In the wake of the San Francisco earthquake of 1906, Isabel is a sheltered society girl, largely ignored by her socialite mother (who only cares that she keeps her dress clean) and her sculptor father (who gets caught up in his work). But it turns out the earthquake wasn't just a natural disaster; it was partly the result of a war between the Seelie and Unseelie, and Isabel gets caught up in the conflict. She finds help from a thief named Benjie and a Seelie called Button, and together they work to return a powerful necklace to the Seelie princess.

Quotes

"You never know what's around a corner until you take the turn." (19)

"Our worlds aren't separate...just because [the Veil] separates us doesn't mean we don't affect each other." (44)

"But they're wrong, not us. We're not worthless or useless." (154)

"Ruling is not about finding a use for others....It is about making yourself useful to them." (186) ( )

This one didn't really interest me. Some of the artwork was a turnoff and the plot was predictable. I did like Button the Mushroom. He was cute. ( )

This book was a nice read, but I’m going to be honest, it jumped around a lot for me and felt rather inconsistent with timings. The overall story of the Seelie and Unseelie courts are great and I love the myth, legends, and history that are in the book (however I believe that they could have touched on the history aspect a little more as that was a key factor). I liked the characters and found this to be an enjoyable middle grade graphic novel. ( )

A rare, self-contained story that satisfyingly wraps everything up! Sometimes, no matter how much you like the world and that characters (as a reader or as a creator), you need to know where to stop, and I am so glad Scott knew where to end this. Isabel goes on her journey and matures and learns a little, Benji gets what he wants, and the cruel Unseelie King is dethroned and a new one is appointed so that balance is restored.

I loved Button, and the designs of all the fairies. I love when aliens/otherworldy creatures are not typically humanoid, and Scott certainly delivered in her variety of design. The colors are lush and gorgeous, and the fight scenes are clear.

Two small issues: there wasn't really any nuance between the Seelie and the Unseelie - both sides are cruel and capricious, and both sides are beautiful. It would have been nice to explore that a little, and it was almost touched on when Cruscan(?) had his villain speech about how he was a stone spirit and literally carrying the city on his back, but that was it.

And when Spine was appointed Unseelie Queen, I expected and was looking forward to a transformation, but I didn't like the one she underwent. Basically, she became more conventionally beautiful: softer features, more flowy hair, less clothes. She was a general before, and it would have been nice to have that reflected in her final appearance.

I really appreciated that Isabel and Benji were just normal kids, not some kind of hidden royalty or fairy hybrid. ( )