Valiant: A Modern Faerie Tale

This uneven and meandering follow-up to Tithe has more of the same infantile adults (are there any other kind in Black's world?), misguided teen "rebels" and shocking content, along with a clunky attempt to address substance abuse.

Faerie drugs are bad, m'kay. We get it.

And, once again, most of the characters are so unlikable you don't really care what happens to them.

Somewhere in this mess of a story is a modern day Beauty and the Beast, only the beauty goes out of her way to be as unattractive as possible and sees the beast as another way to give society the middle finger. Sure, he's nicer than the human males (apparently, nice guys don't exist in Black's world, either, unless horribly disfigured), but otherwise the romance doesn't seem to develop naturally. It's just something readers are expected to accept so it can advance the plot.

Val also goes on to live up to her nickname Prince Valiant and becomes one of the few semi-likable characters...sort of, but even that feels contrived. Despite Black's best efforts to dirty up the story, any perceived social commentary is heavy-handed at best.

Ultimately Valiant is about as deep as a puddle and just as muddy.

Although very dark and gritty I enjoyed Valiant very much. On the surface this is the story of high school student Val, who runs away to the city to escape the humiliation of having walked in on her mother and her boyfriend, falls in with the wrong crowd and becomes a drug addict. In addition to this storyline is the fantasy of the sidhe, the mystery of the dying creatures in the city, the troll under the bridge and the intrigue of the Seelie and Unseelie Courts. My only (very small) complaint was wishing that Roiben, my favorite character from Tithe, would have been given a bit more depth.

when i first borrowed valiant from a friend, i was expecting a sequel to tithe. but valiant is a story of its own, only briefly mentioning characters from the first story.

while valiant wasnt quite exactly on level (at the top of the list) with tithe, it was close. the story is well written, and while holly black fails to go in depth with most of the characters who could have been a little better developed, valeries character is developed well, which i felt made up for the other characters thin personality depth.

in valiant, a girl named valerie catches her boyfriend cheating on her-with her mother. she (naturally) runs off to new york, where she falls in with three street kids, lolli, dave, and luis. after helping dave make a delivery to a woman who has GOAT feet, valerie becomes involved in the world of faerie. the tone is slightly different than tithe, as most of the faeries in valiant are neither from the seelie or unseelie court-well, they were once, but at this point they are outcasts, for crimes and other things. theres a troll in this one too-and where he ends up surprised me

though i don't consider this book to be quite as good as tithe, it was still very good. dark, faeries, runaways, betrayel, friendship, romance, what more could you want?

First let me say that I absolutely loved 'Tithe' and that I'm not bothered by the sex or drugs aspect of the book (I'm saying this because that seems to be why most people rated the book low). Also let me say I'm another 20-something enraptured with YA fantasy novels.

I suppose what I was hoping for when I got this book was another 'Tithe'. I don't mean a sequel, necessarily (though I wouldn't have been averse to that) - but just something that gripped me the way 'Tithe' did. I realted to those characters... I felt intrigued and I found the book to be a compelling read - I wanted, even needed, to know what would happen next. I allowed myself to be thoroughly drawn into this world, and I desired it...

But 'Valiant' just didn't have the same pull. The characters weren't as interesting to me - maybe because I found them to be less believable. And the story seemed almost like an attempt to recapture the magic of the first book - but it just couldn't get the same spark.

To be honest I can't put my finger on what I didn't like about it. And I certainly didn't hate the book... but I didn't love it like I loved 'Tithe' and for that I was truly disappointed...

This book was the first book my younger daughter chose for her summer reading. My older daughter and I read it, too. This story concerns Valerie, who runs away when she discovers her own mother behaving inappropriately with Valerie's boyfriend. She learns swiftly just how horrifying the life of a runaway can be. There is magic and a very unexpected hero, and some fairly rough action. My younger daughter felt some of these scenes almost too intense, though she later said she loved the book. My older daughter loved Valerie's strength, her struggle to find a moral path in a very nasty world. I like this book because actions have consequences, both bad and good. The pacing is brisk, the characters vivid, and the magical glamour is both compelling and creepy. But I do recommend it to older readers, unless they are ready for strong language and some sexual situations.

People say this book is much too adult for teenagers, but I beg to differ. The explicit language, sexual overtones, and drug themes among teens are, sadly, much more realistic than adults would like to think. Black does tend to throw in too much shock value material, but as a fourteen-year-old I can say I wasn't scarred for life. Black is an expert at creating an atmosphere, and in Valiant she weaves a dark portrait of the outcasts of urban society, and some of Val's feelings are very relatable for teens. For instance, I could have sworn Holly Black reached into my head when Val was thinking about how she thought of herself as a secondary character, the one who set up one-liners instead of delivering them. The mature themes are dealt with without the moralizing that is so common in teen literature. If the writing had been shined up a bit, and the characters developed a little more, this could have been better than Tithe.

An amazing and unique modern day fairy tale. For anyone who loves fantasy or fairy stories, or books about strong women, i would suggest. Think "the weetzie bat books" and make it more "today" (the main girl is prone to think of video games often, etc), sexier, more raw, more dangerous, and add some serious girl toughness. think tank girl living underground in the tunnels in nyc and battling fairies (and they aren't typical tooth-fairy demure types) and being a hero. Think strange drugs and romance. this book literally took me to a world i have never heard another author describe.

I found this in the young adults section, but if you are buying for your a younger kid, i would read it first and decide. There is a lot of drug-type use and bondage sex and regular sex, lids living underground and running away, and other things that some kids might not be ready for. To put it a different way, it is very RAW. While i am all for kids reading mature books, this one gets pretty intense in a way that i think could be inappropriate. In my opinion the "mature" aspects are what makes the story really amazing, but i think this is definitely not for the younger or more immature reader. I am certainly not a prude, but i really would not want my 12 year old reading this. But i would totally buy it for her when she was a bit older!

but that is just me.

I liked this novel better than the first. Val was a great character. I loved her and Ravus together. This book is not a direct sequel to Tithe, but definitely set in the same verse.

The teens were troubled, and there was sex and drug and alcohol use. This book has been called inappropriate, but it fits in with teen culture today. Whatever gets teens and kids to read is great in my opinion.

I just finished this after reading Tithe, and I have to give Black credit for making guys who are not openly attractive seem desirable-lol. Ravus is a troll for crying out loud with green skin and a fanged underbite but she some how makes the reader want a love connection between him and Val. I liked the book, but I thought too much time was spent on Val and the others underground when it should have been spent with Ravus. I think their relationship was the heart of the book but it felt rushed. I didn't mind the drug use in the story, but the sex with Dave just felt like something stuck in to fill the pages. I also liked seeing Roiben and what I gathered was Kaye in the Unseelie Court.

I must admit I was dissapointed with the book the first time I read it. After reading Tithe, I was hoping for more of a closure from the events of the previous book. If you are looking for a sequel to Tithe, I'd definitley say you don't get this from Valiant.

After reading the book for a second time, I was much more pleased with it. I greatley enjoyed the story line and the vivid images that Black creates. Being from New York, I feel she described the city and the "underground" life there in a very realistic manner.

While the character of Val is thoroughly described, I felt she could have done a better job with her firends, and especially with the faeries, and the emotional connections between the two. While in Tithe, I felt a complete understanding of the motives of each character, I felt this often lacked in Valiant. I also did not feel as if the book was as action packed and suspenseful as Tithe.

Black does however, tie the world of Tithe and Valiant together towards the end of the book in a surprising and twisted way. You will definitley have trouble deciding which side you are rootiing for. Hopefully, all the characters will be brought together again in a third book.

I actually picked this up before hearing about Tithe, and I enjoyed it enough that I read Tithe later. This book includes some themes that can be pretty difficult for anyone, like family fights, sex, and drug abuse. This is classified as a YA book, but I enjoyed it, and I think it would appeal to other adults who enjoy darker fantasy novels. Although I found the plot device of the main character's mom and boyfriend (high school-aged) having sex to be a little silly, the book definitely improved as it went along. I also enjoyed the author's take on the faerie world and how the exiles deal with living around so much iron and steel. Although some of the other reviewers seem to enjoy the author's previous novel more, I think this book is better because the plot allows more time for character development (the first book's plot is almost entirely action-oriented with some romance mixed in). Some readers may not like some of the characters in this book, but they are supposed to be kids living on the street, not the Cleaver family.

Although the story may have seemed unbelievable at times with how things worked out, I couldn't put it down and wasted half my day reading it. The descriptions and characters are vivid, and the story is definitely different in the way that it's like a traditional fairy tale turned completely around with shamelessness, violence, reversed roles, and a heap of a lot of other nice bad stuff. There's love and kindness in there too, but that doesn't spoil how awesome the story is.

Sure Tithe was wonderful, but Holly Black's 2nd YA novel really shines and outdoes her first book. This one has everything - angst and drama, mayhem and murder with a splash of faery glamour. The romantic elements are perfectly interwoven with a sense of growing danger.

To put it mildly, I was captivated.

YA fantasy seems to be more popular than ever, and Holly Black's right in the middle of it.

As another reviewer mentioned, this is better than Tithe, though the world of teenagers that Black serves up is a bit raw and sensationalist. In Valiant, the magic drug use keeps it honest, and not edgy for edgy's sake. (Still a few too many unnecessarily "brutal" elements make it a bit callow.)

Definitely a fast paced book that'll hold your interest.

all of these books tie reality, living life on the edge, and faeries together. valiant was my favourite out of them all though, because i loved the character lollie so much.

after reading all the installemtns to this series, i was lucky enough to meet holly black and cassandra claire at a signing and talk about the genre they have helped flourish, they call it 'urban fantasy'.
it's quite amazing, as long as you're okay with things turning onto the fantasy side from reality.

This book blazes off the page, I recommend every fantasy lover buy it no matter what their age group. This is my new favourite, and I think it far outshines even Tithe and Ironside, though the whole trilogy is absolutely worth buying. I'm left waiting impatiently for Holly Black's new collection, Poison Eaters, for more stories in this world.

I stumbled across Tithe in the YA section while looking for a gift for my sister. I never gave it to her. I stumbled across Valiant in a similar way and bought it for myself immediately. Holly Black is an amazing writer. Her words paint this world so vividly, it's incredible. I read that MTV is turning Valiant into a movie. I can't wait. I just hope they can do the book justice.

tithe is one of the greatest books of faerie ever written. holly black is extremely talented, and has a magnificent, capturing imagination. i love this book because it shows both faerie and adolescents as they truly are: wild, malevolent, and uncontrolled. this book is AMAZING.

I absolutely loved this book, but I also thought that it didn't hold up to Tithe. I was confused at times when they were on Never, and I wondered about some of the connections between the two books. I did really enjoy it though, and if you've read Tithe, you need to read this.

I wouldn't recommend this book to young readers at all. It's filled with bad language, drug use and casual sex. I didn't feel that it really expressed the wrongness of that behavior though it tried in the end. All in all I wouldn't have finished it if I didn't enjoy it on some level but I wouldn't recommed it to teens.

It all starts off when her boyfriend cheats on her with her mom. The she goes on a train to new york she meets some people lives with them in a old train station. Then she goes off and meats a a troll and falls in love with him.

Holly Black's fantasy world in "Valiant" is as vividly, exotically painted as in "Tithe." The story in both books engrossed me to the end. What disturbed me, however, and the reason I couldn't completely recommend these books, was the gratuitous foul language, the constant sexual overtones, and the lack of ANY admirable characters. Her characters have no self control, no decency, no delicacy, or morals. Why must all of Black's teenagers act like beasts? They're fascinating in a weird, nasty way, but absolutely unsympathetic, and I couldn't care less what happened to them.

i loved this story! its colorful and imaginative but mixed well with elements of real life like drug abuse and homelessness. this story could possibly be better than the first story in the series. a definite read if you love fantasy

What happened? Holly Black co-authored the fabulous Spiderwick Chronicles. I wanted more of her books and when I found this I got so excited! Fifty pages later, I hated the book. It was horrible! Holly crafted a horrible book.
I commonly book review many books and this might just be one of the worst books I have ever read. The book was written with a touch that I can say is not for any human being.
Keep your money in your purse!

While I found the story and characters interesting, I think the author, publisher and most of the reviewers should be ashamed to promote this as a book for young readers. It just isn't. There are lots of rather adult themes in this and the previous book, Tithe, primarily underage sex and casual drug use. These simply aren't subjects that are appropriate for kids "12 and up" when they're presented as being without implications or consequences as they are here. In addition, the language is rather adult. The mother's affair with her daughter's underage boyfriend was a particularly tasteful touch. While the daughter is outraged, there isn't even the slightest suggestion that her mother's behaviour is illegal and morally reprehensible. It presents child molestation as just something to try when there's nothing better to do. While writing this book, common sense and decency took a back seat to shock and titillation. These things are better suited to an audience perhaps not quite so malleable or impressionable and who can discern what's right vs. wrong. These are simply adult books. With that said, it should also be stated that the author needs a better editor -- the writing here needs a lot more polishing. Some of the prose will just make you choke on its immature attempt to be clever and adult. Interesting, perhaps good, but could be a lot better.

First of all, let me just correct all the parents by saying this book is NOT labeled as Children's Literature, it is labeled as YOUNG ADULT Literature. Therefore, readers who are not mature enough to handle content about some sex, drugs, alcohol, foul language and/or violence should not be reading this book. This means no one should be shocked by the "adult" content. I just have to add this point to my review because I feel Holly Black is a phenomenal writer (as proven in her previous book "Tithe"), yet her book "Valiant" is "bashed" for the wrong reasons. So let me tell you the right reasons why her book Valiant should be "bashed".

The story has no purpose because the hero, who is supposed to be the main character Val, is not a hero at all. Val is a young, naive girl who is betrayed by her mother and acts out by running to a new life. Yet, Val remains young/immature (this explains the constant use of profanity), and she does not learn from her mistakes, so she cannot be a hero. All she does is get high with faerie dust, use profanity (as I mentioned before), and continue hanging out with a bunch of "losers," which makes her a "loser" herself, especially when she is seduced by Dave, and has sex with him. This is where I lost faith in Val as a protagonist.

But, the most infuriating problem with this book is that it lacks a fantastical element, compared to Black's book, "Tithe". Valiant starts off with a tree confined by iron (interesting), then it switches to Val and her new, pathetic lifestyle (not interesting), until the middle when we meet Mabry and Ravus (very interesting). These two characters are the only characters that hold my attention, yet they are only mentioned a few times throughout the book.

Basically, I can go on and on listing the problems in this book. So, to sum everything up in a few words, this book is repetitive and disappointing. I will admit that this book has plenty of potential, but potential is not enough to cover the problems. Do not waste money on this book, check it out at your local library if you are dying of curiosity.

You have been warned!

A real eye-opener: with all sincerity, I cannot believe Simon and Schuster has published this under the aegis of "Simon and Schuster Children Publishing." The language is execrable, the text jammed with f--- and sh-- and d---. In the early pages the seventeen-year-old protagonist walks in on her boyfriend's amorous dealings with the girl's own mother. And after she hooks up with street youth we are treated to a thorough detailing of the materials and the methods of intravenous drug use (only this girl isn't really sure exactly what she's cheerily pumping into her veins), dumpster diving, vandalism, breaking and entering, theft, the tale of a man trying to blind a boy by crushing his eyeball with his thumb, scavenging leftovers from deserted restaurant tables and other like diversions.

According to the publisher's website, Ms. Black is a favorite among kids. What I hate most is that these demeaning elements in the story are gratuitous: without them, the book might just be a worthwhile read because of its ingenious world of trolls, tree women, and "faeries." I can see how teenagers would agree that the "world would be cooler with something so unreal in it." As it is, I cannot imagine recommending it to a teen--or anyone else-- to read.

While the story was good overall, this is the second time the author has killed a cat in her stories. I do not find this entertaining or necessary to the story line in this book, and will therefore not read or purchase any of her books in the future. Parents need to know that this book is only for adults, not children or teenagers for this reason.