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. 

A Review: Pirates!

                                          

Pirates! by Celia Rees

Genre: YA Historical Fiction, Adventure

 "Thrown together by chance, ambitious for adventure by nature, Minerva Sharpe and Nancy Kington defy the expectations of everyone around them and take to the high seas on the pirate ship Deliverance." 

This novel was interesting and a lot of fun to read. There's always something going on, and the characters are very likeable. Although, I liked Minerva better than Nancy, even though the story was told from Nancy's point of view. In my opinion, the main protagonist should be the 'strongest' character; the one who changes the most and directs the story. It would have been interesting to read some of this daring, pirate tale from Minerva's p.o.v, but I still enjoyed hearing from Nancy. 

This story has some great imagery, and seemed (as far as I could tell) fairly accurate about slave plantations and early life in England as a woman, which I found highly interesting. I wish the ending was a bit more specific, but it was still a satisfying ending. 

This was an excellently written novel and highly enjoyable to read, and my complaints about it aren't major. I give it a 3.5 out of 5 and recommend it for older middle-schoolers and up. 

What I learned: Men who go on the account (become pirates) were usually plain old sailors at first, and pirates have their own rules that can't be broken. I also learned the importance of a good, true friend who sticks to you no matter what. 

*By the way, I believe this novel is based on a true story. Thus, you must most definitely read it!

A Review: The Kite Runner

The Kite Runner by Khaled Hosseini
Genre: Dramatic/Realistic Fiction 

Quote from the back: "'This powerful first novel...tells a story of fierce cruelty and fierce yet redeeming love. Both transform the life of Amir; Khaled Hosseini's privileged young narrator, who comes of age during the last peaceful days of the monarchy, just before his country's revolution and its invasion by Russian forces. But political events, even as dramatic as the ones that are presented in The Kite Runner, are only a part of this story. In The Kite Runner, Khaled Hosseini gives us a vivid and engaging story that reminds us how long his people have been struggling to triumph over the forces of violence-forces that continue to threaten them even today.'"

This was a beautifully written book and I was in tears several times throughout it. It was definitely not a 'light' read; there is a lot of violence and tragedy. But there is deep love and forgiveness and it opened up my eyes to the suffering people had to face during the rule of the Taliban in Afghanistan, how important love is between right and wrong, and that people's actions can affect their children.

I was frustrated with the main character, Amir, a lot in this novel, but he grows and changes at the end, which I believe is similar to real life, for no one's perfect. Other than that, the characters were mostly like able and I really loved learning about the Afghanistan culture. There are also many great motifs and lovely symbols throughout the novel (look at the title, hint, hint). I liked A Thousand Splendid Suns better, but I still loved this book and give it a 4 out of 5. I would recommend it for older high-school students and up.

What I learned: What a kite runner is, how dramatically life changed during the Taliban's rule in Afghanistan, especially in Kabul, and what a Hazara is.