Status
Available
Call number
Call number
F Kag
Series
Collections
Publication
Don Mills, Ontario : Harlequin Teen, c2010.
Description
"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 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."--p.[4] of cover.… (more)
Subjects
Original publication date
2010-02-01
Similar in this library
User reviews
LibraryThing member sopolite
Julie Kagawa’s take on faeries and their world is simply extraordinary. With flawless writing, a magical world and an extremely well developed cast of characters, some of which stem from Shakespeare’s A Midsummer Night’s Dream, The Iron King proves to be a phenomenal debut and a must-read.
In
Ms. Kagawa’s vivid descriptions made it easy for me to get lost in the world of Nevernever. I felt like I was part of the story, right alongside the characters I had come to love so much. Kagawa’s talent to seamlessly weave action, adventure and romance into one book without either one being overwhelming is impeccable. Lots of times in other books, the big battle scenes can be dragged out and become a bit arduous to read. But the action sequences were extremely well written in The Iron King and I didn’t once find my attention drifting elsewhere.
Of course, the story would not be complete without a love triangle. I don’t think I can say I’ve ever read a book with a love triangle where I’ve actually loved both guys vying for the girl’s affection. But both Puck and Ash have completely stolen my heart. Puck’s playful banter and whimsical sense of humor never failed to make me laugh and Prince Ash’s broody, tough exterior yet secretly caring personality had me swooning. Now, I hate to pick just one, but if I had to, it would probably be Ash since I like him just a teensy bit more. The intense chemistry Meghan has with him is just too much! Any time he showed Megan the tiniest hint of affection, my heart would flutter and my stomach would clench as if it were happening to me.
And how could I forget Grimalkin? He. Is. So. Adorable. I felt that Kagawa captured the finicky essence of a cat perfectly with him. He was hilarious with his snooty attitude and sarcastic comments. I absolutely adored how he didn’t bother to pay anyone any attention until he was through grooming himself, which is exactly like my own cat!
Overall, The Iron King was a magical, transcendent start to a series and is sure to be one of my favorites for a long time to come. My only regret is not reading it sooner! But, if I read it when it came out, I wouldn’t have been able to read multiple books in the series at once…so I guess I can’t regret it too much when I got to stay in a story world I loved for days as opposed to just hours. ;) My reviews for The Iron Daughter and The Iron Queen, the next installments in the series, will be up soon!
In
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The Iron King we are introduced to our heroine, Meghan Chase, a somewhat insecure girl with a simple, boring life. When her little brother Ethan is kidnapped and replaced with a malicious changeling and her best friend since childhood, Robbie Goodfell, reveals he is actually Robin Goodfellow aka Puck from A Midsummer Night’s Dream, Meghan’s once blasé life turns upside down as she journeys into the Nevernever to save Ethan, incidentally discovering who she really is in the process. Right away, the once insecure girl finds her bravery, determined to save her little brother.Ms. Kagawa’s vivid descriptions made it easy for me to get lost in the world of Nevernever. I felt like I was part of the story, right alongside the characters I had come to love so much. Kagawa’s talent to seamlessly weave action, adventure and romance into one book without either one being overwhelming is impeccable. Lots of times in other books, the big battle scenes can be dragged out and become a bit arduous to read. But the action sequences were extremely well written in The Iron King and I didn’t once find my attention drifting elsewhere.
Of course, the story would not be complete without a love triangle. I don’t think I can say I’ve ever read a book with a love triangle where I’ve actually loved both guys vying for the girl’s affection. But both Puck and Ash have completely stolen my heart. Puck’s playful banter and whimsical sense of humor never failed to make me laugh and Prince Ash’s broody, tough exterior yet secretly caring personality had me swooning. Now, I hate to pick just one, but if I had to, it would probably be Ash since I like him just a teensy bit more. The intense chemistry Meghan has with him is just too much! Any time he showed Megan the tiniest hint of affection, my heart would flutter and my stomach would clench as if it were happening to me.
And how could I forget Grimalkin? He. Is. So. Adorable. I felt that Kagawa captured the finicky essence of a cat perfectly with him. He was hilarious with his snooty attitude and sarcastic comments. I absolutely adored how he didn’t bother to pay anyone any attention until he was through grooming himself, which is exactly like my own cat!
Overall, The Iron King was a magical, transcendent start to a series and is sure to be one of my favorites for a long time to come. My only regret is not reading it sooner! But, if I read it when it came out, I wouldn’t have been able to read multiple books in the series at once…so I guess I can’t regret it too much when I got to stay in a story world I loved for days as opposed to just hours. ;) My reviews for The Iron Daughter and The Iron Queen, the next installments in the series, will be up soon!
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LibraryThing member FallingForBooks
First Line: Ten years ago, on my sixth birthday, my father disappeared.
Favorite Quote: "My closet!" hissed the figure. A spiderlike hand darted out and grabbed the doorknob. "My closet! Mine!" And it slammed the door with a bang."
My thoughts:
The Iron King has been on my to-be-read list forever! I
I’m starting to realize that I really enjoy fantasy type books as well. Megan is very fun, and I liked the determined and strong character she was. I thought the plot was interesting. The book also had a great deal of action. I also like the humor that was present throughout the book.
There’s even a bit of a love triangle that seems to be developing within the book. I can only assume I will learn more about this after reading the other books! The book focuses on Megan’s journey to save her brother and bring him back home. Megan loves him very much and will do anything to have him back.
I loved the pack rats. I thought they were great! I also love the cover art on the book.
Overall: If you like books that have crazy creatures, kingdoms, hidden worlds, kings, and talking cats you’ll love this book.
Favorite Quote: "My closet!" hissed the figure. A spiderlike hand darted out and grabbed the doorknob. "My closet! Mine!" And it slammed the door with a bang."
My thoughts:
The Iron King has been on my to-be-read list forever! I
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decided to go ahead and pick it up! I’ve heard so much about this book. I really liked this book and the take on faeries. I liked the whole fantasy aspect of this book.I’m starting to realize that I really enjoy fantasy type books as well. Megan is very fun, and I liked the determined and strong character she was. I thought the plot was interesting. The book also had a great deal of action. I also like the humor that was present throughout the book.
There’s even a bit of a love triangle that seems to be developing within the book. I can only assume I will learn more about this after reading the other books! The book focuses on Megan’s journey to save her brother and bring him back home. Megan loves him very much and will do anything to have him back.
I loved the pack rats. I thought they were great! I also love the cover art on the book.
Overall: If you like books that have crazy creatures, kingdoms, hidden worlds, kings, and talking cats you’ll love this book.
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LibraryThing member ahappybooker
The Iron King is a wonderful blend of the characters from a Midsummer Night's Dream with an original story and the added element of a half fey teenage girl. It seems Puck has been keeping an eye on Meghan for years, although Meghan only knew him as her best buddy Robbie, not as the immortal fey of
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legend. All of this changes though on her 16th birthday when Meghan's little brother Ethan is apparently kidnapped by the fey and a bloodthirsty little changeling left in his place. Meghan soon finds herself thrust into the adventure of her life as she travels to the Nevernever to rescue her brother. Along the way, she starts to come to terms with who she really is and that she is not as helpless as she thinks. I enjoyed the unique twist Kagawa added with the Iron Fey. It was interesting and made sense in the context of the story. I can't wait to find out more about the pack rats and some of the other iron fey. The world building was perfection, I absolutely lost myself in the Nevernever and was thoroughly entertained by all of the creatures Meghan ran into on her journeys. The fey were represented in a way that was true to many fey legends, but with Kagawa's own spin. I love stories about the fey, so I was so pleased at how beautifully they were portrayed in this novel. I did however wonder what made Kagawa write Titania as such a spiteful character.Grimalkin was probably my favorite overall, I adore witty sarcastic characters, and this snarky cat was brilliant. Meghen seemed to be a bit of a weak character, I would love to see her grow more into what power she has, meaning both her magical abilities as well as personally, throughout the rest of the series. I'd like to see her show a little more backbone. I also really enjoyed Puck's mischievous nature as well as Ash's brooding aloofness. Overall, the Iron King was highly entertaining, full of adventure, and certainly memorable. This series will be joining my shelf of favorite reads of 2010. Show Less
LibraryThing member sithereandread
'The Iron King' is the first book of the Iron Fey trilogy written by Julie Kagawa.
Lately I have been more and more 'into' faery books. A year ago I would have never picked one up but I find myself being attracted to these passionate but dangerous creatures. 'The Iron King' expressed the typical
At the start of this novel I enjoyed learning about Meghan's not-so-easy life. I sensed a significance in that fact that she never fit in and how her father disappeared. I was amused at the complete obviousness of Robbies affection for Meghan and how she overlooked it completely, typical for that age. Julie really nailed the emotions and awkwardness of a high school outcast.
When Meghan's brother, Ethan, is stolen from her, Robbie enlightens Meghan to her Sight and the world of Nevernever. When Robbie tells Meghan who he really is and how a Midsummer Night's Dream's characters are 'real' I changed my view on the book. I made an assumption that the book would be some sort of re-telling and it would be uncreative and boring. I can admit I was wrong, right? This small detail had a great significance for the real story to be told of the Iron King. The fact that faeries will exist because humans write, sing, or think about them completely made this novel without a doubt, amazing.
Since we humans are all about technology we lose imagination and creativity that fuels passion and emotion. Humans gradually forget about make-believe as we age and need to see proof of everything. This obsession with science and technology created a whole other species of fey, the Iron Fey. These creatures were so well written it was easy to visualize this world of metal and acid rain. I was completely mesmerized and could not wait to read each new page.
The character's that Julie created were very real in their own way. They were honest to themselves and were stubborn to change as anyone would be. I have to say my favorite character was Grimalkin. He was probably the most selfish character I have ever read (who in that world isn't?) and probably had the smallest of the character development (in his own way), but he really made this story. His thirst for adventure and debts created the highs and lows for Meghan's long journey and self-discovery. And then there is Ash. This character is one of my tops for swoon-worthy fictional men. This damaged, cold faerie probably progressed the most in this story. Although he should be complete enemies with Meghan, her innocence and spunk pull him out of a long, resentful relationship with himself and brings back some happiness to his life.
I cannot wait to continue reading this series as it is released. Julie Kagawa is truly an amazing storyteller and the anticipation for 'The Iron Daughter' is almost unbearable!
Lately I have been more and more 'into' faery books. A year ago I would have never picked one up but I find myself being attracted to these passionate but dangerous creatures. 'The Iron King' expressed the typical
Show More
faery life but exposed an addition to this world that threatens to wipe out their existence. At the start of this novel I enjoyed learning about Meghan's not-so-easy life. I sensed a significance in that fact that she never fit in and how her father disappeared. I was amused at the complete obviousness of Robbies affection for Meghan and how she overlooked it completely, typical for that age. Julie really nailed the emotions and awkwardness of a high school outcast.
When Meghan's brother, Ethan, is stolen from her, Robbie enlightens Meghan to her Sight and the world of Nevernever. When Robbie tells Meghan who he really is and how a Midsummer Night's Dream's characters are 'real' I changed my view on the book. I made an assumption that the book would be some sort of re-telling and it would be uncreative and boring. I can admit I was wrong, right? This small detail had a great significance for the real story to be told of the Iron King. The fact that faeries will exist because humans write, sing, or think about them completely made this novel without a doubt, amazing.
Since we humans are all about technology we lose imagination and creativity that fuels passion and emotion. Humans gradually forget about make-believe as we age and need to see proof of everything. This obsession with science and technology created a whole other species of fey, the Iron Fey. These creatures were so well written it was easy to visualize this world of metal and acid rain. I was completely mesmerized and could not wait to read each new page.
The character's that Julie created were very real in their own way. They were honest to themselves and were stubborn to change as anyone would be. I have to say my favorite character was Grimalkin. He was probably the most selfish character I have ever read (who in that world isn't?) and probably had the smallest of the character development (in his own way), but he really made this story. His thirst for adventure and debts created the highs and lows for Meghan's long journey and self-discovery. And then there is Ash. This character is one of my tops for swoon-worthy fictional men. This damaged, cold faerie probably progressed the most in this story. Although he should be complete enemies with Meghan, her innocence and spunk pull him out of a long, resentful relationship with himself and brings back some happiness to his life.
I cannot wait to continue reading this series as it is released. Julie Kagawa is truly an amazing storyteller and the anticipation for 'The Iron Daughter' is almost unbearable!
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LibraryThing member BurgandyIce
This story grew on me.
The entire first half was mostly confusing and frustrating. Meghan was confused and frustrated. The fae were completely freaky and unusual. The wildwood was frightening. Her friend, Puck, changing from who she always knew into one of the oldest faeries in existence who smiled
Honestly, I held a grudge against Robin Longfellow until he demanded pity instead.
Someone asked if I was “Team Ash” or “Team Puck” in that first half and I had to say enthusiastically that I was NOT “Team Puck” by long-shot, even though I had no reason to think “Team Ash”, yet, either.
It might have bothered me because it was so realistic. Any human leaping into Nevernever would be completely off balance. Every little turn would feel dangerous. I guess that was described well. So well, in fact, that I wanted out!!!
And then the claws of the story started to dig into me, demanding my attention and interest and not letting go! I didn’t notice it was happening until I couldn’t put the book down, which caught me by surprise.
The difference was Meghan. She is intelligent and brave. She watched how the faery world functioned, started guarding her mouth, got herself into less trouble and managed some difficult circumstances without whining and complaining.
I think the turning point for me was when Meghan busied herself as a slave in the kitchen. (I think I can say that without being spoilerish.) I expected her to give up in exasperation of all the things going wrong. The situation was so decidedly against her favor and even the small choices left to her were taken away. Instead of throwing any sort of fussy-fit, she buckled down and worked hard. She kept her sanity and when the time came to act, she moved definitively. The author won me as a fan during that lull before the Elysium, when the Unseelie Court came to Oberon’s territory in an uneasy truce of a feast:
“All right, I told myself, taking a deep breath. They’re still out there, Meghan. Ethan and your dad. You can’t give up now. Time to stop being a crybaby and get your act together.Lying back on the cold floor, I closed my eyes and started to plan.”
Meghan believes in herself even when the circumstances are against her and everyone thinks she’ll get herself killed. Since she believed she could do it, she started figuring out how to negotiate with faeries faery-style, she began earning their respect, and coordinating her rescue mission. Each of her successes carries her through the mounting difficulties, so the grand finale is deliciously believable.
The very last scene is my favorite, and I don’t know how I’m not reading the next book TOMORROW!! Meghan has so many layers and she is so true to herself on every level. I love the way she accepts them all and the consequences along with them, again without any fussing.
En fin, I went from mentally strangling this book and all things fae, to tripping over my feet to fangirl over Meghan. I will read the next book as soon as I can regardless of what’s “next” in my TBR pile. And I’ll definitely re-read some day to relive the entirety from a fangirling point of view. I wonder if the first half would still be frustrating after knowing that Meghan won’t wilt under the pressure? I kind of think that perspective changes everything. *sigh* Yay for Meghan!!! And Yay for Puck! And double-whammy yay for Ash!!!!!!!! And grudgingly yay for that cait sith!!
The Faery Party of last Saturday was inspired by this book!!! :-D
One more (late-added) note:
I notice that I don't mention much about the other characters in the book as I flip out over Meghan. My own review cracks me up... but that's why I write 'em immediately after reviewing. It's worth noting that Ash & Puck & Grim are all budding characters promising so much more in the books to come. I was sad over Meghan's mom and brother... and dad and dad and stepdad. But they're real people, like the school kids, and I don't mind being sad or irritated over them, hungry for more information on 'em. I think I covered Nevernever enough... it's growing on me, and that's the nicest thing I can say about it. There's tons of fae creatures coming and going and I'm intrigued by them all, in awe over the variety. It's no wonder this is a popular series. I feel justified in my sudden fan-obsession. I'm in good company!!!
Cover Commentary: Um, Yeppers. Beautiful, mysterious, woodsy. The title didn't explain itself for a long time and I'm still furiously curious over why this is called the "Iron Fey" series... not obvious, yet.
I'm trying not to spoil myself for future books, but I keep leaping to read every review for the up-coming books I "happen upon". *ahem*
My Rating: 4 - Pretty Darn Good. Potential for rating higher upon rereading.
The entire first half was mostly confusing and frustrating. Meghan was confused and frustrated. The fae were completely freaky and unusual. The wildwood was frightening. Her friend, Puck, changing from who she always knew into one of the oldest faeries in existence who smiled
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eerily… was hard to swallow. Honestly, I held a grudge against Robin Longfellow until he demanded pity instead.
Someone asked if I was “Team Ash” or “Team Puck” in that first half and I had to say enthusiastically that I was NOT “Team Puck” by long-shot, even though I had no reason to think “Team Ash”, yet, either.
It might have bothered me because it was so realistic. Any human leaping into Nevernever would be completely off balance. Every little turn would feel dangerous. I guess that was described well. So well, in fact, that I wanted out!!!
And then the claws of the story started to dig into me, demanding my attention and interest and not letting go! I didn’t notice it was happening until I couldn’t put the book down, which caught me by surprise.
The difference was Meghan. She is intelligent and brave. She watched how the faery world functioned, started guarding her mouth, got herself into less trouble and managed some difficult circumstances without whining and complaining.
I think the turning point for me was when Meghan busied herself as a slave in the kitchen. (I think I can say that without being spoilerish.) I expected her to give up in exasperation of all the things going wrong. The situation was so decidedly against her favor and even the small choices left to her were taken away. Instead of throwing any sort of fussy-fit, she buckled down and worked hard. She kept her sanity and when the time came to act, she moved definitively. The author won me as a fan during that lull before the Elysium, when the Unseelie Court came to Oberon’s territory in an uneasy truce of a feast:
“All right, I told myself, taking a deep breath. They’re still out there, Meghan. Ethan and your dad. You can’t give up now. Time to stop being a crybaby and get your act together.Lying back on the cold floor, I closed my eyes and started to plan.”
Meghan believes in herself even when the circumstances are against her and everyone thinks she’ll get herself killed. Since she believed she could do it, she started figuring out how to negotiate with faeries faery-style, she began earning their respect, and coordinating her rescue mission. Each of her successes carries her through the mounting difficulties, so the grand finale is deliciously believable.
The very last scene is my favorite, and I don’t know how I’m not reading the next book TOMORROW!! Meghan has so many layers and she is so true to herself on every level. I love the way she accepts them all and the consequences along with them, again without any fussing.
En fin, I went from mentally strangling this book and all things fae, to tripping over my feet to fangirl over Meghan. I will read the next book as soon as I can regardless of what’s “next” in my TBR pile. And I’ll definitely re-read some day to relive the entirety from a fangirling point of view. I wonder if the first half would still be frustrating after knowing that Meghan won’t wilt under the pressure? I kind of think that perspective changes everything. *sigh* Yay for Meghan!!! And Yay for Puck! And double-whammy yay for Ash!!!!!!!! And grudgingly yay for that cait sith!!
The Faery Party of last Saturday was inspired by this book!!! :-D
One more (late-added) note:
I notice that I don't mention much about the other characters in the book as I flip out over Meghan. My own review cracks me up... but that's why I write 'em immediately after reviewing. It's worth noting that Ash & Puck & Grim are all budding characters promising so much more in the books to come. I was sad over Meghan's mom and brother... and dad and dad and stepdad. But they're real people, like the school kids, and I don't mind being sad or irritated over them, hungry for more information on 'em. I think I covered Nevernever enough... it's growing on me, and that's the nicest thing I can say about it. There's tons of fae creatures coming and going and I'm intrigued by them all, in awe over the variety. It's no wonder this is a popular series. I feel justified in my sudden fan-obsession. I'm in good company!!!
Cover Commentary: Um, Yeppers. Beautiful, mysterious, woodsy. The title didn't explain itself for a long time and I'm still furiously curious over why this is called the "Iron Fey" series... not obvious, yet.
I'm trying not to spoil myself for future books, but I keep leaping to read every review for the up-coming books I "happen upon". *ahem*
My Rating: 4 - Pretty Darn Good. Potential for rating higher upon rereading.
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LibraryThing member CuteMcGinn
Let me start by saying that, "Iron King" by Julie Kagawa is totally readable and thoroughly enjoyable. The novel is intriguing right from the start and there are even some great moments that made my hair stand on end. One thing is for sure, this book has no slow, uneventful passages. However, the
The story begins as Meghan, a teen who feels she is invisible except to her best friend Robbie, begins to see strange things. As the glamour veil drops slowly, she is able to see more and more unexplainable things -things she can't share with anyone. This story follows the typical half-human, half-fey storyline as Meghan soon learns of her Faery bloodline.
As you might expect, Meghan must venture into the Nevernever (fairyland) where she meets a whole host of characters. This is where there story begins to get a bit muddy. All of Meghan's adventures in Nevernever seem a bit rushed and lacking in development, as are the relationships she develops. Even though the task driving Meghan further and further into the Nevernever is clear, it is difficult to connect emotionally with why she is on her journey.
There is a touch of romance and something tells me we can expect to see a love triangle in the next few novels. However, the characters are so shallow it is hard to understand Meghan's romantic pull at all. The only thing that kept this novel at three stars for me was the lack of development in both characters and settings. Some things are just rushed through too quickly and it seems Meghan's stay, in certain realms, is over as soon as it begins.
One of the most fascinating parts of this story is the Iron twist. Any one who is familiar with Faery lore knows that Iron is deadly to Faeries. The Iron twist is this novel is smart and creative on Kagawa's part. About half way through the book took on a steampunk theme. I love, love, loved Kagawa's idea to incorporate steampunk and faerie, after all, it's kind of genius.
The disconnect was the switch about half way through. The first half, there is this tried and true faerie novel and then the steampunk jumps out with a bang. It's slightly confusing and inconsistent. Overall though, the story is not lacking in adventure and excitement and the Shakespearian spin was interesting, though a bit overt.
"Iron King" was a fast and easy read and of course I will pick up the next few books in the series because the first book still left several questions to be answered.
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story is quite predictable and a bit lacking in a uniform theme. The story begins as Meghan, a teen who feels she is invisible except to her best friend Robbie, begins to see strange things. As the glamour veil drops slowly, she is able to see more and more unexplainable things -things she can't share with anyone. This story follows the typical half-human, half-fey storyline as Meghan soon learns of her Faery bloodline.
As you might expect, Meghan must venture into the Nevernever (fairyland) where she meets a whole host of characters. This is where there story begins to get a bit muddy. All of Meghan's adventures in Nevernever seem a bit rushed and lacking in development, as are the relationships she develops. Even though the task driving Meghan further and further into the Nevernever is clear, it is difficult to connect emotionally with why she is on her journey.
There is a touch of romance and something tells me we can expect to see a love triangle in the next few novels. However, the characters are so shallow it is hard to understand Meghan's romantic pull at all. The only thing that kept this novel at three stars for me was the lack of development in both characters and settings. Some things are just rushed through too quickly and it seems Meghan's stay, in certain realms, is over as soon as it begins.
One of the most fascinating parts of this story is the Iron twist. Any one who is familiar with Faery lore knows that Iron is deadly to Faeries. The Iron twist is this novel is smart and creative on Kagawa's part. About half way through the book took on a steampunk theme. I love, love, loved Kagawa's idea to incorporate steampunk and faerie, after all, it's kind of genius.
The disconnect was the switch about half way through. The first half, there is this tried and true faerie novel and then the steampunk jumps out with a bang. It's slightly confusing and inconsistent. Overall though, the story is not lacking in adventure and excitement and the Shakespearian spin was interesting, though a bit overt.
"Iron King" was a fast and easy read and of course I will pick up the next few books in the series because the first book still left several questions to be answered.
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LibraryThing member readingthruthenight
Title: Iron King
Author: Julie Kagawa
Pages: 368
Pub: 2010; Harlequin Teen
Genre: Young Adult, Fantasy, Series
Etc:
The Short of It
Seeking kidnapped brother in faery realm.
The Long of It
Megan turns sixteen and essentially all hell breaks lose, but not in the sense of boy problems. Er, at least not
Choosing to enter the Faery Realm, Megan is nearly killed and must hide out with all of the strange creatures that exist in this hidden reality. Offering help is Grimalkin who reminds me of the Cheshire cat in Alice in Wonderland. Finally, Megan runs into Ash, the prince of her fae family’s nemesis. With all of these characters by her side, Megan is determined to find her brother Ethan and bring him back to the human world.
The Thoughts about It
Um, why was I not told that Puck was in this series?! Seriously. I absolutely adore all things related to the gods of chaos. (Having named one of my cats Loki, this should be no surprised.) I absolutely loved his character. Kagawa did an impressive job making him both protective of Megan, cuz you know, he’s in luuurrvve AND still out-there-playful. Oh and Grimalkin, seriously, I need a cat like that. I love that he’s a little snarky and quite brilliant, able to use his wits even when Megs and et al are beside themselves. I’m still on the fence with Ash. I mean, I get where the series is going…what, can’t you figure it out? It’s OF COURSE going to be another love triangle between Ash, Megs, and Puck. Ash is supposed to be the brooding one. You know THAT guy that is in every teenager’s life. (What it couldn’t have just been me, right?) I don’t have anything against Ash (or even the triangles anymore in YA. I’ll go with the flow), but he hasn’t really warmed up to me yet. Of course I figure she’ll choose him (don’t they all?) but I’m secretly rooting for Puck cuz he’s just fabulous.
Color me surprised that I dig a book about the land of Fae. I’ve seriously put off any faery type books. I can’t help but think about Tinkerbell. Maybe this will break the trend.
Author: Julie Kagawa
Pages: 368
Pub: 2010; Harlequin Teen
Genre: Young Adult, Fantasy, Series
Etc:
The Short of It
Seeking kidnapped brother in faery realm.
The Long of It
Megan turns sixteen and essentially all hell breaks lose, but not in the sense of boy problems. Er, at least not
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romantically. All within days, she is told her kid brother is really a changeling, she’s half Fae, and her best friend isn’t really human at all, but really, Puck. Choosing to enter the Faery Realm, Megan is nearly killed and must hide out with all of the strange creatures that exist in this hidden reality. Offering help is Grimalkin who reminds me of the Cheshire cat in Alice in Wonderland. Finally, Megan runs into Ash, the prince of her fae family’s nemesis. With all of these characters by her side, Megan is determined to find her brother Ethan and bring him back to the human world.
The Thoughts about It
Um, why was I not told that Puck was in this series?! Seriously. I absolutely adore all things related to the gods of chaos. (Having named one of my cats Loki, this should be no surprised.) I absolutely loved his character. Kagawa did an impressive job making him both protective of Megan, cuz you know, he’s in luuurrvve AND still out-there-playful. Oh and Grimalkin, seriously, I need a cat like that. I love that he’s a little snarky and quite brilliant, able to use his wits even when Megs and et al are beside themselves. I’m still on the fence with Ash. I mean, I get where the series is going…what, can’t you figure it out? It’s OF COURSE going to be another love triangle between Ash, Megs, and Puck. Ash is supposed to be the brooding one. You know THAT guy that is in every teenager’s life. (What it couldn’t have just been me, right?) I don’t have anything against Ash (or even the triangles anymore in YA. I’ll go with the flow), but he hasn’t really warmed up to me yet. Of course I figure she’ll choose him (don’t they all?) but I’m secretly rooting for Puck cuz he’s just fabulous.
Color me surprised that I dig a book about the land of Fae. I’ve seriously put off any faery type books. I can’t help but think about Tinkerbell. Maybe this will break the trend.
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LibraryThing member DeltaQueen50
The Iron King by Julie Kagawa is the first in her Iron Fey Trilogy and tells the story of a young girl, Meghan, who always felt something wasn’t quite right with her world but nonetheless is astonished to find she is only half human, the other half is fey, and fey royalty at that. Drawing on many
On her adventures she is aided by various magical creatures and develops strong feelings for Ash, a prince of the Winter Court. This attraction could lead to future problems as Meghan is the daughter of Oberon, King of the Summer Court. The two courts are enemies of long standing. Other members of her team include a cat-like creature called Grimalkin, and, her father’s favorite lackey, Puck. When dealing with the fey, one must be careful what one promises, but Meghan, in her eagerness makes some rash agreements that look as if they will come back to haunt her in future books.
I have to admit that I usually don’t care for books about fairies, but I found The Iron King not only very readable but actually enjoyable as well. The author moves her story along at a nice pace, doesn’t indulge in too much teen angst, and keeps a vein of humor running throughout the story. She nicely wrapped up major plot points in this book, while still leaving the door wide open for the next story. I have been ensnared by this fey series and will be looking for the second book soon.
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literary references about magical creatures from Shakespeare to Lewis Carroll, the story brings Meghan to the Nevernever on a quest to rescue her younger brother, kidnapped and being held by a new type of fey, one who is dangerous to both the Seelie (Summer Fey) and Unseelie (Winter Fey).On her adventures she is aided by various magical creatures and develops strong feelings for Ash, a prince of the Winter Court. This attraction could lead to future problems as Meghan is the daughter of Oberon, King of the Summer Court. The two courts are enemies of long standing. Other members of her team include a cat-like creature called Grimalkin, and, her father’s favorite lackey, Puck. When dealing with the fey, one must be careful what one promises, but Meghan, in her eagerness makes some rash agreements that look as if they will come back to haunt her in future books.
I have to admit that I usually don’t care for books about fairies, but I found The Iron King not only very readable but actually enjoyable as well. The author moves her story along at a nice pace, doesn’t indulge in too much teen angst, and keeps a vein of humor running throughout the story. She nicely wrapped up major plot points in this book, while still leaving the door wide open for the next story. I have been ensnared by this fey series and will be looking for the second book soon.
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LibraryThing member YAaddict
This one truly blew me away. It sucked me in and kept me up late at night. There are so many faerie books out there already, but The Iron truly stands out on it's own. Of course you have the summer court, the winter court and references to Middsummer Night's Dream. But then you have this whole new
Then you have the characters, which are amazing all on their own. First there's Meghan. I really liked Meghan. She is brave, courageous, stubborn and everything I want to see in a heroine. Puck(Robbie) was fuuny and crazy. He reminded me of one of my guy friends. I loved Ash.*sigh* I'm a sucker for the dangerous type. Not knowing if he was going to kill Meghan or kiss her was fun to read. Lastly you have my favorite character, Grimalkin. I never knew I could love a cat so much, but I loved Grimalkin. It is very rear for me to love all the characters in a story, but I did in this one.
Kagwa has a wonderful writing style that slowly eased you into the faerie world. Everything was explained well, but not over-explained. This book lived up to all the hype for me. Definitely one of my favorites so far this year. I can't wait to read the rest of the Iron Fey series. This one is a must read!
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idea of the iron fey, which seems crazy since we all know faeries can't be around iron. Kagawa painted a very excited and terrifying world in the nevernever.Then you have the characters, which are amazing all on their own. First there's Meghan. I really liked Meghan. She is brave, courageous, stubborn and everything I want to see in a heroine. Puck(Robbie) was fuuny and crazy. He reminded me of one of my guy friends. I loved Ash.*sigh* I'm a sucker for the dangerous type. Not knowing if he was going to kill Meghan or kiss her was fun to read. Lastly you have my favorite character, Grimalkin. I never knew I could love a cat so much, but I loved Grimalkin. It is very rear for me to love all the characters in a story, but I did in this one.
Kagwa has a wonderful writing style that slowly eased you into the faerie world. Everything was explained well, but not over-explained. This book lived up to all the hype for me. Definitely one of my favorites so far this year. I can't wait to read the rest of the Iron Fey series. This one is a must read!
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LibraryThing member bookwormygirl
Don't ask me why, but for some reason I kept putting off reading this book. Maybe it was the fact that it was yet another faery story or maybe it was the weather, or just that I was in a reading slump at the time. I'm not sure what was wrong with me but I am so glad that I finally picked it up when
When Meghan's little brother, Ethan, mysteriously disappears it is up to her and BFF, Robbie, who turns out to be the infamous Puck (yes, from Midsummer Night's Dream), to return him safe and sound back home. In just a few short chapters Meghan is whisked away from the world and the life she has always known and finds herself in the Nevernever - the land of the fae. There she encounters all sorts of mythical, magical creatures - Grimalkin (a talking, sneaky cat who reminded me of the Cheshire Cat from Alice in Wonderland), all sorts of trolls, goblins, and scary what-not that relish the idea of eating Meghan, as well as some well-known characters from the Summer Court like King Oberon and Queen Titania. Then there is Ash - Prince of the Winter Court and enemy to anything Summer (and that includes Meghan and Puck). On a race against time to save her brother, Meghan not only finds herself on a perilous journey but also running for her life. When she finds no other recourse but to strike a deal with Ash she is not only risking imprisonment by the Winter Court but also in falling for the cold-hearted prince.
This was hands down the best faery book I've had the pleasure of reading. Meghan Chase was exactly what I want in a heroine. She handles one situation after the next with bravery, stubbornness, and selflessness. She was not a whiner which I can definitely appreciate. I think for a 16 year old girl who finds herself about to be eaten more than once by all sorts of unimagined creatures, she definitely passed the test. She had a few freak-out moments, but nonetheless, she handled herself perfectly.
The world-building in this story was phenomenal. There were parts that reminded me of Alice in Wonderland and others of Labyrinth (there were many similarities there), but other than a few of those moments, Ms. Kagawa's Nevernever is very original and refreshing. She blends mythology,well-known fairy tale, steampunk and urban fantasy seamlessly.
As for the romance (sighs), it is also very well done. As is common in most YA books, there is a love triangle but I didn't not find it to be overbearing, instead it was subtle and in the end I approved of it. I, like Meghan, also found myself torn between Ash and Puck. But I must confess I am an Ash girl. I loved that he was distant and cold but yet had his moments where his defenses would melt and his true feelings shone through. I can't wait to see how that plays out for Winter and Summer are not meant to be together.
All in all, Ms. Kagawa has outdone herself with this first installment in her Iron Fey series. I am intrigued by this captivating adventure full of page-turning action, humor and romance... I just WANT MORE!
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I did. This book was amazing! Ms. Kagawa has created a world riddled with characters that not only have I come to love but who I secretly wish were real.When Meghan's little brother, Ethan, mysteriously disappears it is up to her and BFF, Robbie, who turns out to be the infamous Puck (yes, from Midsummer Night's Dream), to return him safe and sound back home. In just a few short chapters Meghan is whisked away from the world and the life she has always known and finds herself in the Nevernever - the land of the fae. There she encounters all sorts of mythical, magical creatures - Grimalkin (a talking, sneaky cat who reminded me of the Cheshire Cat from Alice in Wonderland), all sorts of trolls, goblins, and scary what-not that relish the idea of eating Meghan, as well as some well-known characters from the Summer Court like King Oberon and Queen Titania. Then there is Ash - Prince of the Winter Court and enemy to anything Summer (and that includes Meghan and Puck). On a race against time to save her brother, Meghan not only finds herself on a perilous journey but also running for her life. When she finds no other recourse but to strike a deal with Ash she is not only risking imprisonment by the Winter Court but also in falling for the cold-hearted prince.
This was hands down the best faery book I've had the pleasure of reading. Meghan Chase was exactly what I want in a heroine. She handles one situation after the next with bravery, stubbornness, and selflessness. She was not a whiner which I can definitely appreciate. I think for a 16 year old girl who finds herself about to be eaten more than once by all sorts of unimagined creatures, she definitely passed the test. She had a few freak-out moments, but nonetheless, she handled herself perfectly.
The world-building in this story was phenomenal. There were parts that reminded me of Alice in Wonderland and others of Labyrinth (there were many similarities there), but other than a few of those moments, Ms. Kagawa's Nevernever is very original and refreshing. She blends mythology,well-known fairy tale, steampunk and urban fantasy seamlessly.
As for the romance (sighs), it is also very well done. As is common in most YA books, there is a love triangle but I didn't not find it to be overbearing, instead it was subtle and in the end I approved of it. I, like Meghan, also found myself torn between Ash and Puck. But I must confess I am an Ash girl. I loved that he was distant and cold but yet had his moments where his defenses would melt and his true feelings shone through. I can't wait to see how that plays out for Winter and Summer are not meant to be together.
All in all, Ms. Kagawa has outdone herself with this first installment in her Iron Fey series. I am intrigued by this captivating adventure full of page-turning action, humor and romance... I just WANT MORE!
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LibraryThing member librarianm
I have read many positive reviews of The Iron King so maybe I had high hopes and because of that I was expecting to be hooked into the story from the beginning. Instead, it took me about one third of the book to really get into the story. I read the first two chapters and put the book down thinking
The Iron King has many good qualities. Meghan’s character development is well written, she changes from a girl who wants little to do with her faery father to a faery princess taking charge of her powers and responsibilities. At the same time, she keeps her eye on the goal of rescuing her brother. Meghan and Ash’s relationship felt very real and was given time to develop and grow along with the story. And, it was nice to read a book that didn’t have a romantic love triangle. While both Robbie and Ash had feelings for Meghan, she only had romantic feelings for Ash and it was clear from the start that this would be the romantic relationship. Not to write off Meghan and Robbie’s friendship, because that was a very important part of the story. The descriptions of the different parts of the Nevernever are wonderful; you really get a sense of how and why each area is different. My favorite nonhuman character is Grimalkin, part Cheshire Cat and part amusing commentator, who could often see the truth of what everyone was feeling and the reasons behind their actions.
The amount of time Meghan actually spends with Oberon and the Seelie Court is very short. There isn’t much time for her to get to know her father well, to develop any short of relationship with him or learn about court politics. It is clear that this lack of knowledge actually helps Meghan because she is not worried about how her actions will be viewed by either court. Throughout her search for her brother, Puck, Grimalkin and Ash do fill in some of the information, but it comes in small bits and pieces. As a reader, I would have liked to know more about the both the Seelie and Unseelie Courts. With a sequel set to be released in August, hopefully there will be more explanation about them and their politics.
The Iron King is a good read. I recommend to readers who enjoy faery stories, as well as those who like reading books related to Shakespearean plays.
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that I wasn’t sure about the story. I didn’t really connect with Meghan as a character in those first two chapters, she felt like a lot of other downtrodden teen characters. But it was clear that there was more to the character of Robbie and I wanted to know what or who he really was. After the adventures in the Nevernever start, the pace of the book picked up and Meghan began to change, she might not have realized it, but it was very clear that she had found the place where she belonged. That’s when I really fell into the story and when I was able to understand Meghan better. The Iron King has many good qualities. Meghan’s character development is well written, she changes from a girl who wants little to do with her faery father to a faery princess taking charge of her powers and responsibilities. At the same time, she keeps her eye on the goal of rescuing her brother. Meghan and Ash’s relationship felt very real and was given time to develop and grow along with the story. And, it was nice to read a book that didn’t have a romantic love triangle. While both Robbie and Ash had feelings for Meghan, she only had romantic feelings for Ash and it was clear from the start that this would be the romantic relationship. Not to write off Meghan and Robbie’s friendship, because that was a very important part of the story. The descriptions of the different parts of the Nevernever are wonderful; you really get a sense of how and why each area is different. My favorite nonhuman character is Grimalkin, part Cheshire Cat and part amusing commentator, who could often see the truth of what everyone was feeling and the reasons behind their actions.
The amount of time Meghan actually spends with Oberon and the Seelie Court is very short. There isn’t much time for her to get to know her father well, to develop any short of relationship with him or learn about court politics. It is clear that this lack of knowledge actually helps Meghan because she is not worried about how her actions will be viewed by either court. Throughout her search for her brother, Puck, Grimalkin and Ash do fill in some of the information, but it comes in small bits and pieces. As a reader, I would have liked to know more about the both the Seelie and Unseelie Courts. With a sequel set to be released in August, hopefully there will be more explanation about them and their politics.
The Iron King is a good read. I recommend to readers who enjoy faery stories, as well as those who like reading books related to Shakespearean plays.
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LibraryThing member ReadingItAll
The Only Thing Missing is The White Rabbit!
The Iron King (Harlequin Teen) by Julie Kagawa is a fantastical mashup of Alice in Wonderland meets the Fairy Kingdom of Shakespeare's Midsummer Nights Dream...it has the energy and a cast of characters that you would expect from a ride at
Things have been "off" in Meghan Chase's life since the disappearance of her father and now, 24 hours away from her 16th Birthday her brother has been kidnapped and she finds that her only true friend in the world isn't Robbie Goodfellow but the fairie Puck!
Why hadn't she believed her little brothers pleas and warnings about the monsters in his closet?
What really happened to her father?
This is an edge of the seat, thrill-a-minute tumble through the rabbit hole - or in Meghan's case the hole in the closet of her little brother Ethan's room...and Kagawa manages to keep up the pace while giving each character ample time to reveal themselves. It is peppered with enough action to keep the attention of a teen boy and teen girls will love the touch of romance and it is beautifully pulled together by the skillful wordcraft of Julie Kagawa.
The Iron King (Harlequin Teen) is book one of the Iron Fey from Harlequin Teen - can't wait for more...The Iron Daughter in August 2010!!!!
The Iron King (Harlequin Teen) by Julie Kagawa is a fantastical mashup of Alice in Wonderland meets the Fairy Kingdom of Shakespeare's Midsummer Nights Dream...it has the energy and a cast of characters that you would expect from a ride at
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Disneyland!Things have been "off" in Meghan Chase's life since the disappearance of her father and now, 24 hours away from her 16th Birthday her brother has been kidnapped and she finds that her only true friend in the world isn't Robbie Goodfellow but the fairie Puck!
Why hadn't she believed her little brothers pleas and warnings about the monsters in his closet?
What really happened to her father?
This is an edge of the seat, thrill-a-minute tumble through the rabbit hole - or in Meghan's case the hole in the closet of her little brother Ethan's room...and Kagawa manages to keep up the pace while giving each character ample time to reveal themselves. It is peppered with enough action to keep the attention of a teen boy and teen girls will love the touch of romance and it is beautifully pulled together by the skillful wordcraft of Julie Kagawa.
The Iron King (Harlequin Teen) is book one of the Iron Fey from Harlequin Teen - can't wait for more...The Iron Daughter in August 2010!!!!
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LibraryThing member EJStevens
The Iron King (book one of the Iron Fey) is an amazingly wonderful, magical read. If I could give this book more than 5-stars I would!
LibraryThing member pacey1927
When I saw all the glowing reviews for this book, I had to move it up my TBR pile. This didn't make the other books there very pleased because some of them have been waiting to be read for MONTHS. This story at first sounds kind of similar to some other YA books I've read this year. (Demon Princess
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by Michelle Rowan comes to mind) The story also drew immediate parallels to the recent Lightworld/Darkword trilogy by Jennifer Armintrout. Both feature light/dark kingdoms and an evil queen named Mab. But aside from those brief similarities, I thought "Iron King" really stands out. There are plenty of details to make this a unique story in a crowded YA fantasy/paranormal genre. Megan Chase thinks she is like everyone else until she learns that there really is a monster in her half-brother's closet, that her father isn't really her father, and her best friend Robbie, is actually Robin Goodfellow, also known as Puck from A Midsummer's Nights Dream. When her brother is kidnapped and brought to the fae world, Megan and Puck go after him. The two make friends and foes and face some of the most interesting obstacles I have read in recent years. I really enjoyed the set up of this world and there are some characters I want to see more of, including a giant ogre they befriended. I am happy to read that there is a sequel due out soon. I wasn't too enthralled by the love triangle in the story but I enjoyed both the boys as characters and I loved Grim, the cat who can't avoid being compared to the "Cheshire cat" from Alice in Wonderland. I also give kudos to Kagawa for her pacing. She does a good job of revealing things on a need to know basis to keep the suspense building. She also nicely writes the characters so you aren't always sure who to trust or who is the good guy. I did take off one star and that is because for all there is to recommend this story, the book does drag in places it shouldn't. It wasn't nearly as quick a read as it should have been. My stepdaughter anxiously awaits reading this next and I assured her that is definitely a worthy read. Show Less
LibraryThing member BookWhisperer
I was lucky enough to receive a review copy of this amazing debut novel. To say that this is a new addition to my favorites list would be an understatement. The Iron King is unlike anything else that I have read. I truthfully found myself questioning the book in the first couple chapters because of
I love all of the character of this story; which was not anticipated as the cast list of the story grew so long. My heart would break with Meghan when a character would leave or get lost in the journey. I found myself on a roller coaster of emotions with her as the story progressed, and was unable to put the book down wanting to know what would happen next. My favorite aspect of this book would have to be the forbidden relationship. I can not wait to see the outcome of Ash and Meghan. I was addicted to the hard core character of Ash from the first introduction. I think this series holds much more to come by way of character and turmoil. Meghan and Robbie relationship is one that also holds much of my interest, and I hope and pray that we have not seen the last of this character.
Readers will not find this story lacking with the action packed progression that The Iron King takes you will find yourself zipping this this book. Just when I thought that I would have a minute to breath and relax with the characters; something big was just around the corner. I loved the many open ended conflicts through out this book; I believe Kagawa has a well laid plan and that many things we have not seen the end of. This was a very well crafted book that I see promising a incredible series of books to come. You will not be wasting your time on this book, and it was be a great loss not to read. Make sure this book is on your list.
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the amount of fantastical components, but then found myself over a hundred pages in and addicted to the story. Kagawa has created a incredible mystical world that forces even the most conservative readers to use their imagination; bringing them into Meghan Chases world without any effort. I love all of the character of this story; which was not anticipated as the cast list of the story grew so long. My heart would break with Meghan when a character would leave or get lost in the journey. I found myself on a roller coaster of emotions with her as the story progressed, and was unable to put the book down wanting to know what would happen next. My favorite aspect of this book would have to be the forbidden relationship. I can not wait to see the outcome of Ash and Meghan. I was addicted to the hard core character of Ash from the first introduction. I think this series holds much more to come by way of character and turmoil. Meghan and Robbie relationship is one that also holds much of my interest, and I hope and pray that we have not seen the last of this character.
Readers will not find this story lacking with the action packed progression that The Iron King takes you will find yourself zipping this this book. Just when I thought that I would have a minute to breath and relax with the characters; something big was just around the corner. I loved the many open ended conflicts through out this book; I believe Kagawa has a well laid plan and that many things we have not seen the end of. This was a very well crafted book that I see promising a incredible series of books to come. You will not be wasting your time on this book, and it was be a great loss not to read. Make sure this book is on your list.
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LibraryThing member amandalina
I’m glad I got the chance to read this book. I believe this was my first time reading a book in the faerie genre, at least as far as I can recall. I was a little unfamiliar with the back story of some of the characters, especially since it's been a while since I've read "A Midsummer Night's
I’d definitely recommend this book to YA readers who are fans of the supernatural/fantasy genre.
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Dream", but regardless, I really enjoyed it. To me, this book had a Labyrinth/NeverEnding Story/Alice in Wonderland vibe to it. I liked the characters, I liked the story, and I liked the world Julie Kagawa created. It was imaginative and exciting, with a great blend of action, adventure, and romance. I am very impressed that this is her debut novel. It’s the kind of book I enjoy because you quickly become engrossed in it, and as you follow the characters on their journey it feels as if you are watching a movie. I knew I was hooked as I grew anxious reaching the final pages because I didn’t want the story to end. Needless to say, I will definitely be reading the next book in this series!I’d definitely recommend this book to YA readers who are fans of the supernatural/fantasy genre.
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LibraryThing member Squishy133
‘The Iron King’ blew me away. It is the first of three books in ‘The Iron Fey’ series, and the debut novel for author Julie Kagawa. Other than this, it was amazing.
And before I continue, the cover is so entrancing. I can’t stop staring at it….
The novel centralizes around Meghan who
One of the most amazing aspects of the book are the characters. Of course, this can be said about most books, but the way Kagawa has written her characters…whew. They are completely believable and she uses characters from Shakespeare’s play ‘A Midsummer Night’s Dream’ such as Oberon, Titania and Puck.
The characters are sardonically humorous, and I often found myself laughing out loud at their hilarious comments and stunts. Even the minor characters were colourful enough to be memorable. There are characters that only made an appearance once or twice, and I already love them.
One of my favourite characters, however, was Grimalkin the cat. He was witty, smart and pretty knowledgable for a cat. Besides, you don’t get too many talking cats in books these days!
The premise of the book was also really creative. I don’t want to give anything away, but the Iron Fey were a fantastically original idea that I’m sure I’ve never heard before.
Another thing I enjoyed about this book was that it wasn’t sugar coated. The people weren’t always nice, sometimes they we’re pretty straight out selfish or rude and everyone had a motive. Most books centre around the heroes (or the goodie-goodies), whereas ‘The Iron King’ really looked into the darker side of life, especially in the ways of the Fey. They were constantly manipulative and it kept me guessing at what was going to happen all the time!
Kagawa described both our world and Faeryland beautifully, and I could imagine myself walking along in the forests or in the courts with Meghan. The descriptions were simply wonderous and completely exciting.
The action scenes were also well written and I always knew what was going on. The writing was fast paced, but it wasn’t rushed, which is one of my pet hates when reading.
I really can’t find a bad thing to say about this book! I know it was very much hyped out pre it’s release date, but it really is a fantastic book that fully deserves the rating I’m going to give it.
I’d recommend this to anyone who wants a different look on your traditional fairy story with both old and new elements.
‘The Iron King’ ends with a fantastic cliff hanger and the second book in the series, ‘The Iron Daughter’, comes out on August 1st 2010. I cannot wait!
And before I continue, the cover is so entrancing. I can’t stop staring at it….
The novel centralizes around Meghan who
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finds herself caught up in the world of the Fey. Her brother is stolen from their home and replaced with a doppelganger, and Meghan spends much of the novel trying to rescue him.One of the most amazing aspects of the book are the characters. Of course, this can be said about most books, but the way Kagawa has written her characters…whew. They are completely believable and she uses characters from Shakespeare’s play ‘A Midsummer Night’s Dream’ such as Oberon, Titania and Puck.
The characters are sardonically humorous, and I often found myself laughing out loud at their hilarious comments and stunts. Even the minor characters were colourful enough to be memorable. There are characters that only made an appearance once or twice, and I already love them.
One of my favourite characters, however, was Grimalkin the cat. He was witty, smart and pretty knowledgable for a cat. Besides, you don’t get too many talking cats in books these days!
The premise of the book was also really creative. I don’t want to give anything away, but the Iron Fey were a fantastically original idea that I’m sure I’ve never heard before.
Another thing I enjoyed about this book was that it wasn’t sugar coated. The people weren’t always nice, sometimes they we’re pretty straight out selfish or rude and everyone had a motive. Most books centre around the heroes (or the goodie-goodies), whereas ‘The Iron King’ really looked into the darker side of life, especially in the ways of the Fey. They were constantly manipulative and it kept me guessing at what was going to happen all the time!
Kagawa described both our world and Faeryland beautifully, and I could imagine myself walking along in the forests or in the courts with Meghan. The descriptions were simply wonderous and completely exciting.
The action scenes were also well written and I always knew what was going on. The writing was fast paced, but it wasn’t rushed, which is one of my pet hates when reading.
I really can’t find a bad thing to say about this book! I know it was very much hyped out pre it’s release date, but it really is a fantastic book that fully deserves the rating I’m going to give it.
I’d recommend this to anyone who wants a different look on your traditional fairy story with both old and new elements.
‘The Iron King’ ends with a fantastic cliff hanger and the second book in the series, ‘The Iron Daughter’, comes out on August 1st 2010. I cannot wait!
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LibraryThing member Tinasbookreviews
Meghan’s story begins with the backdrop of the usual average gal making her way through high school amongst the rich and snobby-she has no friends besides the company of Robbie another loner who lives nearby. With the ache of loneliness surrounding her The Iron King actually starts off a bit
Gloom quickly turns into scary, as Kagawa’s descriptions slowly pull the reader into a dark side of the fae and its counterparts. Meghan defiantly knows things in the world aren’t right when Ethan her cute little brother rips his stuffed bunny’s head off and mistakes her leg for a drumstick.
On a mission to rescue the real Ethan, Robbie and Meghan head into Nevernever and embark on an adventure sure to pull you in and under its spell. On a race to save her brother, Meghan is thrown some bones to chew on- one she’s trapped in Oberon’s Court – the Summer Queen (Oberon’s wife) has a huge grudge against her and of course falling in love with a winter prince out to kill you could dampen anyone spirits.
I loved every minute of The Iron King and thought Kawaga’s brilliant mind brought all of us “Faerie fans” a unique and entertaining story. The world created in this story felt like Alice in Wonderland to me, and perhaps it’s because I just saw the movie so it wasent hard to picture the similar worlds, only Nevernever had a much more sinister feel than the whimsical aspects of Wonderland. Highly recommended to all of those who love the Fae and the magical world of fantasy. ( Read full Review at Blog)
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gloomy. Gloom quickly turns into scary, as Kagawa’s descriptions slowly pull the reader into a dark side of the fae and its counterparts. Meghan defiantly knows things in the world aren’t right when Ethan her cute little brother rips his stuffed bunny’s head off and mistakes her leg for a drumstick.
On a mission to rescue the real Ethan, Robbie and Meghan head into Nevernever and embark on an adventure sure to pull you in and under its spell. On a race to save her brother, Meghan is thrown some bones to chew on- one she’s trapped in Oberon’s Court – the Summer Queen (Oberon’s wife) has a huge grudge against her and of course falling in love with a winter prince out to kill you could dampen anyone spirits.
I loved every minute of The Iron King and thought Kawaga’s brilliant mind brought all of us “Faerie fans” a unique and entertaining story. The world created in this story felt like Alice in Wonderland to me, and perhaps it’s because I just saw the movie so it wasent hard to picture the similar worlds, only Nevernever had a much more sinister feel than the whimsical aspects of Wonderland. Highly recommended to all of those who love the Fae and the magical world of fantasy. ( Read full Review at Blog)
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LibraryThing member thelittlereader
i had seen so much hype about this book that i was a little worried it wouldn’t live up to it, but i was pleasantly surprised at how much i enjoyed this modern day fantasy. it is what you expect from a fantasy with faeries and such, but with the added spattering of Shakespeare’s Midsummer Night
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Dream (Oberon and Titania are quite fun), and some unexpected bonuses that i’ll leave for the reader to discover on their own.Meghan Chase is your average girl, bored with the small-town life and the lack of luster that is apparent. on her 16th birthday, when her half brother goes missing, she finds herself in the fae world of the Nevernever, travelling between the various courts, back to the human world and back again. the story moves quickly, but not too, and a LOT happens. there is something for everyone – action, romance, humor – and it is all so well packaged in some excellent writing that it makes for an great read. with language that is so vivid and lively, Kagawa presents us with a debut novel that we won’t soon forget. "I smiled, seeing their emotions as clearly as a beautiful painting; blue sorrow, emerald hope, scarlet love."the real beauty of this story, for me, was in the characters. there was just so much fun and playfulness between them, and although they were mostly young, the characters were mature enough to have strong roles and avoid being irritating. Meghan was exactly what i love in a heroine – smart, stubborn, a little clumsy, and above all, honorable. her endearing determination pulled the story along easily and i happily followed her on every step of the way. her honesty and sharp wit made her even more likable. "In the old fairy tales, which I was remembering more and more of, humans were always food, playthings, or the tragic love interest."and if an excellent main character weren’t enough, the supporting characters were all equally enjoyable (a rare accomplishment indeed)! Puck and Ash had some really great moments of personal conflict, and Grimalkin, the talking cait sith (i.e. cat) who served as Meghan’s primary escort throughout the journey, was absolutely hilarious, with his dry humor and overly deliberate movements. the packrats remind me so much of Wall-E and i adored them, and i even enjoyed the descriptions of the Iron King himself, “a metal stud glittered in one ear, a Bluetooth phone in the other.”the writing was equally playful and quirky, making The Iron King unique and a laugh out loud sort of read. for example, Puck states upon entering the land of the Winter Court: “Ladies and felines,welcome to Tir Na Nog. Land of endless winter and shitloads of snow.” in addition to the enjoyable style, Kagawa touches on some very important themes, such as artistry and the impacts of technological advancement. these, along with the other layers of the story really provided a surprising amount of depth, even bordering on moments of profound.unlike a lot of other fantasy books i’ve read, the action scenes were excellent. the playful nature of Puck, balanced with the more noble and serious Ash (*swoon*), made the action exciting and a real joy to read. and despite this book being a Harlequin book, the romance was not overdone or mushy in the least. i actually found myself anxious for the relationships to be revealed and develop, which is another thing i can rarely say about a book. i actually cheered somewhere in there, as silly as it sounds.in the end, i’m very glad i had the opportunity to read and review this book. it would not have been my first choice, but i will definitely recommend it to anyone who has even the slightest bit of interest in YA fantasy now. unconventional and fun, this is one book that i am glad i didn’t miss.and with that, i’ll leave you with my favorite line: "The other dryads left, leaving me alone with a cat, a prince, and a stick."this copy was provided to me by LivingSocial’s Influential Reader Program. Show Less
LibraryThing member wheems01
Not since Alice went down the rabbit hole, or Dorothy flew over the rainbow, has there been a book so exciting. Iron King is a wonderful fantasy adventure that takes us into Nevernever, the heart of myths and fantasies, where danger lurks behind every turn. This book was too good to put down, as
Tired of her life on a pig farm, Mehgan Chase looks forward to her sixteenth birthday, when she hopes getting her drivers permit might add some excitement to her dreary life. When she comes home and discovers her brother, Ethan, has been kidnapped by faeries and replaced with a dangerous changeling, Meghan gets more excitement than she had bargained for, as she resolves to save Ethan from the faeries who have captured him. After her only true friend, Robbie, reveals to her that he is actually the mythical Puck or Robin Goodfellow of Shakespeare’s Midsummer Night’s Dream, Meghan enlists his help to venture into Nevernever to save her brother. As Meghan embarks on the adventure of a lifetime, she has no idea what dangers and revelations she will soon face.
There have been a lot of faery books published lately, and most focus on faeries interacting and living in our world. It was refreshing to see a book that dares to venture into fairyland, and the resulting story is top notch. Kagawa created a world where creatures of myth and legend roam, and what you say and the deals you make can have serious consequences.
My one criticism would be that the story’s climax came too swiftly. The entire story had been building towards this confrontation, but it was over in a matter of a few pages. The ending was a bit of a letdown after all the dangers and obstacles they face trying to get to the climax, but the journey to get there could not have been better. This quick ending may be partially due to the fact that this is the first book in a series, but still I feel with the time I invested in this novel I should have gotten more from the climax than the few pages it was given.
Still this was a fun and entertaining read and I find myself lamenting the fact that I have to wait another five whole months for the next installment in the series. I am anxious to see where Kagawa will go with the next book. Overall I found this book to be a very pleasant surprise. If you are looking for something to tide you over while you wait for the next installment, you might try Carrie Jone’s books Need and Captivate or the Wicked Lovely series by Melissa Marr. The next book, The Iron Daughter is due out in August 2010.
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our heroine escapes one perilous situation only to stumble into more trouble at the next turn. Iron King has something for everyone; action, adventure, danger, friendship, and forbidden romance.Tired of her life on a pig farm, Mehgan Chase looks forward to her sixteenth birthday, when she hopes getting her drivers permit might add some excitement to her dreary life. When she comes home and discovers her brother, Ethan, has been kidnapped by faeries and replaced with a dangerous changeling, Meghan gets more excitement than she had bargained for, as she resolves to save Ethan from the faeries who have captured him. After her only true friend, Robbie, reveals to her that he is actually the mythical Puck or Robin Goodfellow of Shakespeare’s Midsummer Night’s Dream, Meghan enlists his help to venture into Nevernever to save her brother. As Meghan embarks on the adventure of a lifetime, she has no idea what dangers and revelations she will soon face.
There have been a lot of faery books published lately, and most focus on faeries interacting and living in our world. It was refreshing to see a book that dares to venture into fairyland, and the resulting story is top notch. Kagawa created a world where creatures of myth and legend roam, and what you say and the deals you make can have serious consequences.
My one criticism would be that the story’s climax came too swiftly. The entire story had been building towards this confrontation, but it was over in a matter of a few pages. The ending was a bit of a letdown after all the dangers and obstacles they face trying to get to the climax, but the journey to get there could not have been better. This quick ending may be partially due to the fact that this is the first book in a series, but still I feel with the time I invested in this novel I should have gotten more from the climax than the few pages it was given.
Still this was a fun and entertaining read and I find myself lamenting the fact that I have to wait another five whole months for the next installment in the series. I am anxious to see where Kagawa will go with the next book. Overall I found this book to be a very pleasant surprise. If you are looking for something to tide you over while you wait for the next installment, you might try Carrie Jone’s books Need and Captivate or the Wicked Lovely series by Melissa Marr. The next book, The Iron Daughter is due out in August 2010.
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LibraryThing member raycee3
Meghan is your average teenager until her 16th birthday and BAM...things change quite drastically. She develops the ability to see the fae and all the seedy underground that goes along with it. She is on quite an adventure to get her kidnapped brother back...an adventure spanning 3 fae courts and
I really, REALLY loved this book! The characters are strong and memorable and the plot is not so predictable that you have everything figured out by the time you get half way into the book. Meghan is a likable main character with deep love for her family even though her childhood conditions were not the best. Her best friend is a rock for her, even though he turns out to be someone that shocks her. There is the bad guy romance factor with Ash. I have to say one of my favorite characters is the cat! Yes, the cat, Grimalkin...he is funny and also there as a rock when Meghan needs him.
The author's imagination was transferred vividly to the pages of this book and I was flipping pages like crazy to get to the end! The ending leaves it wide open for the sequel, The Iron Daughter, which comes out in August. If you love fae, faeries, historical fairy tale characters, action, drama and romance, you will want to pick this book up.
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meeting numerous seelie and unseelie "characters".I really, REALLY loved this book! The characters are strong and memorable and the plot is not so predictable that you have everything figured out by the time you get half way into the book. Meghan is a likable main character with deep love for her family even though her childhood conditions were not the best. Her best friend is a rock for her, even though he turns out to be someone that shocks her. There is the bad guy romance factor with Ash. I have to say one of my favorite characters is the cat! Yes, the cat, Grimalkin...he is funny and also there as a rock when Meghan needs him.
The author's imagination was transferred vividly to the pages of this book and I was flipping pages like crazy to get to the end! The ending leaves it wide open for the sequel, The Iron Daughter, which comes out in August. If you love fae, faeries, historical fairy tale characters, action, drama and romance, you will want to pick this book up.
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LibraryThing member lenoreva
THE IRON KING grabbed me from page one with its strong voice and characterization. I loved Meghan and became quickly invested in her wellbeing – even though she too quickly ditched the real world for a quest through the faery world. Now those of you who regularly read my reviews know I’m not
I really liked the whole concept that the warring faery winter court and summer court had a new enemy: the iron court and progress as a whole. It reminded me a lot of the way The Nothing in THE NEVERENDING STORY was destroying Fantastica because no one dreamed anymore. I am definitely very excited to see where the story takes us next in THE IRON DAUGHTER. I’m hoping for lots of Grimalkin and Ash!
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one for fantasy worlds and quests because frankly, they bore me. And yes, there were a few parts of Meghan’s quest, especially in the middle of the novel, that made my eyes glaze over (iron fay controlling humans into New Orleans, I'm looking at you). Fortunately, I was also propelled to keep reading not just because I liked Meghan, but also because I was totally in love with one of Meghan’s companions…the cat Grimalkin! Oh and Ash was pretty swoon-worthy too.I really liked the whole concept that the warring faery winter court and summer court had a new enemy: the iron court and progress as a whole. It reminded me a lot of the way The Nothing in THE NEVERENDING STORY was destroying Fantastica because no one dreamed anymore. I am definitely very excited to see where the story takes us next in THE IRON DAUGHTER. I’m hoping for lots of Grimalkin and Ash!
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LibraryThing member Ameliaiif
So...is this book really that similar to LABYRINTH?
LibraryThing member krau0098
This is the first book in the Iron Fey trilogy by Julie Kagawa, The second book "The Iron Daughter" is due out in August of 2010. I got my copy of this book through the Amazon Vine Program. This was an awesome book and blew other young adult fairy series right out of the water.
Meghan Chase lives on
This was an awesome book. I really enjoyed Kagawa's writing style. Her writing style is to the point but leaves room for beautiful description. Kagawa is not afraid to show the dark side of the fae and does an excellent job of making them creepy. She also excelled at the action scenes, they were awesome...with enough danger and gore to make them believable but not overdo it. She doesn't shy away from violence...there is some swearing, some talk of rape, and lots of injuring in this book. None of it was excessive and I thought it made for a better story, unlike some YA fantasy that shies away from showing the darker side of fairy.
The characterization was also very well done. Meghan is an excellent character that really is just a normal girl caught in extraordinary circumstances. She doesn't whine, she just does the best she can and through her wits and caring nature she accomplishes a lot. Robbie and Ash are also excellent characters, both of them have deep dark pasts that make their characters at times tender and at times very dangerous, even bordering on evil.
The concept of fairy that Kagawa uses is unique. I loved that she adds in a third fairy group that both the Unseelie and Seelie courts are in danger from. The idea of human belief causing the rise of this third fairy group was unique and I loved how human advancement in technology ties into it all. A very unique idea; at times it reminded me of parts of the Neverending Story and at times it got a little sci-fi.
The story wraps up well at the end, but definitely leaves you wondering what will happen in Meghan's future. I really, really want to read "Iron Daughter" as soon as I can get a copy of it.
Overall this blows away most of the other young adult fairy literature that I have read. It is much better than Marr's Wicked Lovely series, better than Lament, and better than Aprilynne Pike's Wings (although I did like that book). I put this book on par with Holly Black's Modern Fairy Tales series; and I loved that series to death so that is saying a lot!
Meghan Chase lives on
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a pig farm and her family is poor but her life isn't awful. Then her brother complains about a dark man in his closet; when Meghan goes to look she thinks she sees something there, but when she looks directly it is gone. Things start getting weirder and weirder for Meghan. When she comes home to find her mother knocked out on the kitchen floor and her younger brother Ethan replaced by something that's not Ethan but looks like him...well she freaks. Luckily her friend Robbie comes to her aid. Only Robbie is not really her friend but the good old Puck sent to protect Meghan...because...you guessed it she is actually a fairy princess in hiding. Meghan then embarks on a dark journey to save her brother and find out the truth of her own past.This was an awesome book. I really enjoyed Kagawa's writing style. Her writing style is to the point but leaves room for beautiful description. Kagawa is not afraid to show the dark side of the fae and does an excellent job of making them creepy. She also excelled at the action scenes, they were awesome...with enough danger and gore to make them believable but not overdo it. She doesn't shy away from violence...there is some swearing, some talk of rape, and lots of injuring in this book. None of it was excessive and I thought it made for a better story, unlike some YA fantasy that shies away from showing the darker side of fairy.
The characterization was also very well done. Meghan is an excellent character that really is just a normal girl caught in extraordinary circumstances. She doesn't whine, she just does the best she can and through her wits and caring nature she accomplishes a lot. Robbie and Ash are also excellent characters, both of them have deep dark pasts that make their characters at times tender and at times very dangerous, even bordering on evil.
The concept of fairy that Kagawa uses is unique. I loved that she adds in a third fairy group that both the Unseelie and Seelie courts are in danger from. The idea of human belief causing the rise of this third fairy group was unique and I loved how human advancement in technology ties into it all. A very unique idea; at times it reminded me of parts of the Neverending Story and at times it got a little sci-fi.
The story wraps up well at the end, but definitely leaves you wondering what will happen in Meghan's future. I really, really want to read "Iron Daughter" as soon as I can get a copy of it.
Overall this blows away most of the other young adult fairy literature that I have read. It is much better than Marr's Wicked Lovely series, better than Lament, and better than Aprilynne Pike's Wings (although I did like that book). I put this book on par with Holly Black's Modern Fairy Tales series; and I loved that series to death so that is saying a lot!
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LibraryThing member Irisheyz77
To say that I love faeries is an understatement. I have also loved the magic and mischief of them and so I love when I hear about a new book dealing with this mythology because I am always curious to see new takes on the old stories. Some authors don't do such a good job while others knock the old
Fortunately for Meghan the cast of characters that surround her more then make up for her personality flaws. Her best friend, Robin Goodfell, is filled with mischief and fun. Then there is Ash, the swoon worthy youngest sun of the Queen Mab of the Winter Fey. I loved loved loved the interactions between Robin and and Ash. These two frenemies were a delight to watch and it was always hard to decided which one to cheer for since they are both so loveble. And then of course there is Grimalkin, a cait sith, who is willing to help out....so long as the helpee doesn't mind giving him a small favor in return. There were also lots of fun little faeries that you meet along the way that really flesh out this world, like the dryads, Twig, and the pack rats.
I became so absorbed in this book that the ending came as an abrupt shock. I kept hitting the page flip button on Anne the eReader in the vain hopes that more words would appear. But they never did and if it wasn't for the fact that my train was pulling into my station stop I might have started the whole book over again. It was just that much fun. Kagawa is a gifted story teller and I am so glad that I don't have to wait a year for the next book to come out. Harlequin Teen plans on publishing all 3 books in the series at 6 month intervals. And between Book 1 and 2 there will be a short story that will help tide one over until August. At least if I keep telling myself it won't be hard to wait then it really won't be....but gah! I so could have kept reading for another 300 pages and not been bored! I want more. Now!
I want to say more but don't know where to find the words. Iron King was just such a wonderful twist on the mytholoy that I've been reading about for years. There were so many old faces like Oberon, Tatiana and Mab and yet they weren't the same old faeries of yore. Their is new life in them, more defined personalities and I look forward to seeing what Kagawa will do with them next. There are also many new faeries...and have I mentioned the swoon worthy Ash? If not then he's one to look out for.
Interested in learning more? You can learn some faery terms here and be sure to check out the expert here or better yet just head out to your nearest book store tomorrow, 01 Feb, and pick up a copy for yourself! I think that you're going to love the world that Kagawa has created.
As originally posted on my blog: Ticket to Anywhere
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stories on their butts and really breath new life into them. Julie Kagawa's The Iron King falls into the second category. With The Iron King she creates this magical world that fits so seamlessly with the world that we exist in. Meghan is a believable character and for the most part I liked her. But she wasn't my favorite character as the girl never seemed to learn the rules of faery. Yes its great that you are willing to risk all for someone you love, but there does come a point when you can be too careless. After all how much can you do to help if you've given away everything that you are? I applaud her love of her friends and family but she just seemed a bit too reckless for me at times.Fortunately for Meghan the cast of characters that surround her more then make up for her personality flaws. Her best friend, Robin Goodfell, is filled with mischief and fun. Then there is Ash, the swoon worthy youngest sun of the Queen Mab of the Winter Fey. I loved loved loved the interactions between Robin and and Ash. These two frenemies were a delight to watch and it was always hard to decided which one to cheer for since they are both so loveble. And then of course there is Grimalkin, a cait sith, who is willing to help out....so long as the helpee doesn't mind giving him a small favor in return. There were also lots of fun little faeries that you meet along the way that really flesh out this world, like the dryads, Twig, and the pack rats.
I became so absorbed in this book that the ending came as an abrupt shock. I kept hitting the page flip button on Anne the eReader in the vain hopes that more words would appear. But they never did and if it wasn't for the fact that my train was pulling into my station stop I might have started the whole book over again. It was just that much fun. Kagawa is a gifted story teller and I am so glad that I don't have to wait a year for the next book to come out. Harlequin Teen plans on publishing all 3 books in the series at 6 month intervals. And between Book 1 and 2 there will be a short story that will help tide one over until August. At least if I keep telling myself it won't be hard to wait then it really won't be....but gah! I so could have kept reading for another 300 pages and not been bored! I want more. Now!
I want to say more but don't know where to find the words. Iron King was just such a wonderful twist on the mytholoy that I've been reading about for years. There were so many old faces like Oberon, Tatiana and Mab and yet they weren't the same old faeries of yore. Their is new life in them, more defined personalities and I look forward to seeing what Kagawa will do with them next. There are also many new faeries...and have I mentioned the swoon worthy Ash? If not then he's one to look out for.
Interested in learning more? You can learn some faery terms here and be sure to check out the expert here or better yet just head out to your nearest book store tomorrow, 01 Feb, and pick up a copy for yourself! I think that you're going to love the world that Kagawa has created.
As originally posted on my blog: Ticket to Anywhere
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