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marcysbuecherecke's review against another edition
mysterious
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? N/A
2.0
kathydavie's review against another edition
3.0
First in the Iron Fey Young Adult paranormal series.
The Story
Meghan Chase is about to turn 16 and her life is a misery. Clothes from Goodwill, no friends except Robin, a mother who can barely remember her birthday, and she lives on a pig farm! Then she discovers a changeling has taken her four-year-old brother's place. And Robin reveals himself as something more than she thought as he takes her into faery to rescue Ethan.
A faery of monsters and other creatures who prey upon her until she finds herself in Oberon's court only to be stunned yet again by the revelation of her true history. But Oberon's court is no safe haven especially when the Winter Court comes to call at Elysium, the time of year when treaties are made and agreements contracted. And Prince Ash, the faery lord who has dogged her steps, insists upon dancing with her.
Meghan seizes her chance and escapes with the Cait Sithe to find her way to Mab's court in hopes of finding Ethan there only to be waylaid yet again…and again…and again
My Take
Definitely a Young Adult novel. I did enjoy the story, but the lack of buildup was rather irritating and Kagawa lost track at one point when Meghan is "lying in a strange bed in the faery kingdom" and suddenly thinks that "Is your father, not was. As if Oberon knew where he was." Which makes absolutely no sense as everyone in faery acknowledges who her father is which is certainly not where Meghan's thoughts are going. What's up with that?? I do intend to read Iron Daughter if only to see where her romance leads.
The Cover
The woman on the cover with all the frills of nature ranging from organic to the metal of the Iron King makes me think of the Lord of the Rings movie and Cate Blanchett as Galadriel. Very fae-like with a hint of mystery.
The Story
Meghan Chase is about to turn 16 and her life is a misery. Clothes from Goodwill, no friends except Robin, a mother who can barely remember her birthday, and she lives on a pig farm! Then she discovers a changeling has taken her four-year-old brother's place. And Robin reveals himself as something more than she thought as he takes her into faery to rescue Ethan.
A faery of monsters and other creatures who prey upon her until she finds herself in Oberon's court only to be stunned yet again by the revelation of her true history. But Oberon's court is no safe haven especially when the Winter Court comes to call at Elysium, the time of year when treaties are made and agreements contracted. And Prince Ash, the faery lord who has dogged her steps, insists upon dancing with her.
Meghan seizes her chance and escapes with the Cait Sithe to find her way to Mab's court in hopes of finding Ethan there only to be waylaid yet again…and again…and again
My Take
Definitely a Young Adult novel. I did enjoy the story, but the lack of buildup was rather irritating and Kagawa lost track at one point when Meghan is "lying in a strange bed in the faery kingdom" and suddenly thinks that "Is your father, not was. As if Oberon knew where he was." Which makes absolutely no sense as everyone in faery acknowledges who her father is which is certainly not where Meghan's thoughts are going. What's up with that?? I do intend to read Iron Daughter if only to see where her romance leads.
The Cover
The woman on the cover with all the frills of nature ranging from organic to the metal of the Iron King makes me think of the Lord of the Rings movie and Cate Blanchett as Galadriel. Very fae-like with a hint of mystery.
rhiaintheclouds's review against another edition
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? N/A
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
3.0
i enjoyed it at the beginning bc of the banter between Puck & Meghan. The rest was interesting but idk how i felt about Meghan and Ash being in love . I think if I read this when I was younger, I definitely would've eaten it up.
I can see why it was a fan favourite tho, there were definitely quite a lot of high stakes moments in this and not as obvious plot armour.
I can see why it was a fan favourite tho, there were definitely quite a lot of high stakes moments in this and not as obvious plot armour.
narcissia's review against another edition
3.0
I should probably start by saying that I have really been wanting to find a faerie series that I enjoy, that I can't seem to like any of them as much as I want to, and that, because I want to like one so bad, I keep trying. Thus, we arrive at The Iron King.
I do like The Iron King more than other faerie books that I've read previously, but sometimes Meghan gets on my nerves. She sure does seem to trip and fall into Ash a lot. And it annoys me that she is yet another heroine who, for some unexplained reason, is attracted to a guy who might kill her, and who tells her as much on more than one occasion. There's no real bonding between the two of them (unless you count repeatedly tripping into him or falling and then having to be caught/carried), or even much conversation. So this frustrates me. A lot. Her redeeming qualities are her loyalty and determination. But she is also prone to making rash, idiotic decisions and often ignores good advice. Puck and Grimalkin are great characters though, and are easily my favorites. The only problem with them, really, is that they are both pre-existing characters, and I'm not sure if I like Julie Kagawa's versions of them, or if I just already liked them from other stories and that interest carried over into this book. Ash seems flat in his interactions with Meghan. The bits of his personality that do shine through are a result of his interactions with Puck.
I do like the plot. Meghan's brother is taken by the fae, and she must get him back. But there are also things that threaten to destroy the world which the fae inhabit. There are obviously numerous and varied threats to her in the faerie realm, which led to some fun scenes. The pacing is steady, and there's a good bit of action.
So I'm trying to decide if I should read the next one to see if Meghan will be less irritating to me now that she has some experience under her belt. She was my least favorite character in this one though, which is frustrating. Part of me wants to see if her attraction to Ash ever has a basis that is not superficial. Or if she ever stops being so infuriatingly blind to Puck's potential (not even necessarily as a love interest - just in general). Or if she ever stops tripping like Bella and learns to walk like a normal person. Does anyone slap some freaking sense into her? Does she experience that type of growth? Should I give Meghan another chance, or will I just be disappointed?
I do like The Iron King more than other faerie books that I've read previously, but sometimes Meghan gets on my nerves. She sure does seem to trip and fall into Ash a lot. And it annoys me that she is yet another heroine who, for some unexplained reason, is attracted to a guy who might kill her, and who tells her as much on more than one occasion. There's no real bonding between the two of them (unless you count repeatedly tripping into him or falling and then having to be caught/carried), or even much conversation. So this frustrates me. A lot. Her redeeming qualities are her loyalty and determination. But she is also prone to making rash, idiotic decisions and often ignores good advice. Puck and Grimalkin are great characters though, and are easily my favorites. The only problem with them, really, is that they are both pre-existing characters, and I'm not sure if I like Julie Kagawa's versions of them, or if I just already liked them from other stories and that interest carried over into this book. Ash seems flat in his interactions with Meghan. The bits of his personality that do shine through are a result of his interactions with Puck.
I do like the plot. Meghan's brother is taken by the fae, and she must get him back. But there are also things that threaten to destroy the world which the fae inhabit. There are obviously numerous and varied threats to her in the faerie realm, which led to some fun scenes. The pacing is steady, and there's a good bit of action.
So I'm trying to decide if I should read the next one to see if Meghan will be less irritating to me now that she has some experience under her belt. She was my least favorite character in this one though, which is frustrating. Part of me wants to see if her attraction to Ash ever has a basis that is not superficial. Or if she ever stops being so infuriatingly blind to Puck's potential (not even necessarily as a love interest - just in general). Or if she ever stops tripping like Bella and learns to walk like a normal person. Does anyone slap some freaking sense into her? Does she experience that type of growth? Should I give Meghan another chance, or will I just be disappointed?
yodamom's review against another edition
4.0
A 16 year old girl that has never fit in. Is drawn into the fey world when her brother is replaced with an evil copy. Her best friend is not what she tought he was and a love may be in her future. She must rise above who she thinks she is and open herself up to new reasoning. This is a fantastic tale, Having an "Alice in Wonderland" feel to it. The characters are strong and some very wicked. I just enjoyed escaping into this story and can't wait for book 2. What will Ash do with her ?
rileyc16's review against another edition
adventurous
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
4.0
yukarin's review against another edition
1.0
0.5 Stars
It took me so long to finish this book and for what price.
The writing style of Julie Kagawa is different, sometimes long and dissolute but readable. Also the premise of giving the fae (not a hint but a big bucket of) shakespearean influence was new and somewhat refreshing for fae books. But oh. my. gosh. I hated the characters! I couldn't relate to ANY character at all. Puck was just weirdly stupid, Ash was just meh and Meghan was a character without any traits or brain cells.
Because of this stupidity I almost DNFed the book months ago. And now, I wished that I had done that.
It took me so long to finish this book and for what price.
The writing style of Julie Kagawa is different, sometimes long and dissolute but readable. Also the premise of giving the fae (not a hint but a big bucket of) shakespearean influence was new and somewhat refreshing for fae books. But oh. my. gosh. I hated the characters! I couldn't relate to ANY character at all. Puck was just weirdly stupid, Ash was just meh and Meghan was a character without any traits or brain cells.
Because of this stupidity I almost DNFed the book months ago. And now, I wished that I had done that.
bookph1le's review against another edition
4.0
I'll admit it, when I saw that this book was published by Harlequin Teen, I wasn't sure I wanted to read it. I was afraid it was going to be a straight-up romance novel and, since I don't enjoy romance novels, I has some apprehensions going into this one. However, it didn't take long for me to realize that, while there is a romance, this isn't a romance novel. It's a complex story that takes old myths and fables and puts it own twist on them, and I couldn't put it down. Some minor spoilers to follow.
If I have one critique of this novel, it's this: I thought the romance was a little too insta-love for my tastes. The dangerous bad boy who's on the wrong side struck me as a set up that was a bit too obvious. I'm really over the romances where there's sexual tension between the heroine and her love interest simply because he seems dark and brooding--and, of course, wildly handsome. This particular theme has been done to death. Still, it could have been saved had more time been taken to show how Meghan and Ash gradually come together, but it's pretty much a given from the start that they're going to be an item. I never really got the sense that either of them found something loveable in the other. Instead, I felt the whole time like they were going to be together because it was inevitable. I found this really disappointing.
What I'd have preferred to see is Meghan falling in love with Robin. My spidey senses tell me that there's a setup for a love triangle going on here, and I hope I'm wrong about that. While Robin can be flip and rather callous, I felt like it would have made a lot more sense for Meghan to fall for him. She's known him for years and he's always looked out for her. It's true that he mislead her, but it's obvious that he cares greatly about her. He takes a lot of risks for her sake.
Plus, I frankly liked his personality better. While both he and Grim are a delight, I think Ash is a bit dull. I loved Robin's banter, and his lines contained lots of fun little jokes and quips that made me smile. I was also very fond of Grim, whose personality is so vivid he almost felt real to me. I'm very curious about how he'll figure into the story later, and I really hope he'll make a reappearance in the second book. It probably goes without saying that I have the same hopes about Robin.
The world building in this novel is absolutely phenomenal. Scenery is described in such a vivid way that I have a very clear picture of the world in my head. No small detail is overlooked, and the book is chock full of those small items that give the impression that the author really knows this world she's describing. Not only did the setting really pull me in, I thought the social structure was well established. There are just enough details to really give the reader an idea of what the fey are like, and this is done without coming right out and telling the reader, "The fey are cruel. They can be petty." It lends a lot of impact to just see small, casual episodes that provide a really creepy look at how the fey operate.
I also absolutely loved the addition of Machina and the Iron Knights. I thought this was such a clever, interesting idea. It was a great way to mesh the old with the new, and to show the tensions between tradition and progress. In that way, this book is about a lot more than just a story of faeries fighting with one another.
This is exactly the sort of novel I look for when I really want some escapist fantasy. The pacing is excellent, there are serious consequences to the choices the characters make, and there is a very entertaining and intriguing cast of characters. I'm very glad I gave this book a chance.
If I have one critique of this novel, it's this: I thought the romance was a little too insta-love for my tastes. The dangerous bad boy who's on the wrong side struck me as a set up that was a bit too obvious. I'm really over the romances where there's sexual tension between the heroine and her love interest simply because he seems dark and brooding--and, of course, wildly handsome. This particular theme has been done to death. Still, it could have been saved had more time been taken to show how Meghan and Ash gradually come together, but it's pretty much a given from the start that they're going to be an item. I never really got the sense that either of them found something loveable in the other. Instead, I felt the whole time like they were going to be together because it was inevitable. I found this really disappointing.
What I'd have preferred to see is Meghan falling in love with Robin. My spidey senses tell me that there's a setup for a love triangle going on here, and I hope I'm wrong about that. While Robin can be flip and rather callous, I felt like it would have made a lot more sense for Meghan to fall for him. She's known him for years and he's always looked out for her. It's true that he mislead her, but it's obvious that he cares greatly about her. He takes a lot of risks for her sake.
Plus, I frankly liked his personality better. While both he and Grim are a delight, I think Ash is a bit dull. I loved Robin's banter, and his lines contained lots of fun little jokes and quips that made me smile. I was also very fond of Grim, whose personality is so vivid he almost felt real to me. I'm very curious about how he'll figure into the story later, and I really hope he'll make a reappearance in the second book. It probably goes without saying that I have the same hopes about Robin.
The world building in this novel is absolutely phenomenal. Scenery is described in such a vivid way that I have a very clear picture of the world in my head. No small detail is overlooked, and the book is chock full of those small items that give the impression that the author really knows this world she's describing. Not only did the setting really pull me in, I thought the social structure was well established. There are just enough details to really give the reader an idea of what the fey are like, and this is done without coming right out and telling the reader, "The fey are cruel. They can be petty." It lends a lot of impact to just see small, casual episodes that provide a really creepy look at how the fey operate.
I also absolutely loved the addition of Machina and the Iron Knights. I thought this was such a clever, interesting idea. It was a great way to mesh the old with the new, and to show the tensions between tradition and progress. In that way, this book is about a lot more than just a story of faeries fighting with one another.
This is exactly the sort of novel I look for when I really want some escapist fantasy. The pacing is excellent, there are serious consequences to the choices the characters make, and there is a very entertaining and intriguing cast of characters. I'm very glad I gave this book a chance.
magencorrie's review against another edition
4.0
3.5 stars
My Review:
What can I say about the first book I have ever read by Kagawa? That I absolutely enjoyed it! It was such a wonderful read. I think it was the world that Kagawa built that swept me away. I adored the faery world she created and woven so meticulously into modern society. It was rich in imagination.
I found Meghan to be a main character who I instantly liked. I loved that she was so willing to do what she must for her brother. She never pauses to help those she loves. I always admire that in characters. And Meghan proved to be smart. In a world filled with characters just waiting to take advantage of her, she did her best to always be ready for anything. Never really allowing those to take advantage of her.
So I’m also now an official Ash girl. Hand me the bumper sticker, the coffee mug, and the t-shirt. I’m full-fledged now! I want a pillow shaped like him; so I can sleep with him every night! Though Ash does give you the hot and cold attitude at the beginning, his dark allure kept pulling me in. And despite his shifty attitude, I could feel he really was a great character. So I really can’t wait to learn even more about him.
The book is filled with a diverse range of very interesting characters. Human, faery, and mythology. I did fall for Puck as well. I loved his humor and how he always made tense situations not so, well, tense. The variety of characters was refreshing.
The only thing I didn’t enjoy, or couldn’t truly like, was the pacing of the story. It was very much rushed. Events happening without pause. Meghan was readily swept into the fey world, almost too easily. But despite that, the book grabbed my attention and sucked me into a world I loved getting lost into.
I am so glad I finally picked this one up and I can’t wait till I can pick up the next one. I’m really curious to see just where Meghan, Ash, and Puck are now.
My Review:
What can I say about the first book I have ever read by Kagawa? That I absolutely enjoyed it! It was such a wonderful read. I think it was the world that Kagawa built that swept me away. I adored the faery world she created and woven so meticulously into modern society. It was rich in imagination.
I found Meghan to be a main character who I instantly liked. I loved that she was so willing to do what she must for her brother. She never pauses to help those she loves. I always admire that in characters. And Meghan proved to be smart. In a world filled with characters just waiting to take advantage of her, she did her best to always be ready for anything. Never really allowing those to take advantage of her.
So I’m also now an official Ash girl. Hand me the bumper sticker, the coffee mug, and the t-shirt. I’m full-fledged now! I want a pillow shaped like him; so I can sleep with him every night! Though Ash does give you the hot and cold attitude at the beginning, his dark allure kept pulling me in. And despite his shifty attitude, I could feel he really was a great character. So I really can’t wait to learn even more about him.
The book is filled with a diverse range of very interesting characters. Human, faery, and mythology. I did fall for Puck as well. I loved his humor and how he always made tense situations not so, well, tense. The variety of characters was refreshing.
The only thing I didn’t enjoy, or couldn’t truly like, was the pacing of the story. It was very much rushed. Events happening without pause. Meghan was readily swept into the fey world, almost too easily. But despite that, the book grabbed my attention and sucked me into a world I loved getting lost into.
I am so glad I finally picked this one up and I can’t wait till I can pick up the next one. I’m really curious to see just where Meghan, Ash, and Puck are now.
ariaunarae's review against another edition
5.0
This can now be added to my favorites list.
I can honestly say that Julie kagawa is one of my favourite authors. Although I felt that this book started slow. At first, I would read a small bit and than wait a week. I would repeat that process for a while. But as soon as chapter 4-5 hit, I felt like I couldn't put it down.
I'd think about the book all day.
And that probably isn't a good thing. I'd zone out in the middle of class, and when I got called on to answer a question, I wouldn't know what the heck was going on.
It took about a month to read he first quarter of this book, but I read the rest in 1-2 days.
It was that good.
Julie has a great talent for writing characters that you can connect to and/or relate to. She doesn't, as I say, "blend personalities". Like, when all the characters seem to act or think the same. That merely pisses me off. A lot. But hey, if you like that type of book, I suggest "The Winter People" by Rebekah purdy.
I can't wait to continue with this series, because I love the thrilling feeling you get when reading kagawas books. And I rarely write reviews, unless I really like the book. Once in a while I'll write one of I Hate a book.
This book is great. I suggest it to people who like protagonists that won't make stupid decisions that'll make you want to throw your book across the room.
I can honestly say that Julie kagawa is one of my favourite authors. Although I felt that this book started slow. At first, I would read a small bit and than wait a week. I would repeat that process for a while. But as soon as chapter 4-5 hit, I felt like I couldn't put it down.
I'd think about the book all day.
And that probably isn't a good thing. I'd zone out in the middle of class, and when I got called on to answer a question, I wouldn't know what the heck was going on.
It took about a month to read he first quarter of this book, but I read the rest in 1-2 days.
It was that good.
Julie has a great talent for writing characters that you can connect to and/or relate to. She doesn't, as I say, "blend personalities". Like, when all the characters seem to act or think the same. That merely pisses me off. A lot. But hey, if you like that type of book, I suggest "The Winter People" by Rebekah purdy.
I can't wait to continue with this series, because I love the thrilling feeling you get when reading kagawas books. And I rarely write reviews, unless I really like the book. Once in a while I'll write one of I Hate a book.
This book is great. I suggest it to people who like protagonists that won't make stupid decisions that'll make you want to throw your book across the room.