Changeling by Delia Sherman

Published 2006 by FIREBIRD

ISBN 978-0-14-241188-9
274 pages
Series? Yes
Rating: Children
BUY / Nook / Kindle

"In New York Between,

Mortals Don't Call The Shots.

The Fairy Folk Do."

Neef is a changeling, a human baby stolen by fairies and replaced with one of their own. She lives in "New York Between," a Manhattan that exists invisibly, side by side with our own, home to fairies, demons, mermaids, and other creatures of folklore. Neef is protected by her fairy godmother, Astris (a very lovely white rat) until she breaks a Fairy Law. Now, unless she can meet the challenge of the Green Lady of Central Park, she'll be sacrificed to the bloodthirsty Wild Hunt. Neef is a native New Yorker, and she's determined to beat the rap--but New York Between is a maze of magic and magical rules, and the time is running out. . . .

.

The first thing about this book that caught my eye was the name. As a reader before I even picked this book up I knew that changelings referred to babies stolen by fairies. I had read many books about the fairy that was put in the mortal world and they always ended up being related to someone important. Either the king or somebody equally important. What I really like about the book was the fact that the main character was a human raised in fairy world or in this case New York Between. While the cover looked a little odd I was much too interested in the summary to pass it up.

I am really glad that I gave the book a chance. It was a fresh look on an old favorite. I loved how Delia Sherman was able to describe and identify the creatures that Neef encountered throughout the book without making me feel like she thought I was a half-wit. My attention was hooked from the first chapter and it was not moved until I finished it. Even though I knew that she had to do something that would get her sacrificed to the Wild Hunt for there to be a book I was still on the edge of my seat biting my nails trying to stop her.

I especially loved meeting Neef's copy and how the two of them became friends gradually through the book. Even though Jennifer was the fairy she was not the one to do everything but she did have her own role and did have many important parts. Her reaction to the new world that she had originally come from but now found so different was at turn funny and annoying. Neef's reaction to going outside the park is also interesting. I really wish that Delia Sherman writes a book about Neef visiting the Outside world so that I could see her reaction to non-talking animals. I would also be happy with more from the Metropolitan Museum of Art.

My favorite thing had to be that fact that New York Between had such diverse places. Looking at the difference between Central Park and Wall Street was very interesting. The world building in this story was phenomenal. I could see the entire New York Between in my mind as I read. I liked The Pooka and Astris even though they were not in the story very much and the way every mentioned the other changelings that Astris had raised was interesting even though we never did find out what happened to them.

In conclusion, the book is cute and funny and interesting and thrilling and so many more positive words that when it comes down to it all mean that you should read it yourself.