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3.56 AVERAGE
3.56 AVERAGE
This is a solid 4 star read for me. I loved pretty much everything about it, I just wish there had been more meat to it. A little more fleshed out scenery and world-building, even more character building and internal thought processes. But that's really it. Kinda like I got a taste of some realllllllly delicious chocolate, and then I wished there had been more. But maybe that's what the sequels are for?
Anyway, I really liked the main character, and the side characters --especially Puck and Grimalkin, who were both hilarious and really made the book vibrant and alive. And of course, the prince Ash is swoon-worthy in many ways. I loved the story, and found myself cheering hard for Meghan. Can't wait to read the next one. :)
Anyway, I really liked the main character, and the side characters --especially Puck and Grimalkin, who were both hilarious and really made the book vibrant and alive. And of course, the prince Ash is swoon-worthy in many ways. I loved the story, and found myself cheering hard for Meghan. Can't wait to read the next one. :)
Intriguing idea, the story & the main character has potential to grow, but it was a lot of uninformed damsel-in-distress until the end.
Wow, it's taken me a VERY long time to get this review out here and I'm really sorry about that. Unfortunately, it's been so long that my memories of this book are somewhat foggy, so let's see if I can get out a decent review, shall we? Anyway, I definitely enjoyed this book A LOT (and I'll be reading the next book when I get the chance!), but I had a few problems with it. First off, it was really cliché. Girl is really unpopular. Girl's brother goes missing. Girl's friend has a completely different identity. Girl isn't surprised at all that faeries exist. Girl goes searching for brother. Girl is snarky to people she most certainly shouldn't be snarky to because they'll kill her. Brutally. Girl finds out she's special. Girl is royalty. Insert my unimpressed yawn over here and you have yourself one of many young adult fantasies.
Anyway, I still enjoyed it because the rest of the plot--the more detailed parts--were really interesting and I actually did like a lot of the characters. Though, I still can't really see all the hype with Ash; he just seems like a jerk. I did like Puck though, he seems really sweet and adorably protective. However, Meghan was a little annoying, especially since she didn't seem to have any judgement or brains, but I grew to root for her as well.
The writing wasn't all that special and unfortunately, it was devoid of any quotable material, but it pulled me in and kept me captivated. Despite writing something extremely cliché, Julie Kagawa had the ability to hook me and keep me reading. I know it sounds like all I'm doing is criticizing this book, but underneath it all, I really did love it. It was exciting, interesting, and PUCK. The world was really inventive and I desperately want to read A Midsummer Night's Dream now with all the references. Just a note, it would probably be helpful to know something about the plot of that Shakespeare play beforehand because this is almost a retelling of it. I thought that was really creative. Also, if you've read The Mortal Instruments and loved them then you'd probably love this book. The world is akin to that of the Seelie Court in Cassandra Clare's creations.
I'd definitely recommend giving this book a try, but if you're looking for something more mature and original, turn another way.
-Book Hugger
Check out my blog for more reviews like this at http://www.bookhuggerreviews.com
Anyway, I still enjoyed it because the rest of the plot--the more detailed parts--were really interesting and I actually did like a lot of the characters. Though, I still can't really see all the hype with Ash; he just seems like a jerk. I did like Puck though, he seems really sweet and adorably protective. However, Meghan was a little annoying, especially since she didn't seem to have any judgement or brains, but I grew to root for her as well.
The writing wasn't all that special and unfortunately, it was devoid of any quotable material, but it pulled me in and kept me captivated. Despite writing something extremely cliché, Julie Kagawa had the ability to hook me and keep me reading. I know it sounds like all I'm doing is criticizing this book, but underneath it all, I really did love it. It was exciting, interesting, and PUCK. The world was really inventive and I desperately want to read A Midsummer Night's Dream now with all the references. Just a note, it would probably be helpful to know something about the plot of that Shakespeare play beforehand because this is almost a retelling of it. I thought that was really creative. Also, if you've read The Mortal Instruments and loved them then you'd probably love this book. The world is akin to that of the Seelie Court in Cassandra Clare's creations.
I'd definitely recommend giving this book a try, but if you're looking for something more mature and original, turn another way.
-Book Hugger
Check out my blog for more reviews like this at http://www.bookhuggerreviews.com
I’ve been really into fae stories recently, having come across an amazing fanfic featuring the fae. So when I visited my friend’s house and found that her roommate had a bunch of books about the fae, I jumped on them.
All of them.
The Iron King was written 10 years ago for an audience younger than I am now, and it shows. Meghan’s home life consists of her parents not remembering anything about her, including the fact that her birthday is coming up, and her school life is full of bullies and nobody truly knowing her.
Nobody, that is, except for her best friend.
A lot of things happen in the first chapter that made me honestly surprised that it was all a single chapter. This book goes fast. A lot of stuff happens, but it happens fast.
Another thing that I thought happened a little too quickly was the buildup of a relationship between Meghan and her… crush? Future boyfriend? I mean, sure, I get meeting someone and thinking they’re hot, but she started to care for him a lot more quickly than I did.
One of the most fascinating parts of this book is the inclusion of iron. It’s a general part of fae lore that the fae are “allergic” to iron. It burns them. So I was confused as to why a story about the fae was called “The Iron King”, which may just be the best selling point I have ever seen in a book. This book touches on an idea I’ve never seen before in a fae story, which is what made it so interesting to me. I mean, steampunk? In my story about the fae?
Despite not being written for an audience that includes me, I really enjoyed this take on the fae, and I’m excited to continue the series.
All of them.
The Iron King was written 10 years ago for an audience younger than I am now, and it shows. Meghan’s home life consists of her parents not remembering anything about her, including the fact that her birthday is coming up, and her school life is full of bullies and nobody truly knowing her.
Nobody, that is, except for her best friend.
A lot of things happen in the first chapter that made me honestly surprised that it was all a single chapter. This book goes fast. A lot of stuff happens, but it happens fast.
Another thing that I thought happened a little too quickly was the buildup of a relationship between Meghan and her… crush? Future boyfriend? I mean, sure, I get meeting someone and thinking they’re hot, but she started to care for him a lot more quickly than I did.
One of the most fascinating parts of this book is the inclusion of iron. It’s a general part of fae lore that the fae are “allergic” to iron. It burns them. So I was confused as to why a story about the fae was called “The Iron King”, which may just be the best selling point I have ever seen in a book. This book touches on an idea I’ve never seen before in a fae story, which is what made it so interesting to me. I mean, steampunk? In my story about the fae?
Despite not being written for an audience that includes me, I really enjoyed this take on the fae, and I’m excited to continue the series.
The Iron King
Rating: 4/5
First Impression: I had some hopes for this book, since from the title it seems like it won’t be like any other faerie/fairy novel. One united theme through the fey novels, is that fey cannot stand to touch iron. That being said, Iron fey, how is that possible? Well, once you step into the realm of the NeverNever it all is. I was intrigued by this book from the beginning because the narrator, human Meghan Chase has a great narrating ability. She was raised on a farm, so she has a much different perspective than many people today.
Further:
Meghan is a seemingly normal, social outcast girl, and she just wants to be noticed, by the hottest guy in school. When that goes unfortunately wrong, she always has Robbie, her prankster best friend, who is always there for her. When Meghan finally enters the Nevernever, she learns many things about herself that are shocking and amazing at the same time. While in the Nevernever, Meghan gets caught in a love triangle. Who will win her heart Puck or Ash? The characters in The Iron King are all refreshing, it is nice to return to the basic myth, were the Unseelie and Seelie courts cannot stand each other, were Titania and Oberon have a shifty marriage. Meghan also meets Grimalkin, who seems very similar to the cat from Alice in Wonderland. Grim acts as her guide for most of the book and he is a witty character that spices up the trip with his sarcasm and the fact that he’s a cat!
The plot of this book is fascinating, it has action that almost doesn’t end, not even at the end of the book. One of the things I appreciated, was that at the end of the chapters, there was a cliff hanger. Something that made you go “What?!” or grip the book harder and read faster. Kagawa is able to add a new facet of the fey tale with her addition of the Iron Fey. It is interesting how the idea starts through the Nevernever. It follows through all the details and makes a lot of sense actually. The pieces of this puzzle all interlock and that makes it a good read.
The only thing that made me give this a four was the fact that it didn’t quite drag me into the story the way some of my favorite books do. I don’t know exactly how a book does that, but this one didn’t quite do it. It was really good, but instead of feeling like I was inside the story living alongside Meghan, I felt like I was just watching her through glass. Despite this, it was still a super read, that I would recommend to people who like “Light Romance”, Faery, Magic, Fantasy and A little bit of Mystery. I am looking forward to reading the sequel; however, the book doesn’t make me want to go to the bookstore and get a copy right now.
Rating: 4/5
First Impression: I had some hopes for this book, since from the title it seems like it won’t be like any other faerie/fairy novel. One united theme through the fey novels, is that fey cannot stand to touch iron. That being said, Iron fey, how is that possible? Well, once you step into the realm of the NeverNever it all is. I was intrigued by this book from the beginning because the narrator, human Meghan Chase has a great narrating ability. She was raised on a farm, so she has a much different perspective than many people today.
Further:
Meghan is a seemingly normal, social outcast girl, and she just wants to be noticed, by the hottest guy in school. When that goes unfortunately wrong, she always has Robbie, her prankster best friend, who is always there for her. When Meghan finally enters the Nevernever, she learns many things about herself that are shocking and amazing at the same time. While in the Nevernever, Meghan gets caught in a love triangle. Who will win her heart Puck or Ash? The characters in The Iron King are all refreshing, it is nice to return to the basic myth, were the Unseelie and Seelie courts cannot stand each other, were Titania and Oberon have a shifty marriage. Meghan also meets Grimalkin, who seems very similar to the cat from Alice in Wonderland. Grim acts as her guide for most of the book and he is a witty character that spices up the trip with his sarcasm and the fact that he’s a cat!
The plot of this book is fascinating, it has action that almost doesn’t end, not even at the end of the book. One of the things I appreciated, was that at the end of the chapters, there was a cliff hanger. Something that made you go “What?!” or grip the book harder and read faster. Kagawa is able to add a new facet of the fey tale with her addition of the Iron Fey. It is interesting how the idea starts through the Nevernever. It follows through all the details and makes a lot of sense actually. The pieces of this puzzle all interlock and that makes it a good read.
The only thing that made me give this a four was the fact that it didn’t quite drag me into the story the way some of my favorite books do. I don’t know exactly how a book does that, but this one didn’t quite do it. It was really good, but instead of feeling like I was inside the story living alongside Meghan, I felt like I was just watching her through glass. Despite this, it was still a super read, that I would recommend to people who like “Light Romance”, Faery, Magic, Fantasy and A little bit of Mystery. I am looking forward to reading the sequel; however, the book doesn’t make me want to go to the bookstore and get a copy right now.
En bref: Un bilan assez mitigé pour ce premier tome. L'univers est une réussite, qui mêle classicisme charmant et originalité bien trouvée. On y rentre très facilement et c'est un régal d'arpenter ces terres enchanteresses. Malheureusement, cela ne suffit pas à faire de ce roman un succès à mes yeux. Dans ses grandes lignes, l'intrigue est une accumulation de lieux communs. Dans le détail, la surprise est un peu plus au rendez-vous, avec un récit rythmé de nombreuses péripéties. Mais même si l'ensemble est bien divertissant, je ne m'y suis jamais trouvée impliquée. Un peu trop de facilité dans les dénouements et de superficialité à mon goût. Qui de plus est, je ne me suis pas particulièrement attachée aux personnages (à part Grim et Puck) qui manquent selon moi de profondeur.
Ceci dit, je pense que je lirai la suite. Même si ce premier tome ne m'a pas emballée plus que ça, il m'a diverti un instant et je pense qu'il y a un bon potentiel derrière. Et comme on reste sur une note de suspens à la fin de ce premier volume, j'ai envie de connaître la suite.
Mon avis détaillé
Ceci dit, je pense que je lirai la suite. Même si ce premier tome ne m'a pas emballée plus que ça, il m'a diverti un instant et je pense qu'il y a un bon potentiel derrière. Et comme on reste sur une note de suspens à la fin de ce premier volume, j'ai envie de connaître la suite.
Mon avis détaillé
The Iron Kings centres around Meghan Chase, a recently-turned sixteen-year-old girl. Meghan lives with her mom, stepdad and half-brother in a rundown farm and she has one of those problems that people never seem to notice her.
One day, a lot of strange things happen to Meghan and when she gets home, her brother is not himself. Meghan's best friend Robbie tells her that the person pretending to be her brother is a changeling and in order to rescue her real sibling, they must travel to Fairyland. Meghan, it turns out, is the daughter of one of the Fey Kings and Robbie is not Robbie but Robin Goodfellow aka Puck from A Midsummer Night's Dream.
Not only does Meghan have to deal with the fact that her real father is a King of the Summer court, and her stepmom wants to kill her, or turn her into something unnatural, but she also still has to find her brother. With the help of Robin, and the dark prince Ash, who may or may not want to kill her, Meghan need to find the 'Iron Court' which no-one knew even existed.
The detail in this book was extraordinary. Fairyland, despite its inviting name, is not somewhere I would like to go...ever. It's basically the epitome of every bad story about faeries, these are not TinkerBell-esque pixies but drowning waterhorses, human-eating goblins and satyrs who would gladly rape a young girl walking alone in a blink of an eye.
I recently read American Gods by Neil Gaiman and the Iron Court reminded me of some of the concepts in his book as well. The new court was created with people's new obsession with technology. Real magic was weakening while iron and technology grew stronger and threatened to overcome the other fey realms. I think this is a great concept to explore, especially with the age we're living in now.
Overall, this is a great take on a gothic, creepy look at fairies and the world of magic. This book lost a star because of how annoying Meghan was for me. I didn't feel an overly strong connection to any character, Meghan or her love interests Robin and Ash. I think I will go on and read the rest of the trilogy and I'm hoping I will feel closer to the characters as they go through some more trials and I can root for them to come out on top.
One day, a lot of strange things happen to Meghan and when she gets home, her brother is not himself. Meghan's best friend Robbie tells her that the person pretending to be her brother is a changeling and in order to rescue her real sibling, they must travel to Fairyland. Meghan, it turns out, is the daughter of one of the Fey Kings and Robbie is not Robbie but Robin Goodfellow aka Puck from A Midsummer Night's Dream.
Not only does Meghan have to deal with the fact that her real father is a King of the Summer court, and her stepmom wants to kill her, or turn her into something unnatural, but she also still has to find her brother. With the help of Robin, and the dark prince Ash, who may or may not want to kill her, Meghan need to find the 'Iron Court' which no-one knew even existed.
The detail in this book was extraordinary. Fairyland, despite its inviting name, is not somewhere I would like to go...ever. It's basically the epitome of every bad story about faeries, these are not TinkerBell-esque pixies but drowning waterhorses, human-eating goblins and satyrs who would gladly rape a young girl walking alone in a blink of an eye.
I recently read American Gods by Neil Gaiman and the Iron Court reminded me of some of the concepts in his book as well. The new court was created with people's new obsession with technology. Real magic was weakening while iron and technology grew stronger and threatened to overcome the other fey realms. I think this is a great concept to explore, especially with the age we're living in now.
Overall, this is a great take on a gothic, creepy look at fairies and the world of magic. This book lost a star because of how annoying Meghan was for me. I didn't feel an overly strong connection to any character, Meghan or her love interests Robin and Ash. I think I will go on and read the rest of the trilogy and I'm hoping I will feel closer to the characters as they go through some more trials and I can root for them to come out on top.
Loved every minute of this book. Couldn't bear to put it down to eat or sleep. I want to go to The NeverNever and get myself a hot Winter Prince ;-)
It took longer than it normally does for me to get in to the book. Not that it was bad, just that it didn't wow me. It did get better and I would like to see where the story goes next.