Status
Available
Call number
Collection
Publication
Margaret K. McElderry Books (2007), Hardcover, 336 pages
Description
As the possessor of Roibin's true name, sixteen-year-old Kaye returns to Faeryland to try and complete a nearly-impossible quest that will release him from the spell of the faery queen who holds him in thrall.
User reviews
LibraryThing member Jenson_AKA_DL
Once upon a time a pixie who thought she was human helped a knight of the Seelie Court become the King of the Unseelie Court. But that was only the beginning. Kaye has only recently discovered herself to be a changling, a pixie switched at birth for a human child. This discovery has left her
I really, really liked this book. It brought together the characters from both Tithe and Valiant in a surprising way. As in Tithe Roiben is a hero who tugs at my heartstrings. Tormented by memories of what he has been forced to do in the service of the Unseelie queen, he is determined to somehow overcome his hatred of the Unseelie fairies and lead them in an effort to defeat the Seelie Queen who is also his former lover. I loved that this story was told in part from Roiben's point of view and I enjoyed learning more of his past and his motivations for his actions. I could also empathize with Kaye and found the subplot involving her best friend, Corny and Luis intriguing. Another aspect of the story, is that many of the quotes and references the author makes throughout the book are, in fact, ones that I am not only familiar with but am very fond of personally. The quote, "living is like licking honey off of a thorn" is one of my favorites from the poster on the back of my bathroom door (long story). All in all it seems that Holly Black has wrapped up her trilogy of modern faeiry tales in a very satisfying way, although I wouldn't protest further stories in this series should she choose to write them.
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feeling as though she has no true place that she belongs, except with Rath Roiben Rye. Unfortunately when Kaye is tricked into declaring herself at Roiben's coronation, it is Roiben himself that chooses to send her away on an impossible quest, to find a fairy that can lie.I really, really liked this book. It brought together the characters from both Tithe and Valiant in a surprising way. As in Tithe Roiben is a hero who tugs at my heartstrings. Tormented by memories of what he has been forced to do in the service of the Unseelie queen, he is determined to somehow overcome his hatred of the Unseelie fairies and lead them in an effort to defeat the Seelie Queen who is also his former lover. I loved that this story was told in part from Roiben's point of view and I enjoyed learning more of his past and his motivations for his actions. I could also empathize with Kaye and found the subplot involving her best friend, Corny and Luis intriguing. Another aspect of the story, is that many of the quotes and references the author makes throughout the book are, in fact, ones that I am not only familiar with but am very fond of personally. The quote, "living is like licking honey off of a thorn" is one of my favorites from the poster on the back of my bathroom door (long story). All in all it seems that Holly Black has wrapped up her trilogy of modern faeiry tales in a very satisfying way, although I wouldn't protest further stories in this series should she choose to write them.
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LibraryThing member shelleyraec
I accidently read this series out of order - starting with Tithe and then reading Ironside before Valiant. I am glad I did because while Ironside is a direct sequel to Tithe, Valiant is a new cast of characters - and even though some of those have a place in Ironside you don't need to know them.
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You do need to read Tithe to follow the threads of the story. If you liked Tithe then Ironside is a must read.I liked Ironside more than Tithe in terms of plot and motivations, it isn't quite as dark though still twisted, the relationships are stronger and the flow is better, which is why I gave it 4 stars where as the others only 3.It does feel like this should have been the second in the trilogy however - the business idea could have been a great source for further stories combining the strongest characters. Show Less
LibraryThing member Phantasma
Wasn't *quite* as good as the first two, in my opinion. It was still good, but I think I wanted a little more action. Or something. I hope she writes more books in this world, though. I really have become attached to the characters.
LibraryThing member luvdancr
while this book didn't blow me out of the water this time, I have really impressed at Holly's ability to weave a really colorful and interesting fairy tale. I know she uses alot of real references to fairylore, but I'm not fairytale afficionado, so I couldn't tell you which ones are what, but there
I didn't like this book as much as the first two, as it seemed to take a different turn, but I enjoyed it all the same!
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are a few details I knew I had heard before as I read them.I didn't like this book as much as the first two, as it seemed to take a different turn, but I enjoyed it all the same!
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LibraryThing member Mendoza
This is the third (and I am assuming the last) in Black's 'Modern Faery's Tale' series. I don't know if the authors writing matured or I have grown used to her style. But I didn't get as annoyed with Kaye's immaturity as I did in the first novel. Yea for progress.
I enjoyed the tangle she got
I feel that by the end of this book Kaye matured enough that I would really love to read about her being Roiben's consort in future books.
For all this series flaws (the writing just doesn't flow very well) I think the story and imagery more than make up for it.
I enjoyed the tangle she got
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herself into by being peer pressured into declaring herself to Roiben. I enjoyed that we were shown Roiben and given flashes of his feelings and priorities.I feel that by the end of this book Kaye matured enough that I would really love to read about her being Roiben's consort in future books.
For all this series flaws (the writing just doesn't flow very well) I think the story and imagery more than make up for it.
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LibraryThing member parkridgeya
The latest in the series by Black, this one does not disappoint. These are not your sweet faery tales, but urban, gritty, harsh stories that grip you from the first page. These stories remind me of the original Grimm’s tale. Truer than perhaps many of the ones we see today that tell of faeries
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and trolls and magic. Black also has a talent for character development. Her characters are well developed and leap off the page at you. You feel what they feel and understand who they truly are. Show Less
LibraryThing member Gnork
this one of hollys faerie books. all of them is great and you defently want to read them all.
LibraryThing member Karenbooks
The story of Kaye continues to evolve in interesting and unique ways. Black does a very good job of taking seemingly inane ideas and making them new again.
LibraryThing member simplykatie
felt it closed up the series nicely. there was a few parts that surprised me and all in all, i love kaye so i'm glad i read the book.
LibraryThing member Rubbah
Ironside starts off a few months after the events of Tithe and Kaye has been feeling lost as she doesn't know where she belongs, so she drunkenly declares herself to Roiben, and he sends her on an impossible quest.
Meanwhile Queen Silarial is still trying to kill Roiben, so Kaye also has to prevent
She is joined on her quest by Corny, and also someone from Valiant(I wont give away who) which I was pleased with because i had not really seen Valiant as a sequel but more of a companion book.
I have to agree with the previous reviewer that Ironside completely lives up to it's prequels. It is a great book that will not disappoint.
Meanwhile Queen Silarial is still trying to kill Roiben, so Kaye also has to prevent
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her, though they don't know what she's planning. She is joined on her quest by Corny, and also someone from Valiant(I wont give away who) which I was pleased with because i had not really seen Valiant as a sequel but more of a companion book.
I have to agree with the previous reviewer that Ironside completely lives up to it's prequels. It is a great book that will not disappoint.
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LibraryThing member the1butterfly
Holly Black is so talented- I can't get enough of her tales of faeries. I don't understand Kaye's guilt over being a changeling, but I'm happy with how getting back her sister works out. Roiben needs to get over his emo tendencies. I did think that it was interesting that there was a tie-in to
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"Valiant." Show Less
LibraryThing member xicanti
Kaye declares herself to Roiben, her Unseelie lover, and must complete an impossible quest before she can become his consort.
This was yet another wonderful read in Holly Black's Modern Tales of Faerie series. Once again, I found myself sucked into the dark, seductive world she's created. The
But despite all its good points, I didn't enjoy this one quite as much as the first two. It wasn't quite as dark, and I wished that some things had been fleshed out a bit more. There are three main stories here, (Kaye's quest, Roiben's struggle to deal with what the Unseelie court has made him, and Corny's... well, spiritual journey, I guess you'd call it), and they sometimes feel a little rushed. I think each storyline could have benefited from just a little more attention. They work, as written, but I would have liked to see Black spend more time on each one.
All in all, though, this is a good book that's certainly worth your time. There's quite a bit of overlap with both TITHE and VALIANT, though, so read those first.
This was yet another wonderful read in Holly Black's Modern Tales of Faerie series. Once again, I found myself sucked into the dark, seductive world she's created. The
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characters are great, the plot twists are clever, and the book just flies by.But despite all its good points, I didn't enjoy this one quite as much as the first two. It wasn't quite as dark, and I wished that some things had been fleshed out a bit more. There are three main stories here, (Kaye's quest, Roiben's struggle to deal with what the Unseelie court has made him, and Corny's... well, spiritual journey, I guess you'd call it), and they sometimes feel a little rushed. I think each storyline could have benefited from just a little more attention. They work, as written, but I would have liked to see Black spend more time on each one.
All in all, though, this is a good book that's certainly worth your time. There's quite a bit of overlap with both TITHE and VALIANT, though, so read those first.
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LibraryThing member plettie2
I liked this series. I think that Holly Black has created three-dimensional characters that are interesting and compel the reader to care about what happens to them. The imaginary world in which they reside is believable and worth exploring. The series is gritty enough to not be trite, while benign
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enough not to worry parents or teacher. However, this is definitely a book for an older adolescent--no middle school kids. Show Less
LibraryThing member callmecayce
This is by far and away the best of the series. Not only is Black's writing good, but we get to know Kaye and her best friend Corny much better than in the first book. What I also liked was that Black incorporated characters from Valiant into this book. Again I was reminded of Marr's series, but I
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don't think that's a bad thing. Show Less
LibraryThing member audramelissa
Pixie changeling Kaye is in love with the king of the Unseelie Court. There is war brewing with his kingdom and the rival Seelie Court. Kaye finds herself in the middle as the possible key to bringing peace and stopping death on the faerie and human side. She also struggles with the desire to tell
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her human mother that she is not the daughter she gave birth to while her best friend, the human Corny, joins her on this quest. Show Less
LibraryThing member heidialice
Third in the Modern Tales of Faery series, but second focusing on Kaye. This volume takes place mostly in the Faerie world, as Kaye tries to prove her love and loyalty to Roiben, and figure out her place in both worlds, as someone not really of either.
I liked this one better than Tithe, and read it
I liked this one better than Tithe, and read it
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quickly, but it faded just as fast. There's not much of substance here, and that's probably just fine for most readers. Like a mediocre Chinese meal, it will remind you of the real thing, and briefly scratch the itch, but ultimately will make you long for something more authentic and fulfilling. Show Less
LibraryThing member krau0098
I loved this book. So far I have really loved all the books in this series. This books continues where the book Valiant left off. Roiben is set to become king of the Unseelie court. Roiben struggles with what will happen when he is crowned king and the uncomfortable treaty with the Seelie court is
This book is an easy read. The characters are all likable. A few new main characters are introduced. Luis is a great character and as likable and angsty as the rest of them. The book is fast paced and is a great book about faery. I have always loved urban fantasy, Charles De Lint being the first urban fantasy author I ever read. This book is a great addition to my collection. There are new fairies, action, duels, riddles, curses, you name it. I love how there is a little romance in the book but it is not overpowering; relationships are kept to simple hugging, kissing, and cuddling. There are too many fantasy book out there that get too physically in depth with the love thing, if you know what I mean (see Laurell Hamilton book review). This book leaves you with a happy pleasant feeling at the conclusion.
That being said I am always surprised that these are considered young adult books. There is a lot of swearing and also more "adult" topics to deal with. For example Corny is gay and the Unseelie court revels in a number of horrific forms of torture and killing. None of these things are gone into in overly explicit detail but still. I would say that mid to upper teens would be okay with these books; they are not books that I would read to my 10 year old or younger.
Still these books are fun and enjoyable. The author definitely has a love of fine literature and I enjoy all of the fine literature quotes at the beginning of each chapter. Black seems to pick these quotes with care so that they reveal and foreshadow the chapter to come. I love it!
I hope there will be another book; although this book is wrapped up pretty nicely so who can say.
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broken; he wonders if war is inevitable. Kaye struggles with her place with Roiben and the Unseelie court. She is also struggling with the knowledge that the baby human whose place she grew up in is still alive and Kaye feels that she needs to reunite her "mother" with her true daughter. Corny struggles with his fear of fairy and his grief over the death of his sister.This book is an easy read. The characters are all likable. A few new main characters are introduced. Luis is a great character and as likable and angsty as the rest of them. The book is fast paced and is a great book about faery. I have always loved urban fantasy, Charles De Lint being the first urban fantasy author I ever read. This book is a great addition to my collection. There are new fairies, action, duels, riddles, curses, you name it. I love how there is a little romance in the book but it is not overpowering; relationships are kept to simple hugging, kissing, and cuddling. There are too many fantasy book out there that get too physically in depth with the love thing, if you know what I mean (see Laurell Hamilton book review). This book leaves you with a happy pleasant feeling at the conclusion.
That being said I am always surprised that these are considered young adult books. There is a lot of swearing and also more "adult" topics to deal with. For example Corny is gay and the Unseelie court revels in a number of horrific forms of torture and killing. None of these things are gone into in overly explicit detail but still. I would say that mid to upper teens would be okay with these books; they are not books that I would read to my 10 year old or younger.
Still these books are fun and enjoyable. The author definitely has a love of fine literature and I enjoy all of the fine literature quotes at the beginning of each chapter. Black seems to pick these quotes with care so that they reveal and foreshadow the chapter to come. I love it!
I hope there will be another book; although this book is wrapped up pretty nicely so who can say.
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LibraryThing member fyrefly98
Summary: After a bloody battle of succession, Roiben is poised - if not exactly ready and willing - to become the King of the Unseelie Court. When Kaye finally confesses her love for him at his coronation, he uses a faerie tradition to send her on an impossible quest: to find a faerie who can speak
Review: Ironside is much more of a direct sequel to Tithe than Valiant was - it picks up Kaye and Roiben's story not long after the end of Tithe. In theory, Valiant could be skipped, but one of its characters does play a fairly large role in Ironside, and this book does assume that you already know who he is. In any case, it was nice to return to the characters I already knew and cared about, and I think it made the book much more of a compelling read.
As you may have been able to tell from my summary, there is a lot going on in Ironside. It wasn't so noticeable when I was reading; the story flows quickly and smoothly between various scenes and shifting points-of-view. After the fact, though, it was hard to put a pin on a single through-line of story. Nevertheless, Black's brutally dark writing effectively conveyed each of the various pieces, and managed to make the book feel like a single seamless piece. Her world is as gorgeously built as ever, and I found all of the various loyalties and schemes much easier to detangle here than I did in Tithe.
However, while I enjoyed the story, and certainly devoured it really quickly, I never got as emotionally attached to any of the characters as I normally would have wanted. It could be that I simply didn't identify with any of them, but something was keeping me at arm's distance. I was also a little disappointed with the ending. I'm trying to avoid spoilers, but one piece of the way that everything worked out just felt too cheap, too easy given the weight of importance that had been put on it throughout the book. 4 out of 5 stars.
Recommendation: If you liked Tithe, you'll want to read this one for sure, but it's really not something that could stand alone.
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a lie... and she won't be allowed to see him until she has. Heartbroken, she flees back to her life as a human, but things there aren't much better: her friend Corny is feeling self-destructive and wants the things (and people... and fae) that are the most dangerous for him, and her mother reacts badly when Kaye finally admits she's a changeling. Kaye has to venture to the Seelie court to find her mother's real child... but when she's there, she learns that the Bright folk can be every bit as nasty as the Unseelie fae, and that the Queen of the Seelie Court has designs on Roiben's throne... and his life.Review: Ironside is much more of a direct sequel to Tithe than Valiant was - it picks up Kaye and Roiben's story not long after the end of Tithe. In theory, Valiant could be skipped, but one of its characters does play a fairly large role in Ironside, and this book does assume that you already know who he is. In any case, it was nice to return to the characters I already knew and cared about, and I think it made the book much more of a compelling read.
As you may have been able to tell from my summary, there is a lot going on in Ironside. It wasn't so noticeable when I was reading; the story flows quickly and smoothly between various scenes and shifting points-of-view. After the fact, though, it was hard to put a pin on a single through-line of story. Nevertheless, Black's brutally dark writing effectively conveyed each of the various pieces, and managed to make the book feel like a single seamless piece. Her world is as gorgeously built as ever, and I found all of the various loyalties and schemes much easier to detangle here than I did in Tithe.
However, while I enjoyed the story, and certainly devoured it really quickly, I never got as emotionally attached to any of the characters as I normally would have wanted. It could be that I simply didn't identify with any of them, but something was keeping me at arm's distance. I was also a little disappointed with the ending. I'm trying to avoid spoilers, but one piece of the way that everything worked out just felt too cheap, too easy given the weight of importance that had been put on it throughout the book. 4 out of 5 stars.
Recommendation: If you liked Tithe, you'll want to read this one for sure, but it's really not something that could stand alone.
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LibraryThing member klarsenmd
Another quick, interesting read. I really enjoyed how this tied up the trilogy. I thought some of the story line was a little over the top, but in general the dark urban fantasy had a good plot and very imaginative writing. I certainly wouldn't let a young teen read it, but for older lovers of
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fantasy, I thought it was enjoyable. Show Less
LibraryThing member BookWhisperer
Very intriguing continuation of the first book. I find myself absorbed by the Robyn-Kaye relationship. Not many authors are capable of writing a story that has you questioning the characters motives. This story had me guessing right up to the last page.
LibraryThing member awarns
Corny, Roiben, and Kaye return with all the other familiar characters in this satisfying sequel to Black's first YA novel "Tithe". The story opens with Roiben's coronation as King of the Unseelie Court. As a result, the longstanding peace between the Seelie and Unseelie courts is broken and the
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Faerie world finds itself in the midst of war for the first time in an age. With a backdrop of war and court intrigue Kaye is dealing with serious relationship problems and is coming to grips with the knowledge that she's faery, not a human girl she like she thought she was. A great read, but I highly recommend you read "Tithe" first. Show Less
LibraryThing member roguelibrarian
Plot: When Roiben is crowned king of the Unseilie court, the changeling Kaye declares her love for him. She is heartbroken when in response he sends her on an impossible quest to find a faerie who can lie. Her mother’s reaction to the revelation that Kaye is not human is even worse. Rejected by
One of my favorite things about this story is the friendship between Corny and Kaye; they are so comfortable together, so loving without asking anything in return. Men and women so rarely have close friendships in fiction (unless it is a prelude to romance) and as someone who has many male friends, I’ve always felt that was lacking. The other thing that I love is the fact that, like in a proper fairy tale, Kaye wins the day not through strength of arms but through her cunning. She is above else a very clever girl and this is what saves her and all who are close to her.
For those of you who read Valiant (I read it after Ironside by mistake, look for the review of that one on my site too), Luis is back and he plays an important role in the story. The interesting romance in this one is not the one between Roiben and Kaye (though I was very satisfied with its resolution), it is between Luis and Corny. It was somewhat awkward at first but very sweet.
Despite all the pain and drama, the book is actually quite funny. Many of the characters are quite quirky, even stoic Roiben; several scenes had me chuckling quietly on the bus such as when Roiben received a rug made of rat tails from a very proud hobgoblin. And fans of Ellen Kushner, such as myself, will smile at the reference to her novel Swordspoint (which you should all go read next).
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two of the most important figures in her life, Kaye doesn’t know where she belongs anymore. So she goes on a quest to find the girl she had been switched with and to heal her best friend Corny of his curse. Meanwhile war is brewing between the Seilie and Unseilie courts and Kaye may be the only one who can protect Roiben’s new crown.One of my favorite things about this story is the friendship between Corny and Kaye; they are so comfortable together, so loving without asking anything in return. Men and women so rarely have close friendships in fiction (unless it is a prelude to romance) and as someone who has many male friends, I’ve always felt that was lacking. The other thing that I love is the fact that, like in a proper fairy tale, Kaye wins the day not through strength of arms but through her cunning. She is above else a very clever girl and this is what saves her and all who are close to her.
For those of you who read Valiant (I read it after Ironside by mistake, look for the review of that one on my site too), Luis is back and he plays an important role in the story. The interesting romance in this one is not the one between Roiben and Kaye (though I was very satisfied with its resolution), it is between Luis and Corny. It was somewhat awkward at first but very sweet.
Despite all the pain and drama, the book is actually quite funny. Many of the characters are quite quirky, even stoic Roiben; several scenes had me chuckling quietly on the bus such as when Roiben received a rug made of rat tails from a very proud hobgoblin. And fans of Ellen Kushner, such as myself, will smile at the reference to her novel Swordspoint (which you should all go read next).
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LibraryThing member LaPhenix
Gritty and brash. It was great to be following Kaye's story again (I found Valiant to be trying). The book really picks up three quarters the way through.
LibraryThing member wanderlustlover
This drew back together everyone I'd already grown rough and rugged little soft spots for. It's still gritty and dark, and some of the characters never lose their edges, but I loved seeing how it all came together. How the lies and the laughter and the magic and too sharp world all worked itself
I was far happier by the end of this book than I ever expected to be.
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out. I was far happier by the end of this book than I ever expected to be.
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LibraryThing member Ahnya
I like the way she ended Kaye and Roiben's stories. I wish she would have finished up, or tied in Val's story. I felt like she kinda left us hanging, and it made Valiant not make sense in the series.
Subjects
Awards
Mythopoeic Awards (Finalist — Children's Literature — 2008)
Language
Original publication date
2007-04-24
Physical description
336 p.; 8.28 inches
ISBN
0689868200 / 9780689868207
Local notes
Finding your place in the world is no picnic at the best of times, but pixie changeling Kaye finds it tougher than most. And no wonder: her boyfriend has been crowned king of the Unseelie Court and her best friend suffers from a faery's curse. Kaye and Corny meet brothers Luis and Dave and the teens are caught in the middle of a clash between the rival faery courts.
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