"In the realm of Faerie, the time has come for Roiben's coronation. Uneasy in the midst of the malevolent Unseelie Court, pixie Kaye is sure of only one thing -- her love for Roiben. But when Kaye, drunk on faerie wine, declares herself to Roiben, he sends her on a seemingly impossible quest. Now Kaye can't see or speak to Roiben unless she can find the one thing she knows doesn't exist: a faerie who can tell a lie.Miserable and convinced she belongs nowhere, Kaye decides to tell her mother the truth -- that she is a changeling left in place of the human daughter stolen long ago. Her mother's shock and horror sends Kaye back to the world of Faerie to find her human counterpart and return her to Ironside. But once back in the faerie courts, Kaye finds herself a pawn in the games of Silarial, queen of the Seelie Court. Silarial wants Roiben's throne, and she will use Kaye, and any means necessary, to get it. In this game of wits and weapons, can a pixie outplay a queen?
Holly Black spins a seductive tale at once achingly real and chillingly enchanted, set in a dangerous world where pleasure mingles with pain and nothing is exactly as it appears."
I skipped reading Valiant right after Tithe because I needed to know if Roiben & Kaye get to have a happy ending. I liked reading Ironside but there was too little Roiben/Kaye interaction for my taste even though it was the kind of interaction I approve of which was heartening.
I also felt like the fairy mythology got convoluted and confusing at times. It might just be me but there seemed to be several loose plot threads left at the end of the book. It was definitely an entertaining story to read but not one I would recommend to any of my younger friends since it is not without its earthy moments. Because Valiant is a companion book set in the same world as Tithe & Ironside but not a sequel I don't feel as excited to read it. I'm sure I'll get around to it but in the end I like reading these types of the stories for the romance which doesn't seem to be a big part of Valiant.
