The Vanishing Throne

Gr 8 Up—In The Falconer, 19th-century Edinburgh debutante Aileana Kameron discovered that she is the last Falconer, a line of women warriors with the ability to defeat fae. In this installment, which picks up where the previous volume ended, Aileana, after failing to prevent the destruction of Edinburgh, is trapped in what was once the Unseelie Kingdom with the vicious Lonnrach, who tortures her physically and psychologically. After being gone for the equivalent of three human years, Aileana returns to find the world a very different place, with her human and fae friends—among the few survivors—hardened by the destruction they witnessed. Throughout the novel, the young woman copes with the guilt and shame of letting her friends down and of being forced into the role of a helpless victim. After Aileana purposely survives death so she can come back with the gift of sight, this entry ends with her being reborn with the power of Kiaran and Aithinne's mother, The Cailleach, the queen of the fae. This work combines vivid world-building with action-packed fight sequences and does a better job than the first volume of pulling readers in from the beginning. Aileana is a strong heroine, and, as such, her struggle to avoid being a victim following her captivity with Lonnrach is believable and compelling. Kiaran and Aileana's romance progresses in a predictable way, but that does not make it any less enjoyable. Fans will eagerly await the trilogy's conclusion.