The Laughing Listener
Reread August 2018
Format: Audiobook
Narrator: Renee Raudman
Length: 7 hours & 4 minutes

Story Rating: 4.5 Stars
Performance Rating: 5 Stars
Overall Rating: 5 Stars

Wow. I am… overwhelmed by how much I liked this the second time around. First of all, I must have the worst memory ever and I’m slightly concerned about my mental health??? I remembered not liking this book the first time because Roiben and Kaye are hardly in it, but for some reason I thought it was about Corny?? And now I’m realizing I must have taken my memories of the third book and put them on this one.

ANYWAY. The point is that this book is awesome. I don’t know what 2006 me was thinking because 2018 me absolutely LOVED this book. Me @ me:



I admit that the beginning is completely INSANE. Listening to the first few chapters was like listening to a narration of a Lifetime movie and I DON’T KNOW HOW I FORGOT ABOUT IT!?! Pretty sure I made this face through the first twenty minutes…



Everything that comes after is creepy, gritty craziness that is so Holly Black, I loved it. Just as a trigger warning to everyone, this book deals heavily with drug addiction, but I really applaud Black for it. I really felt for Val while she was struggling with everything and her addiction to Never made the ending that much more rewarding. Plus, it felt REAL. Despite the faerie drug and fantastical circumstances, drug addiction is an actual problem teens face and it’s awesome seeing that struggle represented.

And I loved the characters!!! Okay well, Dave and Lolli were actually the worst. But Val was amazing! I loved that the first response to her hardship was getting pissed and chopping off all her hair. And even when she was in the throws of addiction, Val was spunky and brave. And the romance between her and Revus was so cute. It was subtle and took a backseat to Val’s character arc in a way I really appreciated

FINAL WORD
I must have been CRAZY the first time read this because Valiant was completely awesome. There was a little romance, a lot of drama, and tons of faeries, so obviously this book wins.

#1 ↦ [b:Tithe|46777|Tithe (Modern Faerie Tales, #1)|Holly Black|https://images.gr-assets.com/books/1342120818s/46777.jpg|1460966] ↦ ✦✦✦✦✦
#2 ↦ Valiant ↦ ✦✦✦✦✦
#3 ↦ [b:Ironside|283494|Ironside (Modern Faerie Tales, #3)|Holly Black|https://images.gr-assets.com/books/1354844906s/283494.jpg|275023] ↦ ???