Reviews with content warning for Death - Tithe

Most of the spaces I see consumed by fey and fey adjacent characters in modern stories tend to avoid actual weird fucked up fairy shit. And while the main love interest is still technically a pretty person with pointed ears, the inclusion of the other fey in the book more than made up for it. The use of real fey lore in the book was something I really enjoyed as someone who really likes folktales.

While I wouldn't call Kaye an unlikable character she certainly isn't the type of lead that is for everyones tastes. She's not the type of character I relate to but her perspective works for the story at hand and that's why she's a good pick for the story. Her questioning of the world she's now presented with and emotional outbursts make sense for the character we are introduced to, a young girl who's had to grow up far too fast.

This book is heavy on the urban fantasy, so if that's not you're genre this is not the book for you. The book also includes underage drinking and drug use with some sexual content. The age difference between Kaye and Rioben is also something I personally dislike but is also often something inherent in fey stories.

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delvainy's review against another edition

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adventurous dark medium-paced

Plot- or character-driven? Plot
Strong character development? No
Loveable characters? Yes
Diverse cast of characters? Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus? No

4.0

I read this because I’ve liked every other book written by Holly Black that I’ve read, but I think this was my least favorite of them all. It was still good, still fun, but just didn’t pull me in the way the others did. I don’t think I’ll read it again, but I don’t regret the time that went into reading it now. I did like the characters which is one of the most important things to me.

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epsyphus's review against another edition

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adventurous dark mysterious medium-paced

Plot- or character-driven? Plot
Strong character development? It's complicated
Loveable characters? Yes

4.0

So far I still like her Folk of the Air series more than this one, but I'm really liking it. I read this first book years ago and then realized that the next book introduces new characters and I don't love that. But I trust Holly and I really like this book so here we go.

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noa_45's review against another edition

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adventurous challenging dark mysterious sad tense fast-paced

5.0

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mmefish's review against another edition

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adventurous dark medium-paced

Plot- or character-driven? A mix
Strong character development? It's complicated
Loveable characters? Yes
Diverse cast of characters? Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus? No

3.5

Even though this was definitely weaker than “the Cruel Prince” (no wonder, with whole 16 years difference), I still enjoyed the story and the characters. The early 2000s vibes are strong, the faeries – as wicked as I like them. A fair amount of scenes and dialogues are awkwardly written (sudden changes in mood, kisses out of nowhere etc.), but with some polishing “Tithe” could hold up even today (though it certainly would never get published as YA).

Few things that bothered me:
1. Corny’s violent thoughts/behaviour (expressing the urge to hurt people, even his mother);
2. The age difference between Kaye and Roiben. He is clearly an adult man and she is sixteen. Made me feel icky every time I stopped to think about it, especially since they both act in accordance with their age.

P.S.: “She let out a breath she hadn't known she was holding” (x3)

Edit: thinking about this book after a few months, the depiction of homosexuality and race is definitely… not done well.

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