Saturday, July 20, 2013

A Review: The Iron King

The Iron King by Julie Kagawa
Genre: YA Fantasy

"Megan 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, 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 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."
From the first words on the page, I was drawn into this story. Mysterious, dangerous, funny, and full of attitude, this novel gripped me and would not let go. The characters are interesting and very real. I also enjoyed seeing the Faery characters, how different they are from mortals, and how Megan changes in that world. Yes, at the beginning she is the woman in distress, (wouldn't you be distressed to find yourself suddenly thrown into a world where every creature would love to eat you?), but by the end she is standing on her own two feet and discovering her own fey powers. I also loved Puck, who was probably my favorite character with his humor and innocence, and how the author contrasted him with Ash, the serious dark Prince. 
The only thing I didn't particularly like about this novel was the language; there is cuss words every few pages, which always feels like an unnecessary pinch in my side. And for this reason, I give the novel a 3 out of 5. I'm not sure if I'll read the rest of the novels (there's at least 3 more); the story and world is very interesting and Megan is a like-able character, but I'm not fond of long series, especially with that much cussing.  The Iron King should probably be read by sixteen year olds and up. 
What I learned:  Making deals in the faery world is highly risky. It's important to know one's weaknesses, and holding grudges can be very painful to the person simmering with anger and other people they know. 
*Check out Julie Kagawa's website to see other books she's written. 

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