The Laughing Listener
Reread August 2018
Format: Audiobook
Narrator: Kate Rudd
Length: 7 hours & 28 minutes

Story Rating: 4 Stars
Performance Rating: 5 Stars
Overall Rating: 4.5 Stars

Man, I was so STRESSED starting this book. As my former favorite fantasy series, I was worried I’d end up hating this if I reread it. That I’d suddenly realize 14 year-old me had no taste in books and this was actually completely terrible. I can’t tell you how happily relieved I was to discover that wasn’t the case! I recently learned (and freaked out) that the characters of Tithe make an appearance in The Cruel Prince, so I started this reread in anticipation of that. And I can’t believe… how much… I forgot??? It was like reading it for the first time.

This was the book that started everything and the reason why I love fantasy as much as I do. Just picture it--middle school Loretta running around reading bubbly, romantic, Meg Cabot contemporaries like [b:The Princess Diaries|38980|The Princess Diaries (The Princess Diaries, #1)|Meg Cabot|https://images.gr-assets.com/books/1355011082s/38980.jpg|2073907] and [b:All-American Girl|19448|All-American Girl (All-American Girl, #1)|Meg Cabot|https://images.gr-assets.com/books/1291882422s/19448.jpg|2610030]. I didn’t hit the Harry Potter books until high school, so this is what taught me about the fantasy genre. When I decided to pick up Tithe, it completely shattered my small world view and was unlike anything I had ever read. It was dark and gritty, had a half Asian and gay main characters, kids smoking and getting drunk, low-income families, magical faeries, cunning wickedness and lots of bloodshed. It was complete fantasy and yet more real than anything I had read up to that point. Reading Tithe was like discovering a piece of myself I didn’t know existed.



So I’ve been completely terrified of this book for a few years now, worried that rereading it would shatter my perfect view, but it didn’t! I love that Kaye is a flawed character who can be selfish and wicked, but still has a good heart and clever mind. I love Roiben’s emo-ness and proud nature. And I absolutely LOVE the gritty backdrop. Of course there are problems like an astounding level of violence, homophobia, and racist comments that made me squirm. But I also think it was done purposely. Black paints a harsh, unforgiving world that Kaye, Corny, and Roiben have to muck through in order find their genuine friendship and love.

Admittedly, I have a harder time wrapping my brain around Corny. My 14 year-old self didn’t know what to do with him at all. The concept of finding pleasure in pain was so completely foreign to me, it was like reading about an alien. Now over a decade later I have a better understanding and appreciation for his character that I didn’t before, especially his dark sense of humor. But there were still moments that he seemed so unlike myself I couldn't understand him. Either way, Corny is always unapologetically himself, which makes him awesome.

And somehow I completely forgot how nutso that ending is?!?! How an ending so violently amazing could fall out of my brain is a mystery, but it was freaking awesome!

FINAL WORD
This book had proved the test of time and remains one of my favorites. It dark and gritty and magical and wicked and raw and there are faeries. READ IT.

#1 ↦ Tithe ↦ ✦✦✦✦✦
#2 ↦ [b:Valiant|266607|Valiant (Modern Faerie Tales #2)|Holly Black|https://images.gr-assets.com/books/1332713354s/266607.jpg|588218] ↦ ???
#3 ↦ [b:Ironside|283494|Ironside (Modern Faerie Tales, #3)|Holly Black|https://images.gr-assets.com/books/1354844906s/283494.jpg|275023] ↦ ???