Helpful Score: 8
What an amazing book! Kagawa has taken a mix of folk-lore and fae legend and mixed it in with a brillant imagination to make a beautiful, exciting, and creative world that you just can't tear yourself away from. The story flows off of the pages and pulls you in from the first page to the very last.
Meghan Chase is such a great teen character, she flawed and vunerable, but still strong and completely unforgettable. Loyal to all of her friends and family, she goes on a crazy, wild ride, through a scary, yet beautiful world of the imagination to save her brother from an evil fae. She meets some great characters along the way. Grimalkin, a sneaky, sly cat who will crack you up through-out the whole book. Puck, a fun-loving, loyal friend, who helps Meghan through the journey. Ash, a gorgeous prince of the Unseelie court that will melt your heart while he freezes your body, and a whole cast of other spiffy or spooky characters.
There's some romance woven into the tale, but it's not overly done or mushy. It's electric and will have you anticipating when they will finally have that chance to kiss. The world is magically described without be wordy, and each character has a life and a charm of their own. A great read. Everyone needs to pick this up and read it, whether you are a teen or an adult!
Meghan Chase is such a great teen character, she flawed and vunerable, but still strong and completely unforgettable. Loyal to all of her friends and family, she goes on a crazy, wild ride, through a scary, yet beautiful world of the imagination to save her brother from an evil fae. She meets some great characters along the way. Grimalkin, a sneaky, sly cat who will crack you up through-out the whole book. Puck, a fun-loving, loyal friend, who helps Meghan through the journey. Ash, a gorgeous prince of the Unseelie court that will melt your heart while he freezes your body, and a whole cast of other spiffy or spooky characters.
There's some romance woven into the tale, but it's not overly done or mushy. It's electric and will have you anticipating when they will finally have that chance to kiss. The world is magically described without be wordy, and each character has a life and a charm of their own. A great read. Everyone needs to pick this up and read it, whether you are a teen or an adult!
Helpful Score: 4
I've read a LOT of fae-themed YA lit in the last year or so (after all the vampire stories fell off my to-read list), so I don't say this lightly: The Iron Fae one of the best series in the crowded sea of "fairy tales" crowding Borders today. In my opinion, author Julie Kagawa has gotten the formula just right. The Iron King, her first book in a planned four-book series, combines the dark cruelty of Melissa Marr's Wicked Lovely books (one of the trailblazers of the genre) with the best-loved faeries in literature, plucked from Shakespeare, folklore and classic bedtime stories.
From the earliest pages of the book, it's clear that heroine Meghan Chase is special. But still, she doesn't seem to fit in anywhere. She's friendly but forgettable. Bright, but socially awkward, and close only with her neighbor and childhood friend, Robbie. Her father disappeared mysteriously in a city park when she was very young, and although Meghan is still haunted by his absence and the strangeness of his vanishing, her mother has moved on with Meghan's hog-farmer step-father and four-year-old half-brother. Meghan now floats through her day-in-day-out existence, disconnected from it all.
Unfortunately, the sameness and safety of Meghan's life is shattered on her 16th birthday, when her little brother is snatched from her home by a "dark man" from his closet. In his place is a changeling, a rude, base creature that looks like her brother, but is a vicious, empty double ready to cause chaos and misfortune in any way he can.
After rescuing Meghan from an attack by the changeling, Robbie reveals his true identity: he's actually Robin Goodfellow, Puck from A Midsummer Night's Dream and a powerful Summer Court faerie. Meghan is more different than she ever knew -- she is part faerie, daughter of King Oberon and a lost princess of the Summer Court. Together, they journey to the strange world of the Nevernever to reunite Meghan with her birth father and hopefully, to rescue her brother and bring him home again.
The journey to Nevernever is a dark one -- this is a book most appropriate for older teens. Kagawa's fae are bloodthirsty and cunning, and in her time in Faerieland, Meghan is viciously assaulted by Redcaps, almost raped by a band of satyrs and is in constant threat of being eaten by various beasties. But with the help of cait-sith Grimalkin (a nod to Lewis Carroll's Cheshire Cat), Puck and his sworn enemy Ash, youngest son of Queen Mab and prince of the Winter Court, Meghan stumbles upon a much larger threat than these various nightmares. Something is killing the Nevernever, poisoning the magical land like toxic waste and leaving it scarred, burned and colorless. A strange, unknown fae who calls himself The Iron King claims to have her brother, and has unleashed a host of never-before-seen machine/faerie hybrids on the land. Iron is fatal to fae -- so how can such a thing exist?
As Meghan unravels the mystery of the Iron fae -- and her own faerie history -- she'll also fight royal fae politics, millenia-old blood grudges and the traditions of her magical birthright to find happiness and to carve out a place for herself in her new world.
I loved Kagawa's writing, and couldn't put this book down. I loved the pairing of traditional fae legend with a new, modern mythology, and the iron fae concept is a very original one. I loved the way Kagawa brought technology into the world of magic, creating a classic conflict very resonant to our world today. Does technology have the power to kill magic? It's an interesting social commentary wrapped up in a wonderful, imaginative story that I can't wait to continue in The Iron Daughter.
From the earliest pages of the book, it's clear that heroine Meghan Chase is special. But still, she doesn't seem to fit in anywhere. She's friendly but forgettable. Bright, but socially awkward, and close only with her neighbor and childhood friend, Robbie. Her father disappeared mysteriously in a city park when she was very young, and although Meghan is still haunted by his absence and the strangeness of his vanishing, her mother has moved on with Meghan's hog-farmer step-father and four-year-old half-brother. Meghan now floats through her day-in-day-out existence, disconnected from it all.
Unfortunately, the sameness and safety of Meghan's life is shattered on her 16th birthday, when her little brother is snatched from her home by a "dark man" from his closet. In his place is a changeling, a rude, base creature that looks like her brother, but is a vicious, empty double ready to cause chaos and misfortune in any way he can.
After rescuing Meghan from an attack by the changeling, Robbie reveals his true identity: he's actually Robin Goodfellow, Puck from A Midsummer Night's Dream and a powerful Summer Court faerie. Meghan is more different than she ever knew -- she is part faerie, daughter of King Oberon and a lost princess of the Summer Court. Together, they journey to the strange world of the Nevernever to reunite Meghan with her birth father and hopefully, to rescue her brother and bring him home again.
The journey to Nevernever is a dark one -- this is a book most appropriate for older teens. Kagawa's fae are bloodthirsty and cunning, and in her time in Faerieland, Meghan is viciously assaulted by Redcaps, almost raped by a band of satyrs and is in constant threat of being eaten by various beasties. But with the help of cait-sith Grimalkin (a nod to Lewis Carroll's Cheshire Cat), Puck and his sworn enemy Ash, youngest son of Queen Mab and prince of the Winter Court, Meghan stumbles upon a much larger threat than these various nightmares. Something is killing the Nevernever, poisoning the magical land like toxic waste and leaving it scarred, burned and colorless. A strange, unknown fae who calls himself The Iron King claims to have her brother, and has unleashed a host of never-before-seen machine/faerie hybrids on the land. Iron is fatal to fae -- so how can such a thing exist?
As Meghan unravels the mystery of the Iron fae -- and her own faerie history -- she'll also fight royal fae politics, millenia-old blood grudges and the traditions of her magical birthright to find happiness and to carve out a place for herself in her new world.
I loved Kagawa's writing, and couldn't put this book down. I loved the pairing of traditional fae legend with a new, modern mythology, and the iron fae concept is a very original one. I loved the way Kagawa brought technology into the world of magic, creating a classic conflict very resonant to our world today. Does technology have the power to kill magic? It's an interesting social commentary wrapped up in a wonderful, imaginative story that I can't wait to continue in The Iron Daughter.
Helpful Score: 3
This is the first book in the Iron Fey trilogy by Julie Kagawa, The second book "The Iron Daughter" is due out in August of 2010. I got my copy of this book through the Amazon Vine Program. This was an awesome book and blew other young adult fairy series right out of the water.
Meghan Chase lives on a pig farm and her family is poor but her life isn't awful. Then her brother complains about a dark man in his closet; when Meghan goes to look she thinks she sees something there, but when she looks directly it is gone. Things start getting weirder and weirder for Meghan. When she comes home to find her mother knocked out on the kitchen floor and her younger brother Ethan replaced by something that's not Ethan but looks like him...well she freaks. Luckily her friend Robbie comes to her aid. Only Robbie is not really her friend but the good old Puck sent to protect Meghan...because...you guessed it she is actually a fairy princess in hiding. Meghan then embarks on a dark journey to save her brother and find out the truth of her own past.
This was an awesome book. I really enjoyed Kagawa's writing style. Her writing style is to the point but leaves room for beautiful description. Kagawa is not afraid to show the dark side of the fae and does an excellent job of making them creepy. She also excelled at the action scenes, they were awesome...with enough danger and gore to make them believable but not overdo it. She doesn't shy away from violence...there is some swearing, some talk of rape, and lots of injuring in this book. None of it was excessive and I thought it made for a better story, unlike some YA fantasy that shies away from showing the darker side of fairy.
The characterization was also very well done. Meghan is an excellent character that really is just a normal girl caught in extraordinary circumstances. She doesn't whine, she just does the best she can and through her wits and caring nature she accomplishes a lot. Robbie and Ash are also excellent characters, both of them have deep dark pasts that make their characters at times tender and at times very dangerous, even bordering on evil.
The concept of fairy that Kagawa uses is unique. I loved that she adds in a third fairy group that both the Unseelie and Seelie courts are in danger from. The idea of human belief causing the rise of this third fairy group was unique and I loved how human advancement in technology ties into it all. A very unique idea; at times it reminded me of parts of the Neverending Story and at times it got a little sci-fi.
The story wraps up well at the end, but definitely leaves you wondering what will happen in Meghan's future. I really, really want to read "Iron Daughter" as soon as I can get a copy of it.
Overall this blows away most of the other young adult fairy literature that I have read. It is much better than Marr's Wicked Lovely series, better than Lament, and better than Aprilynne Pike's Wings (although I did like that book). I put this book on par with Holly Black's Modern Fairy Tales series; and I loved that series to death so that is saying a lot!
Meghan Chase lives on a pig farm and her family is poor but her life isn't awful. Then her brother complains about a dark man in his closet; when Meghan goes to look she thinks she sees something there, but when she looks directly it is gone. Things start getting weirder and weirder for Meghan. When she comes home to find her mother knocked out on the kitchen floor and her younger brother Ethan replaced by something that's not Ethan but looks like him...well she freaks. Luckily her friend Robbie comes to her aid. Only Robbie is not really her friend but the good old Puck sent to protect Meghan...because...you guessed it she is actually a fairy princess in hiding. Meghan then embarks on a dark journey to save her brother and find out the truth of her own past.
This was an awesome book. I really enjoyed Kagawa's writing style. Her writing style is to the point but leaves room for beautiful description. Kagawa is not afraid to show the dark side of the fae and does an excellent job of making them creepy. She also excelled at the action scenes, they were awesome...with enough danger and gore to make them believable but not overdo it. She doesn't shy away from violence...there is some swearing, some talk of rape, and lots of injuring in this book. None of it was excessive and I thought it made for a better story, unlike some YA fantasy that shies away from showing the darker side of fairy.
The characterization was also very well done. Meghan is an excellent character that really is just a normal girl caught in extraordinary circumstances. She doesn't whine, she just does the best she can and through her wits and caring nature she accomplishes a lot. Robbie and Ash are also excellent characters, both of them have deep dark pasts that make their characters at times tender and at times very dangerous, even bordering on evil.
The concept of fairy that Kagawa uses is unique. I loved that she adds in a third fairy group that both the Unseelie and Seelie courts are in danger from. The idea of human belief causing the rise of this third fairy group was unique and I loved how human advancement in technology ties into it all. A very unique idea; at times it reminded me of parts of the Neverending Story and at times it got a little sci-fi.
The story wraps up well at the end, but definitely leaves you wondering what will happen in Meghan's future. I really, really want to read "Iron Daughter" as soon as I can get a copy of it.
Overall this blows away most of the other young adult fairy literature that I have read. It is much better than Marr's Wicked Lovely series, better than Lament, and better than Aprilynne Pike's Wings (although I did like that book). I put this book on par with Holly Black's Modern Fairy Tales series; and I loved that series to death so that is saying a lot!
Helpful Score: 2
THE IRON KING is an unbelievably refreshing, charming, and hilarious faerie adventure. This just proves that there is no story that can be overtold: it's just a matter of how it's told. And this one is told spectacularly.
All of the characters in this book easily come alive through their uniquely different personalities and sparkling dialogue. In fact, their differences are what make the love triangle so believable and attractive. In most cases the "male best friend who's been there her whole life" figure would hardly be in the running (think Simon from the Mortal Instruments trilogy), but here, Puck is a classic, fitting his Shakespearean prankster roots yet being adorably memorable. Ash has more of a "quiet, brooding, dangerous supernatural hot guy" thing going on, and yet he doesn't fall into the cliche, and turns out to be lovable too in his own way. And last but not least, Grimalkin, who has a Cheshire Cat-like presence in the story, while not a part of the love triangle, probably steals the show every time he gets to talk--and rightly so, for there was probably never a more lovably snide character in literature since Lewis Carroll's classic itself.
More than just character appeal, however, THE IRON KING is also lusciously written. Julie Kagawa is able to perfectly balance vivid description of setting with a plot that continues to move forward. We easily visualize the faery world, in a way that doesn't interrupt the flow of the novel.
Meghan is an admirably determined protagonist, a cut above the norm. She's relatable but not annoying in her stubborn rebelliousness. Her character is a little inconsistent at the beginning, when I had pegged for the typical wannabe-popular, obsessed-with-the-football-star teen girl, but she quickly grew into a heroine I could respect and even admire.
Overall, THE IRON KING defied my expectations. I had expected something cliched and ultimately forgettable; instead, I got something marvelously rich in terms of writing, character, and story. This debut novel has made me an instant fan of Julie Kagawa, and I can hardly wait until the next installment, THE IRON DAUGHTER, is released!
All of the characters in this book easily come alive through their uniquely different personalities and sparkling dialogue. In fact, their differences are what make the love triangle so believable and attractive. In most cases the "male best friend who's been there her whole life" figure would hardly be in the running (think Simon from the Mortal Instruments trilogy), but here, Puck is a classic, fitting his Shakespearean prankster roots yet being adorably memorable. Ash has more of a "quiet, brooding, dangerous supernatural hot guy" thing going on, and yet he doesn't fall into the cliche, and turns out to be lovable too in his own way. And last but not least, Grimalkin, who has a Cheshire Cat-like presence in the story, while not a part of the love triangle, probably steals the show every time he gets to talk--and rightly so, for there was probably never a more lovably snide character in literature since Lewis Carroll's classic itself.
More than just character appeal, however, THE IRON KING is also lusciously written. Julie Kagawa is able to perfectly balance vivid description of setting with a plot that continues to move forward. We easily visualize the faery world, in a way that doesn't interrupt the flow of the novel.
Meghan is an admirably determined protagonist, a cut above the norm. She's relatable but not annoying in her stubborn rebelliousness. Her character is a little inconsistent at the beginning, when I had pegged for the typical wannabe-popular, obsessed-with-the-football-star teen girl, but she quickly grew into a heroine I could respect and even admire.
Overall, THE IRON KING defied my expectations. I had expected something cliched and ultimately forgettable; instead, I got something marvelously rich in terms of writing, character, and story. This debut novel has made me an instant fan of Julie Kagawa, and I can hardly wait until the next installment, THE IRON DAUGHTER, is released!
Helpful Score: 1
I just couldn't get on board with this one. Mostly because it seemed to me like the author "borrowed" some of her story line and characters from Karen Marie Moning's Fever series-there are alot of similarities(i.e. the icy prince, meghan's abilities and how she's discovering them etc.)I suppose imitation IS the biggest form of flattery but I feel like this author needed to work a little harder on going her own way and not following someone elses ideas quite so closely. Don't think i'll read the next in the series.
Helpful Score: 1
Are you a believer? Do you see figures out of the corner of your eye and wonder if somethings there of if you imagined it? If you love the unknown and mystical world of fae then this is definitely the book for you.
After hearing people talk about this series for so long I finally decided to give it a shot. At first I was afraid it would be like any other story about faeries and the seele and unseele courts. But after sitting down to give it a shot I really started to fall for the characters especially our heroic prince Ash! The lead character, Megan a half fae princess is thrown into a world of unknown when she discovers her brother has been kidnapped by fae and she has to travel to their world to rescue him.
I'll admit it took me a while to like Megan's character. She seemed like a great heroine who was willing to sacrifice everything to rescue her four year old brother but I was a little (or a lot) annoyed by how much time she spent in tears crying on boys shoulders and feeling sorry for herself. She did start to get a backbone around the middle of the book when she stood by her beliefs and refused to let her companions kill each other in a fae duel... that was probably one of my favorite parts of this book.
Julie Kagawa took a novel that at first glance seems like so many others and turned it into a whirlwind adventure filled with action, drama, and a bit of romance. I can't wait to see what happens to Megan, Ash, and Puck in the next book!
After hearing people talk about this series for so long I finally decided to give it a shot. At first I was afraid it would be like any other story about faeries and the seele and unseele courts. But after sitting down to give it a shot I really started to fall for the characters especially our heroic prince Ash! The lead character, Megan a half fae princess is thrown into a world of unknown when she discovers her brother has been kidnapped by fae and she has to travel to their world to rescue him.
I'll admit it took me a while to like Megan's character. She seemed like a great heroine who was willing to sacrifice everything to rescue her four year old brother but I was a little (or a lot) annoyed by how much time she spent in tears crying on boys shoulders and feeling sorry for herself. She did start to get a backbone around the middle of the book when she stood by her beliefs and refused to let her companions kill each other in a fae duel... that was probably one of my favorite parts of this book.
Julie Kagawa took a novel that at first glance seems like so many others and turned it into a whirlwind adventure filled with action, drama, and a bit of romance. I can't wait to see what happens to Megan, Ash, and Puck in the next book!
Helpful Score: 1
Reviewed by Lynn Crow for TeensReadToo.com
Meghan Chase doesn't feel she has a place in her life. At home, her stepfather seems to forget her more often than not, and at school the popular kids tease her for her family's backcountry ways. Her only comforts are her one friend, Robbie, who always seems to be there when she needs him, and her little brother, Ethan, who adores her.
But on her sixteenth birthday, Ethan is stolen away, and Robbie reveals he's something far beyond a human boy. He gives Meghan the choice: forget everything out of the ordinary she's seen, or enter a world she can hardly believe is real.
Knowing she can't abandon Ethan, Meghan plunges head first into a dangerous realm of fae and magic. But the Never Never holds more frightening things than even her guide knows, and Meghan may be the key to protecting not just her brother, but the entire land.
THE IRON KING makes for a welcome addition to the crowded shelves of YA urban fantasy. Its unique take on faerie lore will make it stand out in readers' minds, and the well-paced action and suspense will keep them glued to the page. Some may find the personality of the romantic lead to be overly changeable, but just as many will feel their pulse fluttering right along with Meghan's.
The first in a trilogy, the novel wraps up its main conflicts in a satisfying way, while leaving ample room for further adventures in the sequels. Recommended to all fans of fantasy.
Meghan Chase doesn't feel she has a place in her life. At home, her stepfather seems to forget her more often than not, and at school the popular kids tease her for her family's backcountry ways. Her only comforts are her one friend, Robbie, who always seems to be there when she needs him, and her little brother, Ethan, who adores her.
But on her sixteenth birthday, Ethan is stolen away, and Robbie reveals he's something far beyond a human boy. He gives Meghan the choice: forget everything out of the ordinary she's seen, or enter a world she can hardly believe is real.
Knowing she can't abandon Ethan, Meghan plunges head first into a dangerous realm of fae and magic. But the Never Never holds more frightening things than even her guide knows, and Meghan may be the key to protecting not just her brother, but the entire land.
THE IRON KING makes for a welcome addition to the crowded shelves of YA urban fantasy. Its unique take on faerie lore will make it stand out in readers' minds, and the well-paced action and suspense will keep them glued to the page. Some may find the personality of the romantic lead to be overly changeable, but just as many will feel their pulse fluttering right along with Meghan's.
The first in a trilogy, the novel wraps up its main conflicts in a satisfying way, while leaving ample room for further adventures in the sequels. Recommended to all fans of fantasy.
"MEGHAN CHASE HAS A SECRET DESTINYâ ONE SHE COULD NEVER HAVE IMAGINEDâ¦
Something has always felt slightly off in Meghan's life, ever since her father disappeared before her eyes when she was six. She has never quite fit in at schoolâ¦or at home.
When a dark stranger begins watching her from afar, and her prankster best friend becomes strangely protective of her, Meghan senses that everything she's known is about to change.
But she could never have guessed the truthâthat she is the daughter of a mythical faery king and is a pawn in a deadly war. Now Meghan will learn just how far she'll go to save someone she cares about, to stop a mysterious evil no faery creature dare faceâ¦and to find love with a young prince who might rather see her dead than let her touch his icy heart."
I went into this book expecting to really love it. Instead, I liked it a lot. I loved the descriptive powers of Kagawa as she took me away to Faeryland and I immediately fell in love with the snarky cat, Grimalkin. Unfortunately, he stole the whole show. I was not totally sold on Meghan as a character and really didn't connected with her. This may be because it is a YA book but generally I love them as much as the adult driven fiction. I loved the action and adventure in the story much more than the romance. I especially loved Kagawa's explanation of why and who the Iron King was. Another interesting character or characters i should say, were the "packrats". I can see them playing a much bigger role in upcoming books. Even though I had no problem laying this book down each night, I look forward to the upcoming sequels. While I can recommend this book to cat lovers for the rest of you get it at the library and wait on the next book in this series.
Something has always felt slightly off in Meghan's life, ever since her father disappeared before her eyes when she was six. She has never quite fit in at schoolâ¦or at home.
When a dark stranger begins watching her from afar, and her prankster best friend becomes strangely protective of her, Meghan senses that everything she's known is about to change.
But she could never have guessed the truthâthat she is the daughter of a mythical faery king and is a pawn in a deadly war. Now Meghan will learn just how far she'll go to save someone she cares about, to stop a mysterious evil no faery creature dare faceâ¦and to find love with a young prince who might rather see her dead than let her touch his icy heart."
I went into this book expecting to really love it. Instead, I liked it a lot. I loved the descriptive powers of Kagawa as she took me away to Faeryland and I immediately fell in love with the snarky cat, Grimalkin. Unfortunately, he stole the whole show. I was not totally sold on Meghan as a character and really didn't connected with her. This may be because it is a YA book but generally I love them as much as the adult driven fiction. I loved the action and adventure in the story much more than the romance. I especially loved Kagawa's explanation of why and who the Iron King was. Another interesting character or characters i should say, were the "packrats". I can see them playing a much bigger role in upcoming books. Even though I had no problem laying this book down each night, I look forward to the upcoming sequels. While I can recommend this book to cat lovers for the rest of you get it at the library and wait on the next book in this series.
The Iron King is the start of a lovable YA series about Faeries. Most YA book with similar plots start out with the main character, in this case Meghan Chase, thinking that her life is somewhat boring or hard. Only to realize that the original life she had was super easy compared to what she is now facing. Which is a life of folklore, magic and crucial future, that may get both her families in trouble or worse.
What The Iron King has going for it is likable characters. As we travel through the book we meet characters reminiscent of Alice In Wonderland, The Wizard Of Oz, A Midsummers Night Dream, and Jim Hensons Labyrinth. The story is quick paced although sometimes too quickly as scenes whirlwind by. What I like about it is there more real life folklore brought to the story that some authors leave out of there fictional faerie stories.
I mentioned that The Iron King was a little too quickly rushed. Now that might be because I read it too quickly but I think it may be because I wanted more description in some scenes. Now while I did like the book I was a little bored by the plot because I have read it in so many other fictional faerie or witch books.
I did more than a little liked The Iron King, which is the first book in a series called The Iron Fey. It is a book for teens. Written with a teen in the lead. Fans of Alice in Wonderland would probably really enjoy this adventure too.
What The Iron King has going for it is likable characters. As we travel through the book we meet characters reminiscent of Alice In Wonderland, The Wizard Of Oz, A Midsummers Night Dream, and Jim Hensons Labyrinth. The story is quick paced although sometimes too quickly as scenes whirlwind by. What I like about it is there more real life folklore brought to the story that some authors leave out of there fictional faerie stories.
I mentioned that The Iron King was a little too quickly rushed. Now that might be because I read it too quickly but I think it may be because I wanted more description in some scenes. Now while I did like the book I was a little bored by the plot because I have read it in so many other fictional faerie or witch books.
I did more than a little liked The Iron King, which is the first book in a series called The Iron Fey. It is a book for teens. Written with a teen in the lead. Fans of Alice in Wonderland would probably really enjoy this adventure too.
I liked the different take on the Fey with the addition of another race/ethnic group. I was intrigued by Ash, but didn't like how fast the "romance" happened between Meghan and Ash. One minute he trying to murder her and the next they are in *love*.
On October 26th the latest installment of the Iron Fey series hits the stores and in anticipation of it I've decided to dedicate the next four Sundays to reviews of this series. Yes, that's right, I am in possession of the ARC of The Iron Knight (thanks to the publisher and NetGalley) and in order to prepare for it I got the other three volumes from the library. After all, can't read the fourth book and not read the first three. Besides, everything I've heard about the Iron Fey seemed to say that if I didn't read these books I would be really missing out. So there I was, on a sunny Saturday afternoon a couple of weeks ago, sitting at a Starbucks, my coffee long gone, unable to close The Iron King and go home to continue reading it there because closing the book would mean that I'd have to stop reading and I really didn't want to! Julie Kagawa's fey got their sharp little teeth in me and were not letting go.
There are many things that charmed me. One is the narrative voice. It is so light and keeps the story moving so well that I knew immediately that this would be an easy and delightful read. The other is how all the magical creatures we've heard and read about in a variety of different stories come together in the Nevernever and every one of them has a place. This isn't all fun and adventure though - the faerie world is full of danger and I really liked that too, it reminded me of the stories I read as a child, they were really scary at times! Even better was the fact that that there wasn't a grand tour of "here's is a piskie, there is a goblin", it made me dive head first into the story and figure it out as I went, or rather as Meghan went. It was a bit confusing at times because everything seemed to have razor-sharp teeth and carnivorous appetites, or at the very least a malicious intent, but it all worked out in the end. I really liked how the author interpreted the technological development of our world and its influence on the faerie world. I haven't read much fey fiction lately so this seemed like a very innovative approach to me, and well-executed at that.
If you were to risk your life and shake me awake in the middle of the night to ask me who my favorite Iron King character is I would immediately say that it's Grimalkin. The cat's totally awesome and such a scene stealer! He clearly has his own agenda but at the end of the day he's on the side of the good guys and his sense of humor got laughs out of me every time. Actually the rest of the main cast are pretty funny too. Meghan is just because of her teenage attitude, Puck is the jokester no matter how close to death he is and even Ash cracked a joke or two and they weren't bad either. Spending time with these guys was a lot of fun and I really enjoyed seeing their evolution from who they were in the beginning of the book to who they became in the end.
Here's something I didn't enjoy very much: the ever-present scenario of "girl who doesn't fit in falls in love with the mysterious and dangerous guy from the enemy clan the moment she lays eyes on him; fortunately it seems the guy isn't all evil although he keeps pulling away and probably will kill her if the stars align just right but she doesn't care, she wants to be with him". What the heck? Can't people fall in love gradually any more? They're magical creatures and teenagers at that but seriously? At least I could console myself that there wasn't a love triangle in all of this, although Puck did seem to be looking at Meghan with googly eyes once or twice. And that's another thing, they're thousand-year-old creatures, why do they keep falling in love with teenage girls who barely know anything about themselves, let alone the world around them? I get it, love conquers all, but seriously?! Ok, rant over.
Despite this slight short-coming I did enjoy the book very much. So much so that I stayed up till 3 in the morning because Ms. Kagawa kept ratcheting up the action and I just couldn't wait to find out what happened next. And when the last page of The Iron King was turned I had to resist to not pick up Iron Queen and keep reading. A girl's gotta sleep after all.
There are many things that charmed me. One is the narrative voice. It is so light and keeps the story moving so well that I knew immediately that this would be an easy and delightful read. The other is how all the magical creatures we've heard and read about in a variety of different stories come together in the Nevernever and every one of them has a place. This isn't all fun and adventure though - the faerie world is full of danger and I really liked that too, it reminded me of the stories I read as a child, they were really scary at times! Even better was the fact that that there wasn't a grand tour of "here's is a piskie, there is a goblin", it made me dive head first into the story and figure it out as I went, or rather as Meghan went. It was a bit confusing at times because everything seemed to have razor-sharp teeth and carnivorous appetites, or at the very least a malicious intent, but it all worked out in the end. I really liked how the author interpreted the technological development of our world and its influence on the faerie world. I haven't read much fey fiction lately so this seemed like a very innovative approach to me, and well-executed at that.
If you were to risk your life and shake me awake in the middle of the night to ask me who my favorite Iron King character is I would immediately say that it's Grimalkin. The cat's totally awesome and such a scene stealer! He clearly has his own agenda but at the end of the day he's on the side of the good guys and his sense of humor got laughs out of me every time. Actually the rest of the main cast are pretty funny too. Meghan is just because of her teenage attitude, Puck is the jokester no matter how close to death he is and even Ash cracked a joke or two and they weren't bad either. Spending time with these guys was a lot of fun and I really enjoyed seeing their evolution from who they were in the beginning of the book to who they became in the end.
Here's something I didn't enjoy very much: the ever-present scenario of "girl who doesn't fit in falls in love with the mysterious and dangerous guy from the enemy clan the moment she lays eyes on him; fortunately it seems the guy isn't all evil although he keeps pulling away and probably will kill her if the stars align just right but she doesn't care, she wants to be with him". What the heck? Can't people fall in love gradually any more? They're magical creatures and teenagers at that but seriously? At least I could console myself that there wasn't a love triangle in all of this, although Puck did seem to be looking at Meghan with googly eyes once or twice. And that's another thing, they're thousand-year-old creatures, why do they keep falling in love with teenage girls who barely know anything about themselves, let alone the world around them? I get it, love conquers all, but seriously?! Ok, rant over.
Despite this slight short-coming I did enjoy the book very much. So much so that I stayed up till 3 in the morning because Ms. Kagawa kept ratcheting up the action and I just couldn't wait to find out what happened next. And when the last page of The Iron King was turned I had to resist to not pick up Iron Queen and keep reading. A girl's gotta sleep after all.
Reviewed by Bibliophile's Bestiary Blog at bibliophile-bestiary.blogspot.com/
Wonderful book! The story of Meghan Chase and her exploits in the mortal realm and the Faery realm are incredible. When first beginning it, you wonder how this is going to all come about, and it does not disappoint! Meghan is a great lead character with faults and strengths that you can relate with. Love, war, heartbreak and betrayal are all apart of this book. It is well worth the read! 5 out of 5 stars.
Wonderful book! The story of Meghan Chase and her exploits in the mortal realm and the Faery realm are incredible. When first beginning it, you wonder how this is going to all come about, and it does not disappoint! Meghan is a great lead character with faults and strengths that you can relate with. Love, war, heartbreak and betrayal are all apart of this book. It is well worth the read! 5 out of 5 stars.
The iron fey (technology driven) is working to defeat both the Seelie and Unseelie courts which is an interesting change from the typical faery tale. Surprisingly half-human, half-faery, Meghan Chase is the catalyst to either defend of defeat the fey and this is her story. In this installment, Meghan's little brother, Ethan has been stolen by the Fey and a changeling has been left in his place. Meghan enlists Robbie to help in the search in Faeryland. Along the way, they encounter Ash who is trying to kill Robbie. This presents a problem for Meghan as she is fascinated with Ash and concerned for Robbie.
I really liked Prince Ash of the Unseelie court. It should be interesting to see if a relationship develops between Meghan and Ash or between Meghan and long-time friend, Robbie. And will Meghan go to Faeryland or remain in the human world? The Iron Daughter should be a great read.
I really liked Prince Ash of the Unseelie court. It should be interesting to see if a relationship develops between Meghan and Ash or between Meghan and long-time friend, Robbie. And will Meghan go to Faeryland or remain in the human world? The Iron Daughter should be a great read.
The Iron King was one of the best books I have read regarding the fey. By far one of my favorite fictional novels.
LOVE this book! I didn't know if I would be able to enjoy this book because it is intended for a younger audience but I thought I'd give it a try. It started a little slow but then picked up in intensity.
The market is currently saturated with many "vampire" themed books because of all the recent success of Stephenie Meyer's books. This book however is written about fairies. I had my reservations about whether or not the author would be able to develop the main fairy characters sufficiently. Let me just say I was pleasantly surprised and think you will be too if you give this book a try!
The market is currently saturated with many "vampire" themed books because of all the recent success of Stephenie Meyer's books. This book however is written about fairies. I had my reservations about whether or not the author would be able to develop the main fairy characters sufficiently. Let me just say I was pleasantly surprised and think you will be too if you give this book a try!
I am glad I finally started reading this series. It's definitely worth the read. I think that perhaps due to all the hype I was expecting more however the book is definitely filled with action, adventure, and of coarse the forbidden romance between 2 people from different worlds/opposite sides of the track..I do like Ash. I like Ash with Meghan...But I love Puck..Not with Meghan but his character in the book...He lives up to his reputation of the Puck some of us have read about. Causing rukus wherever he goes..However this Puck is loyal and caring..something new to the character. Meghan a strong heroine throughout the book. Even though she is venturing through a land she never knew existed on a mission to rescue her little brother. She never lets her fear stop her from proceeding. Her best quality...her willingness to due whatever it takes to protect the people she cares about...no matter the cost for her. Ash of coarse the strong, silent, brooding type. He is suppose to be Meghan's enemy..he should not have feelings for her he thought he would never have again for another...no thanks to Puck his mortal enemy. Yet he agrees to help Meghan and throughout the journey saves her...protects her...and comforts her.
The 3 characters take an adventure that may cause death for them all to save a her brother from a fairie no-one knew existed. The journey is filled with danger, chaos, magic, and love. Every character brings something to story. All 3 must work together if they are to survive in world where nothing is what it seems...The book did keep me guessing throughout and I look forward to reading more about Meghan's future journies...It appears she has a tough road ahead of her and perhaps more dangerous
The 3 characters take an adventure that may cause death for them all to save a her brother from a fairie no-one knew existed. The journey is filled with danger, chaos, magic, and love. Every character brings something to story. All 3 must work together if they are to survive in world where nothing is what it seems...The book did keep me guessing throughout and I look forward to reading more about Meghan's future journies...It appears she has a tough road ahead of her and perhaps more dangerous
In honor of Valentine's I wanted a fun and romantic series to read. The Iron Fey met and exceeded my wishes. The heroine is likable and brave, the hero is dark and handsome, and then there are the colorful and enchanting sidekicks. Julie Kagawa paints a beautiful and mystical world for her characters to inhabit. I'm excited to continue on to the next book.
Held my interest through the entire book. My library does not have The Iron Daughter
