**SPOILERS** **SPOILERS** **SPOILERS**
I’m talking about it all – here and in comments..so please don’t read if you have not read this book!
I couldn’t decide if I should talk spoilers or not, but Karen Moning has a big spoiler thread going on her message boards, so I decided to let it spill. But this is your final warning!!
First of all – I loved the book. We got some answers, and of course lots of questions remain!! Let me just say that my favorite line from the entire series, which is in this book is:
“You’re leaving me, Rainbow Girl.”
*sob* I seriously am not one to cry during a book, but that line made my eyes sting a bit. (ok, maybe a tear escaped). Oh Barrons, I don’t know what to do with him. Part One he is dancing around naked to Tub Thumping and laughing (and putting up a Christmas tree!!), and Part Two he is back to not giving answers and being all – Barrons – like when he tells Mac:
“We fucked, Ms. Lane. Even cockroaches fuck. They eat each other too.” *dies laughing* Barrons can be such an ass sometimes!
My one complaint is that I wish Barrons and Mac would have been on better terms throughout the book. Barrons does save Mac, even though he was gone for four days (trapped in the hall of all days??) and Mac, in my opinion, could have been a bit more grateful. I know she was raped and in an awful state for months. She deserves to be pissed about it – but can she really blame Barron’s for not saving her that night? She is the one that wouldn’t stay in the bookstore nor go to Scotland with him. She has so much mistrust in her, and Barrons will never answer questions. It gets frustrating.
Otherwise, I thought this book was great. Barrons in all of his intensity kills me. I love the new “savage” Mac. I also enjoyed Dani’s POV. Barrons and Mac continued their non-verbal conversations which continue to be one of my favorite things in the series.
Here is a list of new things we learn and questions/answers:
– Who is the concealed fourth prince that rapes Mac? Maybe not a prince at all? I really believe it wasn’t Barrons, V’Lane, or Darroc. Could it have been the book taking on a new form? Or am I completely missing someone obvious?
– Eight men break into the Abbey with Barrons to rescue Mac. I assume they are all like Barrons (whatever he is.) One in particular Dani describes as having pale skin and blond hair. Why would she describe him and not the others – why is he important? Dani says the men move weird..what are they?
– Who/what was the “shadow” Dani sees and runs into while saving Mac?
– We learn who the “five” are – Drustan, Dageus, Cian, Christian, and Christopher (from her highlander books)
– Mac can get into Barron’s head and see his memories. We learn Barrons kills a Fae princess, apparently that had never happened before. No wonder V’lane is nervous around him. Again – what is Barrons???
– What is up with the “icy blond woman” that Mac sees in the restricted library and in the Book? And she has been dreaming of her since she was a child?
– Who was the child Barron’s held that died in his memory? His child? A love child with one of the princesses? Why did he let Mac see that grief?
– We learn Mac’s mom is named Isla and was a great sidhe – seer and the old woman who told her thought she was Alina – hmmmm.
– When Fiona shows up, Barrons asks her if she was here “to apologize for trying to destroy the once chance I(barron) had by killing her (mac)?” Fiona responds, “She still doesn’t know. Oh, Jericho! You never change, do you? You must be so afraid—-” That is when Barrons sticks a knife in her heart. Darn! What are they talking about? What chance did Barrons have with Mac? Did he want to be mortal?
– Mac gets stuck in the Hall of Days and sees Christian (who has been missing since the walls fell). She goes through the silver to get to him..he happens to be in a desert, close to death. She learns that if she opens her pouch to reveal the three stones they can jump to different places (worlds?). At one point, she feeds Christian unseelie to he will heal. He seems very offended by this when he is conscious, and then his black tattoos start taking over his body. What does that mean? Is it just because of the dark magic they used on halloween night?
– Christian ends up in a different place than Mac, not being able to hold on to her as they jumped. I don’t think he is dead.
– So the end!! Mac dials IYD and a beast shows up, coincidence?? Is the Beast Barrons? Is Barrons IYD? Why and how did the beast tie her sweater and rocks to him? If Barrons is the beast, what if Mac had been hit by a car in the middle of Dublin and dialed IYD – how would the beast have been helpful in that situation? Is Barron’s cursed, and he somehow turns into the beast? Do his other eight men also turn into beasts?
Ryodan – is he a traitor? He told Mac Darroc had tattooed her – was he lying? Wouldn’t Barrons have known? Why did the beast attack Ryodan? Why was Ryodan trying to kill it with gunfire the previous night? Wouldn’t Ryodan know that was Barrons?
Doesn’t the beast HAVE to be Barrons? Who else?? The beast was described as male, so I assume the person it turns into when dying is male as well. Obviously, Barrons will be in the next book. If it was him, and he died, is he coming back in a different form?
Do you think Ryodan is dead? I don’t.
– Also, where is V’lane? He showed up while Mac had crossed that ward and hissed and left. He hasn’t been seen since.
My guess is that the book killed Alina. You know how we saw “chainsaw mouth” O’Bannon? I think something of that sort killed her. I believe Darroc when he said he didn’t do it.
Are you completely sick of all the questions I just asked?? I expect you all to answer every single one!!!!
I already need a reread.
Karen Marie Moning’s website. (Through there you can reach her message boards where there is plenty of speculation going on).
Not looking, not looking….
I have about 60-80 pages left, and I'm going to a baseball game tonight. So I'll probably email/post you Saturday Mandi. My biggest yet, is what IS Mac, I want to know what Barrons is. I'll give you my I thinks tomorrow! Can't wait to read your post! C
I agree with you 100% on the Barrons and Mac thing! Just get over your selves and like each other! I was thinking that if the beast is Barrons then it will make Mac see that she has feelings for him, if he survives. He obviously has some sort of feelings for her because of the stuff he did while she was Pri-ya and showing her his grief.
I'm really curious about the shadow. Who/what could it be?
Could Barrons be Cruce? I don't know.
Ooo I didn't think about the book killing Alina. Makes sense! I didn't think it was the LM either!
Cindy – looking forward to your thoughts:)
Lori – There was a moment when the beast looks at Mac and she gasps..like she can see into his eyes and see that he is really looking at her..similar to barrons and mac's non-verbal communications. So yes, if it is Barrons, I thinks (and hope) it will be a turning point in their relationship.
Cruce is interesting too…Barrons very well could be him.
This is great! I have NOT read the book yet and I know others that would like some spoilers before reading the book. I linked this for them. ;)
So, sorry I cannot answer any questions or discuss, really, but I do thank you for sharing!
KMont – No prob. I enjoy sharing my torture with others..why is it I did not wait to read all five next year? :)
I didn't read anything here!! I'm going to start reading this series in the next few weeks. With this much enthusiasm around the blogs on this series, I have to see what everyone is talking about. ;)
All these questions – how is she going to answer them all in her final book?!
I thought Ryodan said the beast was IYD? Here's my thoughts on the beast – she kept mentioning he was black with crimson eyes, and she said it was human. I think he's either Christian (but I doubt it) because of the black/crimson spreading after he ate Unseelie, or, and I think this is more likely, the Dreamy Eyed Guy – remember his mirror image said not to talk to "it".
And, I think, based on her memories of Barrons while she was Pri-ya, he loves her. I love that he told Fiona to tell Darroc that Mac was his (Barrons') and to try to come get her…
Great book!
When Mac says something about the beast being IYD, Ryodan gives her a look. He doesn't confirm or deny. I don't think the Beast is dreamy eye guy because when the best reveals his true self, she says NOW I have lost everything. She would have not been as devastated if it was dreamy.
Christian – maybe…that would explain a bit about what was happening to him after eating Unseelie….
I am still stuck on Ryodan – IF the beast is IYD, why was he so set on killing it.
I have an award for you HERE!
Err… I didn't read Dreamfever yet, so I had to skip this post, but I just wanted to drop by to say there's an award waiting for you. =)
http://bambireads.blogspot.com/2009/08/zombie-chicken-award.html
Mandi, I just finished! All your questions are the same ones I want answered NOW!!!
Okay, I loved a happy Barrons and that “You’re leaving me, Rainbow Girl” line, but the part before it. (PG 43) Where she starts to remember him and the books, and instead of letting her talk, he kisses her, they do it one more time, and then he touches her face (like from Bloodfever in the car!)
I don’t think she realized until the end of the book, that it had taken him 4 days to get through the mirrors, so I’m okay with that.
The beast! I really think that the beast is Barrons, who else could it be? She has been denying her feelings for him, and I truly think she loves him. That this will be the prophecy that takes place in the last book, her loving him somehow fixes Barrons and the world???
With Ryodan’s behavior in the club, how could he not be a traitor?
And Dani! I think that Dani may be the daughter of Nana’s Kayleigh, since Mac carries the spear, and Dani carries the sword.
I don’t think the LM killed Alina either.
Could Christian still be missing in Shadowfever? And could this be her next series that she already has planned?
Very curious about V’Lane, the shadow, the women “alarm”, the little boy and oh so much more. Could the Queen, dreamy eyed guy and the princess be more that what we think?
I am not happy with the way that Barrons and Mac parted at the bookstore before she met the LM. Couldn’t there have been a better moment between them????? On one hand, I think it was Barron’s way of saying that loved her, needed her and was planning a future with her so she had to come back. And I think she new it because she was flabbergasted, and hadn’t processed it yet because she’s not ready to know that about herself yet. But after seeing him like that, she will have to face it!
I will listen to this on audio next summer before the release of Shadowfever (hopefully Aug!), I saw that it may be 700 pages, I want that confirmed!
Sorry so long and that I didn't edit it!
I'm so glad I found a site that discusses Dreamfever.Here are my thoughts:
1 I initially thought that the beast is Christian. In the ending, I couldnt find any ref that the beast is a he.What if it's a she?? (Dani, Alina?isla o'connor?)
2. If it was Barrons, there was a part in the book where both mac and barrons were in the garage and the beast was obviously there and Mac said someting to that effect. There was a lot of foreshadowing on the previous books on who was in the garage.Why would Ryodan kill the beast if he knew its Barrons?
Christian is my bet before I read that Karen is planning to write a book for him.Christian was transformed bec of the unseelie flesh.And heres a whopper: What if Mac was the concubine reincarnated and the Unseelie King Barrons, the child their child which Mac forgot and Barrons showing her to see if he remembers? Anyway, I hope the beast is NOT Barrons or i'll be broken hearted for a long long time.=(
-S
Cindy – oooh..good point about Dani. There is something there..the foreshadowing about her history..yes..that is an excellent point!
Yes, I think Barrons is the beast and somehow together they will beat the prophecy.
I def think Christian will stay missing and he will be in her next series..there is too much we don't know about him to address in the final book.
Shyla –
On page 337, when Mac first see the beast and is describing it she says – "It was massively muscled and obviously male." Now – that doesn't mean that when it changes shape it will stay male. I first thought it would be Dani or Alina..but if it is male it has to be Barrons..I don't think she would be THAT upset if it was Christian.
BUT – what was the thing in Barron's garage when both Mac and Barron's were above ground…WHY would Ryodan attack it. (I am leaning towards Ryodan is bad)
I like the theory Mac is the concubine reincarnated…oooh..and it was their child..very interesting!!
IF the beast is Barrons, do you really think it will die. Or if it does die, he has to come back somehow. I mean, she is not going to off Barrons, right? She wouldn't dare do that to us;)
Shyla, I like that theory! It makes sense, I can't see Moning write the beast as any other. Especially how she describes him as an animal. I am going back an rereading some sections before going on to another book. What book next?!
OKay, I only read part of the beginning of your post, because I have read one book yet.. although I have to start buying them now!! LOL!!! Girl, you reviews rocked!! You did an awesome job!!!
By the way… I am going to slip this in here… I have an award for you at my place!!
http://alliwantandmore.blogspot.com/2009/08/bingo-award.html
I hope you enjoy it!
Have a great weekend!
Okay, as promised on twitter, my theory…
First you asked me for the beast… My friends and I all think it is Barrons… that he and all the other from is "species" cann turn into a beast like that…
The thing is, like you, I don't trust Ryodan at all! Now, the theory I cam up with earlier, which my friends love… the ryodan that was there in the end wasn't ryodan but the LM/darroc… Christian said earlier that the dimensions cann mess with your mind… what if darroc was able to cast an illusion around him to look like ryodan? It is highly possible because "ryodan" hesitated when Mac asked him if the beast was IYD… shouldn't he know? secondly he tells her that the beat can only protect her and not get her out so she would come with him (to lure her away from barrons?!)… And thirdly and MOST IMPORTANT he said something about an IFP that would take them to a dolmen which would take them back to Ireland… remember in Darkfever, the LM was using a dolmen to get the unseelie out of the unseelie prison? what if that IFP would've led her right into the unseelie prison and into the unseelie king's arms… that the dolmen from the dark zone has a counterpart in the prison he would've les her to?!
I hope that wasn't too confusing *lol* we have a lot of other theories… so if you want to hear our opinions on some other aspects of the book, just ask ;) I'm just too lazy to type it all here XD
No I totally agree – the silvers can mess with you and – they could have been projecting a different reality….
Here is the part where Mac was mentioning something about having this dream:
“I‘d been walking the corridors of a mansion that housed infinite rooms. Unlike my cold-place dreams, I‘d been warm there. I‘d loved the mansion, with its endless terraces overlooking gardens filled with gentle creatures.
I felt it drawing me. Was it somewhere in this realm? Was it the White Mansion the Unseelie King had built for his concubine? “
Could it be??
The icy blond woman could either be Isla or the Queen of Seelie that was killed. Where else to hide the book but somewhere where its least expected. And I think the Queen did the wards herself that’s why V’lane was affected. As for the prophecy, Mac was given away aI don’t trust Rowena at all.
The Unseelie King wasn’t seen in two score and ten. Barrons had been alive for how long? Almost human since he put all his evilness in the book? Hunting the book so he can sing the song of making and summon into being her concubines mortal soul or just simply looking for the concubine to be reborn. (well she is human after all, I mean there must be a reason why kmm kept mphasizing that fae have no soul and humans have immortal soul.
Heres another clue:
―Why are you here, Fiona? To show me you have a new lover? To beg to return to my bed? It‘s full, and always will be. To apologize for trying to destroy the one chance I had by killing her?‖
―The one chance you had for what?‖ I pounced on it immediately. Getting angry at her for nearly killing me hadn‘t been about me at all but about the fact that I was somehow his one chance at something?
Fiona looked at me sharply, then at Barrons, and began to laugh. ―Ah, such delicious absurdity! She still doesn‘t know. Oh, Jericho! You never change, do you? You must be so afraid
Remember how the concubine got really disappointed with the Unseelie King and she killed herself? Is the one chance hes talking about, to make her love him again?
Sigh…or it is Barrons that’s the beast…but mac saves him. Hes not seelie but a draghar. A race more ancient than tuatha De.
I agree with you Mandi n Cecile I don’t think kmm is going to kill off barrons. Sorry this is too long.=)
Shyla – I don't remember that dream part..but I do think it could be the mansion of the his concubine!! What in the world was Fiona talking about?What doesn't Mac know about him that Fiona does?
Jule – I really think you are on to something now that I have thought about it…I think at the end – has she gone into the dreaming? The book is called "dreamfever" – is she projecting a non-reality of events that are occurring? What if the beast isn't even really there..maybe it was Barron's the entire time and in her mind he looks like a beast…I don't know
Mandi,
It was when Fiona went to the bookstore.When Fiona started talking, Barrons threw a knife at her!So there's something there that he doesngt want Mac to know, YET. As for Jule's theory,good point, I thought about the Dreaming too, but if Barrons was the beast, he would be able to take Mac out since he got out himself and shouldnt Ryodan see Barrons if the Silver was messing with their minds? OOoh i love the possibilities. But i think its really Barrons turn to be redeemed,what say you??
Great questions, great discussion!
I finished this book last night and had to come and check all these reviews.
This book was awesome. I'm totally agreeing you with that rainbow-sentence *tears*.
Has Moning said there's HEA at the end of the series? I can't bear if Mac and Barrons don't get each others…
Yes, she has confirmed a HEA! Never said who, but it has to be Barrons ;)
I can't believe KMM gave us another cliffhanger! Er wait I should have known better b/c she did that in her last book. I'm still too excited about this book to post, I was so into to it I instantly signed up on KMM forum to get more 411 on the ending. Some said the best might have been Alina, did she have black hair? Or Barrons. Also, the 4th death my sex fae has red Druid tattoos, only peeps we know who have them appear are Christian and Barrons. I am so bummed I could not find out when Shadowdweller was coming out :(
I see no comments that V'lane mentions Adam (page 218). Is he gonna end up in the last book somehow. After all it was him that suggested Aoibheal turn Darroc human as his punishment.
Renee – I forgot about that…who knows..she might have mentioned him for a reason. How are we going to wait a year? ;)
I think the beast is possibly Christian who is damaged from eating the unseelie flesh. Also -Is it possible that Mac IS the concubine reborn so to speak?
I want to say it is Christian – but would she be THAT upset over him?? That is the only thing holding me back. And I definitely like the theory that Mac is the concubine reincarnated!! Is it time for Shadowfever yet? ;)
I'm sorry I missed this review!!! I hope it's not too late to share my thoughts! Cindy above said: "Could Christian still be missing in Shadowfever? And could this be her next series that she already has planned?"
WHAT NEXT SERIES?! Someone please tell me all about this!!!
I agree with all of you though … what absolutely killed me was not knowing what Fiona meant when she said that. Why did Barrons have to stop her? Mac also wanted to know! lol
There are many possibilities as to who IYD is …but if it is Barrons, why would he have a separate number for that? I also think Ryodan isn't trustworthy. If it were him, how did he get through to Mac before Barrons (or am I forgetting something?)?
The identities of the characters are overwhelmingly secretive! V'Lane, Barrons, Ryodan, the beast…Shadowfever must be one long book if everything is to be wrapped up. Barrons' identity is the first I want to learn about. There's so much to him. He can kill Fae and is pretty much invincible/indestructible. Also, was it not great how Mac could get inside his head? THAT was awesome!! In the previous books, it irritated me so much that Barrons was demanding and too domineering (and still is) and very secretive. But to finally learn more about him, even if it's indirectly related to what me may be was refreshing. And he may not show emotion verbally, but he did physically. I thought it was so sweet and touching how he went to great lengths to get Mac to remember ! Mac was too funny though, I couldn't stop giggling when she was Pri-ya with him.
Funny thing is, I also agree that Darroc didn't kill Alina. I like the idea that the beast could be either Alina or Barrons though…after all, the beast kept trying to protect Mac the entire time she was in that dimension. And I also agree that it couldn't be Christian (although that possibility crossed my mind) because Mac was far too upset. But if the beast were Barrons, it would seem too obvious, but I would like it to be him. If it was, it would make sense because it would also prove that Ryodan is bad or like someone said above, it may not even BE Ryodan.
I so look forward to Shadowfever! Great review Mandi :)
You are never too late..
First, I think persoanlly that the beast is Alina..I just can't see it being Barrons, although the beast is described as being male.
She has said she is doing a spin-off series – I assume it will feature Christian, but that is just a guess.
If Barrons is IYD, why is he the beasst? If Mac is laying dead in a street, a beast would not help her.
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