Summary?
Phoebe, a member of the wealthy Rothschild family, befriends Mallory, an awkward new girl in school, and the two become as close as sisters, but Phoebe does not know that Mallory is a faerie, sent to the human world to trap the human girl into fulfilling a promise made by her ancestor Mayer to the queen of faeries.
Why Did I Read It? It was a pick for the 2011 Maricopa County Mock Printz discussions - if you want to discuss, you read what ever is on the list! :)
What I Thought...
An intriguing story, Extraordinary definitely kept me interested and was a quick read. The writing was good, though the ending felt a bit like a "moral to the story" ending a la eighties tv shows (Full House, I'm looking at you!). The struggle Mallory has with her 'mission' and her love for her friend, Phoebe, is well done and wrenching, as is the way in which Ryland, Mallory's brother, manipulates Phoebe into withering her self-confidence.
I am a bit confused, though. Early in the novel, the queen asks Mallory whether Phoebe or a classmate is the right girl - if they've known a bargain was made with Mayer Rothschild, why would she think the girl NOT named Rothschild might be the one they're looking for? Maybe a small detail, but enough of one for me to feel this isn't the book of the year...
However, it was an interesting look at faeries and their dealings with and promises to humans.
Recommended.
YA Reading Challenge Count: 1
*Disclosure: I read Extraordinary early in January, but I am posting it and others read in early 2011 - I simply didn't have a blog back when I read and reviewed before!
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