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The Iron Daughter (The Iron Fey #2)

by Julie Kagawa (Goodreads Author)

4.2 of 5 stars 4.20 · rating details · 41,023 ratings · 3,250 reviews

Half Summer faery princess, half human, Meghan has never fit in anywhere. Deserted by the Winter prince she thought loved her, she is prisoner to the Winter faery queen. As war looms between Summer and Winter, Meghan knows that the real danger comes from the Iron fey—ironbound faeries that only she and her absent prince have seen. But no one believes her.

Worse, Meghan's ow...more

Paperback, 359 pages

Published August 1st 2010 by Harlequin Teen

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Oct 03, 2011 Dija rated it 2 of 5 stars

Shelves: great-disappointment, wtf-abkjkad, 2010, waste-of-anticipation-energy, childhood-friends-turned-lovers, meh, ya, uf-or-pnr, could-have-been-sooo-much-better, my-reviews, everyone-loved-but-dija

Mild spoilers ahead!

Since a picture's worth a thousand words and all that, allow me to sum up everything that happens in The Iron Daughter.

Girl meets Boy.

Girl becomes obsessed with Boy.

Boy treats Girl like crap and tells her to leave him alone, after insulting her in front of everyone.

Girl does not react like this, as any self-respecting female would have.

Or even this, which would have sufficed.

Girl decides to weep instead.

Friend falls for Girl.

Girl pines after Boy anyway.

Boy tells Girl they ca...more

531 likes · like · see review

Aug 04, 2010 Kim rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: ya, read-in-2010

I wasn't sure if I was going to give it 4 or 5 stars, because this book is very good, but it does has one mayor flaw that I found to be annoying.

Meghan and Ash. When you think about it... What does she really know about him, besides that he's gorgeous and 'icy'? He tried to kill her several times now. I don't know but that doesn't exactly scream boyfriend material to me.

Don't get me wrong, I nearly creamed myself when I read he has a silver stud in his ear. Add the billowing coat and I'm sold....more

79 likes · like · see review

Nov 25, 2012 Haleema rated it 2 of 5 stars

Shelves: complex-world, hello-handsome, ninja-paced, i-knew-it, oh-not-again, half-wit-heroine, brain-cells-went-bye-bye, stupid-love-triangles, damn-good-writing, no-no-no-no-no, fine-fey-folk, its-so-stupid-it-hurts

Beware of spoilers!

What a complete disappointment compared to the utter bliss I felt from the first one. Meghan is the reason why I gave this book a two! I shall proceed to have my fangirl moments and my complaints now:

Fangirl moments:
1. You see, the first 114 pages were decent. However, I must say I had a deep longing to see my Puck! I couldn't stand it. I did not laugh or giggle once throughout the beginning, considering that Prince Ash is an absolute bore. I don't hate Ash. I just would never...more

57 likes · like · see review

Mar 29, 2010 Sophie Riggsby rated it 5 of 5 stars

Shelves: dont-tell-others-youre-my-fave, hot-boys-with-swords, chemistry-101

See I have a thing about sequels -- they either hit the mark or they don't. There's no in-between point, at least not for me.

And I loved The Iron King's mythology, charcters and plot, so I did have to wonder could Julie Kagawa do that all over again? Well,YA Fantasy Fans, she did even more!

What I loved about The Iron King was the mythology -- the nod to traditional faerie lore and then the completely justified and believable addition of an Iron Court. This tilted the familiar power struggle betw...more See I have a thing about sequels -- they either hit the mark or they don't. There's no in-between point, at least not for me.

And I loved The Iron King's mythology, charcters and plot, so I did have to wonder could Julie Kagawa do that all over again? Well,YA Fantasy Fans, she did even more!

What I loved about The Iron King was the mythology -- the nod to traditional faerie lore and then the completely justified and believable addition of an Iron Court. This tilted the familiar power struggle between the Seelie and the Unseelie Courts and created complete chaos. It was exhilirating to read through it. But now what?

Well, Julie answered that question. She answered it in spades. When we last left Meaghan and Ash they were on their way to Ash's home, The Winter Court. Not exactly the turf that a Summer Court Princess (albeit half-human, half-fey) would feel comfortable in but Meaghan had made a promise to Ash and to the fey, promises are everything.

I'm going to keep this review spoiler-free, so let me just say that the book may start off with the fulfillment of a promise but where it leads you is so unbelievably unexpected that you will be gasping out loud. I've read a few books like this, so chock full of action that you find it exhilirating to turn the pages only to discover that there's even more. Isn't that the best part? I'm going to take a moment and compare Julie's action writing sequences to those of my favorite YA fantasy author, Cassandra Clare. Yes, they are THAT good. That unbelievably good.

But that's not the best part. The very best part were the characters' arcs -- Meaghan's, Ash's and Puck's. Their back-stories, journeys and amazing transformations were so credible that I found my heart aching for them.

And please, don't even ask if there's romance. There is unbelievable, forbidden, beautiful romance. Again, my hat's off to Julie, who wrote the scene on page 99 so well, that I had to text a few of my close bookwormish pals just to vent. What did the text say, you ask? It said, "He's breaking my heart, but in a good way."

A full five-stars to Julie Kagawa's The Iron Daughter. If you love action, romance and watching how characters mature through heart-wrenching trials, you will love this story as much as I do.(less)

43 likes · like · see review

May 14, 2013 Kristalia rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: reviewed, be-my-hero-plz, lol-lol-lol-make-me-stop-loling, mature-young-adult, they-are-so-cute-its-unbearable, me-likey-mucho

FINAL RATING: ★★★★/★★★★★

I am so impressed because this was just soooooooo much more interesting and better than the first one. This was just coooooool ♥ (while we are at it, i dont even know how to write this review properly).

So...before you read this one, i suggest you read the Winter's Passage which is kind of necessary because it shows how Ash feels for Meghan and his warnings to her about Winter's court (which she, of course, ignores) and the trip to the Winter's court, with a danger around...more

17 likes · like · see review

Jul 01, 2010 Jillian -always aspiring- rated it 3 of 5 stars Recommends it for: Fans of Cassandra Clare, Melissa Marr, and Holly Black

Shelves: 2010-reads, reviewed

The sequel to The Iron King, The Iron Daughter opens after we have left Meghan Chase in the Winter Court (see the novella Winter's Passage for the details of the journey there) -- and she finds herself conflicted and torn between what she wants and what she must do. She finds herself drawn to the Winter Prince Ash more and more, but everyone knows that Winter and Summer are forbidden to coincide. Meanwhile, the forces of the iron fey are slowly beginning to rise again -- but the question is this...more The sequel to The Iron King, The Iron Daughter opens after we have left Meghan Chase in the Winter Court (see the novella Winter's Passage for the details of the journey there) -- and she finds herself conflicted and torn between what she wants and what she must do. She finds herself drawn to the Winter Prince Ash more and more, but everyone knows that Winter and Summer are forbidden to coincide. Meanwhile, the forces of the iron fey are slowly beginning to rise again -- but the question is this: how will the stirrings begin to affect Meghan and her companions?

I'll be the first to admit that this book was slow to grab me (just the same with the first one) -- but, once it gripped me, it never let go until the very end. This book has it all: wonderfully crafted faery lore, interesting characters, humorous wit, descriptive action, and plenty of plot twists to keep readers coming back for more. Julie Kagawa draws you into her world, the Nevernever and beyond, and -- though her heroine Meghan doesn't always make the right choices -- we can understand and empathize why she would act without thinking. How can you win against a world spun by quiet deceit and unspoken bargains, where one misspoken word has you in a deal that binds you until it's completed? (There was less deal bartering in this novel, however, so that was a plus.)

Court intrigues -- and the tenuous structure of the different faery groups -- were the main focus in this novel. Winter doesn't like Summer or vice-versa; half-breeds bear the brunt of scorn and prejudice; exiles, those banished to the mortal realm, fight to survive; and iron fey are the things of fear and nightmare to the other fey. Though court intrigues and tenuous balances between Winter and Summer are commonly found in other faery novels, the characters and the action sequences are what really make these novels memorable. I love Puck and Grimalkin in particular (as I have since the first novel), but here I also started gaining some affection for the Winter Prince Ash as well. He's a tragic figure, sorrowful and honorable, and you can't help but wonder what his fate will be after all is said and done. (I'm mum on the rest of the details, however.) As for Meghan -- she's growing slowly but surely as a character; at points, however, I'm frustrated with her because of how shallowly human she can act. . .but I suppose that's the point.

All in all, The Iron Daughter was a good read for me; fans of the first book shouldn't hesitate to pick it up. I think the ending sets up very nicely for the third in the series, The Iron Queen, so here's hoping that it will still be more engrossing than not when it reaches bookstores in February 2011.(less)

16 likes · like · see review

Nov 05, 2010 Kristi (The Story Siren) rated it 5 of 5 stars

Shelves: books-i-own, signed-books, own-arc

I think I might have to move The Iron Daughter to the number one position over The Iron King. This series is one of those that just keeps getting better. I have big hopes for book number three!

The Iron Daughter leaves off right where the The Iron King stops. That being said... You might not want to read the rest of this review if you haven’t read book number one, because it might be a tad bit SPOILERY!

You’ve been warned.

I loved Meghan in the first novel.... but at the beginning of The Iron Da...more I think I might have to move The Iron Daughter to the number one position over The Iron King. This series is one of those that just keeps getting better. I have big hopes for book number three!

The Iron Daughter leaves off right where the The Iron King stops. That being said... You might not want to read the rest of this review if you haven’t read book number one, because it might be a tad bit SPOILERY!

You’ve been warned.

I loved Meghan in the first novel.... but at the beginning of The Iron Daughter I seriously wanted to slap some sense into the girl. Where the heck was that girl at the end of the first book, the one that did what she had to do! The one that had grown more confident and wise! Because she was not there at first. I mean, come on Meghan, I know you are in love with Ash.... but all that stuff that he was telling you about guarding yourself because those fey in his court are viscous creatures and they will just use it against you. He wasn’t just telling you that to hear himself talk... I think old Meghan would have picked up on that. But no instead I got this weenie whiney Meghan.

Thank goodness someone hit her over the head and I got old Meghan back!

One of my favorite characters in this novel, was one that I didn’t like very much the first time around. And I’m not really going to say much more about that..... don’t want to ruin the surprise! I was totally NOT expecting that. Of course Grim was back and he was as charming as ever.

I loved watching Meghan and Ash’s relationship develop in this one.... despite the fact that they simply can not be together, I mean summer and winter just do not mix. It’s fun to see how they try to work above that. Will they end up together against all odds!?!?! Like I’m going to tell you.

I should have known that the leading novel would not be the last we saw of the Iron Fey... I totally didn’t predict any of what actually happened. It was much better than what I was anticipating. Although.... my idea of a Meghan and Ash running away together and living happily ever after was just as good!

But back to the actual book. The plot was action packed... people er fey dropping like flies... dragons, battles, betrayals... you are in for a ride my fellow reader. I picked it up and just could not put it down.

I cannot wait for book three! This series is so good. (less)

15 likes · like · see review

May 22, 2012 Blythe rated it 3 of 5 stars

Shelves: disappointments, 2012-reads, i-totally-saw-that-coming, read-reviewed, hand-me-some-tissues, judge-a-book-by-the-cover, take-your-insta-love-and-leave, love-triangle

I feel very conflicted at the moment, because I don’t know what rating to give this. The story itself was pretty good, and the ending was sweet, but it’s just Meghan… I don’t think I can not take stars away from this book because of Meghan… I did some thinking about it, and figured without Meghan, this book probably would have gotten three and a half stars from me. With Meghan, I’ve come to the conclusion that it gets two and a half stars. I don’t know if that’s too much, and I’m being too gener...more

18 likes · like · see review

Sep 21, 2011 Kwesi 章英狮 rated it 3 of 5 stars

Recommended to Kwesi 章英狮 by: Maria

Shelves: borrowed, julie-kagawa, 2011

Promises are not meant to be broken. They are like a glass, they are fragile that one you commit a mistake it will break into little tiny pieces and you must pay for the consequences you have made. After rescuing Ethan from the land of Nevernever, Meghan must pay for the promise she made from the winter prince. She doesn't have a choice but to leave the mortal world and be with Ash in a very cold and dark place, Tir Na Nog.

But when your mortal enemy back and steal a very valuable item that incre...more

18 likes · like · see review

Dec 22, 2010 Joyzi rated it 5 of 5 stars Recommends it for: Those who love Tinkahbell

Recommended to Joyzi by: Goodreads

Shelves: e-book, ya-books, 5-stars-or-more, fantasy, fiction, reviewed, book-series, author-japanese, paranormal-romance

Note: OMG the ending, God the ending kills man, you've got to read this blah blah blah. Love it I need the next book right now!

Book Review for Iron Daughter by Julie Kagawa
(Ray William Johnson Style)

Note: Ray William Johnson is one of my fave vloggers on Youtube. His videos are called Equals Three or =3 and he's *bleep sound* funny, need I say more?

What's Happening Forum?

Ray William Johnson Pictures, Images and Photos

Guys now I'm going to review this book and yeah let's use pros and cons to make it a teensy bit organize...shall we?

Cool Tra...more

28 likes · like · see review

Jun 09, 2012 Erin rated it 2 of 5 stars

Shelves: action-packed, big-romance, dark, fantasy, love-geometry, one-lone-tear, talking-cats, your-love-is-stupid

2.5 stars. But there's a distinct possibility that I just wasn't in the right mood for it.

Here's something I learned about myself while I was reading: I really, really hate it when books have typos or are just not edited very tightly. Why should I care about the book if the people in charge of getting it ready for me didn't care about it enough to make sure it was grammatically correct? Sorry, guys. I'm a future English teacher. It's who I am.

I didn't feel the same tug to get to the next chapter...more

11 likes · like · see review

Feb 24, 2013 Nenia Campbell rated it 1 of 5 stars

Shelves: ya-baby-ya, did-not-finish-or-skimmed, gorgeous-covers, x-series-bk-2, x-2010s

You can read more reviews at my blog, The Armchair Librarian!

As a die-hard Labyrinth fan, The Iron King was music to my fangirl-shipping ears. Meghan was a kick-ass character, the world-building was well-researched and spot-on, and the romance was underplayed, leaving room for further development.

My silly library only bought books #1, 3, and 4 in the first series. I suppose somebody alerted them to their mistake because what did I see in the just-in section but Iron Daughter--the book I've been...more

12 likes · like · see review

Mar 25, 2013 Sabrina *The REAL Princess* rated it 2 of 5 stars

You're kidding me - right?

That is not how you write a sequel!

I am beyond disappointed by this novel. It was simply a chore to read. And there is purely 1 reason for my general dislike of the novel:

Megan

A.k.a. The Bella Swan of the Iron Fey series. I couldn't stand to read about her. She was just so irritating. I get it - you're in love with Ash - but I mean, c'mon. Have some self-respect, girl.

Look. I love romance. I'm the romance kinda gal. If there isn't romance in a book, I'll make romance....more

8 likes · like · see review

Jul 24, 2012 thebookbanshee rated it 4 of 5 stars

As you can tell from my review of The Iron King, I really love Julie Kagawa and the world she's created for us. So many times with the second book in a series like this, things get lost and the characters are missing that magic from the first book. So not the case here. This book was jam-packed with adventure, from beginning to end. Seriously, so much happens. There are some startling revelations, and a few other revelations that shouldn't have really surprised anyone but I still found myself a...more

5 likes · like · see review

Jun 12, 2011 The Flooze rated it 2 of 5 stars

Shelves: urban-fantasy-paranormal, owned, vanquished_2011, ya_teen

**6.12.2011 ETA: Finished book three and this is one of the most frustrating YA series I've read to date. If you've no tolerance for angsty, bratty, obtuse heroines, steer right clear of it.**

When I first read The Iron King I enjoyed it. I found Ash intriguing, Puck endearing, Grim deliciously mysterious, and the iron fey’s origins refreshing. I applauded Kagawa for conceptualizing a breed of fey borne of our obsession with technology. I noticed obvious similarities between The Iron King and the...more

30 likes · like · see review

Mar 27, 2012 Erika rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: gorgeous-covers, best-of-heroes, fantasy, young-adult, outstanding-characters, favorite-series, forbidden-love, non-stop-actions, romance, auto-buy-author, favorites

What makes a great character is someone who leaps off the page, someone who is unforgettable, and sticks with you long after you finish the story. They’re flawed. They have goals and hopes and dreams, not all of which come true. They screw up. And they love. But most of all, they feel so real that you can picture them, you can imagine asking them questions and you just KNOW how they would respond because they’re been drawn and filled in so perfectly that they could be the person standing right n...more

4 likes · like · see review

Jan 16, 2013 Idunsses rated it 5 of 5 stars

Shelves: fantasy, will-be-read-in-2013, favorites

The dark, mirrored walls reflected a strange party back at us: a cat, two elf-boys, a girl in a slightly tattered gown, and a monstrous black man with glowing red eyes.

In this second novel in the Iron Fey series everything picks up a notch. The tension, drama, magic and naturally, the romance.

The Romeo and Juliet-parallels are clearer than ever, Summer and Winter can NOT fall in love. Which sucks as our lovely princess is Summer and Prince Charming is Winter. And they are, of course, in love...more

6 likes · like · see review

Jul 31, 2011 Cara rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: 2011, fantasy, series

This book practically begged me to read it. You don't believe me? Well, recently where I live we've been going through a killer heat wave (well most of the United States has been) and to compensate for how hot it is there is a fan in the room. The book was laying face down and every time the fan would oscillate the back cover would flap showing Julie Kagawa’s face. It was like she was saying, "You know you want to read this book, so what are you waiting for?" She's very convincing and before I k...more This book practically begged me to read it. You don't believe me? Well, recently where I live we've been going through a killer heat wave (well most of the United States has been) and to compensate for how hot it is there is a fan in the room. The book was laying face down and every time the fan would oscillate the back cover would flap showing Julie Kagawa’s face. It was like she was saying, "You know you want to read this book, so what are you waiting for?" She's very convincing and before I knew it I finished the whole entire book and didn't get a wink of sleep. To say I'm hooked would be putting it mildly.

Meghan is now in the Winter's Court where she's been barely making it by. Her powers that helped her defeat the Iron King have been lost somehow, so all Meghan has is her will to survive and almost non-existence knowledge of the courts. Ash is being distant and downright rude to her, so she has no one to trust. But that is not the only trouble brewing, the Iron fey are on the move. Something happens that threatens war between Summer and Winter, and Meghan and a great crew will go through an epic adventure to stop the destruction of the faerie world.

There is a lot of Meghan and Ash interaction in the book. It felt like a little too much to be honest. If I wanted to I could nitpick why Meghan and Ash like each other. They have been through a lot and always are willing to sacrifice for each other, but frankly I had to roll my eyes a couple of times and like always I think this is unfair to Puck who has always been loyal to Meghan. But these are how these books go. For once though, once I'd like the funny friend to get the gal.

But I do like Meghan and Ash together and what I loved the most of the book was the action. It felt seamless. One event after the other and it made for a climatic ending. An ending that definitely sets up well for The Iron Queen. The world building is done perfectly and I understand and know the world better now than the first time around. I feel like Meghan, getting more attached to the world the more time I "spend" in it.

Once I finished this book I wanted the next one right away, but alas I’m on hold at the library. My patient muscles are getting weaker and weaker...(less)

4 likes · like · see review

Nov 13, 2012 Jennifer Wardrip rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: trt-posted-reviews

Reviewed by Breia "The Brain" Brickey for TeensReadToo.com

Barely any time has passed since Meghan Chase rescued her brother from the Iron King.

THE IRON DAUGHTER starts off with Ash showing up to collect on his bargain with Meghan and taking her back to the Winter Court. This book feels like I was at the start of a race and someone had just fired the starting pistol. From the very beginning, this story pulls you in and doesn't let go.

Meghan thought that after having defeated the Iron King, most o...more

5 likes · like · see review

Jul 20, 2010 ~Tina~ rated it 5 of 5 stars

Shelves: cover-crazz, own, fey-folk, favorites, young-adult, read-2010, treasured, kickin-with-kagawa

If I could give more stars, I totally would:)

Wow! I'm blown away and in complete awe of this book!
I don't want to say to much about the story itself since everyone just needs to pick this up A.S.A.P, but I will say that it's Incredible!
Julie Kagawa has out did herself. To every reviewer who said The Iron Daughter was better then the first, wasn't kidding!
I am in love with this series, this book, these characters.

With hauntingly rich and vivid writing Julie has once again captured the attention...more If I could give more stars, I totally would:)

Wow! I'm blown away and in complete awe of this book!
I don't want to say to much about the story itself since everyone just needs to pick this up A.S.A.P, but I will say that it's Incredible!
Julie Kagawa has out did herself. To every reviewer who said The Iron Daughter was better then the first, wasn't kidding!
I am in love with this series, this book, these characters.

With hauntingly rich and vivid writing Julie has once again captured the attention of her readers, giving us a pure and gripping plot that you can't help but devour the minute you touch it. This world is so engaging, entertaining and enchanting that it's hard to get your mind wrapped around it, not that it's difficult, just simply mind-boggling. It is so much fun to read!

All your favorite characters are back in all there glory and then some!
I am so proud of Meghan, and I love being proud of the characters I read about, so that's a big plus. She's strong and feisty and stubborn and I love that she fights back with everything that she has.
I was very torn between Puck and Ash, two of my favorite characters who equally won over my heart. Puck has always been such a dear. Kind, funny and play's the part of "the right one" for Meghan. The sensible choice, the better choice. But with all love triangle, it seems that better may not always be best. Never the less, I love them both, but if it were me, I'd have to go with Ash!
Ash, ah Ash, if you loved him before? You'll love him even more! He really went through an emotional hell in this book and I found myself flipping through the pages at a feverish pace to find out what would happen next. He's definitely on my list of favorite book swoon-crushes. Totally and completely love him. I wanna keep him. Mine.
Oh, and I so want a cat like Grimalkin!

I could go on forever gushing about this amazing book, so I'm just going to say that The Iron Daughter is a fast paced thrill ride with a plot concept that is truly unbelievably brilliant. The romance is a beautiful wonder that makes me smile, and Julie Kagawa is a genius for creating an amazing take on this particular paranormal, it makes me love it when I don't favor it all that much to begin with, so that is really saying something.
This is definitely on the top of my list of all time favorites! Loved every second of this epic adventure and I am crazily waiting to see how this beloved series will wrap up in The Iron Queen!!

If you haven't read the first one *cough Arlene&Morgan cough* then you need to pick it up! You wont be disappointed!

A.Must.Read.!(less)

17 likes · like · see review

Mar 08, 2013 ♥ Becky 22 rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: faries, 2013

Let’s be serious: The cat is the true hero in this series.

I have a feeling that nobody would get anything done without Grimalkin, or whatever its name was.
Most of this book went something like this: "Hey, let's get ourselves in hopeless situations and wait for the cat to show up and save us."

I'm kidding, of course. This book was really fun. The writing in this is so good; it's so easy to picture the Nevernever. (I don't ever want to go there. Never, ever, ever..)

It's creepy as hell. And things...more

9 likes · like · see review

Jan 30, 2013 Nessa rated it 2 of 5 stars

Shelves: fiction, review, not-my-cup-of-earl-grey-tea

Bailed at page 60.

One of my New Year's Resolution that I seem to be sticking to is that I no longer continue to read books that are just a complete drag. Both of the books I rated two stars or less in January this year I bailed on after sampling quite enough of them. I know some people advocate 100 pages, but I'm not really inclined to even get to that part of the book. Don't worry, I will try to finish most of the books I read, but I just couldn't be bothered with this one.

Around 9 months has p...more

5 likes · like · see review

Oct 30, 2010 Rian rated it 1 of 5 stars

This review has been hidden because it contains spoilers. To view it, click here. Disappointing. I must be missing something, because I think I'm the only review under four stars for this novel; but I just didn't like it right from the start. It's a shame, because I adored The Iron King, the prequel; I tore through that one in less than three days. But where The Iron King was innovative and engaging, The Iron Daughter was trite, maudlin, and predictable. My favorite characters, Puck and Grim, don't even come in until well over a third of the way through the novel; instead, we...more Disappointing. I must be missing something, because I think I'm the only review under four stars for this novel; but I just didn't like it right from the start. It's a shame, because I adored The Iron King, the prequel; I tore through that one in less than three days. But where The Iron King was innovative and engaging, The Iron Daughter was trite, maudlin, and predictable. My favorite characters, Puck and Grim, don't even come in until well over a third of the way through the novel; instead, we are treated to the asinine teenage woes of Meghan, who is just so in love with her forbidden Darque Prince (tm). Their relationship in the last novel was my least favorite part; I liked that Kagawa spent more time building up her heroine and telling her story than sending her head over heels after the first dark and mysterious faery she could find. But the sequel can't seem to go three pages without Meghan pining after Ash, worrying about him, wondering why he doesn't seem to love her the way she loves him, whether she's just a replacement for his dead girlfriend, blah blah angst.

The novel starts off with the typical "I'm being a dick to you to PROTECT you" trope, with Ash giving Meghan a very cold shoulder (hyuk hyuk) in Tir Na Nog. Meghan, naturally, is immediately convinced he must loathe her very existence, and spends the first part of the book pining away, wondering what she did to deserve his scorn, and trying not to cry about it. Every time he seems to show a bit of warmth, she instantly melts. She's been in this place for a while, now; you'd think she would have a) caught on that he was doing this to protect her, especially after he said as much, or b) learned to deal with it. Or, my personal preference, c) dumped his sorry ass and moved on. But no, she just cries and moans and when they eventually escape, there are several scenes that I imagine are supposed to be heart-wrenching, where Ash keeps saying they can't be together and Meghan makes out with him anyway. Then she makes out with Puck, because everyone knows the only real cure for a broken heart is screwing around with your best friend's.

The plot, to Kagawa's credit, is interesting. There's a new, false Iron King on the throne, and after he steals the Scepter of the Seasons, which will inevitably wreak havoc on the mortal world if not returned, Iron Horse (you know, THAT IRON HORSE) decides to help Meghan recapture it. Iron Horse, as ever, is wonderful, even if he does tend to fall into the "socially awkward muscle guy" stereotype. Grim is just as dry and inexplicable as in the first novel, which almost makes up for Meghan's increased weeping, Puck's idiotic one-liners (were they this bad in the first book?), and Ash's insufferable stoicism. Still, I couldn't finish the book. 250 pages in and I just couldn't make myself read it anymore. Incredibly disappointing.(less)

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Nov 07, 2010 Jessica rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: 0-faves, 14-faeries

MINOR SPOILER ALERT

Ok, um...let’s see..First off: I really, really liked this one. I absolutely love the world Kagawa has created and all the characters in it (IRONHORSE, YOU SERIOUSLY ROCK!). I love Ash, he makes my stomach do flip flops and my pulse race and I devoured this book just like its predecessor. There’s a but, though. Unfortunately, there were a few things that bothered me.

1. Meghan told Ash too soon that she loved him. I cringed and smacked my forehead when I read that part. They di...more MINOR SPOILER ALERT

Ok, um...let’s see..First off: I really, really liked this one. I absolutely love the world Kagawa has created and all the characters in it (IRONHORSE, YOU SERIOUSLY ROCK!). I love Ash, he makes my stomach do flip flops and my pulse race and I devoured this book just like its predecessor. There’s a but, though. Unfortunately, there were a few things that bothered me.

1. Meghan told Ash too soon that she loved him. I cringed and smacked my forehead when I read that part. They didn’t really know each other at that point and in my opinion it was just way too early to bring out the big guns.

2. Meghan was a tad bit too naive for my taste. She started getting on my nerves when she acted all devastated because Ash ignored her as soon as they had reached the Winter Court. She even called him out on it. In front of Mab. I mean, hello-ho? Did she miss the speech Tiaothin gave her about Ash being her mortal enemy and the horrible consequences they’d have to face if anybody found out about their feelings for each other? I wanted to yell at her when she tried to act all cozy with Ash in front of Mab. She endangered him and herself by acting so stupid.

3. Ok, now I'm doing this "I’m-wiping-all-emotions-off-my-face* hand gesture and am trying to keep a straight face.

So...Meghan, Puck and Ash are stuck in the mortal world at some point and Ash needs to recharge his batteries because he had been hurt pretty badly and is all weak. And how do fearies do that? Right, they need a lot of glamour, meaning they need to take Ash someplace where human emotions are running high. Now they are wondering. . . should they take him to a club maybe? Hmm. . . no. Not a good idea. . . But hey, there’s the Winter Formal at Meghan's old school that night, how very convenient, so why not take him there? No sooner said than done, the Winter Formal it is. The situation is all dramatic, the Nevernever is threatened to be destroyed once and for all and they go to the prom? Seriously??? God, I burst out laughing when I read that part. But that wasn’t all. As it turned out, it got even better.

Alright, so the decision is made, they’re going to the prom and Meghan’s waiting all dressed up for her ice prince to take her out. Then he finally steps into the room and what is he wearing? A white tuxedo. WHITE!!! With a blue tie! A BLUE TIE!!! After that, I couldn’t help but imagine Ash looking something like this or this. It kinda ruined the moment for me...Really, Mrs. Kagawa can't just go and stuff my insanely hot Ash in a white tux.

Ok, that’s it with the nagging :D Apart from this, I really enjoyed Iron Daughter and the awesome ending totally made up for everything. I’m dying to read Iron Queen.

I ♥ Ash.
(less)

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Aug 30, 2010 (´*•.¸ღBexღ¸.•*´) rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: own

This book was terrific, I love that the author uses characters from A Midsummer Night's Dream. I read The Iron King and Winter's Passage first and loved both of them. They were excellent reads as well, but The Iron Daughter was beyond spectacular. It starts off where the Iron King and Winter's Passage left off. Meghan was taken to the Winter Court by Ash as per Orders of Queen Mab. Ash was horribly cruel to her and although I knew it was only an act, I still hated him for it. There is a new Iron...more

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Apr 26, 2010 CaliGirlRae rated it 5 of 5 stars

Shelves: faeries, covers-that-rock, to-buy, wishlist, young-adult, iron-fey-series, fave-authors, favorite, best-of-2010-reads, 2010-young-adult-reading-challenge, netgalley, favorites

The Iron King was a book that came way out of left field and took me off guard. I'm a recent fan of Young Adult books, especially of the speculative variety, and being a fan of practically anything fae related I was quick to jump on the book. Julie Kagawa's intro into the world of the Iron Fey was addictive and after finishing the first, I couldn't wait to dive back into the world to see what the cast of characters was up to in their next adventure.

Just like I hoped, The Iron Daughter turned out...more The Iron King was a book that came way out of left field and took me off guard. I'm a recent fan of Young Adult books, especially of the speculative variety, and being a fan of practically anything fae related I was quick to jump on the book. Julie Kagawa's intro into the world of the Iron Fey was addictive and after finishing the first, I couldn't wait to dive back into the world to see what the cast of characters was up to in their next adventure.

Just like I hoped, The Iron Daughter turned out to be another wonderful visit with a couple of old friends. While reading this, I would always promise myself just to read a chapter or so before bedtime. I never kept up that promise because I would always get sucked into an obstacle that seemed like all hope was lost or a threat of losing one of the characters. Ms. Kagawa has a way of keeping the pace going while putting her characters through the hardest of times and making them suffer. My hats off to authors who can do this because it adds a real sense of danger and keeps me flipping pages.

Although the first book didn't lead itself to a love triangle, quickly becoming a new go-to trope in YA fantasy these days, this book fully explores it. Although I'm biased and already have a favorite of the two, I wish the story would have focused on said character and Meghan's developing relationship as they work through trying to be together despite coming from different worlds. In the end, there was enough to satisfy this wish and even the ending was more than I could every hope for. (Thank you, Ms. Kagawa for that ending.) Looking back, I can definitely see shades of A Midsummer Night's Dream in how the setup between the three is presented.

This story picks up right were The Iron King left off and there are some awesome revelations that come to a head in continuation of the groundwork that was set in the first book. We get to know more about the fae courts and how they work, there are characters who are introduced and there's an interesting twist in the revelation of what memory Meghan lost to the Oracle in the previous book. I was hoping we'd find out eventually and I was excited to see how it ties into the story here. There's also an interesting twist to the mean girls situation that Meghan faced in the first book which is paralleled in the Fae world. I'm hoping we see another visitation of that situation with a stronger and wiser Meghan the second time around especially after the school events in this book.

I was sad to some characters go after I had grown attached to them and I commend Ms. Kagawa for creating great characters to incite such feeling from this reader; all the while putting them in mortal danger at each turn. The story lulls a bit in the middle during a making up sequence but quickly picks up toward the end to bring another obstacle in the fray. There's also a new array of awesome characters including a zombie corporate clone army in an office space setting, a viral fae and a cheery fae with a royal disposition and a fondness for pet names. I love the voices that come from these characters and being a big fan of audio books (which is how I fell in love with the first book in the series) and I can't wait to hear the narrator bring her and the other characters to life.

Fans of Fae political intrigue, adventure and fantasy YA works will love this series. You can tell Ms. Kagawa is inspired by a lot of different classic fantasy literature from Shakespeare and Lewis Carroll but she clearly makes these characters and situations her own within this world. What I love about each of these books is that they have clear endings. Each book has it's own set of problems and a main conflict which is solved by the end but is left open enough for more stories within the world. The Iron Daughter is no different in that we end on a wonderful note with Meghan completing her missions and also leaving it open enough for another story to see what happens due to the consequences of their decisions. I loved it. I highly recommend this series and this book which is also going on my fave 2010 best reads list.

FTC Advisory: This review is based on a galley received by NetGalley courtesy of the publisher. (less)

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Mar 17, 2012 Becca *love true love* rated it 5 of 5 stars

Shelves: books-i-heart-4ever

4.5 Stars (For Meghan and what she did for Ash)

I won't blabber a lot about this book. In short, it was way more amazing than the first one. In this book all hell broke loose. And naturally Meghan was caught up in the middle of the mess. It was far more serious, and more deadly.

The most wonderful part (where I cried my eyes out - typical) was when Meghan (view spoiler)...more

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Aug 02, 2010 Aik Chien 인첸 rated it 5 of 5 stars

I had high expectations for this book even before I started reading it due to its brilliant debut. I wasn't the least bit disappointed with The Iron Daughter. It was as good as The Iron King, if not better. They story has a powerful and thrilling plot which brings readers on a journey to retrieve the Scepter of Seasons which was stolen by a new kind of Faery called The Iron Fey.

The beginning of the story started with Meghan staying in Tir Na Nog, the Winter Court, where Queen Mab is the monarch....more I had high expectations for this book even before I started reading it due to its brilliant debut. I wasn't the least bit disappointed with The Iron Daughter. It was as good as The Iron King, if not better. They story has a powerful and thrilling plot which brings readers on a journey to retrieve the Scepter of Seasons which was stolen by a new kind of Faery called The Iron Fey.

The beginning of the story started with Meghan staying in Tir Na Nog, the Winter Court, where Queen Mab is the monarch. She feels bad because of the incessant chill, but she feels even worse by Prince Ash's sudden change of behaviour --- he becomes distant, cold and cruel.

His eyes glittered as he shot me a glare of pure loathing. "It's Master Ash, or Your Highness to you, half-breed. And I don't recall giving you permission to speak to me. Remember that, because the next time you forget your place, I'll remind you with my blade." --- Ash, page 28

Meghan can't go home, and her father, King Oberon has no way to free her because she is there on a contract of her own free will. When some Iron Fey lead by Tertius steals the Scepter of Seasons and murders the crown prince of the Winter Court, Sage, Queen Mab is furious and she accuses Oberon of doing the act of crime. A war is about to start... and Meghan is going to do anything to stop it from happening.

I love Julie's hauntingly beautiful description of the scenery of Faeryland. She manages to create a place where beauty and danger coexists. Julie's exquisite literary prose is one of the reasons which makes this book stand out from the sea of other novels in the fantasy genre. Her words made me delve into the Fey world with ease, following Meghan and her friends on their exciting and dangerous adventure.

In this novel, Meghan turns to Puck for company due to Ash's absence and cold demeanor. She finds that she actually has some feelings for Puck as well, but not as intense as the love she had for Ash. On the contrary, Puck is the one who pours out all his love and attention on his Princess, always there to support Meghan whenever she needs him, ever so protective of her.

"You're kind of blind, you know?" Puck whispered, smiling to soften his words. "I wouldn't defy Oberon for just anyone. But, for you..." He leaned forward, touching his forehead to mine. "I'd come back from the dead for you."--- Puck, pg 123

The story is divided into 3 parts. The one who stole the scepter was revealed in the end of Part 2, but there is no further information about the new (and fake) Iron King. How will the love triangle between Puck, Meghan and Ash ends? When the time comes, who will Meghan choose? Is it the mischievous, caring and reliable Puck, or the cold, quiet and passionate Ash?

In the nutshell, The Iron Daughter is awesome! I can proudly announce that I'm now a great fan of Julie Kagawa. You should never miss The Iron Fey Series! I really can't wait to read the third book! *Beams with delight!*

Visit my blog for more book reviews:
http://the-bookaholics.blogspot.com/(less)

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Jan 16, 2011 Mery rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: zai

Boleh kan yah bikin review duluan? Keburu lupa ntar mau nulis apaan :D #berkelit

Satu kata buat buku ini: WAAAW

Hahaha... ini buku bikin emosi tercampur aduk. Awal buku udah diceritain pas Meghan di Istana Musim Panas. Ash berubah jadi kulkas, alias dingin. Ga peduli ama Meghan, bersikap kasar dan bikin hati Meghan jatuh berkeping-keping.

Suatu hari musibah datang, Tongkat Peralihan Musim yang saat ini dipegang Ratu Mab, hilang. Dalangnya masih orang dalam, tapi Ratu Mab menyangkanya Raja Oberon ya...more

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Oct 19, 2011 Heidi rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

The Iron Daughter

Three and a half stars: A wonderful follow up to the Iron King. Welcome back to the Nevernever.

Meghan finds herself suspended in the snowy, ice encrusted world of the Winter Court. An arctic tundra inhabited by the dark, cold, emotionless Unseelie Fey. She is an unwilling guest of the icy Queen Mab, a wickedly, beautiful, frost Fey with a chilly heart and frozen outlook. For Meghan dealing with the Winter Queen is like skating on thin ice under heavy icicles; since Mab adamantly...more

3 likes · like · see review

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topics	posts	views	last activity
Ash vs Puck	50	143	Jun 17, 2013 11:15pm
Which songs would go to this book if it were made into a movie???	94	133	May 20, 2013 12:13am
Addicted to YA: The Iron Daughter	11	138	Apr 29, 2013 05:49pm
Music Videos and Books	2	22	Apr 03, 2013 09:06pm
The series...	48	127	Jan 08, 2013 04:22pm
Would you rather be a winter/Unseelie fey or a summer/seelie fey or an iron fey? Why?	80	144	Nov 29, 2012 07:05am
The Iron Fey: The Iron Daughter	35	19	Nov 01, 2012 06:41pm

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“You're kind of blind, you know?" Puck whispered, smiling to soften his words. "I wouldn't defy Oberon for just anyone. But, for you..." He leaned forward, touching his forehead to mine. "I'd come back from the dead for you.” — 617 people liked it

“Forgive me," Ash murmured, and I heard the faintest of tremors beneath his voice. "But I can't... I won't... give her up. Not now, when I've just found her."

-Ash” — 475 people liked it

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