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Tufa #3
Long Black Curl
Long Black Curl: a brand-new tale in Alex Bledsoe’s acclaimed urban fantasy series, where magic is hidden in plain sight and age-old rivalries simmer just beneath the surface
In all the time the Tufa have existed, only two have ever been exiled: Bo-Kate Wisby and her lover, Jefferson Powell. They were cast out, stripped of their ability to make music, and cursed to never be able to find their way back to Needsville. Their crime? A love that crossed the boundary of the two Tufa tribes, resulting in the death of several people.
Somehow, Bo-Kate has found her way back. She intends to take over both tribes, which means eliminating both Rockhouse Hicks and Mandalay Harris. Bo-Kate has a secret weapon: Byron Harley, a rockabilly singer known as the “Hillbilly Hercules” for his immense size and strength, and who has passed the last sixty years trapped in a bubble of faery time. He's ready to take revenge on any Tufa he finds.
The only one who can stop Bo-Kate is Jefferson Powell. Released from the curse and summoned back to Cloud County, even he isn't sure what will happen when they finally meet. Will he fall in love with her again? Will he join her in her quest to unite the Tufa under her rule? Or will he have to sacrifice himself to save the people who once banished him?
In all the time the Tufa have existed, only two have ever been exiled: Bo-Kate Wisby and her lover, Jefferson Powell. They were cast out, stripped of their ability to make music, and cursed to never be able to find their way back to Needsville. Their crime? A love that crossed the boundary of the two Tufa tribes, resulting in the death of several people.
Somehow, Bo-Kate has found her way back. She intends to take over both tribes, which means eliminating both Rockhouse Hicks and Mandalay Harris. Bo-Kate has a secret weapon: Byron Harley, a rockabilly singer known as the “Hillbilly Hercules” for his immense size and strength, and who has passed the last sixty years trapped in a bubble of faery time. He's ready to take revenge on any Tufa he finds.
The only one who can stop Bo-Kate is Jefferson Powell. Released from the curse and summoned back to Cloud County, even he isn't sure what will happen when they finally meet. Will he fall in love with her again? Will he join her in her quest to unite the Tufa under her rule? Or will he have to sacrifice himself to save the people who once banished him?
384 pages, Hardcover
First published May 26, 2015
About the author
Alex Bledsoe
62 books792 followersI grew up in west Tennessee an hour north of Graceland (home of Elvis) and twenty minutes from Nutbush (home of Tina Turner). I've been a reporter, editor, photographer and door-to-door vacuum cleaner salesman. I now live in a big yellow house in Wisconsin, write before six in the morning and try to teach my two kids to act like they've been to town before.
I write the Tufa novels (The Hum and the Shiver, Wisp of a Thing, Long Black Curl and Chapel of Ease), as well as the Eddie LaCrosse series (The Sword-Edged Blonde, Burn Me Deadly, Dark Jenny, Wake of the Bloody Angel and He Drank, and Saw the Spider). the Firefly Witch ebook chapbooks, and two "vampsloitation" novels set in 1975 Memphis (Blood Groove and The Girls with Games of Blood).
I write the Tufa novels (The Hum and the Shiver, Wisp of a Thing, Long Black Curl and Chapel of Ease), as well as the Eddie LaCrosse series (The Sword-Edged Blonde, Burn Me Deadly, Dark Jenny, Wake of the Bloody Angel and He Drank, and Saw the Spider). the Firefly Witch ebook chapbooks, and two "vampsloitation" novels set in 1975 Memphis (Blood Groove and The Girls with Games of Blood).
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 164 reviews
August 2, 2015
4 of 5 stars at The BiblioSanctum http://bibliosanctum.com/2015/08/02/b...
And now time for something totally different. Long Black Curl isn’t a book I would have normally picked up on my own, and not least because it’s actually the third book of the Tufa sequence. I don’t usually like to jump onboard mid-series, but two factors made me decide to make an exception. First, I was told this book can be read as a stand-alone, and second, I’ve been hearing all these great things about it, which got me curious.
Now I’m so glad that I decided to give it a shot. I suppose Long Black Curl is technically an urban fantasy, but it’s certainly unlike anything else in the genre that I’ve ever read. When I think about the typical setting for a UF, I picture big cities or built-up metropolitan areas. The setting of the Tufa, on the other hand, is a remote valley nestled in the Smoky Mountains of Tennessee. We’re talking the rural south, a land of gorgeous peaks and ridges upon ridges of pristine forests. But it’s also a land of no indoor plumbing, dirt roads, and where bigotry is still very much alive.
It’s an interesting world. There’s beauty, but also a whole lot of ugliness. It’s also where the Tufa make their home. No one knows exactly where they came from before they settled here, but for generations they have lived in the quiet hills and valleys of Cloud County, passing on the their stories and traditions in the form of song. Music is a huge part of their lives, and an innate part of their identity. To be cast out of their community and stripped of their ability to make music is one of the worst fates imaginable, but this is exactly what happened to Bo-Kate Wisby and her lover Jefferson Powell, the only two Tufa to have ever been exiled.
Now Bo-Kate is back, and she is angry, bitter, and determined to take over both tribes of the Tufa, which means taking out the two leaders Rockhouse Hicks and Mandalay Harris. Her secret weapon is Byron Harley, a famous musician from the 50s who went down in a plane crash but did not die, trapped instead in a faerie time bubble for the last sixty years. Bo-Kate hopes that Byron will help her by taking advantage of his desire for revenge, and for a while she seems unstoppable, until the rest of the Tufa decide to seek out a secret weapon of their own: Jefferson Powell, Bo-Kates old boyfriend.
Anyway, that’s the brief description of the book. What’s way more difficult is putting into words the feelings I got while reading it. The first thing that struck me about the story was how atmospheric it was, seemingly evocative of so much more than meets the eye. Reading about the Tufa was like walking through a veil into another realm. And it’s not just the nature of the setting either; reading about some of the things that go on in this small community (especially those perpetrated by one of the Tufa leaders Rockhouse) are just so hideous and beyond the pale that convincing myself that this is some faraway fantasy world becomes easier and less traumatic to accept. Furthermore, because the Tufa are such a closely knit group, everything that goes on within their ranks – like internal politics or scandals, for example – feel so much more personal, making the emotions cut even deeper.
What I loved the most though, was the music. Creating it is an art form I find both mysterious and beautiful. And to a non-musician like me, it even almost seems like magic. Alex Bledsoe pretty much takes this idea and runs with it, so that music to the Tufa is in fact the source or their magical power. Songs become more than just a way to communicate ideas; they become a means for them to affect the world around them. Music is also a part of the Tufa shared heritage, something that links the community together and gives the individual a sense of identity and belonging. Of course, I’ve seen music used as a magical device in fantasy novels before, but Bledsoe’s handling of it is one of the more unique examples I’ve seen so far, despite—or perhaps because of—the abstractness in its execution.
Needless to say, I enjoyed the book a lot, and something tells me I would have liked it even more if I’d read the previous two before I tackling this one. Long Black Curl worked absolutely fine as a stand-alone, but I think the extra background information would further enhance the story by adding more context to the Tufa characters and all their complex relationships. I’ve gone ahead and added the first book The Hum and the Shiver to my to-read list, because this is a very special series and I would love to go back and read more. Highly recommended.
And now time for something totally different. Long Black Curl isn’t a book I would have normally picked up on my own, and not least because it’s actually the third book of the Tufa sequence. I don’t usually like to jump onboard mid-series, but two factors made me decide to make an exception. First, I was told this book can be read as a stand-alone, and second, I’ve been hearing all these great things about it, which got me curious.
Now I’m so glad that I decided to give it a shot. I suppose Long Black Curl is technically an urban fantasy, but it’s certainly unlike anything else in the genre that I’ve ever read. When I think about the typical setting for a UF, I picture big cities or built-up metropolitan areas. The setting of the Tufa, on the other hand, is a remote valley nestled in the Smoky Mountains of Tennessee. We’re talking the rural south, a land of gorgeous peaks and ridges upon ridges of pristine forests. But it’s also a land of no indoor plumbing, dirt roads, and where bigotry is still very much alive.
It’s an interesting world. There’s beauty, but also a whole lot of ugliness. It’s also where the Tufa make their home. No one knows exactly where they came from before they settled here, but for generations they have lived in the quiet hills and valleys of Cloud County, passing on the their stories and traditions in the form of song. Music is a huge part of their lives, and an innate part of their identity. To be cast out of their community and stripped of their ability to make music is one of the worst fates imaginable, but this is exactly what happened to Bo-Kate Wisby and her lover Jefferson Powell, the only two Tufa to have ever been exiled.
Now Bo-Kate is back, and she is angry, bitter, and determined to take over both tribes of the Tufa, which means taking out the two leaders Rockhouse Hicks and Mandalay Harris. Her secret weapon is Byron Harley, a famous musician from the 50s who went down in a plane crash but did not die, trapped instead in a faerie time bubble for the last sixty years. Bo-Kate hopes that Byron will help her by taking advantage of his desire for revenge, and for a while she seems unstoppable, until the rest of the Tufa decide to seek out a secret weapon of their own: Jefferson Powell, Bo-Kates old boyfriend.
Anyway, that’s the brief description of the book. What’s way more difficult is putting into words the feelings I got while reading it. The first thing that struck me about the story was how atmospheric it was, seemingly evocative of so much more than meets the eye. Reading about the Tufa was like walking through a veil into another realm. And it’s not just the nature of the setting either; reading about some of the things that go on in this small community (especially those perpetrated by one of the Tufa leaders Rockhouse) are just so hideous and beyond the pale that convincing myself that this is some faraway fantasy world becomes easier and less traumatic to accept. Furthermore, because the Tufa are such a closely knit group, everything that goes on within their ranks – like internal politics or scandals, for example – feel so much more personal, making the emotions cut even deeper.
What I loved the most though, was the music. Creating it is an art form I find both mysterious and beautiful. And to a non-musician like me, it even almost seems like magic. Alex Bledsoe pretty much takes this idea and runs with it, so that music to the Tufa is in fact the source or their magical power. Songs become more than just a way to communicate ideas; they become a means for them to affect the world around them. Music is also a part of the Tufa shared heritage, something that links the community together and gives the individual a sense of identity and belonging. Of course, I’ve seen music used as a magical device in fantasy novels before, but Bledsoe’s handling of it is one of the more unique examples I’ve seen so far, despite—or perhaps because of—the abstractness in its execution.
Needless to say, I enjoyed the book a lot, and something tells me I would have liked it even more if I’d read the previous two before I tackling this one. Long Black Curl worked absolutely fine as a stand-alone, but I think the extra background information would further enhance the story by adding more context to the Tufa characters and all their complex relationships. I’ve gone ahead and added the first book The Hum and the Shiver to my to-read list, because this is a very special series and I would love to go back and read more. Highly recommended.
April 1, 2018
I made a vow that I would finish all the books in this series before the latest one would be released on 10 April and I made it. It was not a hard task, to be honest, I went through the audio versions of the books quite quickly.
Long Black Curl is book three and changes are in store for the two fractions of the Tufas when Bo-Kate Wisby comes back. Years ago she was cast out, and one shouldn't be able to come back, but she has done it and she has found the perfect weapon, Byron Harley, to get what she wants, and what she wants is taking over both tribes of the Tufas. The only one that can stop her is her ex-lover Jefferson Powell, who like Bo-Kate was cast out. However, will he really turn on the woman who was once his true love?
Just as with the previous two books did the story in Long Black Curl engross me. I especially loved the part about Byron Harley, the rockabilly singer that survived a plane crash, but as a result, got trapped in a bubble of feary time for sixty years. As for Bo-Kate and Jefferson, Romeo and Juliet of the Tufa's, well let's say that their love story started off bloody and their return, or rather Bo-Kate's return was just as bloody. If you have read the previous book in the series will a lot of familiar names show up in the story. Of course, you can read the books stand-alone, however, if you want to full story, then I recommend reading from the beginning.
Long Black Curl is book three and changes are in store for the two fractions of the Tufas when Bo-Kate Wisby comes back. Years ago she was cast out, and one shouldn't be able to come back, but she has done it and she has found the perfect weapon, Byron Harley, to get what she wants, and what she wants is taking over both tribes of the Tufas. The only one that can stop her is her ex-lover Jefferson Powell, who like Bo-Kate was cast out. However, will he really turn on the woman who was once his true love?
Just as with the previous two books did the story in Long Black Curl engross me. I especially loved the part about Byron Harley, the rockabilly singer that survived a plane crash, but as a result, got trapped in a bubble of feary time for sixty years. As for Bo-Kate and Jefferson, Romeo and Juliet of the Tufa's, well let's say that their love story started off bloody and their return, or rather Bo-Kate's return was just as bloody. If you have read the previous book in the series will a lot of familiar names show up in the story. Of course, you can read the books stand-alone, however, if you want to full story, then I recommend reading from the beginning.
September 5, 2015
The Long Black Curl is book #3 of the Tufa series by Alex Bledsoe and reading Long Black Curl is a journey back to the world and the darkness of the banished fairy clan that is not to be missed. Bledsoe weaves another melodic drama of isolation and familial discourse that make these deep and dense backwoods in the Appalachians a treat to visit over and over again.
In the long and storied history of the Tufa only two of their people have ever been exiled, banished from Needsville and never to sing their song or ride the night winds again. Bo-Kate Wisby and Jefferson Powell. Two young lovers from different sides of the Tufa whose love and desire for one another created a killing spree that left whole families dead and bleeding in its wake.
But with the mutilation of one of the leaders of the Tufa, Rockhouse Hicks, whose throat and genitals were torn apart by his own granddaughter, the balance of the Tufa has been unsteady. Somehow, against all that holds the night winds true, Bo-Kate Wisby can sing again, and not only can she sing, she is returning to Cloud County, Tennessee. To the Tufa. To take back what they took from her and bring them all under her thumb. To do so, first, she will have to kill what remains of Rockhouse Hicks and then, take on the other leader of the Tufa. The leader of the first daughters, whose ancestral spirits reside in the body of a young, sixth grade girl, Mandalay Harris.
But Bo-Kate is not coming alone. With her she brings the hate and anger of Byron Harley, a rockabilly singer trapped by the Tufa in a time bubble on the mountains for sixty years. As he has sat on the mountain, time has passed and the wife and daughter he left behind have suffered and died horribly in his absence. When Byron learns the truth of this, he is ready to exact his revenge on any Tufa he can find and Bo-Kate is only too happy to point him in the right direction.
Mandalay knows that only one person can stop Bo-Kate. She knows that she must bring that person back, lift the curse that has exiled him from Cloud County and hope that he will stop Bo-Kate Wisby. But will he? Will Jefferson Powell stop Bo-Kate from destroying the Tufa or join his lover in their destruction?
Long Black Curl is a stand alone novel, like the two prior Tufa tales but you must pick up the other two books! The Hum and The Shiver, and Wisp of A Thing are two of the most ingenious and beautifully written tales you will ever read. The Tufa, a banished race of fairy folk that were cast across the seas and landed in the Americas before any white man sailed across the Atlantic. Before, it is said, any Native American tribes settled even; are a people that are both beautiful and dangerous. Their isolation and deep rooted clan behavior keep them from allowing the modern world encroach upon them. Very few have left Cloud County and all return. For to live among humans is to forget who they are and never to sing their songs or ride the night winds.
Bledsoe has created a mesmerizing series of tales that should be celebrated by fantasy and mystery lovers alike. The Tufa will enchant and horrify you. But you will not be able to look away.
At its heart, in all its darkness, Long Black Curl is a love story. Romeo and Juliet, but with a healthy dose of teenage lovers going on a violent and maddening killing spree across the Kansas plains. Now those same lovers have grown up and what will happen when they cross once again. Will the bitter anger and hate overrule their lost love?
Then there is Mandalay. The Queen of the Tufa trapped inside the body of a young teenage girl who has the first stirrings of her own feelings of love. How can she stop the power and the force that is Bo-Kate Wisby.
The Long Black Curl is a terrific read. Get it. Enjoy it. You will love it.
In the long and storied history of the Tufa only two of their people have ever been exiled, banished from Needsville and never to sing their song or ride the night winds again. Bo-Kate Wisby and Jefferson Powell. Two young lovers from different sides of the Tufa whose love and desire for one another created a killing spree that left whole families dead and bleeding in its wake.
But with the mutilation of one of the leaders of the Tufa, Rockhouse Hicks, whose throat and genitals were torn apart by his own granddaughter, the balance of the Tufa has been unsteady. Somehow, against all that holds the night winds true, Bo-Kate Wisby can sing again, and not only can she sing, she is returning to Cloud County, Tennessee. To the Tufa. To take back what they took from her and bring them all under her thumb. To do so, first, she will have to kill what remains of Rockhouse Hicks and then, take on the other leader of the Tufa. The leader of the first daughters, whose ancestral spirits reside in the body of a young, sixth grade girl, Mandalay Harris.
But Bo-Kate is not coming alone. With her she brings the hate and anger of Byron Harley, a rockabilly singer trapped by the Tufa in a time bubble on the mountains for sixty years. As he has sat on the mountain, time has passed and the wife and daughter he left behind have suffered and died horribly in his absence. When Byron learns the truth of this, he is ready to exact his revenge on any Tufa he can find and Bo-Kate is only too happy to point him in the right direction.
Mandalay knows that only one person can stop Bo-Kate. She knows that she must bring that person back, lift the curse that has exiled him from Cloud County and hope that he will stop Bo-Kate Wisby. But will he? Will Jefferson Powell stop Bo-Kate from destroying the Tufa or join his lover in their destruction?
Long Black Curl is a stand alone novel, like the two prior Tufa tales but you must pick up the other two books! The Hum and The Shiver, and Wisp of A Thing are two of the most ingenious and beautifully written tales you will ever read. The Tufa, a banished race of fairy folk that were cast across the seas and landed in the Americas before any white man sailed across the Atlantic. Before, it is said, any Native American tribes settled even; are a people that are both beautiful and dangerous. Their isolation and deep rooted clan behavior keep them from allowing the modern world encroach upon them. Very few have left Cloud County and all return. For to live among humans is to forget who they are and never to sing their songs or ride the night winds.
Bledsoe has created a mesmerizing series of tales that should be celebrated by fantasy and mystery lovers alike. The Tufa will enchant and horrify you. But you will not be able to look away.
At its heart, in all its darkness, Long Black Curl is a love story. Romeo and Juliet, but with a healthy dose of teenage lovers going on a violent and maddening killing spree across the Kansas plains. Now those same lovers have grown up and what will happen when they cross once again. Will the bitter anger and hate overrule their lost love?
Then there is Mandalay. The Queen of the Tufa trapped inside the body of a young teenage girl who has the first stirrings of her own feelings of love. How can she stop the power and the force that is Bo-Kate Wisby.
The Long Black Curl is a terrific read. Get it. Enjoy it. You will love it.
January 9, 2021
This is without doubt my least favourite Tuffa novel I have read up to now. As always what I like is the Appalachian setting, the magic just underneath the surface and the relationship between music and magic. If it were not for these elements I would have ditched the book before I finished half of it.
This time not one of the characters was likeable or sympathetic in anyway, even ones who were so in other novels.
A Big trigger warning: The N word is used repeatedly throughout the novel. There is one black character in the book and he is treated like garbage from the beginning until the end.
I know it's in the Appalachian mountains and yes, I know authors want to be realistic but still, I wonder if the author thought about how a Black person might feel while reading this book!
I am honestly surprised not one of the other reviewers were bothered by this! Other PNR-Urban fantasy books I've read that take place in the U.S. South like the Sookie Stackhouse or Jane Yellowrock did not do this.
Further more it's fantasy and it's not a spoiler to point out that the Tuffa are supposed to be "fairies ", descendants of the Tuatha De who settled in the Appalachian mountains. Would they really have be so racist? Honestly by the time I was finishing this book I could not care less what happened to the Tuffa. I don't give a shit about racist fairies!
This time not one of the characters was likeable or sympathetic in anyway, even ones who were so in other novels.
A Big trigger warning: The N word is used repeatedly throughout the novel. There is one black character in the book and he is treated like garbage from the beginning until the end.
I know it's in the Appalachian mountains and yes, I know authors want to be realistic but still, I wonder if the author thought about how a Black person might feel while reading this book!
I am honestly surprised not one of the other reviewers were bothered by this! Other PNR-Urban fantasy books I've read that take place in the U.S. South like the Sookie Stackhouse or Jane Yellowrock did not do this.
Further more it's fantasy and it's not a spoiler to point out that the Tuffa are supposed to be "fairies ", descendants of the Tuatha De who settled in the Appalachian mountains. Would they really have be so racist? Honestly by the time I was finishing this book I could not care less what happened to the Tuffa. I don't give a shit about racist fairies!
April 13, 2024
Another amazing book in an excellent series. This one was heart wrenching, uplifting and I was on the edge of my seat wondering just how it would end. The ending was brilliant and unexpected. I highly recommend this series.
June 26, 2020
Returning to Needsville, in book three of the Tufa saga, we learn that years ago, a pair of natural born killer Tufa went on a rampage that left a bunch of people dead over petty shit. The star-crossed lovers were from the two opposing Tufa tribes, so they were exiled from Cloud County and each other.
Except Bo-Kate Wisby, who was clearly the more sociopathic half of the couple, somehow finds a way to return, and she not only wants vengeance, but to take over Cloud County.
The Tufa saga continues to be an interesting and rather strange take on an American fairy tale. It's got the flavor of an "urban fantasy" (magical beings hiding in the modern world), but the setting is Appalachia and the magical beings are the people known as the Tufa who are actually descended from the Tuatha De Dannan of ancient Celtic lore. The author depicts them as people who are grounded in the modern world, with jobs and money problems and grievances with the gummint, but also a people for whom "time doesn't work the same." All of them, even little 12-year-old Mandalay Harris, are actually kinda sorta immortal (unless they get killed, and even that turns out to be sort of unreliable).
So Bo-Kate cuts a swath through Cloud County, shaking trees, flipping tables, stirring up trouble and burning shit down, and dragging her hapless Black English personal assistant and lover with her, a nice fellow named Nigel who was far too likeable, especially after putting up with repeatedly being called the n-word by hillbilly fairies. (Or as he aptly puts it: "Here I thought I was going to be the nice guy who gets the girl, and instead I'm the black guy in the horror movie.")
Since Mandalay is technically the ruler of her tribe, but also still physically and emotionally a 12-year-old girl, she isn't really prepared to take on Bo-Kate herself, which sets off a complicated plot where the Tufa have to go to New York to fetch Bo-Kate's exiled ex to stop her, while Bo-Kate's plan involves bringing back a rock star who supposedly died in the 50s in a Buddy Holly-like plane crash, but has actually been trapped in a bubble of fairy time for decades.
While I liked the drama and the personalities (even the return of Bronwyn and Bliss, the oversexed protagonists from the first two novels), I found that the fantasy elements sort of didn't fit together coherently. Which is to say, the author does a lot of handwaving about "time being different for the Tufa" and "this is the way it is for Reasons," and the favorite Tufa explanation for just about everything that can't be explained, "the Night Winds said so." So, Bo-Kate Wisby is a psychotic bitch on wheels, but she can still be shot in the head just like anyone else, and yet the Tufa are helpless to deal with her the way she deals with her enemies because... well, not exactly because the Tufa are good guys and wouldn't do that. They're not. Just.... Reasons. The Night Winds said so. Bo-Kate is going to take over Cloud County and rename Needsville and turn them into the next Branson, and the Tufa are going to go along with it because... they like money? And also she's crazy? And she demonstrates her power by retrieving a modern day Tam Lin who their grandparents listened to, which impresses them why exactly? All of this is resolved rather confusingly in the climax, where Bo-Kate tries to kill Mandalay, and then she and her ex-lover are reunited, and then stuff happens for Reasons.
So, I liked all the characters, and the story remains an entertaining soap opera about Appalachian fairy folk who watch YouTube videos and complain about Obama. But the whole book is trying to build up Bo-Kate as this super-dangerous Big Bad who is a threat to the entire Tufa way of life and, like, she's just a crazy chick, what's the big deal?
I'll continue with the series, because it's clearly setting up a few long-term relationships and plot lines and I'm interested to see where they go, but I'm hoping the fantasy elements will be expanded on a bit more.
Except Bo-Kate Wisby, who was clearly the more sociopathic half of the couple, somehow finds a way to return, and she not only wants vengeance, but to take over Cloud County.
The Tufa saga continues to be an interesting and rather strange take on an American fairy tale. It's got the flavor of an "urban fantasy" (magical beings hiding in the modern world), but the setting is Appalachia and the magical beings are the people known as the Tufa who are actually descended from the Tuatha De Dannan of ancient Celtic lore. The author depicts them as people who are grounded in the modern world, with jobs and money problems and grievances with the gummint, but also a people for whom "time doesn't work the same." All of them, even little 12-year-old Mandalay Harris, are actually kinda sorta immortal (unless they get killed, and even that turns out to be sort of unreliable).
So Bo-Kate cuts a swath through Cloud County, shaking trees, flipping tables, stirring up trouble and burning shit down, and dragging her hapless Black English personal assistant and lover with her, a nice fellow named Nigel who was far too likeable, especially after putting up with repeatedly being called the n-word by hillbilly fairies. (Or as he aptly puts it: "Here I thought I was going to be the nice guy who gets the girl, and instead I'm the black guy in the horror movie.")
Since Mandalay is technically the ruler of her tribe, but also still physically and emotionally a 12-year-old girl, she isn't really prepared to take on Bo-Kate herself, which sets off a complicated plot where the Tufa have to go to New York to fetch Bo-Kate's exiled ex to stop her, while Bo-Kate's plan involves bringing back a rock star who supposedly died in the 50s in a Buddy Holly-like plane crash, but has actually been trapped in a bubble of fairy time for decades.
While I liked the drama and the personalities (even the return of Bronwyn and Bliss, the oversexed protagonists from the first two novels), I found that the fantasy elements sort of didn't fit together coherently. Which is to say, the author does a lot of handwaving about "time being different for the Tufa" and "this is the way it is for Reasons," and the favorite Tufa explanation for just about everything that can't be explained, "the Night Winds said so." So, Bo-Kate Wisby is a psychotic bitch on wheels, but she can still be shot in the head just like anyone else, and yet the Tufa are helpless to deal with her the way she deals with her enemies because... well, not exactly because the Tufa are good guys and wouldn't do that. They're not. Just.... Reasons. The Night Winds said so. Bo-Kate is going to take over Cloud County and rename Needsville and turn them into the next Branson, and the Tufa are going to go along with it because... they like money? And also she's crazy? And she demonstrates her power by retrieving a modern day Tam Lin who their grandparents listened to, which impresses them why exactly? All of this is resolved rather confusingly in the climax, where Bo-Kate tries to kill Mandalay, and then she and her ex-lover are reunited, and then stuff happens for Reasons.
So, I liked all the characters, and the story remains an entertaining soap opera about Appalachian fairy folk who watch YouTube videos and complain about Obama. But the whole book is trying to build up Bo-Kate as this super-dangerous Big Bad who is a threat to the entire Tufa way of life and, like, she's just a crazy chick, what's the big deal?
I'll continue with the series, because it's clearly setting up a few long-term relationships and plot lines and I'm interested to see where they go, but I'm hoping the fantasy elements will be expanded on a bit more.
June 17, 2020
Number three in Bledsoe's Tufa saga. This one isn't quite as strong as the first two, but that is compensated for somewhat by the growing depth in the story of the whole community of fay folks living in Cloud County, Tennessee. This time an exiled woman, Bo-Kate Wisby, somehow returns to the town of Needsville after being "sung out," and deposes Rockhouse Hicks from the leadership of the darker side of the community in a particularly cruel way (we'll see if he stays gone for good). But his counterpart, Mandalay Harris is also in Bo-Kate's crosshairs as she tries to take over leadership of both sides of the Tufa. She's aided by a rockabilly singer from the past, taking out anger about his fate on any Tufa he can.
This series should be better known. It's an unusual outlier in a world of genre fiction that sometimes can get too same-ish.
This series should be better known. It's an unusual outlier in a world of genre fiction that sometimes can get too same-ish.
August 18, 2015
I didn't like this one as much as the two prior books in the series, but it was still an enjoyable read. It's Bledsoe's Tufa cover of McLean's American Pie. I enjoyed getting a bit more background on the Tufa and how they ended up in Appalachia and a bit more understanding of how their society interacts and functions. Unfortunately I couldn't bring myself to particularly like any of the characters, living or dead, past or present, human or otherwise. Perhaps that's realism, but you've still got to have something to work with... I was interested to see how it would all play out, but I didn't really have a vested interest in who won. The most sympathetic character was a man named Nigel, but he's dismissed with a jarring (if humorous) throw-away line. There's an interesting Rip van Winkle riff, and I couldn't help but picturing Manly Wade Wellman's John hiking about the mountains worrying about cell phone reception. The ending felt a bit forced and abrupt, but leaves plenty of room for further development.
June 10, 2015
Another must-read book from Alex Bledsoe. I love the Tufa series and this book just adds to the wonderful, complicated tale. I especially like the way he entwines the magic and the music, in ways I've never seen another author do. Bledsoe's writing is dark and evocative--absolutely exquisite from the first word to the last. And there is a twist at the end that made me literally laugh out loud from joy.
October 15, 2015
I enjoyed this book immediately. My only complaint is Mr. Bledsoe said certain things happened in 1958. Yes it was 1958! Then later in the book they kept saying sixty years had passed. 2015-1958 does not equal sixty! I should know, I was born in 1958 & I turned 57 on my birthday in July 2015.
I have earned every silver hair & every wrinkle & wear them with pride. My age doesn't bother me, unless someone is too lazy to trot out a calculator!
So when they say sixty years, it's really 57! ☺️
I have earned every silver hair & every wrinkle & wear them with pride. My age doesn't bother me, unless someone is too lazy to trot out a calculator!
So when they say sixty years, it's really 57! ☺️
November 27, 2018
This was a bit darker than book one and two of the series and I needed a bit longer to get into it. However, the author is an amazing storyteller, who is able to weave a great story with surprising elements thrown in. I loved the ending of this one. Very clever. And now I'm looking forward to book four.
January 28, 2021
Notes:
Currently on Audible Plus
It's not possible to have the story that takes place here without the foundations laid in the first two books. Long Black Curl was great! A fantastic, contemporary fairy tale with all the ups and downs that can explode in the drive for power and vengeance.
Currently on Audible Plus
It's not possible to have the story that takes place here without the foundations laid in the first two books. Long Black Curl was great! A fantastic, contemporary fairy tale with all the ups and downs that can explode in the drive for power and vengeance.
December 13, 2017
The thing I like best about the Tufa novels is that they are so immersive. The atmosphere of the Smoky Mountains, the small town of Needsville, the characters I've come to know- it's like visiting a place you love again when you read another book in the series.
In this book, we learn the fate of Rockhouse Hicks and we see Mandalay Harris take her first steps toward becoming a leader instead of a leader-in-training. We also see more about how the Night Winds can play with time.
The weakest part of the book was probably the actual plot, and that's where it loses a star. Bo-Kate Wisby, exiled long ago for her murderous spree with her lover Jefferson Powell, has figured out a way to return to Needsville. These two were on opposite sides of feuding families (led by Rockhouse Hicks and Mandalay Harris respectively, the Unseelie and the Seelie if you want to know the Fae side of it). The disapproval of their town was enough to make Bo-Kate act out in vengeance.
Now she's back and wants to take over. She wants to modernize Needsville, which means taking the mysticism and magic away in truth. Is that part of her vengeance or does she genuinely believe it's the right thing to do? We never really find out.
Soooo, I always get impatient when there's someone out there doing evil and no one wants to step up to stop them or say anything. That's what happens for most of this book. Bo-Kate behaves badly and no one says boo to her. Why? Because it would "change them" if they tried? I've never bought into this bit. Some people need stopping or they will continue to hurt other people. You're really being complicit if you don't at least try.
The other part of this book that didn't really hang with the rest is Byron Harley, the Hillbilly Hercules. The first part of the story is spellbinding (literally in his case). You've probably heard about plane crashes that have killed some of the early rock and roll stars. Harley survives such a crash in the Smokies, but is then cut loose in time, in the manner of a faerie story. Bledsoe excels at taking these old myths and turning them into what feels like American folklore. But then the tie to Bo-Kate and the rest of the book feels strained.
Bledsoe also has the knack for writing bittersweet, oh-so-human romance. There are a couple of them in this book, and I felt that they were some of the strongest parts. I'm not much of a romantic and they sure tugged my heartstrings.
Once again, I'll be happy to open the next Tufa book.
In this book, we learn the fate of Rockhouse Hicks and we see Mandalay Harris take her first steps toward becoming a leader instead of a leader-in-training. We also see more about how the Night Winds can play with time.
The weakest part of the book was probably the actual plot, and that's where it loses a star. Bo-Kate Wisby, exiled long ago for her murderous spree with her lover Jefferson Powell, has figured out a way to return to Needsville. These two were on opposite sides of feuding families (led by Rockhouse Hicks and Mandalay Harris respectively, the Unseelie and the Seelie if you want to know the Fae side of it). The disapproval of their town was enough to make Bo-Kate act out in vengeance.
Now she's back and wants to take over. She wants to modernize Needsville, which means taking the mysticism and magic away in truth. Is that part of her vengeance or does she genuinely believe it's the right thing to do? We never really find out.
Soooo, I always get impatient when there's someone out there doing evil and no one wants to step up to stop them or say anything. That's what happens for most of this book. Bo-Kate behaves badly and no one says boo to her. Why? Because it would "change them" if they tried? I've never bought into this bit. Some people need stopping or they will continue to hurt other people. You're really being complicit if you don't at least try.
The other part of this book that didn't really hang with the rest is Byron Harley, the Hillbilly Hercules. The first part of the story is spellbinding (literally in his case). You've probably heard about plane crashes that have killed some of the early rock and roll stars. Harley survives such a crash in the Smokies, but is then cut loose in time, in the manner of a faerie story. Bledsoe excels at taking these old myths and turning them into what feels like American folklore. But then the tie to Bo-Kate and the rest of the book feels strained.
Bledsoe also has the knack for writing bittersweet, oh-so-human romance. There are a couple of them in this book, and I felt that they were some of the strongest parts. I'm not much of a romantic and they sure tugged my heartstrings.
Once again, I'll be happy to open the next Tufa book.
June 20, 2016
I've been to Cloud County, home of the Tufa, twice before. Alex Bledsoe took me there, in the first two books of this series. I would have gone back sooner, but 2015 was a crummy year for me, health wise, and my reading slowed, and I was unable to get to this book when it came out. But now, thanks to the magic of the author, and the good sense of my public library, I was able to fly on a song to the land of the Tufa. Once again, I found good writing, fabulous characters, and an enthralling storyline. Yes, that's magic.
Time moves differently in Cloud County. There are faces which have been around for decades, if not centuries, and not necessarily because genes have been passed along to descendants. But in all the years the Tufa have lived there, only two have been banished, "sung out" of the community, unable to return, and unable to find the music and the magic which are lifeblood to Tufa. But now, one has returned, and is out for vengeance.
This is a story of community and family, love and loss, retribution and redemption. Some might even make comparisons to Romeo and Juliet, though for me, that was a lesser part of the plot-line than the journey of the individual characters. It is a tale that deepens the reader's ability to glimpse into a culture carefully crafted by Bledsoe to incorporate music, art, legend, and lore of our own world. Music winds its way through Bledsoe's writing, and plays a background melody for me as I read, reawakening old memories of Child ballads, and rhythms of forgotten tunes I once hummed close to heart, my fingers busy on my dulcimer. Reading these books of the Tufa, for me, becomes a multidimensional experience, those songs of my own past guiding the words of the story. But even without the accompaniment, the story captivates.
Time moves differently in Cloud County. There are faces which have been around for decades, if not centuries, and not necessarily because genes have been passed along to descendants. But in all the years the Tufa have lived there, only two have been banished, "sung out" of the community, unable to return, and unable to find the music and the magic which are lifeblood to Tufa. But now, one has returned, and is out for vengeance.
This is a story of community and family, love and loss, retribution and redemption. Some might even make comparisons to Romeo and Juliet, though for me, that was a lesser part of the plot-line than the journey of the individual characters. It is a tale that deepens the reader's ability to glimpse into a culture carefully crafted by Bledsoe to incorporate music, art, legend, and lore of our own world. Music winds its way through Bledsoe's writing, and plays a background melody for me as I read, reawakening old memories of Child ballads, and rhythms of forgotten tunes I once hummed close to heart, my fingers busy on my dulcimer. Reading these books of the Tufa, for me, becomes a multidimensional experience, those songs of my own past guiding the words of the story. But even without the accompaniment, the story captivates.
December 26, 2015
An absolute rocket-ride of a novel. Bo-Kate Wisby is one of the best female villains I have read in a long, long time. This is Romeo and Juliet, southern fried and vicious, with a batch of Tufa favorites all gathered together to sing their special magic. Don't miss it.
August 26, 2018
97 points/100 (5 stars/5!)
Alert: Gushing Incoming
The Tufa have only exiled two of their own: Bo-Kate Wisby and her lover Jefferson Powell. They could no longer make music, could never come back, and all because they loved each other and killed some people they shouldn't have. Is that really such a crime? Bo-Kate doesn't think so, and she is back, determined to unite the town under one group and change it forever.
I actually never expected this book. I was loving this series before, now I can't even deal with how much I love it. I just want to crawl inside and be a part of the story. Only, not really, because this series would be terrifying to live in. For real, please don't make me go, I promise I'll die if you try to make me.
This is the tale of a villain. I can tell you on exactly one finger how many series have wrote a villain into the primary character in a book with multiple points of view in it. I've seen it in short stories and novellas, sometimes. I've seen them as secondary characters to add perspective. Yet, I have never before seen the villain be the primary character in a book. It actually took me a while into this book, while I was trying to figure out who the main character was this time around before I finally realised it was actually the bad guy!
This is also the first book in the series where I realised just how dark this series is. The Tufa let themselves get away with quite a lot. The list of crimes Bo-Kate commits prior to the start of the series is extensive and horrendous. And the Tufa just kept letting her get away with it until they went one step too far and got exiled. Then, when she got back, the tally just keeps getting going up and up, and it is bad y'all. We've seen them get away with things before, one or two they didn't want to deal with because of who, and what, they were to the Tufa. Even Bronwyn, our first protagonist, wasn't exactly a person without sin. Now we see just how systemic the corruption goes. It isn't a pretty site. Yet, somehow, it is perfectly fae. I love it.
Bo-Kate is trying to take advantage of the gap in leadership left after Rockhouse Hicks was taken down in the end of the last book. She sees there is a weakness, she doesn't believe Mandalay or anyone else poses a threat to her, and she is going to take it. It helps that she just isn't quite right. She will literally stop at nothing to get what she wants. She'll kill anyone, do anything, fuck anyone. There is no end but her in control or dead.
The other major character in Long Black Curl is a little girl. We've met her before, she is the leader of one clan of the fae. Mandalay is only 12, and she has all these ability and Power, as well as all these memories. Yet, she is still only a kid, with kid desires. She is overwhelmed already, and then Bo-Kate comes along and is making it even harder. I feel for Mandalay. I liked her storyline a lot.
There is also a tertiary storyline involving a human musician that was in a plane crash decades ago and caught in fairy time. He just wants to get down the mountain and inform his family that he isn't dead because he doesn't want them to worry. Of course it is much too late. I was wondering where Bledsoe was going with this character most of the book, since he kept cropping up. This is the one time where I actually don't exactly like where the story went. I'm not certain it added anything that wasn't already brewing in the background already, and I just don't like what happened.
This was such a powerful story. It took me places where I don't actually get to venture often, and for that I can only give it the best of all my praise. I loved this so much, I didn't want it to end, which is why I read it slower than I have read something in quite some time. Absolutely brilliant.
Alert: Gushing Incoming
The Tufa have only exiled two of their own: Bo-Kate Wisby and her lover Jefferson Powell. They could no longer make music, could never come back, and all because they loved each other and killed some people they shouldn't have. Is that really such a crime? Bo-Kate doesn't think so, and she is back, determined to unite the town under one group and change it forever.
I actually never expected this book. I was loving this series before, now I can't even deal with how much I love it. I just want to crawl inside and be a part of the story. Only, not really, because this series would be terrifying to live in. For real, please don't make me go, I promise I'll die if you try to make me.
This is the tale of a villain. I can tell you on exactly one finger how many series have wrote a villain into the primary character in a book with multiple points of view in it. I've seen it in short stories and novellas, sometimes. I've seen them as secondary characters to add perspective. Yet, I have never before seen the villain be the primary character in a book. It actually took me a while into this book, while I was trying to figure out who the main character was this time around before I finally realised it was actually the bad guy!
This is also the first book in the series where I realised just how dark this series is. The Tufa let themselves get away with quite a lot. The list of crimes Bo-Kate commits prior to the start of the series is extensive and horrendous. And the Tufa just kept letting her get away with it until they went one step too far and got exiled. Then, when she got back, the tally just keeps getting going up and up, and it is bad y'all. We've seen them get away with things before, one or two they didn't want to deal with because of who, and what, they were to the Tufa. Even Bronwyn, our first protagonist, wasn't exactly a person without sin. Now we see just how systemic the corruption goes. It isn't a pretty site. Yet, somehow, it is perfectly fae. I love it.
Bo-Kate is trying to take advantage of the gap in leadership left after Rockhouse Hicks was taken down in the end of the last book. She sees there is a weakness, she doesn't believe Mandalay or anyone else poses a threat to her, and she is going to take it. It helps that she just isn't quite right. She will literally stop at nothing to get what she wants. She'll kill anyone, do anything, fuck anyone. There is no end but her in control or dead.
The other major character in Long Black Curl is a little girl. We've met her before, she is the leader of one clan of the fae. Mandalay is only 12, and she has all these ability and Power, as well as all these memories. Yet, she is still only a kid, with kid desires. She is overwhelmed already, and then Bo-Kate comes along and is making it even harder. I feel for Mandalay. I liked her storyline a lot.
There is also a tertiary storyline involving a human musician that was in a plane crash decades ago and caught in fairy time. He just wants to get down the mountain and inform his family that he isn't dead because he doesn't want them to worry. Of course it is much too late. I was wondering where Bledsoe was going with this character most of the book, since he kept cropping up. This is the one time where I actually don't exactly like where the story went. I'm not certain it added anything that wasn't already brewing in the background already, and I just don't like what happened.
This was such a powerful story. It took me places where I don't actually get to venture often, and for that I can only give it the best of all my praise. I loved this so much, I didn't want it to end, which is why I read it slower than I have read something in quite some time. Absolutely brilliant.
December 8, 2022
3.75/5
Bledsoe is really superb at constructing a sense of place and community. The characters feel fully realised; the blend between small town Appalachian hick and otherworldly faerie Tufa is incredibly difficult to describe, and incredibly effective: I both believe that these people are the long-lived semi-immortal descendents of exiled fairies AND that they embody some of the oft-evoked stereotypes characteristics of deep rural Tennessee, which are portrayed unflinchingly, without disgust, sentimentality, or apology. I really respect this world that Bledsoe has created.
(I also respect the body count. One advantage of such a well-constructed world and community is that you've got a lot of characters to bump off whose deaths are meaningful and important, and who also don't overly shrink the cast because there are so many other people in play. I can't emphasize enough how the social world-building is really really well done!)
And yet, somehow, this particular book didn't really work for me, because overlaid on top of everything was a rather tedious reliance on sex as characterization. The bad woman comes to town, and she is sexually voracious--which is, to be sure, balanced by one of the people standing against her, who is also sexually voracious. So it's not shaming exactly--Bledsoe never shames anyone for anything in his books, even some of the pretty terrible things they do--but I did get rather annoyed at all the male gaze and all of the use of sex as power. And it's not even as simple as 'powerful women always employ sex as power', which would be a tedious stereotype, because one of the most powerful people is a twelve-year-old girl who has nothing to do with sex. Bledsoe scorns easy stereotypes. But still, the sex seemed unnecessary.
Also, gotta say that Nigel's storyline would have perhaps been less distressing if he were not the sole black guy in the book. I see what Bledsoe was doing, and in a way it's not any different from what he's doing with everyone else. He is not kind to his characters, and he's not cruel. He just is. And so Nigel's story is what Nigel's story was. But still. The only black guy. Not a great look.
Bledsoe is really superb at constructing a sense of place and community. The characters feel fully realised; the blend between small town Appalachian hick and otherworldly faerie Tufa is incredibly difficult to describe, and incredibly effective: I both believe that these people are the long-lived semi-immortal descendents of exiled fairies AND that they embody some of the oft-evoked stereotypes characteristics of deep rural Tennessee, which are portrayed unflinchingly, without disgust, sentimentality, or apology. I really respect this world that Bledsoe has created.
(I also respect the body count. One advantage of such a well-constructed world and community is that you've got a lot of characters to bump off whose deaths are meaningful and important, and who also don't overly shrink the cast because there are so many other people in play. I can't emphasize enough how the social world-building is really really well done!)
And yet, somehow, this particular book didn't really work for me, because overlaid on top of everything was a rather tedious reliance on sex as characterization. The bad woman comes to town, and she is sexually voracious--which is, to be sure, balanced by one of the people standing against her, who is also sexually voracious. So it's not shaming exactly--Bledsoe never shames anyone for anything in his books, even some of the pretty terrible things they do--but I did get rather annoyed at all the male gaze and all of the use of sex as power. And it's not even as simple as 'powerful women always employ sex as power', which would be a tedious stereotype, because one of the most powerful people is a twelve-year-old girl who has nothing to do with sex. Bledsoe scorns easy stereotypes. But still, the sex seemed unnecessary.
Also, gotta say that Nigel's storyline would have perhaps been less distressing if he were not the sole black guy in the book. I see what Bledsoe was doing, and in a way it's not any different from what he's doing with everyone else. He is not kind to his characters, and he's not cruel. He just is. And so Nigel's story is what Nigel's story was. But still. The only black guy. Not a great look.
July 12, 2020
The third book in Bledsoe's Tufa series is a tale of love and revenge. The two families of the Tufa have long had a blood feud that forbade intermingling, but when Bo Kate and Jeffreys fell in love, they broke that compact. What followed was a trail of destruction and blood, finally leading to both families exiling the pair. Years later, Bo Kate has found a way back and the only thing on her mind is to wipe out the Tufa for good.
Just as gritty and emotionally complex as the previous books, Long Black Curl delves even further into the reaches of folklore and folk song to give the reader an eerie tale of poisonous star-crossed lovers. Mandelay Harris - the twelve year old repository of Tufa wisdom - has a secondary coming of age plot here as she faces her biggest challenge yet. And most poignant of all, is the interweaving of musician, Byron, a man out of time.
Really enjoyed this episode. These books are so underrated. Highly recommend - and they can be read in whatever order you like as each is a standalone within the broader scope of the series.
CW: racial and misogynistic pejoratives (though never gratuitous, always via dialogue and always challenged on page)
Just as gritty and emotionally complex as the previous books, Long Black Curl delves even further into the reaches of folklore and folk song to give the reader an eerie tale of poisonous star-crossed lovers. Mandelay Harris - the twelve year old repository of Tufa wisdom - has a secondary coming of age plot here as she faces her biggest challenge yet. And most poignant of all, is the interweaving of musician, Byron, a man out of time.
Really enjoyed this episode. These books are so underrated. Highly recommend - and they can be read in whatever order you like as each is a standalone within the broader scope of the series.
CW: racial and misogynistic pejoratives (though never gratuitous, always via dialogue and always challenged on page)
July 13, 2017
The Tufa chain of command is shaken when Bo-Kate, who had been expelled from the town, returns and murders one of the leaders.
Good thing: Twelve-year-old Mandalay's character deepened in this book as she has to stand up for her position just when first love is hitting her over the head.
Bad thing: I think the character of Byron Harley, the "Hillbilly Hercules" was unnecessary and could have been left out entirely.
I've enjoyed all three of the Tufa books I've read and will definitely be reading the next book.
Good thing: Twelve-year-old Mandalay's character deepened in this book as she has to stand up for her position just when first love is hitting her over the head.
Bad thing: I think the character of Byron Harley, the "Hillbilly Hercules" was unnecessary and could have been left out entirely.
I've enjoyed all three of the Tufa books I've read and will definitely be reading the next book.
February 26, 2023
Alex Bledsoe's Tufa series has entranced me from the start, and this installment was no different. His spectacular writing, too-real characters, and magic-tinted Appalachia are musical and affecting in every way, and each book leaves me wanting more. The haunting quality of this story will, I think, stay with me even longer than the others, he used music to such marvelous effect.
I'd absolutely recommend this series to any readers of contemporary fantasy, though the term doesn't do the Tufa novels justice.
I'd absolutely recommend this series to any readers of contemporary fantasy, though the term doesn't do the Tufa novels justice.
January 22, 2018
3.5 stars
Review later
Review later
July 22, 2018
3rd in the Tufa series and does not disappoint! Set in the heart of the Appalachian Mts, this series is about the Tufa (fae) people. Juxtaposing modern day and old world mythology, this book is rich in the history of the Tufa and their jealousies and magic. So good!
January 26, 2021
another great installment, not my top fave, but weird and a wild ride. Looking forward to the next one to see where Bledsoe goes with the Tufa
June 25, 2015
Jefferson Powell loved Bo-Kate Whisby’s long black curls so much that he feels he lost his mind while they were together and they committed unspeakable crimes, just because they could. These heinous acts got them both cast out of the Tufa community and their music taken away. When Bo-Kate returns to Needsville, uncursed and with her music intact, Leader of the First Daughters, Mandalay must find out how she was able to break her banishment and she needs Jefferson’s help to do it. Bo-Kate wants to destroy the Tufa for what they did to her and she’ll let nothing and no one stand in her way. Some of my favorite characters go the way of “Game of Thrones” and Bo-Kate’s inventiveness at removing these obstacles is pretty gruesome. It doesn’t matter that Mandalay has the weight of a thousand years of First Daughters in her head, she’s only twelve and she’s terrified of failing and what Bo-Kate will do to her when that happens. We do get to see Bronwyn again but she is eight months pregnant and mostly a secondary character. I read the two short stories on Bledsoe’s webpage that fill in between the second book and this third one and they were lovely. This series just keeps getting better and I preorder these as soon as I know what the title is so I don’t forget.
June 4, 2015
Another great Tufa book from Alex Bledsoe. Such a rich world made of the Fae as Appalachian musicians one of the things that i love about the series is that characters come and go from main characters to supporting and back again, the books are about the Tufa, not one character. Great modern fantasy, and these three books make a nice trilogy. I don't want to spoil the book, but it took me by surprise and the villain is outstanding in her likably evil way. Smug yet intriguing all the way to the end.
November 26, 2016
I was able to read this book in a single sitting, thanks to the Black Friday slowness at work. (No one buys paint on Black Friday.)
As usual, the text was tight and flowing. The characters were unforgettable. The setting was pristine in its backwoods poverty.
However, with this book, a tale of revenge and power, Bledsoe created in Bo-Kate Wisby one of the most memorable and interesting villains in recent literary memory. She is at once a despised character, but also someone you cannot stop watching. Absolutely riveting!
As usual, the text was tight and flowing. The characters were unforgettable. The setting was pristine in its backwoods poverty.
However, with this book, a tale of revenge and power, Bledsoe created in Bo-Kate Wisby one of the most memorable and interesting villains in recent literary memory. She is at once a despised character, but also someone you cannot stop watching. Absolutely riveting!
January 10, 2017
Audiobook
Bledsoe is absolutely fearless as a writer. If you're touchy about political correctness, you may want to skip this book, but if you decide to soldier on, you're in for a ride. He addresses racism matter-of-factly and without apology.
This book centers on Bo-Kate, a psychopathic Tufa woman who sees nothing wrong with murdering anyone who gets in her way, or cutting off fingers, or using others to do her dirty work.
Like I said before, this is the fae world like you've never seen it - dirty, gritty, and filled with music.
Bledsoe is absolutely fearless as a writer. If you're touchy about political correctness, you may want to skip this book, but if you decide to soldier on, you're in for a ride. He addresses racism matter-of-factly and without apology.
This book centers on Bo-Kate, a psychopathic Tufa woman who sees nothing wrong with murdering anyone who gets in her way, or cutting off fingers, or using others to do her dirty work.
Like I said before, this is the fae world like you've never seen it - dirty, gritty, and filled with music.
May 27, 2015
3.5 Review coming soon www.fantasyliterature.com
February 7, 2017
Really good story and mind bending characters.
There's a lot of politically incorrect content in this story, if you're sensitive you might want to skip it.
There's a lot of politically incorrect content in this story, if you're sensitive you might want to skip it.
October 11, 2018
There’s no way my review will ever do this book justice. There are no words good enough to describe the beauty of it but I will try. Just like how the music in the story comes alive and is magical, so is this book. All books touch the heart in ways but rarely do they touch the soul. This author has the ability to do just that. The faeries in this book aren’t shiny like the pretty baubles in my favorite genre of Urban Fantasy. No, this is more like an urban legend. This is a tale of a people in the mountains of the Appalachia in Tennessee. The Tufa are a shy secretive people. It’s been said that they were here before the Indians. They mind their own business and stay untouched by the outside world for the most. You won’t find them on any map, and if you hear stories of them and try to find their town, you won’t be able to. Only if the night winds allow it. One would think they were just another bunch of rednecks growing up in the mountains. But there’s magic and power in them. Power for the good mostly. But sometimes people start out selfish and greedy. Thinking only of themselves. This is what happens with one young lady from Needsville, Tennessee. She was born Tufa. At a young age her and her boyfriend were like poison to the town. They did unspeakable things and were banished for good, never to find their way back. Or so they thought. As time went on, the young lady only grew more bitter and filled with more rage. Always longing for the place she was from and the magic. One day she shows back up, back to take what she believes is rightfully hers. She is back to be the leader. What she leaves in her wake is nothing but tragedy, one after another. I cried during sone of it because it felt so real. This author’s characters are so real from the first chapter. This is a tale of how the Tufa set out to stop the woman. I rooted for them all the way. This series is so epic! It should be part of literature for college. Right up there with The Iliad. It’s a classic. It puts me in the mind of Neil Gaiman but still the most original work. A masterpiece. I loved how the band from Tutha Da Danaan (spelling)Pigeon Forge, Tennessee was in the book at the end. They wrote and perform the songs that go with these books. That’s something to experience. It sends the shivers up my arms, just like the title of the first book. I read this book second. I had the second one and was going to read it but needed an audiobook so I got the third. It makes sense reading it that way but there is so much I missed that happened to characters in the second. Throughout the series, the same characters will be in it. It appears that characters from the outside world are introduced and the affect the Tufa leave on them. They are never the same.
If you never listen to but one audiobook in life, this series should be the one. I could see a movie of it playing in my head. The narrator was perfect! I really wish this series and author were advertised more. But it appears the author is a humble man who is as aloof as Rockhouse Hicks in his books. Hope you guys read this series. You won’t regret it.
If you never listen to but one audiobook in life, this series should be the one. I could see a movie of it playing in my head. The narrator was perfect! I really wish this series and author were advertised more. But it appears the author is a humble man who is as aloof as Rockhouse Hicks in his books. Hope you guys read this series. You won’t regret it.
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