My thanks to Bolinda Audio for a review copy via NetGalley of the unabridged audiobook edition of ‘Tithe’ by Holly Black. It was narrated by Lauryn Allman.

This Teen/YA novel was originally published in 2002 and is Book 1 in her A Modern Tale of Faerie Trilogy. While I have read and enjoyed a number of the more recent of Black’s Faerie novels, it was interesting to return to the beginning of her career.

Kaye’s mother, Ellen, is part of a rock band travelling from place to place. When she is attacked in a bar one night, Ellen returns with sixteen-year-old Kaye to her childhood home in New Jersey. When she was young Kaye had three faerie companions and as soon as she arrives at her grandmother’s house on the Jersey Shore, she begins to call for them and leave out bowls of milk. Yet they do not come and Kaye begins to feel that they were always imaginary.

Following a bad experience at a party, Kaye runs off and is making her way home through the woods at night. She stumbles upon Roiben, a faerie knight, who has been gravely wounded. She saves him and gives him shelter. Yet this choice has dire consequences, as she soon finds herself the unwilling pawn in an ancient and violent power struggle between two rival faerie kingdoms. Oh and two of her faerie companions do return. No further details in order to avoid spoilers.

This proved quite an easy read though I was a little surprised by its violence and the amount of swearing by its human characters, though this was likely authentic given the setting and it made a contrast with the more formal language and etiquette of the Faerie Courts, even if they are cruel.

I felt that Black did well in her descriptions of the Seelie and Unseelie Courts and the various types of Fae, including the kelpie, which is one of my favourites. However, it was a little strange having these in an American setting.

With respect to the audiobook edition, Lauryn Allman has served as narrator on over forty titles, a number of which I have listened to. She has a light, clear voice that was well suited to portray characters of various ages, bringing them and the story to life.

Overall, I listened to ‘Tithe’ aware that it was written for a Teen/YA readership and so might read somewhat young. Yet I didn’t find it overly so. I had been meaning to read this trilogy for ages and may well continue with the other two books in due course.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for a free audio arc in exchange for an honest review.

Holly Black is a phenomenal writer, but an even better storyteller. Her words are stunning to read, but even more magical to listen to. Lauryn Allman did an absolutely incredible job of bringing them to life in audio and if I'd had the time spare, I could have easily listened to this whole book in a single sitting.

I have had a physical copy of Tithe on my shelves for a good year or two and I've been meaning to get around to it since I first bought it. But it never felt like the right time - I'd get a chapter or two in and get distracted. This was nothing to do with the writing or the story (I LOVED them both) so much as me just being me. I'd like to think that it was because this story should be listened to; the narration gave it an extra layer of magic.

The book itself is exactly what you expect from Holly Black: messy, broken people in a delightfully twisted magical world. I cannot imagine thinking a single one of these characters are good people, but they make for incredible characters, pushing the plot in so many different directions. And despite not finding goodness in them, I still wanted Kaye to survive, still found myself rooting for things to go her way.

Overall, I absolutely adored this book and I think I loved it that much more for it being narrated so brilliantly.

I love Holly Black books so much! Going back to Fearie felt so good, I love Roiben and Kaye so much since their appearance in The Cruel Prince trilogy I wondered what happened with them!

I listened to the audiobook and I mut say, what a great way to go through Holly Black backlist...
Tithe is the first title in a serie of YA fairytale. I really liked this first book, which remembered me of the atmosphere of the Cruel Prince serie. Holly Black is really good at that!
Cant wait to listen to the next ones in this serie.

*Thank to Bolinda Audio and NetGalley for access to the audiobook against an honest review.*