Illusions (Pike novel)

Plot summary

Following the events of Spells, Laurel has been living a relatively normal life in Crescent City, California, dating her boyfriend David and hanging out with her best friend Chelsea. Though she did return to Avalon for training over the summer, she has not seen her usual guardian, Tamani, since sending him away. When he appears at Laurel's school posing as a transfer student from Scotland, she is both surprised and relieved. But Tamani is not the only new student at Del Norte High School, and Laurel soon discovers that Yuki, a Japanese exchange student, is also a faerie under the guardianship of Klea, a troll-hunter who has aided Laurel in the past.

As Laurel works to discover what kind of faerie Yuki is, the love triangle involving Tamani, Laurel, and David is brought into the foreground of the series as the boys are forced to see one another every day. Laurel feels herself stretched thin as she pursues Yuki, mediates between the boys in her life, and attempts to help her friend Chelsea cope with a dissolving romantic relationship, and her worsening headaches soon lead to a fainting spell during a troll attack. Concerned for Laurel's safety, Tamani tracks the trolls back to a cabin hidden by what appears to be faerie magic more powerful than anything Yuki should be capable of.

In re-examining what they know about Klea, Laurel and Tamani decide that she must also be a faerie, but they are uncertain how to prove it. When Tamani accompanies Yuki to a winter dance, his hands secrete pollen, which they only do when he is around a faerie in bloom. This reveals that Yuki is in fact, a winter faerie, the most powerful kind of faerie and has been concealing her nature from them all along. Feeling threatened, Tamani uses David and Chelsea to trap Yuki. They see the blossom on her back that is proof of her power and the book ends in a cliffhanger.

Characters

Laurel is the main character. She is a fall fairy who was sent to live in the human world when she was young. In the first book, Wings, she finds out that she is a fall fairy when she first blossoms.

Tamani is a spring fairy, whose job is to protect Laurel. He has had a crush on Laurel since before she was moved to the human world.

David was Laurel's boyfriend in the previous books, but in Illusions Laurel breaks up with him. He was the first person Laurel went to when she was finding out she was a fairy. They currently remain friends.

Chelsea is one of Laurel's best friends. She was held hostage by a troll who tried to kill Laurel in the previous books. Being held hostage by the troll had made Laurel agree to telling Chelsea about being a fairy.

Yuki is a fairy who they find out to be a winter fairy in the end of the book by seeing her blossom. She is a huge threat to them all. She is working with Klea and the trolls.

Klea is a person who has saved Laurel and David's lives a few times now, but they have never trusted her. At the end of the book they discover she is a fairy as well, but they don't know what kind of fairy she is or how big of a threat she is. She is working with Yuki and the trolls.

Critical reception

Like prior books in the series, Illusions met with positive reviews prior to release. Lisa McMann provided a cover blurb, asking, "Who knew faeries could be this cool? Illusions has it all. It’s fascinating, rich, and romantic, and weaves a great new tapestry of thrilling fantasy." Booklist wrote, "The Wings [series] continues with a twist. A dramatic conclusion will leave readers anxious for the next installment." Raven Haller of the Romantic Times said, "Pike has taken her already acclaimed series and turned the story up a notch. It’s full of plot twists and character development that keep the pages flying. You’ll love seeing Pike explore and develop her faerie world and its politics. I can hardly wait for the next book!"