Review: THE IRON KING

Format: Trade Paperback
Dimensions: 368 Pages, 5.13 X 8 X0.96 in
Published: February 1, 2010
Published By: Harlequin 
ISBN - 10: 0373210086
ISBN - 13: 9780373210084
List Price: $11.99 CAD, $9.99 US, $8.23 CAD
Purchase at: Chapters, Amazon, The Book Depository
Rating: 5/5

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, and her prankster best friend becomes strangely protective of her, Meghan sense 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. 


Where do I begin? Again, this book along with the Iron Daughter has been on my radar for a few weeks thanks to both the book blog world and twitter. I'm so glad that I listened to all of the love that Julie Kagawa and her books were getting. When I first began reading, I wasn't sure what to expect. The only other faerie series I have read has been Lesley Livingston's (and it's no secret that I adore those books). It was nice to jump into the Iron King and come out with an entirely different world based on Faerie myth and lore. 


I found there was a strong image and connection with this book to the world and economy today which I thoroughly enjoyed. We do allow for technology and the fast pace world of business etc, to take over... to the point where we have completely lost ourselves. Of course technology has made life easier and enjoyable, but with it comes great loss. I feel that is the message that is underlined in the pages of the Iron King. Wouldn't it be nice to believe in the magic we did when we were kids? Reading this book, I wish that as we got older we didn't lose that childhood innocence. 


Meghan's character definitely develops strongly throughout the course of the novel. I'm excited and also a bit apprehensive about where the next two novels will take her. She begins the novel as a shy, timid girl who relies on her best friend although she would rather not rely on anyone. She is a stranger to her fellow students as well as her own family. The only people who pay her any attention are Robbie, her best friend, and her 4 year old brother, Ethan. By the end of the novel, she is strong, courageous and more accepting of herself and comes to realize that she is in fact important to the people around her. 


Puck is fantastic and Ash is mysterious. I sense a love triangle forthcoming - even if Meghan is unaware of a certain Goodfellow's feelings towards her, he certainly has no problem showing them to the reader. It would be wrong of me to pick teams so early on, but I lean towards Ash. Puck is Meghan's best friend and I adore him. The story needs his character but Ash could be so much more - she could be his saving grace. I really like Grim (a talking cat...cool right?). He was very Alice in Wonderland without the creepy cheshire smile. 


The book was well written with strong developed characters and plot. It is written in the first person which I didn't mind. It really doesn't bother me either way - I don't really have a preference. They only thing with first person though, is that you only see things from Meghan's perspective. There were a few times I would have liked to see Nevernever and perspectives from Puck's mind. The world is so far from our own yet eerily familiar at the same time. Julie Kagawa has created a world with strange yet fascinating characters who took over my Saturday and I was happy to give it to them. I struggled with putting the book down and read the entire thing in one sitting! I highly recommend this book for teens and adults. Both will find this book hits home and they will hopefully fall in love with its characters and the Nevernever as I did. 


Julie Kagawa's Website

-Ashley