The Good Neighbors

Gr 9 Up—This final volume in the trilogy benefits from improved pacing and clarity over the first two volumes. Rue, a teenage human/faerie hybrid, must work to control the chaos that has resulted from the emergence of the faerie world into her home town. Her unique biology places her in the middle of the conflict between the two worlds and their respective leaders: Rue's faerie mother and her father's human lover. Rue herself must choose which side to join, a decision that will also determine her choice of paramour. The gray-tone art is evocative, and the occasional spreads add weight and drama to the events. Unfortunately, as with the first two books, characters are rendered inconsistently, and it is often difficult to tell them apart; Rue and her love interest, Tam, are practically indistinguishable. The characters also lack depth, and their actions are low on the believability scale, but these factors will not likely deter Black's many fans, or those who appreciate contemporary fantasy, in particular, readers who love supernatural romance and drama. A satisfactory end to the trilogy.—Douglas P. Davey, Halton Hills Public Library, Ontario, Canada