Blood & Flowers

February 15, 2011

As in Serendipity Market (2009), Blubaugh blends the magical and mundane into an original fantasy, told here by an 18-year-old who finds a home among an eclectic group of human and faerie folk. With a "penchant for dropping out of school" and "a mile-wide love of Shakespeare," Persia left her "drugged-out, fey-bashing parents" a year ago to join The Outlaw Puppet Troupe, known for its fringe, slightly subversive underground performances. Finding The Outlaws was "like coming home to the place" she'd "been looking for forever." Persia's unidentified world is rife with illegal pixie-dust dealing, a tumbling economy and environmental troubles. Fey-phobic authorities blame the faerie for everything bad, and The Outlaws are prime suspects with a faerie puppet-maker wielding magic behind the scenes. When their gay artistic director is subpoenaed on false charges by Major, his corrupt, vindictive ex-lover, The Outlaws flee their world of blood and flowers into Faerie, a practically perfect place. Here they assimilate with local faeries, trolls and griffins, until Major appears to deliver an ultimatum. To avoid becoming "a lost bunch of misfits," The Outlaws stage what could be their final production. While the denouement feels anticlimactic, atmospheric language, arresting "culture mash-up," unique characters, an alluring overlap of fantasy and reality and strong themes of family and friendship create a provocative read. (Fantasy. 12 & up)

(COPYRIGHT (2011) KIRKUS REVIEWS/NIELSEN BUSINESS MEDIA, INC. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED.)

April 1, 2011

Gr 8 Up-In a dangerous, paranoid world, all of society's problems-crime, drugs, violence-are blamed on fallout from the neighboring Faerie realm. Those caught with connections to Faerie, its inhabitants, or its magic are severely punished. But for Persia, the Fey and their magic have meant salvation. Escaping a troubled home life, she joined the Outlaw Puppet Troupe, a secret traveling band of actors, magicians, and misfits, both mortal and Fey. The troupe's performances are beautiful, magical, and laced with moral and political messages. Through the Outlaws, Persia discovers family and friendship, yet unspoken secrets hint at the troupe's possible connections to a dark past. When a vengeful adversary falsely accuses them of practicing illegal magic and distributing dangerous faerie drugs, the group flees to Faerie to seek refuge. But instead of sanctuary, they discover dangers just as threatening as those they left behind. The concept of Blubaugh's effort is highly intriguing, and her writing style is unique. Unfortunately, the characters lack depth and distinction, and the imagery related to the setting falls flat. Frequent editorializing by the narrator disrupts the flow of the story, giving it a fractured feel. This book will likely find a home with diehard fans of faerie fiction, but it isn't one of the better ones.-Alissa J. LeMerise, Oxford Public Library, MI

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