Saturday, January 28, 2012

Book Review: The Iron King by Julie Kagawa

Title: The Iron King

Author: Julie Kagawa

SynopsisMeghan 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.

Review:

a.) Characters: 5/5 score.  The growth of Meghan is my favorite part of the story.  She starts as a whiny sixteen year old and evolves into a mature accepting young adult.  With every page, the progress shows how she grows throughout her travels.  Puck, Ash and Grim were absolutely amazing, and the story would not have been the same without them.  From Puck’s pranks to Ash’s chilling demeanor, and Grim’s sarcasm, these characters come alive enough to walk right off the pages.

b.) Plot: 5/5 score.  Through the whole plot Meghan NEVER lost sight of saving her brother.  She embarks on this journey and, though her bravery wavers, she still moves forward, refusing to give up.  She didn’t fall helplessly in love with either love interest, though you can feel her attractions and emotions grow throughout the story.  Despite her growing feelings, Meghan never gave up on finding Ethan.  The entire world- from the human’s realm to the Summer Court to the Winter Court and the Iron Court- is believable.  

c.) Writing style: 3/5 score.  Julie Kagawa really made the story of these Fey a reality, and it was impossible to not feel their pain, excitement, confusion, fear, etc. through the whole tale.  It was hard to take a break between chapters with the leads she puts to keep pulling you deeper into their world.  Despite all this, the ending did feel a little weak to me because of the “we’ve failed, we’re dead” points.  

Rating: 13/15 total


Can I get an 'OMG' on the top on your lungs?  Wow- I was thrilled by this.  It left me wanting more from Meghan, more from the storyline, more from Ash and Puck.  I can't believe I didn't start reading this when it first came out.  Of course, lucky me, I get to run out and get the rest of the series unlike those who had to wait.  I cannot wait to see where Kagawa takes this.  From what I understand, the next two, The Iron Daughter and The Iron Queen, are from Meghan's POV while the last one, The Iron Knight, is from Ash's POV.  What I will have to wait for is the spin-off trilogy, which is Ethan's tale years later.  Totally worth it!

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