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    Ink Exchange
    Ink Exchange
    Ink Exchange
    Audiobook9 hours

    Ink Exchange

    Written by Melissa Marr

    Narrated by Nick Landrum

    3.5/5

    ()

    About this audiobook

    The second installment in Melissa Marr’s #1 New York Times bestselling Wicked Lovely series brings readers back to the land of faerie and delivers another stunning, high-stakes romance.

    Unbeknownst to mortals, a power struggle is unfolding in a world of shadows and danger. After centuries of stability, the balance among the Faery Courts has altered, and Irial, ruler of the Dark Court, is battling to hold his rebellious and newly vulnerable fey together. If he fails, bloodshed and brutality will follow.

    Seventeen-year-old Leslie knows nothing of faeries or their intrigues. When she is attracted to an eerily beautiful tattoo of eyes and wings, all she knows is that she has to have it, convinced it is a tangible symbol of changes she desperately craves for her own life.

    The tattoo does bring changes—not the kind Leslie has dreamed of, but sinister, compelling changes that are more than symbolic. Those changes will bind Leslie and Irial together, drawing Leslie deeper and deeper into the faery world, unable to resist its allures, and helpless to withstand its perils. . .

    LanguageEnglish
    PublisherHarperCollins
    Release dateJul 29, 2008
    ISBN9780061691799
    Ink Exchange
    Author

    Melissa Marr

    Melissa Marr was voted in high school the “most likely to end up in jail”. Instead, she went to graduate school, worked in a bar, became a teacher and did a lot of writing. Her novels Wicked Lovely, Ink Exchange and Fragile Eternity are published by HarperCollins.

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    Reviews for Ink Exchange

    3.5/5

    1,093 ratings82 reviews

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    • 5/5
      This second book in the series shifts focus away from Aislinn, Seth, and Keenan and instead puts one of Aislinn's friends center stage as she unwittingly enters the business and awareness of the fairies when she chooses a special pattern for her first tattoo.The problem with talking about books in a series is that you can't...talk about them without giving things away. So I'll just say that I enjoyed this one nearly as much as the first, and I particularly liked how abuse gets treated in both a read and a metaphorical way.
    • 4/5
      Once again, you don't read this series for its spectacular writing or even its ability to neatly start and finish a story - its purely for the theme and perhaps the characters. In this case, for me, it was for the lovely Niall and Irial, two men whom I would personally love to spend some more time with.

      The main character, Leslie, wasn't the strong lead I was hoping for, and her fixation on a tattoo 'changing her life' didn't really feel plausible for me.

      The flow of Ink Exchange was really erratic and seemed to jump all over the place at the expense of the characters beginning to sound 'inauthentic' - the dialogue became merely a means to quickly steer the story to a particular scene or direction that inevitably, didn't really lead anywhere. It was practically over before it began, leaving me unsatisfied with the 'ending', if you can call it that.

      I also felt the love connections in this book were more one sided, whereas the relationship between Aislinn (who, to me, sounded far less mature and queen-like in this story than she did in her own novel and wasn't a very likeable character in this either) and Seth felt genuine and un-forced. Personally, I felt Niall and Irial deserved more of a woman to fall in love with.

      In all honesty, the only reason I liked this book was because of the theme (faeries, a touch of passionate violence and slightly-forbidden love) and because of Niall (my leading man) and Irial, whom I may or may not have slightly fallen in love with (they remind me quite of bit of the Salvatore brothers from the Vampire Diaries I read back when I was a tween)...

      There is so much potential for stories told with these characters and their histories, but this particular one missed the mark. Three days later, I may have forgotten the plot line, but I haven't forgotten the 'faery world' or the characters in it - apart from Leslie who made no impact on me at all.
    • 4/5
      Ink Exchange is Melissa Marr's follow up to the book Wicked Lovely. This book follows Leslie, one of Aislinn's best frinds, as she struggles to deal with her personal demons. Leslie decides to get a tattoo to sybolize the changes she wants to have in her life. When she sees the tattoo of a beautiful pair of wings in the tattoo shop, she knows that it's the one for her. Little does she know the changes it will bring to her life. For after she gets the tattoo, Leslie is bound to the Dark Court of the fearie that world that she knows nothing about.



      Although Ink Exchange does move over and follow Leslie's introduction to the Fearie world, Keenan, Seth and Aislinn from the first book are there also in the background. Marr also gives us new characters and allows the readers to see things from the point of the view of the Dark Court. She allows us to see that the Dark Court isn't all evil and that there are shades of grey in everything. Now I'm off to read the next chapter to the series, Fragile Eternity.
    • 5/5
      What can I say? Loving this series. If you read WICKED LOVELY, I'd highly recommend picking up this next installment. It doesn't deal directly with Aislinn and Keenan (they are there still, just not the main focus) but Leslie's story is very much a part of the overall series and neccessary (to this reader at least) to understand the overall series. Darker than book one, but a message of strenth and how it is truly defined in the end.
    • 3/5
      I wish I remembered more from Wicked Lovely to help keep things straight while listening to Ink Exchange. A wounded teenager is tricked into being a conduit for feeding negative emotion to bad bad fairies via a lovely tattoo. I was a little put off at first by the male narrator, because I felt it was more Leslie's story than Neal's or Iriel's, but I enjoyed the over the top emotion and semi-empathy with the creepy fae.
    • 4/5
      The first time I read Ink Exchange was back in 2010 and I really enjoyed it. Now that I’ve re-read it, I still think it’s a great book. I still really enjoyed it.I probably said this in my review of Wicked Lovely but I’m not the biggest fan of books about faeries. For some reason I’m almost always disappointed by them. However, I love this series.Leslie is a great character. I love how real she is. I love that she can be both scared and strong. Irial is pretty great too. I just wish there was more Seth since he is my favorite character in the series.I am super happy I am reading the Wicked Lovely series again. I remember loving it the first time I read it, so I have no idea why I never got around to reading the last book, Darkest Mercy. I can’t wait to start re-reading Fragile Eternity.
    • 2/5
      I didn't like it. I got Leslie's reason for wanting a tattoo. But I thought it was dumb. She is working so hard to save money. She has plans to go to college. She has a plan to escape her awful life. Why waste money on a tattoo? Shouldn't it all be going to get out? It bothered me that the book seems to be accepting the Dark Court. The view portrayed is that they can't help being what they are. No one is willing to condemn them for the awful things they do. Or say the world would be better with them gone.Aislinn is a terrible friend to Leslie. She knows how bad things are for Leslie but does nothing to help. Aislinn has Niall watch over Leslie, but he can't do anything to help or even really offer her friendship. I liked the version of the tattoo on the cover better than the one in the author's note. I like the arrow not outline, but created by empty space and the more stylized
    • 4/5
      So I'm writing after reading several more books and I know that's probably coloring my thoughts. I really wanted Leslie with Niall, and having her join the dark court got- not just messy- but dirty is probably the word. She lost herself before it happened and the ink exchange didn't fix things, but perhaps it was what she needed to help herself out from where she was- not a happy ending, but perhaps a resolution.
    • 1/5
      I really liked Wicked Lovely, but this one I didn't even understand . . .
    • 4/5
      I really enjoyed the 2nd book in the Wicked Lovely series. At first I thought it was going to be one of those series that has a different set of characters in each book, so I was pleased to see Seth, Keenan and Aislinn in this book as well. This time we get to see more of the "Dark Court" of the faeries and we get to know one of Keenan's "friends" better and one of Aislinn's friends better. We also meet some new faeries and some half-fey. The idea of the Ink Exchange is rather horrifying to me as a lover of tatts, but I'm satisfied with how it all turned out in the end...even if I can't use the word happy. I'll definitely keep reading this series.
    • 4/5
      Now that I've listened to Ink Exchange, some of the changes in Darkest Mercy make me smile. I'm glad Leslie was able to fight back.
    • 3/5
      First off, I'd suggest reading this only after reading the first book in the series, Wicked Lovely. Ink Exchange focuses on different characters than Wicked Lovely, and the story stands on its own; but Marr did most of her world-building in her first book. I was about halfway through Ink Exchange before I figuratively threw up my hands, paused in reading it, got Wicked Lovely from the library, read it, and then finished Ink Exchange.And did I like this book? Well, not as much as Wicked Lovely, but it was still an entertaining read. After all, I did finish reading it after that pause. It was more about addiction, which just doesn't interest me that much as a topic. I liked that even though Leslie was in a bad situation and often not in control of her life, she still kept insisting on making her own decisions as much as she was able, rather than relying on other people to rescue her. I'm still interested enough in the series to want to read at least the third book. (Neither of these books ends on a cliffhanger, so don't worry about reading this and being left up in the air about what happens to Leslie.)
    • 5/5
      1/4 way review: Dark, disturbing, and confusing (since I read Wicked Lovely about 2 years ago) Apparently, there are enough details that I've forgotten that this book is pretty difficult to follow. It's vocabulary is also way up there, and I find myself looking up a lot of words in my ipod dictionary. I'm halfway through, and I'm considering giving up because I just don't understand the concept of fairies "nourishing" on the negative feelings of mortals....is this a physical act? It keeps the fairies from "starving...." I just really can't visualize this whole process and I wonder if it's supposed to make sense by now and won't get any clearer...

      Finished review: I persevered through the issues explained above, and I'm SO lucky that I did! This novel is so engrossing that I canceled fun real-life plans to stay home and finish. If anyone else reads this too long after reading Wicked Lovely, don't give up; everything becomes clearer, although gradually. Reading this, I paused to reflect on the concept of perception, art, character (especially integrity), sacrifice, dealing with change, addiction, coping strategies, the absence of "good" and "evil", the purpose that suffering plays in our lives, etc. while being thoroughly entertained by a dark, suspenseful, well-written, captivating story of victimization and, surprisingly, love.

      I've spent some time weighing the truth of these statements: "Sometimes love means letting go when you want to hold on tighter," and "The things you do when you're desperate aren't who you are."
      I'm not sure if I can agree with the second, and it's an idea that's "nourished" my brain for a while today.

      True to the themes presented by Ink Exchange, Marr does not turn her readers into addicts needing the next "fix" by ending in a cliffhanger that leaves one dissatisfied and hungry for more. Although there are at least 5 books in this series, each stands alone and leaves you content and free to choose to continue on or not.
    • 5/5
      Very interesting and dark, loved it
    • 2/5
      Disappointing compared to the first book in the series. I loved the first book so much I read it in two days and went together the rest of the books in the series immediately. Ink Exchange just didn't grab me the way Wicked Lovely did. I didn't like Leslie much as a main character, I wanted to feel some sympathy for her due to the horrible things she had been subjected to, but I just...didn't. Niall's obsession was creepy and annoying. And I didn't see how a tattoo for Leslie will make everything better.

      I did however, enjoy the world building, I loved learning more about the Dark Court and the types of fairies that lived there and how they interacted and played with mortals and it was more the world building that got me through this that the characters.

      The story did get a little better towards the end of the novel but all in all just not as good as the first book.
    • 4/5
      Aislinn’s friend Leslie leads a life of pain and fear, but she’s sure she can banish both when she gets an elaborate tattoo that she’s been obsessed with ever since she saw it. What she doesn’t know is that the tattoo will link her inextricably to the Dark Court, drawing as much power from her as she ever hoped to draw from it. The balance of power among the Faery Courts has shifted, and the Dark King Irial is looking for ways to strengthen his fae. As he siphons her negative feelings to nourish his court, he finds himself developing feelings of his own.Where I liked Wicked Lovely, I adored Ink Exchange. I’m not a willfully tough, hanging out in biker bars and buying skull-patterned accessories kind of gal. I don’t do tattoos and my piercings were plentiful, but in tame locations. I say this for context: I am not predisposed to like guns’n’violence posturing. Marr’s depiction of the Dark Court is intoxicating, Irial’s dark charm and Leslie’s descent into his world were so sensually depicted I couldn’t stop reading until I reached the end. The relationships that develop between Irial, Niall, and Leslie are so unexpected and unique in this type of book, but they feel inevitable. Fundamentally right. While it moves the chess pieces in the larger plot, the book explores the darkness that can exist in love.
    • 5/5
      My favourite of the three books so far, I am in love with Irial and Niall and all their Dark King charm. Leslie is a much more humane and bearable heroine than Aislinn. I love how they all call Keenan Kingling, so funny!
    • 3/5
      The second book in the Wicked Lovely series is decidely darker than the first book, especially as it focuses on the Dark Court. A major plot point is Leslie's struggles to deal with how her brother and father have fallen off the "deep end" and the rape that her brother allowed to happen to her. She believes a tattoo will allow her to reclaim her body as her own and stop being afraid, but the tattoo she chooses has unimaginable consequences as she becomes entangled into the drama of the faery courts that her best friend Aislinn belongs to.
      I like the change in main characters, as we get to see this world through other characters' eyes as well as learn about different aspects that Keenan or Aislinn may not be familiar with. I had a difficult time finding a character to really love, as all three of the main characters, Leslie, Irial, and Niall, all seemed to have major faults that I had a hard time getting around. The theme for this book seemed to be the darker side of humanity and how deeply entrenched people can get into the "gray" area of life, while still believing that they are not doing anything wrong. Irial wants to only use Leslie, just as he has for every other mortal, but then he falls for her. Leslie wants to be her own person and hates her brother for his druggie lifestyle, but then becomes an addict just like Ren. Niall has shunned the Dark Court for all it stands for, even denying his own nature, but then wants Leslie so bad that he unknowingly uses what he is and what the Dark Court is about to try and lure her to him. In a word, they all behave like hypocrites, but Marr is such a good writer, that I find myself feeling sorry for all of them at some point. While in many fantasy genre works, the female lead often has to choose between two guys, Marr takes a completely unpredictable approach, and I think that I like this ending the best of all possibilities. Plus, since this is only the second book in a series, there is potential for Leslie to change her mind in the long run as she becomes more comfortable in her own skin.
      The way that Marr approaches the horrific trauma that Leslie endured prior to this book's beginning is handled very delicately, as it should be. It is never really described in detail what exactly happens to her, and it is mostly left up to the reader's imagination, which I think is a smart move in that girls who have been in a situation similar to Leslie's can relate to her and feel like they have a voice in her words and thoughts. This alone is what makes this book both poignant and powerful. The fact that both males vying for her affection try to rescue her from this trauma in his own way is what redeems both of them for me.
      Politics run heavy in this series, and while I am not really a fan of politics in real life, fantasy books often make it much more interesting, Marr's writing being no exception. The dynamics between the faery courts are quite intriguing and I think they seem to balance one another out well, even though at first glance it might seem like some should be kept over others. I find myself constantly wondering about the High Court and its Queen, Sorcha, which I can look forward to in the third installment in the series, Fragile Eternity (Wicked Lovely).
    • 4/5
      I really love this book. Really, a lot. Melissa Marr's books, especially in this series bear a lot of similarities when it comes to the relationships and the obstacles they face. But this particular book, does it better than the others in my opinion. I love all of the books in this series, just to be clear. Marr writes my kind of romance, and her characters are right up my alley. Still, this is my absolute favorite of them all, and the only one that I get a craving to read over and over and over again. Leslie is a really vulnerable character, but she's also really strong, and that strength comes through in the most natural and believable of ways for me. The other two protagonists Irial and Niall, are my own personal wet dream, and so.. I have no complaints. Very quick read, this is what I call really good brain candy. I recommend if you like tattoos, alternative lifestyles, and orgies ;)
    • 3/5
      Not as good as the first one although I liked the tattoo angle. The story just felt a bit rushed and under developed, which happens when your first book is a hit I suppose.
    • 4/5
      I'm not ready to pass judgment on INK EXCHANGE. When I turned the last page and closed the book, I thought: this story is not over. Melissa Marr's first book set in the world of faerie, WICKED LOVELY, was self contained - and I'm not sure what, or who, the next book is supposed to be about. If INK EXCHANGE is supposed to be Leslie's whole story, I have to say I'm disappointed. But if it's the beginning of a series, I'm delighted.

      INK EXCHANGE starts off with Leslie, the protagonist, getting ready to leave for high school while her brother smokes crack at the kitchen table. It's an early warning to the reader: this is an unrelentingly dark book. Leslie is living in a nightmare version of the human world, and it isn't long before she is unwittingly caught up in a nightmare version of the faerie world: the Dark Court. These solitary fey nourish themselves on pain, hatred, greed, lust, and just about any other ugly urge that man or faerie is capable of. They starve without this nourishment, and peaceful times are lean indeed.

      Marr has set herself the difficult task of rendering these Dark faeries sympathetic to the reader. They are emotional parasites, and they literally thrive on suffering. Their King, Irial, shows us that at least some of these repulsive creatures are capable of great virtue: Irial is a devoted caretaker of his people, capable of true friendship, self-sacrifice, and sensitivity. It is moving when he exhibits these qualities, and then doubly repulsive when he sets them aside. Frequently, Marr follows the Dark faeries as they prepare for their hideous feasts - and then fades to black. But we can imagine how they must proceed, by watching how Irial treats Leslie - a girl he loves, and swears to protect. He treats her very, very badly.

      I think Marr is a very talented writer indeed. Her worlds, both human and faerie, are gritty, alive, and feel very real. Her teenage protagonists are good kids who grow up too fast, and are wise beyond their years. This faerieland is no saccharine paradise for Tinkerbells and pretty princesses - profoundly alien, both gorgeous and hideous.

      INK EXCHANGE was hard to put down, very compelling, but I wonder what will happen next.
    • 2/5
      Interesting premise, but not as good as the first book. The peripheral characters in this were much more interesting than the main characters, although the story did move along at an ok pace. However, even if I were being drugged into a stupor periodically, I like to think I would notice dead teenagers all around me when I happened to be up and about. And I like to think I would feel some sense of outrage that it was happening and I was enabling it--but maybe I'm just strange that way.
    • 4/5
      I loved Wicked Lovely, so I was very excited to read this one. I can't say it started as strong as Wicked Lovely. But I was addicted in the last half. Especially the last 100 pages. For this part my eyes were glued to the book. The beginning of the novel was good but the intensity just didn't compare to the last half. I also felt t there was a lot of moments where I wanted the explanations sooner. I got them at the end though, I just may have enjoyed the first more if the events in the beginning were more thorough. Either way it left me saying, "I NEED the next book in line! So in the end, whether it had a slow start or not, it is a great edition to the series.
    • 4/5
      this series keeps getting better and better it has been a while since i read this book, but i still remember the details. it keeps pace with the first one and is just as good.
    • 4/5
      As I just did a review for the first book, Wicked Lovely, I thought that I would write one for Ink Exchange, which is the second book in the collection and consequently my favorite!Ink Exchange picks up a few weeks after Wicked Lovely has ended. With Aislinn’s involvement in the fey court becoming more and more involved, she has to try harder to keep her friends from becoming involved in her new faerie world. As if she and Keenan (and Seth) don’t have enough to deal with, there is a power struggle brewing within the Dark Court...It now seems that the balance the fey courts have had amongst each other is beginning to shift and Irial, the leader of the Dark court, is fighting to keep his faeries in check. In the unassuming human world, Leslie goes about her miserable life as always. With a drug addicted, abusive brother and an absentee father, Leslie fights just to pay the bills. Because of all of these horrible things going on in her life, she decides to save up and get a tattoo. For her, the tattoo will be something beautiful, something to make her feel like she has control over her self and her body. She has no way of knowing that the tattoo she’s drawn to and eventually receives will change her in ways that she could never have imagined. After being bound to Irial, she is now pulled so far into the dark, maniacal world of the Dark court and she is helpless to fight for her freedom. This book was simply stunning. Where the first book, Wicked Lovely, brought us into the world of the Summer and Winter courts and painted a somewhat pleasant portrayal of Aislinn’s involvement with the fey, this book is the complete opposite. Marr treats us to glimpses of the other side of the faerie world, the dark side. We see torture, murder and dangerous passions running rampant. The imagery is dazzling and striking as Marr further draws you into the world of the fey courts.I loved the main character, Leslie in this book. She was so wounded and jaded and I found it refreshing to see a main character who had some real issues to deal with and was then thrown into an even worse situation. It took Leslie reaching the darkest parts of hell for her to find the strength to break herself out of her dark situation. This story doesn’t have a glowingly happy ending, but it’s hopeful and that was the best part of this book. We see that even when life seems to be at its most gruesome, there is always hope for it to turn around. 9 out of 10
    • 5/5
      Ink Exchange is darker and more seductive than Wicked Lovely. While it too revolves around an innocent mortal girl who gets caught up in the faery world by a twist of fate, it reveals that there is more side characters of Wicked Lovely than at first glance. These narrators have dark pasts and are trying to find their place in the world.Leslie is trying to forget a terrible incident from her past and to gain confidence to move on. Niall is stuck between two courts: one that has inflicted pain on him but which resonates with his dark nature and one that has sheltered him but whose intentions he has yet to divine. Irial will do anything necessary to protect his court (the Dark Court), but he is growing tired of reigning.Both of the male narrators develop an unhealthy interest in Leslie. At first, I fully expected to support Niall because of his desire to protect her and because of his affiliation with the Summer Court, but he loses himself in confusion and makes questionable decisions and ends up being outplayed by Irial. I ended up liking Irial more because he only acts in the best interests of his court--and because he does the right thing for everyone in the end. Hopefully, the new responsibilities thrust upon Niall will force him to grow up in the next book.Ink Exchange furthers the plot established in Wicked Lovely by showcasing the effect of the newly founded peace on the Dark Court. The writing is simple and poetic. Sometimes, I really wished that there was more detailed imagery, but Melissa Marr's writing style brings out the dark and wild beauty of the faery world.I also love how she details the tattooing process. It was interesting and brought the process of the ink exchange to life!
    • 2/5
      Truly I only started this series because a friend gave me Radiant Shadows (Wicked Lovely # 4) as a gift because she had two copies. Since I've discovered, that fairies are not my thing The story itself isn't a sequel to Wicked Lovely, its a companion story focusing on Leslie, who really needs to get better friends than Aisling. From what I gathered in the first two Wicked Lovely books, there's rape as a plot point in both of them. Why there is no warning of these at all? No idea. I guess as far as messages goes, there are worse books and Marr is trying to educate her readers, I appreciate this and that bump this book up one star. The lecture would probably be more effective if she worked on her writing style. Marr has too many incomplete sentences, she seems to hint a things that she never actually goes in dept in the book. I was confused and bored, more than once, and I'm starting to wonder if I will make it to Radiant Shadows.
    • 5/5
      Melissa Marr creates yet another fascinating story of the faery world and its courts. Just as in Wicked Lovely, she weaves a world worth visiting, a world that inexplicably draws you in. I am finding the faery world created by Marr extremely intriguing. Both Wicked Lovely and Ink Exchange are books that can be read alone, without the necessity of reading the previous book (though it is helpful—and enjoyable). Marr walks the fine line between young adult and adult surprisingly well; she merely suggests at the sexuality and depravity of the Dark Court, leaving the exact details to the reader’s imagination. This is something about her books I really love; she doesn’t go too far while still not holding anything back. There were times I felt a bit disjointed as I read the book, feeling as if I was floating along catching occasional glances of the story within. Then I realized, this was Marr’s way of allowing the reader to feel some of what Leslie was feeling. Amazing writing! Again, I highly recommend this book, just as I did Wicked Lovely. YA fans will want to get lost in Marr’s faery world!
    • 2/5
      I think I had the case of reading this book when I wasn't in the mood for it, so it affected how I felt about the book from the beginning. In other words, I was pretty bored most of the time, but it did have its moments when I was actually getting into the story.I guess you could consider it a dark story, but not really. It touches on some dark issues, but really it's just about Leslie getting a tattoo that connects her to Irial. The book goes back and forth between Leslie's, Niall's, and Irial's POV's. So even though you should hate Irial for being evil, you get into his mind and see why he is the way he is. I even began to feel sorry for him towards the end. Actually, I don't really know if Irial was supposed to be really evil? Maybe he's just a little mean?Towards the middle I was really dragging my feet. Leslie was just going to work and going to clubs while Irial waited till she got her tattoo done. The ending picked up a little, but I was still not interested. It just felt like everything Leslie had to go through, took forever to get through. It took her forever to get the tattoo finished, and while she was waiting she went through pointless experiences. I would explain more, but I don't want to spoil the ending. I was somewhat interested in Niall's story, which was probably what kept me reading till the end.So I really don't know what to think, I just know that I had a hard time finishing the book. Whether it's because I read it at the wrong time or I just wouldn't have liked it anytime I choose to read it. It had an interesting plot, but it just seemed like it was focused on the boring stuff Leslie did. It just wasn't the book for me. The ending left me satisfied but I don't think I'll be continuing this series.
    • 4/5
      After reading "Wicked Lovely" by Melissa Marr, I had high hopes for this novel. I have to say, I was BLOWN AWAY. This tale of an ordinary girl thrust into a world of extraordinary circumstances is definitely one of a kind.After getting the tattoo that she felt would change her life, Leslie became bound to Irial, the King of the Dark faeries. This relationship was formed originally for Leslie to give sustenance to the Dark King so in turn he could feed his dark faeries, but the relationship and outlook of both were changed. Leslie actually became "addicted" to Irial, and vice versa. These characters were irrevocably changed. It was interesting to read that Leslie was trying so hard to get away from her life that was changed by drugs (ie. Ren, her drug dealing brother) and she ended up becoming addicted to a different type of drug. And Irial started the Ink Exchange with not a care for Leslie but ended up caring for her more than he had ever cared for anything in his lifetime.The downward spiral of both these characters was intriguing to read. The depth of emotion and tolerance that Marr gave these characters was phenomenal. Getting into the mind of a drug addict, no matter what drug it is, is dark and disturbing, but very real. I give two very big thumbs up for this masterpiece and I only have great hope for Marr in the future with her novels.