Every once in a while I read a book and am blown away by the creativity of the concept. So blown away, in fact, that I wish I had written it myself. One of these books is “Wings” by Aprilynne Pike. It's a YA Urban Fantasy wherein a teenage girl named Laurel discovers what looks like giant pedals growing from her back! While trying to hide her body’s strange reaction to adolescence, she seeks out the answers to her true identity. Because it turns out her parents aren't her parents, she was found on their door step when she was three. So who is she really? It just so happens she's a Fairy, and those pedals on her back are her wings. In this story the author creates her own folklore wherein Fairies are really highly-evolved intelligent plants. That’s right, plants. They are grown, not born. Once they hit maturity the females grow giant flowers out of their backs that humans have always mistook for wings. The Flowers can be pollinated by the males who have spores on their palms.
Sorry if I'm giving too much away here but the concept is so original, it's too cool not to talk about it. But never fear there’s a lot of story going on with our heroine, Laurel, as she comes to terms with who she really is and how to balance her life between the human and the Fairy world. Filled with adventure, action, love triangles, and teenage angst, it's a great read for anyone who enjoys a fun twist on the classic Fairy lore.
“Wings” is book one in a four-part series by Aprilynne Pike. I've read the first two: “Wings” and “Spells.” They are both excellent. I just bought book three “Illusions” and I can't wait to see what happens next in Laurel’s crazy, mixed-up human/Fairy world.
I give “Wings” a five star rating. A good-clean-fun and wildly imaginative read. Now go forth and check it out for yourself. Aprilynne Pike, whose work is worth getting to know.
R.J. Craddock
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