With Fate Conspire
The rise of technology during the Victorian era is killing the Onyx Court, a faerie city that once thrived beneath London. The iron of the newly-constructed London Underground is poisoning the fae and physically destroying the court itself. Lune, who has served as queen of the Onyx Court for more than three hundred years, is putting her heart and soul – literally – into keeping the court alive and intact. Meanwhile, Dead Rick, a man-dog changeling whose memories have been stolen by supernatural criminal boss Nadrett, struggles to break free from his captivity.
Above ground, Irishwoman Eliza O’Malley continues her quest to find her childhood love Owen Darragh, who was abducted by faeries. She assumes a variety of disguises and roles in her attempt to recover her lost love and bring him back to the real world. Her break comes when she spies on a meeting of the London Faery Society and discovers that a young socialite, Louisa Kittering, is a member. Eliza assumes another disguise and becomes a maid in the Kittering home in hopes of figuring out Louisa’s connection to the fae.
Though this is the fourth book in a series featuring the Onyx Court, it is able to stand on its own. The plot is very complex, but as the three stories begin to intertwine, readers will be impressed at Brennan’s command of both her fictional world and the real world of Victorian England. The detail in both worlds is rich and engrossing, and the adventures of all the characters are quite enjoyable. Readers who enjoy a blend of history, folklore, and fantasy will enjoy Brennan’s latest.
