by Julie Kagawa several months ago by Twisted Fates Cafe. I'd been wanting to read it since I heard about it because... well... I love faeries. This book had a lot of elements that were new to me. Oberon, Titania, Puck... all characters from A Midsummer Night's Dream. I had yet to read any modern fiction that included them. So while some thought it's a theme that was overdone, it was new to me.Meghan is the main character in the book. She's a normal, human girl... or so she thinks. (Now, this is a theme that is getting a little old. Why is it no books start with a character who already is, or knows s/he is, a vampire, witch, faery, werewolf, etc?) She's pretty likable, and so is her adorable little brother, so when Ethan is kidnapped by faeries, you really do root for her.
She is aided by her friend Robbie Goodfell. Sound familiar... Robin Goodfellow, anyone? I love him. We also meet Ash, prince of the Unseelie Court. There is a bit of a triangle going on. I am definitely Team Puck... but I reserve the right to change that in the future. Grimalkin, though, may be the highlight for me. And I'm not a cat fan.
What stood out most about this book was the inclusion of the Iron Court. Those of you familiar with faery lore knows that iron is deadly to the fey. But the addition of these characters and the court are very interesting. And Julie does an incredible job of pulling them into the myth in a believable way.
There are some points where the story feels rushed, and other moments where it's predictable. Not the best Ya faery book out there, but definitely worth the read.
Synopsis:
Meghan Chase has a secret destiny - one she could never have imagined...
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 school... or at home.
When a dark stranger begins watching her from afar, 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 truth - that 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 face... and to find love with a young prince who might rather see her dead than let her touch his icy heart.
And once you've read THE IRON KING, be sure to check out Julie Kagawa's short, Winter's Passage before finding THE IRON DAUGHTER in August. You can learn more about the books here: http://enterthefaeryworld.com/ironfey/
**Winter's Passage is free until the end of July, so download it now.
4 comments:
Ha! I love that you liked Grim too! He was my favorite character.
Have you read Wondrous Strange? It does the A Midsummer Night's Dream thing too. It worked in WS, I was tired of the idea by Iron King.
@Shannon - She might be tired of it when she reads WS then xD but I did like the idea in WS because that was my first time coming across a modern spin of it in a book, will I be tired of it in The Iron King? I hope not.
@Aine - you're the third person I've heard who loves Grim which makes me want to read the books more to see if I will love him too (even if I'm not a cat person).
Grimalkin is very Cheshire Cat like... :D
I think that's his main appeal.
This sounds good, thanks for a great review!
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