A review by unluckyprimes
Ironskin by Tina Connolly

3.0

Man, the first like, 60-75% of this book was definitely 4 star material. I mean, a Jane Eyre retelling crossed with Man in the Iron Mask? The unique worldbuilding around fey magic and the fey-cursed? The kind of ridiculous but totally swoony romance? Hell yes.

And then... well, I'd say I lost the plot, but it's more like the plot lost me. Things took a turn, especially in the last 50 pages or so that ... I mean, it was interesting, I guess but I just think I expected something different?

And not going to lie, I totally hated

Spoiler

that Jane gets a new face at the end of this. I mean, her pulling of the first mask to try and defeat the Fey Queen was badass as hell, but... uh, it sort of left me with a bad taste in my mouth. Especially the second time. Like, that her deformity is something to be fixed and that she deserves to have fixed. Which... I was liking the way the narrative was handling the feelings Jane had about herself in that regard, but for that to be the ultimate payoff kind of felt... cheap? Like we were doing so well with the realization that iron was harmful and that the curses could be mastered and those afflicted didn't owe anything to anyone about their appearance....... And then that ending happened. And ugh.

I'm not really super interested in reading on either. Despite the clear set up for more, the turnaround in the back part of the book makes me think the sequels are going to be more paranormal action and romance as opposed to the historical fantasy retelling I originally was really liking. So. Meh?