Thursday, January 07, 2010

Lips Touch: Three Times

Lips Touch: Three Times Laini Taylor

Three stories, three kisses, three women marked with dark and supernatural forces.

Kizzy's the perfect target for the goblins. Though she lives in modern times, she should know better. Her family is weird, her family believes. Her desire to be normal is what makes her a perfect target. But, when they come for her, will she notice? Will she even care?

In the days of the British rule over India, a bargain with a demon saves twenty-two children from an earthquake, but leaves one cursed with the most beautiful voice, but anyone who hears it will die. She grows up, silent, not wanting to test it, to see if it's true, but curses can't be real, can they?

The Druj are immortal, magic-working, shape-shifters. They keep human children as pets. A girl-mother and her unborn child have escaped, but fourteen years later, there will be a price to pay, and it must be paid.

Every story starts with illustrations, a wordless picture book introduction with backstory.

Such a wonderful book that lives up the hype and the rewards. This is a perfect example of teen appeal and amazing literary quality. How can you not love such writing like this:

Kizzy laughed and it came out as a throaty chuckle, almost a purr, the closest she had yet to come to the sultry voice she would grow into as she grew up and learned how to wear her skin. If she grew up.

Oh, the foreboding.

The last story, "Hatchling" is the longest, and also my least favorite. The first, "Goblin Fruit" with its juxtaposition of Eastern European (Roma, possibly?) beliefs and culture with modern American high school life just works so well... and it's dark and spooky without being horror. Just a fairy tale gone darker than Grimm.

So delicious.

Book Provided by... my local library

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5 comments:

Serena said...

I've heard great things about this book!

Heather Hedin Singh said...

I read Lips Touch just before Christmas, and I have to say the first story was my favorite. Such beautiful writing and so neat to see the juxtaposition of fantasy and the contemporary world. Glad you enjoyed it!

Katie said...

I can't wait to get my hands on this book -- I've heard nothing but good things. Thanks for the review!

Shelf Elf said...

As you said, "delicious."

This is a beautiful book. It captivated me. Laini is an amazing talent!

Melissa Thomson said...

I love this book!! The second story was my favorite, but I really enjoyed all three. And the writing is fantastic throughout.