Fate by Jennifer Lynn Barnes - REVIEW

FATE BY JENNIFER LYNN BARNES

Fate is the second novel in the Tattoo series by Jennifer Lynn Barnes and is published in the UK by Delacorte Press Books on the 10^th March 2009

PLOT

For the past two years, Bailey Morgan has lived a double life: high school student by day, ancient mystical being by night. As the third Fate, Bailey literally controls the fate of the world, but as Plain Old Bailey, her life is falling apart. She’s got a tattoo that was supposed to be temporary (but isn’t), friendships that were supposed to last forever (but might not), and no idea what her future holds after high school graduation.

Then Bailey meets the rest of the Sidhe, an ancient race defined by their power, beauty, and a sinister habit of getting what they want at any cost. Before Bailey knows it, she’s being drawn into an otherworldly web more complicated than anything she weaves as a mortal Fate.

WHAT I THOUGHT

I liked Tattoo the first book in the series so I was very interested to see how things would play out given the status quo at the end of that novel.  Now things have been moved on by two years and we see that while some things have changed a lot has stayed the same. Bailey still has the same issues with a lack of confidence and at the start of the book we are giving some gleams into the past that says that everything didn’t work out perfectly between her and her intended.

Bailey is an interesting character and one her most redeeming features is the strength she displays when it comes to anything dealing that might threaten her friends. This is in total contrast to her lack of confidence when dealing with standing up for herself. It can be frustrating but it also goes a long way to showing exactly how much she cares about her friends. The split between Bailey as a human and Bailey as a fate is also interesting it makes sense though that there should be disconnect between the two.

The circle of friends are a joy to read you can see a thread running through both books that Bailey wishes she were more like her friends as they are far more comfortable with who they are and I think Bailey can see that. They are pretty much perfect Delia the popular girl who is nice to everyone, Annabelle the brainy one and perhaps closest to Bailey in term of not fully utilising her potential and Zo the tiny firecracker who will stand in front of any threat to her friends.

The world of Sidhe is an interesting place and the lore taking elements of Greek and Celtic Mythology. The only drawback is that with a decent grasp of the lore (thank you Percy Jackson) or just paying attention to me at least the conclusion of the book seems just a little self evident and that part of it grinded on me a little but not so bad that it ruined the entire book for me.

Overall Fate has left me anxious to see if there will be a third book in the series. It is a good book about friendship and the real themes of getting older and deciding what to do with one’s life.  I can recommend Fate as a good read.