broken when she mentions her birthday- who doesn’t mention their birthday like ever? There are high school girls who walk around with tiara’s and birthday pins on all day to advertise that it is their birthday. My four year old is already talking about her next birthday party. Which is a year away.
Moving on to Ben- a powerful traveler faerie who controls the enchantment around Selkie. This is the boy that she is in love with. She is in love with him regardless that she knows nothing about him. He is extremely powerful and yet has his own personal kryptonite.
The book also spends a lot of time talking about well time, which I didn’t understand the need for. I mean really mention it once the reader typically understands- twice if you think it is a hard concept but by the tenth time on how time is different for everyone the reader gets annoyed.
I wanted to love this book and cuddle with it. I wanted to shout my love of this book from the rooftops- but I cannot. I can say the book was an interesting idea that has a lot of potential.
My Rating 2 out of 5 stars
Favorite Quote "Prophecies are merely one way of reading the stars.”
Other People
Kelsey- human bestie
Will- wizard that helps to protect Selkie
True- orge aunt who helped to raise Selkie
Virtue- orge aunt who helped to raise Selkie
How sad is that.
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