A wonderful book with beautifully drawn characters that goes off in directions you don't expect from the way it starts out, although following on fairly directly from the first book in the series and expanding a bit on the background laid down there. Bledsoe has an original take on fairies in the modern world, grounded much more deeply in American history and folklore, and in particular music, than most. Very much recommended.
I really enjoyed this. The main characters in this book are several of the minor characters from the first book, plus a new guy. This book gets more into the weirdness and mystery of the Tufa people (they're faeries and the descendents of faeries, basically) and the way their society works. But it doesn't get so into that stuff that there's no room for future stories and intrigue left. Rob was kind of an unusual hero, in that he kind of accidentally backs into the powder keg that was the Tufa status quo. But once he was in it, he stepped up and I liked him just fine. I liked Bliss Overbay a lot more and wished that she was the primary protagonist because I want to know more about her. Fun book!
This is the second Tufa novel by Alex Bledsoe. You do not need to read the first novel "The Hum and the Shiver" to understand Wisp of a Thing. It does touch upon some of the characters in that book so there's definitely a sense of continuity.
I literally could not put this book down and read it in one sitting. Bledsoe paints his world with such a sense of realness and richness I feel I could hop in the car and drive to Needsville, Tennessee. I expect the dark haired, dark eyed Tufa to be living their mysterious lives and singing their soulful music in those Appalachia hills.
I really do hope Alex Bledsoe has more to write about his modern fairy people.
I literally could not put this book down and read it in one sitting. Bledsoe paints his world with such a sense of realness and richness I feel I could hop in the car and drive to Needsville, Tennessee. I expect the dark haired, dark eyed Tufa to be living their mysterious lives and singing their soulful music in those Appalachia hills.
I really do hope Alex Bledsoe has more to write about his modern fairy people.
