Kaye has had a rough life. But when she moves back to her Grandmother's house and rescues a fairy about to die her world competely turns upside down. This book had an interesting premise but nothing really new and the story line often seemed disjointed and rushed. The whole 'tithe' portion of the book seemed to be only glossed over and besides Roiben and Kaye's relationship (which in itself was a little odd) I couldn't really get into the story. Overall, pretty dark in parts and not my favorite. ( )

You know, I read this book twice between when I bought it (sometime in 2004, I believe?) and when I gave it away to a teenage coworker towards the end of 2007 or beginning of 2008, but I don't remember a single thing about it.

For all the hype I'd heard to make me want to read it, and everything since then about how it's a great story, it made absolutely no impression on me, other than the pretty cover with the butterfly.

I'm sure it's a decent story, but memorable? Not in the least. Glancing at plot synopses, it's a lot like a hundred other stories about faeries and pixies and such that I have read, but without the really special qualities to make it stand out. ( )

It has been quite a long time since I've read a book that I literally cannot put down, but this one qualifies. Tithe A Modern Faerie Tale, rather obviously, situates itself in an alternate reality where faeries exist, and Black weaves a fast-paced plot that keeps the reader turning the pages far past the time when he wanted to put down the book. The main character, Kaye, is well-drawn and intricate; she feels very much like a real person, and nearly all her actions ring true. Two other characte...more It has been quite a long time since I've read a book that I literally cannot put down, but this one qualifies. Tithe A Modern Faerie Tale, rather obviously, situates itself in an alternate reality where faeries exist, and Black weaves a fast-paced plot that keeps the reader turning the pages far past the time when he wanted to put down the book. The main character, Kaye, is well-drawn and intricate; she feels very much like a real person, and nearly all her actions ring true. Two other characters -- Corny and Lutie Loo -- really shine, too, and by the end of the novel I had grown rather fond of both. The writing is exceptional, fluid and descriptive and emotional, which is quite a relief: so much of the writing in young adult fiction nowadays is simply atrocious (I'm looking at you, Stephenie Meyer) that it's refreshing to find someone who's adept.

Of course, it's not perfect. The romance here doesn't grab me as much as the court politics and Kaye's inner struggle with the realization that she's fae. Indeed, Kaye's affair with Roiben feels more like a plot prop than anything organic, but that may have more to do with Roiben, who seems a bit too stereotypical (good guy gone bad), despite the narrator's repeated assurances that Roiben is unpredictable and different. In addition, there are certain parts were the action (or, more importantly, the explanations) seem to happen so fast that it feels almost as if important things were left out, and we readers have to fill in the blanks. I'm a rather smart cookie, and I remember being a bit confuzzled, particularly with the explanations of the courts and the Tithe.

That said, though, this is a very positive review. I'd read several downright scathing attacks, either here or on amazon, and so I was a bit skeptical when I started. As I expected, though, those reviews weren't sound in their judgments. One claimed, for instance, that the entire novel consisted of nothing more than cigarette smoking, and while there is a rather odd emphasis on it, there is certainly much more here. Another lampooned the novel because Kaye isn't exactly a saint throughout most of it, but then again, who is nowadays? (Certainly not Bella from Twilight, considering her entire raison d'être involves dating and repeatedly trying to sacrifice herself for the most emo, conflicted non-man I've ever had the pleasure of bibliomeeting).

Here's the point: If you like young adult paranormal/fantasy romance/adventure, you should probably give this book a glimpse. I liked it enough that I plan on going out to the bookstore tomorrow to buy the sequel, Ironside A Modern Faery's Tale. ( )

This book has been out for a while but for some reason I avoided it. When I first discovered it (years after it was written) I'm pretty sure I had had my fill of fairies at the time - having read Wicked Lovely by Melissa Marr. I had also heard people say how if you read Wicked Lovely first - you wouldn't like Tithe and vice-versa. So! I figured it would be a dud for me and I forgot about it for a while. And then! Well...I don't know why I thought about it again but the point is I did! And I'm glad I did. This book was amazing for me! I really really enjoyed it. It was edgy and witty and portrays faeries in a no nonsense way. They are what they are and Kaye is a part of that life whether she likes it or not.
I really enjoyed the variety of characters - Kaye's crazy mother and overbearing grandmother - Cory, her best friend's gay brother who turns out to be a unlikely friend, of course there is beautiful and dangerous Roiben and The Thiselwitch who I found fascinating.
The first in a series, I'm curious to see where it goes. I have to say, I think I liked Tithe just a bit more then Wicked Lovely. The world of faerie that Black created just appeals to me more. Theirs is a world that exists besides ours but could exist on it's own. I always felt like Marr's fairy world was too dependent on reality - if that makes any sense at all :)
I would recommend this one to anyone who likes a good fairy fantasy story. ( )

Kaye, is an aimless high school dropout whose possibly alcoholic mother moves from place to place with whatever band she happens to be in at the moment. When her mom's boyfriend attacks her mom, they move back to New Jersey to live with her grandmother, where she grew up. While reconnecting with grade school friends, she misses her other friends, the faeries who were her playmates as a little girl. It isn't long before strange things start to happen to her, and she begins to find out the strange history of the world of Faerie and her own story.

Kaye is a likeable enough heroine, and there were aspects of this story that were interesting. It didn't have a lot of substance to it, and was not especially ground-breaking or well-written. After being underwhelmed by the Spiderwick Chronicles, I probably should not have expected more from this, but I did hope, after all the rave reviews, that it would be something special. Finally, as something of a side note, I am not someone who believes YA should be totally sanitized, and everybody likes a bad girl, right? However, I thought this novel unnecessarily glamorized smoking/excessive drinking/blase attitude to sex/dropping out of school. I'm not moralistically uncomfortable with it, it just seemed to be trying a little too hard to be edgy, without the realism that would have made everything a bit more compelling. ( )

meh ( )

Holly Black stabs at the dark heart of faerie and delivers a realm to readers that is both enticing, addictive, and macabre. "Tithe" is a black carnival of treats where the crimson candy apple you're sucking on has a razor sweet surprise hidden in its very core.

Black's unvarnished portrayal of misfit Kaye Fierch as today's disaffected youth is successful and realistic. Finding herself in the middle of a chaotic faerie turf war and questioning her own murky origins, she embarks on an otherworldly quest that straddles light and dark.

At her side, a bloodthirsty knight named Roiben sworn to serve the Unseelie, and Corny her best friend, must brave the obstacles that pit them against the dark Unseelie queen Nicnevin and the Seelie queen Silarial. Without the "Tithe" to keep the solitary fey in check, Kaye and her conspirators tip a ruthless power struggle into the real world.

This gloaming realm of viscous pixies, satyrs, dwarves and the like is compellingly tasty down to the very last red drop.Copyright(c)Nicola Mattos ( )

This was a very interesting book. After seeing Pan's Labyrinth this book totally fave me a new thought of fairies. AIa had read blurbs from books with evil fairies, but this is really cool. Then this had also made me think of a part in The Labyrinth that had David Bowie in it, the part where the fairy bites the girl and says she thought they were supposed to be nice. GREAT BOOK! LOVED IT! ( )

Though this wasn't the first Holly Black book I read, it was the first of her YA novels (I'd previous read one of her graphic novels). The story was slightly intriguing, the characters interesting and the writing decent. Sometimes it reminded me of Marr's Wicked Lovely series, but it kept me reading enough that I picked up the next two books in the series. ( )

While on a kick of young adult novels I was drawn to Tithe. Holly Black portrays faeries as dark, scary, and manipulating and draws in readers with the use of a young girl searching to be accepted.
After saving a faerie Kaye, the main character, is dragged into a world of unexpected mysteries and can not free herself from the adventure that may await her in their world.

This was a very decent book about angsty teens and the faeries they meet, one of many that I have read, and this one did very well. I am now reading the 2nd novel Valient, a side story continuation of Tithe. ( )

A very edgy tale of very scary faeries!! This is a YA novel about a 16 year old girl who discovers she is a changeling and becomes the pawn between the different factions of the faerie world. An original tale weaving teen angst, riveting romance, and capriciously diabolical faerie folk. Gruesome and gripping.

Sixteen-year-old, Philly resident, Kaye Fierch ends up shipped back to her grandmother's house after her mothers boyfriend tries to stab her mother. However once she gets there she sees the reappearance of her imaginary friends from childhood. Faeries are real and she is one of them. Her friends tell her that the Unseelie court has selected her for their next tithe (human sacrifice) and she should pretend to be human until the they removed her glamour and reveal her. This will allow her friends freedom from the sinister Faerie courts for seven years. Unfortunately she is also in love with a knight of the dark court who would rather make alliances with the light. Adding the interference of a few of her human friends the tithe may not go as planned.

It's not very often I find myself liking faerie books but this one was great. I found Kaye a bit abrasive at first but I love how strong she is as well as her ability to take things in stride. Kaye is also very clever and inventive in dealing with her troubles. I also found the rules of the faerie courts dealt with in a neat, matter-of-fact way. I also enjoyed the contrast between the modern world (which was full of Stark Trek, comic, and literary references), and the beautiful (but cruel) faerie world. ( )

Readers Annotation:
Kaye is thrust into the world of fairy after coming to the rescue of Roiben. She begins to see things that she couldn’t previously see and begins changing into a pixie. She falls in love with Roiben and he sends her on a quest to prove her love that no fairy can possibly complete.
Plot Summary:
Holly Black's "Tithe" is based on Celtic folklore of faeries that were switched in place of human babies. The main character Kaye dropped out of high school in order to work at a Chinese restaurant to earn money to support her mother in-between her mom's abusive boyfriends and succession of run-down apartments. Kaye had imaginary friends that were fairies when she was small. Kay helps Roiben the unseelie king in the forest. Afterwards, Kaye and her friends are caught between the brutal conflict between the two rival faerie kingdoms. Kaye learns that she's a fairy that has been glamored to look human. Roiben sends Kaye on a quest that should be impossible for any fairy to complete.

The novel is briskly paced, alternating between Kaye's human world of poverty and violence and the magical of fairy. Black does a good job incorporating elements of faerie lore from classic literature and folklore.
Evaluation:
I liked this book a lot. It is a very dark gothic tale. It starts out very morbid with Kaye the main character living in poverty and moving from place to place with her wanna-be rock star mom. The role’s of mother and daughter are reversed with Kaye taking care of her mom; holding her head when she vomits from drinking too much and dropping out of high school to work at a Chinese restaurant to keep them afloat between her mother’s gigs. Once the story gets into the fairy plot though it’s easy to be caught up in the excitement and world that Black paints of the beauty, ugly and wildness of fairies. The book is very dark and has adult topics like alcohol abuse, drug abuse and a little sexual tension. Overall though, It would be okay for teens over 14 years old. Interests: Fairies, Gothic.
Reason Included: I am a fan of her Spiderwick Chronicles series for children. ALA best books for young adults.
Authors Website: http://www.blackholly.com/ ( )

Good fairie story. Interesting take on the Irish lore. Better than most. ( )

synopsis

Sixteen-year-old Kaye Fierch is not human, but she doesn't know it. Sure, she knows she's interacted with faeries since she was little--but she never imagined she was one of them, her blond Asian human appearance only a magically crafted cover-up for her true, green-skinned pixie self. First-time author Holly Black explores Kaye's self-discovery and dual worlds in her riveting, suspenseful novel Tithe: A Modern Faerie Tale.
The novel begins in a bar in Philly, where Kaye's alcoholic rock-singer mother's boyfriend tries to kill her. For their own safety, mother and daughter quickly move back to grandma's on the New Jersey shore where Kaye grew up. This ugly turn of events was all rigged by the Faerie world, as it turns out, a world Black describes in deliciously vivid, if rather overblown, detail. Kaye, a drinking, smoking, foul-mouthed high school dropout in the land of mortals, soon finds herself embroiled--as a human sacrifice, no less--in a battle between Faerieland's Seelie and more malevolent Unseelie courts. The beautiful, mysterious knight Roiben, torn between worlds himself, falls in love with Kaye--the brave, clever changeling--against his better judgment. Throughout the electrifying journey to the horrific underworld of this modern faerie fantasy, teen readers will relate to a hard-luck tough girl who feels alienated, discovers her best qualities in the worst of circumstances, and finally finds a place between worlds where she can feel at home.

There's been mixed reviews on Tithe, but i have to say I LOVED IT. Holly black is a great writer. Tithe is just so interesting and exciting i just couldn't put it down. I loved everything about it. I'm always looking for more fairies books, Tithe is defiantly my favorite. ( )

My favorite non-vampire book series ( )

Review
Author: Holly Black
Title: Tithe
Summary:
The book is about a girl that is living with her mom in New York City. Her mother is constantly part of a different band. Her latest band falls apart and they are forced to move back to her grandmother’s house in her old home town. She runs into old friends while making new ones. Towards the beginning she runs into a faerie. But this faerie isn’t the kind you think of. The faeries in this book are distinguished and scary. She falls back into the world of faerie just to lose herself again. She goes into the underground world on the Unseelie Court, the dark side of faerie. She goes on this exciting adventure to find her friend that she lost in the Unseelie Court. Through this adventure she finds out herself that she is a pixie. She falls madly in love with the character named Roiben, a knight of the Unseelie Court.
Names of antagonists and protagonists
Antagonists:
Lady Nicnevin
Nephamel
Queen Silarial
Protagonists:
Kaye
Rath Roiben Rye
Corny Stone
Discussion of Jacket:

The book cover just grabbed my attention because of the detail. It also makes the book look more mysterious. It creates excitement.
Recommendation:
I completely recommend this book. Once you start reading you don’t want to put the book down. It’s like a nonstop rollercoaster and your just in for the ride. ( )

This was an okay book. I liked the story and the interesting descriptions of the places, people, and magic... but there was just something missing as I was reading this. I think that the story went along at a good pace, but I never got attached or cared to much about any of the characters, including Kaye. I felt that the writing just hit the surface of what could have been a better story. I kept wanting more... more of something I couldn't quite put my finger on... like there was always something missing in the writing. Maybe it was the chance to go just a little deeper into the characters and their motiviations. It also seemed to jump around alot and the chapters did not flow. But, I do have to say that I did keep turning the pages and reading, but I'm not so sure if I liked it enough to pick up the next one in the series. ( )

Either you enjoy this genre or you don't and by the end of this 300-page book, I've confirmed in my own mind that I don't. The suspension of disbelief required is too much, not to mention the romance-novel encounters between the mortal and fairy worlds and oh-so-daring language and cookie-cutter teen angst. Maybe if this was your fantasy, you'd be inclined to enjoy the story, but I never wanted to be a fairy, so I was just bored. ( )

Currently reading

A great series, consists of three books. My first books of faerie tales. ( )

Tithe does what it says on the tin, a modern fairytale for young adults. It is, however, quite deliciously dark. Kaye is an outcast due to her odd looks, having dropped out of school at 14 and her insistence that as a kid she used to play with faries. Kaye lives a lifestyle this it would be very easy to play of as glamarous, she lives with her mother who's in a band, doesn't go to school etc. but it all feels very real and believable. Kaye and her mother are forced to move back to their home town, where Kaye finds herself embroiled in the world of the faries, only they aren't quite so nice as she remembers them.

Part of my adoration for this book is that I simply wish I'd writen it. I adore modern fairy tale, the characters are interesting and believable as modern teenagers (more likely to go out and get pissed then anything else) and the entire novel felt gritty and real. Not to mention it won my heart with a few anime geek jokes and the great coming out from the male sidekick, both when he comes out to Kaye by asking her if she knows what Shounen ai (boy love) is then giving her some manga to illustate and how he came out to his mom by comparing his feeling to the special love between Kirk and Spock (I don't have the book in front of me now so sadly can't look up the exact quote).

The basic plot sounds very teenage fantasy, girl meets fairy night, discovered she is fairy, magical adventure, budding romance. However, throughout the story it's grounded by Kaye's very non-fairytale lifestyle and the fact that the fairies themselves are far from wholesome which gives this book a distinct edge that I loved. ( )

in a sentence or so: Kaye and her mom move back in with her grandma in Jersey after her mom's latest attempt to be a rockstar doesn't turn out so well. it is when she moves back to the small town of her childhood that she starts to feel faeries on the edge of her existence. she is sure that the world of real life and magic are merging into one when she finds an elf (a pretty handsome one at that) dying in the woods.

Kaye's mom has been the lead singer in many a rock band. this means that Kaye has led a pretty nomadic life and seen her fair share of bizarre, unpleasant, and morally questionable things. but through it all, Kaye has always felt loved and encouraged by her mother. which is not always the case with her best friend in Jersey, Janet. Janet and Kaye go back to the days of elementary school, and so when Kaye returns to Jersey as a sixteen year old, Janet remembers her friend's knack for making up imaginary friends/creatures and seeing things that no one else can see. well, apparently that knack is still with her.

Kaye stumbles upon Roiben, a wounded elf, in the woods. through her help, he is able to stumble back home to his home, the Unseelie court. Kaye is being told by her childhood faerie friends that this handsome elf means to do her harm...something she has a hard time believing. what she can believe is the fact that she is starting to feel strange things happening to her and around her, and that her life is not at all what she thought it to be.

i had a tough time working my way into this book. i think part of that is because this is the first faerie book i've read, so maybe the names and mythology were supposed to be assumed knowledge of the reader and i just didn't have that assumed knowledge. i felt like the framework was established quickly and loosely, and it wasn't until about a hundred pages in that i felt comfortable with the story, the characters, and the direction. it finished strong, so i ended up really enjoying the read.

all of the characters are SERIOUSLY flawed, which is something i dig. they are also seriously humanistic, which is something else i dig. you get why people (faeries, queens, pixies, etc.) act and think the way they do. at times i felt like this wasn't a great read, but overall i enjoyed it more than i expected. after i was hooked into the plot, i was really hooked. i am genuinely interested to read the further adventures of the characters in Ironside.

there are twists and turns a plenty, laugh out loud moments, vivid descriptions of what the faerie realm is like, and the title of the book is the anchor of the plot - which i will not get into because that's a bit spoiler-y. i'd recommend this to fantasy genre junkies like myself for sure.

fave quote: "She smiled ruefully. 'But they never told me. They knew all this time, and nothing - not one hint.'' Kaye looked pensively at the joints of her fingers. Why should one extra joint make them horrifying? It did, though - flexing them bothered her." (119)

fix er up: more explanation on the background of the creatures and the plot development. ( )

Twitter review @book_kungfu (http://twitter.com/book_kungfu):
Dark faerie world hides in our own. Reluctant heroine fights back against everyone. -- Kung Fu moment: self-defence after a broken horse ( )

This series is good, even backwards, the way I read it. It was awesome and I really loved it. The series has a few other books, and they are just as good. I highly recommend anything by Holly Black. ( )