This book was really good, so the parts of it which were frustrating were really more frustrating than they would have been in a mediocre book, sadly. Fantastic world-building and a smart, self-aware protagonist -- yay! But that protagonist couldn't manage a believable interaction with any of the other people in the book -- boo! Neef had pretty much no empathy for anyone, no sense that she should be concerned in anything but a mechanical how-does-this-affect-me way with other people's feelings. There could have been a great story in there about what emotions really meant for humans raised by fairies and fairies raised by humans, but the opportunity was lost. The author's short story Catnyp, about the same protagonist when she's a bit older, was much more appealing.

This sounded like my jam, but I didn't much care for it. Neef was neither interesting or likable and the conception of New York between and the fairy world wasn't really interesting or special either.

Neef is a changeling, a human child taken and raised by fairy folk in Central Park. Her fairy godmother, who raised her and teaches her, is a white rat named Astris. Neef has begun to feel hemmed in by the rules she has followed all her life, and so, when she discovers there is a Solstice dance that she has never heard of, she is determined to attend. The disaster that follows sends her on a quest out into New York Between.

This is a fun book. The fairy folk, as you would expect in New York City, come from all over the world, bringing their various traits and traditions with them. Plus, there are living fictional characters, such as Eloise, and beings like the Dragon of Wall Street. You never quite know what to expect. But Neef learns to rely on her own abilities and, with help from "people" she meets along the way, brings her quest to a satisfying conclusion.

I look forward to reading the sequel.


(I would be curious to know if anyone else thought Changeling, Neef's fairy counterpart, resided somewhere on the Asperger's syndrome spectrum? I don't know if it was intended, but so many of her characteristics seem to me to fit. Basically, it was just an interesting thought, but we might want to look more closely at other faery characters with that in mind. Could they all be changelings?)

This one is extremely fun and clever, creating an urban fantasy NYC with a plucky heroine. There is a strange tension between the perceived dangerousness of the faerie world and the safety of the story. I never felt like Neef was really in danger. It's also got an odd take on Asperger syndrome and a few nods to other children's books.

Changeling is a really terrific contemporary fairy fantasy set in New York Between, the fairy version of NYC, told first-person by Neef, a human child stolen as an infant and replaced by Changeling (who appears later). Packed with fairy motifs and references to modern culture, twisted through a unique outlook; very wry, feisty, utterly charming!

I really enjoyed this book. It was a nice mix of modern and fantasy that made the book slightly different from others of its kind. I liked that it was set in the fairy land of New York (New York Between) but still the kinds of supernaturals that lived there were very much like regular New Yorkers! I was also pleased to see the ending wasn't completely predictable! The end of the story is to be expected, but how it got there wasn't (I will say no more so as to not ruin it :-p)

All in all, I'm glad I picked this book up from the library. Was a fun read ^_^

Super cute book. Extremely predictable, but then it's pre-teen level reading, so that's to be expected. Still, I enjoyed it. (I originally rated it at a 3, but revised it with the target audience in mind. As a preteen/early teen level book, I'd give it a 4.)

This book was adorable, but took FOREVER for me to get through... I have just been so busy lately, even though school is out, and I just have not had time to read. But that needs to change.

So anyways, this book was cute, a bit unrealistic, but still a good book.

Changeling is funny and fresh and fine, another in the short list of fabulous books set in New York City published in the past year. It is takes place in New York Between, and Sherman balances the Between of Faerie with a terrific young heroine named Neef, ringing changes on every single New York and Faerie trope you can imagine, and a few you can't.

Not great, not terrible.

Even though I liked many details in the book, overall, I just didn't feel like the characters are interesting. The NYC citizens might find it a better reading since many characters and places are written in a way that might be too alien to a non-New Yorker.

Fun. Interesting world-building and concept. Obviously I'm not the target reader, but that was okay. Lots of girl power. Would get a kid interested in visiting NYC or paying closer attention at the Metropolitan Museum.

Did notice that the glossary of creatures in this world referred to beings of old European and Asian origin, in addition to modern beings, but almost nowhere else, which seemed to reflect the author's own background (East Asia & the West) but not necessarily the (folktale) demographics you'd expect of modern NYC.

I finished Changeling in a few days because it is one of the best books I have ever read. If you enjoy a "different" kind of fantasy, then you will love Changeling.
This book is mainly about a changeling named Neef who breaks a fairy law, and then her protection of the Green Lady is removed. As she has no protection, her fairy godmother is also taken away.
Now Neef and Changeling are on a quest to retrieve 3 diffrent items from the other Geniuses of New York Between. If she does not complete this task, she will be banned from New York Between,and she will be eaten by the Wild Hunt ( a creature half wolf, half demon, 100% nightmare). During this time Changeling and Neef become great freinds.
Ms.Mazzole, if you are reading this,I think this is somthing the whole class would love.i recomend this book to EVERYONE!!!!!!! hope you all liked my review. :)