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The Iron King

(The Iron Fey #1)

Julie Kagawa (Goodreads Author)

3.91 · Rating details · 173,980 ratings · 11,149 reviews

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 ...more

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Paperback, 363 pages

Published January 19th 2010 by Harlequin Teen

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3.91 ·

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· 173,980 ratings · 11,149 reviews

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Apr 24, 2010 Kat Kennedy rated it liked it

Shelves: kat-s-book-reviews, the-great-shelf-of-meh

ICOFA (InCase of Fairy Abduction)

In the event that you are abducted by fairies, please adhere to the following guidelines so that I don't have to watch or read about you blundering through fairyland like an incompetent idiot.

1. Never thank a fairy for services rendered.
2. Never eat fairy food.
3. Never dance with fairies.
4. Never strike a bargain with a fairy unless you've agreed on the fine points.

The Iron King is a book about a sixteen year old girl, Meghan Chase. Can I advise all people readi ...more

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Apr 22, 2013 Khanh, first of her name, mother of bunnies rated it really liked it

Shelves: all-time-favorites

3rd reread: May 15, 2017. I still love this book to pieces. Ash, you sexy motherfucker.

I know that a lot of people might be surprised that I like this book, considering I tend to rip other fantasy YA to pieces. I just don't think it's bad. I don't think Meghan was annoying, she reacted appropriately freaked out at times, but that's reasonable. I think Ash is **HNNNNNNNNNNNNNNGGGGGGGGGG** there's a reason he's one of my 3 book boyfriends.

Grimalkin is absolutely a devilish little delight. Puck wa ...more

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Jun 07, 2017 Val Shameless ⚓️ Steamy Reads ⚓️ marked it as dnf · review of another edition

DNF

I tried.
I really, really tried.
But this just wasn't my jam.
I picked it up at least three different times and no dice.

Onward!

XXXXXXXXX

When you are interested in a book by an author you've never read before...
...which is priced at $7.99...and you discover your library has it in ebook form for FREE.

description

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Jun 03, 2017 Candace rated it really liked it · review of another edition

Shelves: dangerous-hero-themed-books-read, forbidden-romance, read-listened-with-my-kids, paranormal, love-triangles, listened-to-audio-version, audible-romance-package

I've had 'The Iron Fey' series sitting on my Audible shelf for quite some time. Paranormal/Fantasy isn't my "go-to" genre, but I was curious about this series after seeing some great reviews for it. Yet, every time that I was in the mood for this type of story there always seemed to be another book released that was higher up on my TBR priorities.

I finally got around to listening to this audiobook on a recent cross-country family road trip. Since my children, as well as my 89 year-old grandmoth I've had 'The Iron Fey' series sitting on my Audible shelf for quite some time. Paranormal/Fantasy isn't my "go-to" genre, but I was curious about this series after seeing some great reviews for it. Yet, every time that I was in the mood for this type of story there always seemed to be another book released that was higher up on my TBR priorities.

I finally got around to listening to this audiobook on a recent cross-country family road trip. Since my children, as well as my 89 year-old grandmother, were in the car, my usual smutty romance selections were off the table. After all, I wouldn't want to be responsible for giving my grandmother a heart attack and I certainly wasn't prepared to answer any questions that might arise from my children related to something they might hear in a dark romance novel.

Since this series is aimed at a younger audience, it ended up being the perfect time to give it a listen. Other than a few "mildly bad" words, which were no cause for a freak-out in my opinion, this book was clean enough for my girls (ages 5 and 10). It also had enough adventure and suspense to keep the adults in the car engaged in the story. While my youngest daughter wasn't exactly following the story closely, she did pay enough attention to pick up on the general theme and point out who her favorite characters were. I'm not sure that I could've found another series that would have worked as well for our group.

The story centers on a high school girl, Meghan Chase. She is a heroine that is easy to relate to because she is flawed, but strong and personable. I appreciated the fact that Meghan was a good role model for young girls. She had the same insecurities of all young, teenage girls, but was able to rise above - and even make light of - teenage drama. Topics, such as bullying and body image were addressed, but not in an over-the-top, in your face kind of way that reeks of an after-school TV special. The author addressed these issues subtly and without much fanfare.

Meghan's reality changes overnight, when she discovers that her younger brother, Ethan, has been taken into the Nevernever. A changeling has taken his place in the human world, while the real Ethan has been taken.

Everything that Meghan thought she knew was wrong. The man that raised her, and disappeared when she was six, wasn't really her father at all. She is the daughter of Oberon, the King of the Summer Court. It ends up that Meghan is half faerie and not entirely human at all.

In addition, her neighbor/best-friend, Robbie, is really "Puck", the faerie of legends. He had been sent by her father to watch over her for years. Revealing her true identity to her, Puck goes on to become her tour guide through the faerie world.

As Puck and Meghan set out to find Ethan and return him to the human world, they embark on a series of adventures. Along the way, Meghan meets Ash, the Winter Prince, who becomes her love interest. Meanwhile, she must carry on in spite of the contempt of the Summer Queen, Titania and other members of the faerie courts that look down upon her because she is a "half-breed".

From start to finish, I was captivated with this story. The characters were easy to relate to and the storyline was compelling. I was lost in the fantastical world that Julie Kagawa created. It was absolutely magical!

Check out more of my reviews at www.bookaddicthaven.com
...more

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Dec 06, 2009 Amy rated it really liked it

Shelves: ya-ya-ya

Wow!- As many others have stated, at first glance THE IRON KING appears to be your typical faerie book. Summer court? Check. Winter court? Check. Shakespeare-esque characters? Check. Yes there are similarities, but these lie only in the bare backbone of the story. Yes there are those faerie courts and A Midsummer Night's Dream characters (Oberon, Titania, etc), but they are necessary for the make-up of the story. From here on out, Julie Kagawa makes THE IRON KING shine in the already-faerie inun Wow!- As many others have stated, at first glance THE IRON KING appears to be your typical faerie book. Summer court? Check. Winter court? Check. Shakespeare-esque characters? Check. Yes there are similarities, but these lie only in the bare backbone of the story. Yes there are those faerie courts and A Midsummer Night's Dream characters (Oberon, Titania, etc), but they are necessary for the make-up of the story. From here on out, Julie Kagawa makes THE IRON KING shine in the already-faerie inundated YA world.

Julie Kagawa writes in a style that is easy and refreshing to read. She doesn't weigh you down with a barrage of information, rather, she slowly immerses the reader into her world, page after page. Descriptions flow off the page and her tone is never stilted. It's narrated in first person point of view, through Meghan's eyes, and I found this great because she had a voice that was believable and easy to relate to.

The thing I loved most about THE IRON KING was its multiple story lines. Meghan embarks on a journey that takes her far and wide, to diverse regions of Faeryland and all over America. There wasn't just one set plot where she travels into the Summer court and stays there for the rest of the novel. Nope, her quest brings her from one plot to another, from one crisis to a new one, from one mission to the next.

THE IRON KING has a more action and adventure feel to it, though that is not to say it didn't have romance. There was a love story, but it did not overwhelm the fantasy-like realm of the Nevernever (faery land) and its unique and engaging inhabitants. First off, I love the feel of THE IRON KING. It's like a quest in the sense that Meghan, the main character, encounters all sorts of odd and malicious beings along the way as she nears her main goal. Unlike many faerie books out today, there was SO much going on! And in a good way. The story wasn't just about faerie drama and court intrigue, although there was a good portion of that in the beginning, which was actually done in a superb way. There was a lot of fighting, which was written well so it wasn't boring- usually, I dislike fight scenes for their dull descriptions and constant sword clashing, etc, but in THE IRON KING, I was actually very very enthralled!

The romance was very well done as well. There was a "love triangle" going on, although that was subtle and not very well emphasized because one love interest took the backseat to the other, in a good way. I love the push and pull, the chemistry between Meghan and the guy, which was very believable and made it all the more satisfying when they admit their feelings, sorta.

And the characters! I loved them all, which is a rarity in these types of books, where only the main character and one or two others stand out and all others are only fleetingly described or mentioned. Meghan has a companion in a Cheshire-like cat named Grimalkin, whom I adored, and all the other characters were well fleshed out to the point where I could visualize them in my mind and understand their actions. THE IRON KING is reminiscent of Alice in Wonderland in that there is this feeling of being in an alternate and extremely quirky and surreal setting, which is true to an extent because a lot of the novel takes place in the Nevernever, home to the faeries.

Although THE IRON KING is only 368 pages, it was 368 pages of captivating adventure and page-turning action. I wholeheartedly recommend this to all those who love faeries, and ok- everyone else too! ...more

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Aug 20, 2013 Blacky *Romance Addict* rated it liked it

Shelves: 3-stars-for-enjoyment, he-is-mine, read-na-ya, review, read-2014, read-fantasy-urbanf-magic, sub-genre-edit

NO!

I almost DNF-ed this one. It just irritated me to no end :(

But then I met Ash. He deserves the 3 stars here <3

You know, sometimes less is more.

The Iron Fey universe obviously doesn't know of the concept "less" :(((

Up to 40%, the heroine sees about a 150 different creatures, a bit less in the second half but overall she sees a million of them and they're all described like crazy. I know, now you're thinking, Blacky you're a moron or your brain is non-existent for not being able to cope with ...more

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Dec 01, 2014 Katerina rated it really liked it

Shelves: fantasy, paranormal, fae

Before everything else,I need to express my strong belief in the existence of fairies,because they would perish without our dreams and thoughts and hopes.I've got your back guys,I will not let you fade into oblivion!

"Yeah,Mom,Ethan’s turned into a monster and my best friend thinks he’s a faery.How was your day?"

As you can see,Meghan's life is not that simple.She used to be the girl that lived by the swamp,an outcast,until her 16th birthday,when a creature disguised as her little brother tried to eat her and her best friend revealed to her that he is an ancient faery protecting her.Then she visited the Summer Court,found out her father was a Faery King,his wife was not particularly happy about her and she started a dangerous journey to find her baby brother,accompanied by trickster Puck,a talking cat and a brooding dark prince.I know,the brooding-dark-prince part is the best!

"Ladies and Felines,welcome to Tir Na Nog.Land of endless winter and shitloads of snow"

(Well they didn't stay there long enough but I liked Puck's sarcasm in this line.)The Iron King is the first book of a very promising series,and a different one.Fairies are not your typical creatures of extraordinary beauty and wisdom (except the royal ones),trolls and goblins and gremlins pop up from every corner,the legends of the monster inside your closet are all true,and they exist as long as us mortals believe in them,as long as our imagination runs wild and our minds are open to the impossible and inhuman.

I really liked Julie Kagawa's writing and fresh ideas!I guess the only reason I didn't give the Iron King 5 stars is that it took me a while to adjust to its world and magic,but once I was sucked in,I enjoyed it very much!My favorite character has to be *drum roll* Ash (of course),he is the result of the perfect combination;brooding,dark,sometimes an asshole with a tragic back story who needs someone to make him feel alive again.And gorgeous.Of course.

Puck was an entertaining addition,but I sense a love triangle in the making and I hope it will not cause unnecessary drama.Grimalkin the sassy cat was a pleasant surprise,a mysterious being with vast knowledge and hidden agenda.And then,there is Meghan.Thankfully she is not annoying and I actually like her,despite her being stubborn and immature at times.

All in all,a very good first book in an interesting series,I'm looking forward to the next one.And note this,Ash is mine .

...more

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May 02, 2012 Kristalia rated it liked it

Shelves: made-me-smile-or-laugh, be-my-heroes-please, reviewed, me-likey-mucho, age-mature-young-adult

Final rating: 3/5 stars
Final rating - for the whole series: 3.5/5 stars

To venture in a world of The Iron Fey, you must proceed with this knowledge:

1. This is not a book about fairies like these:

Imagine evil - well, not all of them are evil- ELVES, so called FAERY or plural FEY.

2. They don't have wings (well, most of them don't) and there are many of them like dryads, goblins, gremlins, kelpies, ogres and so on and on.

3. In this world, fey are not to be trusted! They will always go for favors and ...more

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Jan 25, 2015 Helen 2.0 rated it did not like it

Shelves: retelling, young-adult, demons-fae, own, love-triangle, read-17, royalty, trash-and-i-know-it

I have a vague memory from my early teen years that haunts me to this day - there I was, reading The Iron King as it had just been released. I turned the last page, smiling to myself, and thought, "Wow, what a fantastic book. Meghan is so amazing and smart, and Ash is so dreamy. I wish I had two handsome, perfect men chasing after me."
Then, out of nowhere, a disembodied hand materialized in front of me and smacked the living daylights out of my face, like so:

The Supernatural Slapping Incident o ...more

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Nov 17, 2013 Emily May rated it liked it

Shelves: young-adult, 2014, paranormal-uf

“Something was happening, something strange and creepy and terrifying, and the scariest part of all was that it wore a familiar, ordinary face.”

3 1/2 stars.

While The Immortal Rules series is still Kagawa's winner for me so far, I was actually really pleasantly surprised by this book. Almost everyone I know picked up this series a few years back and I deliberately avoided it. YA paranormal with a love triangle? Yeah, no thank you. But I've been meaning to see if I was wrong ever since I reall ...more

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Nov 09, 2018 C.G. Drews rated it really liked it

Shelves: 4-star, read-2018, young-adult, paranormal

*whispers* look I finally read this. Only 8 years late look at me go but it's fashionable to be late, yes??? Please??? Maybe?? I'm really in love with vicious faeries though, so I was keen to finally dive into this although also wary that it might have a lot of tired, teeth-gritting tropes. It did and it didn't?! I enjoyed myself thoroughly tbh, especially with the monsters everywhere, because this is living. Who needs books with monsters? We all do. Thank you.

➸ It did have some tired tropes tho *whispers* look I finally read this. Only 8 years late look at me go but it's fashionable to be late, yes??? Please??? Maybe?? I'm really in love with vicious faeries though, so I was keen to finally dive into this although also wary that it might have a lot of tired, teeth-gritting tropes. It did and it didn't?! I enjoyed myself thoroughly tbh, especially with the monsters everywhere, because this is living. Who needs books with monsters? We all do. Thank you.

➸ It did have some tired tropes though lmao.
I foresee a love triangle coming on, and everything was whiter than the inside of a packet of white bread and I have a feeling everything is going to be painfully straight too but we shall seeeeee.

➸ I loved the world!
It was very vicious and seriously you do not get a chance to bREATHE. The plot goes from slapping you in the face to tossing you into a river to hurtling you through an entire selection of faeries who view Meghan as a walking snack buffet. It was BLOODTHIRSTY (while keeping the grimness and gore levels demure) and I always appreciate books that show faeries as terrifying. Yesssss. (Shh I'm fine, I like nice things.)

➸ ok confession? I felt it sacrificed character development to have this high-speed pace.
When the characters get to the kissing, I was like: "wait did u have feelings for each other...? when...???" I swear I blinked and missed that part. Meghan got more confident, but she barely had time for a nap or a handful of trail mix before being hurtled into the next death-defying situation and YEAH I love that. But I also really like character driven stories and this was...not. ¯\_(ツ)_/¯ I desperately wnat to know Puck and Ash better. GIVE ME MORE TIME WITH THEM. Ohhh wait, there are more books.

...goodbye now I need to go read more.

➸ Late to the party, but here to stay! I also feel like the changeling devouring a whole pizza and then biting someone who said "no more" was quite a solid mood. Relate. And let's all admit that Puck is the light of this book and I will root for Puck before anything else ever.

(also I have no idea about anything in A Midsummer Night Dream so I'm a bit lost rip) ...more

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Dec 09, 2015 Giulia rated it did not like it

Shelves: did-not-finish, romance, fairies-and-the-fae-world, urban-fantasy, annoying-characters, i-didnt-like-it, young-adult, hated-the-mc

Okay, I can't do this anymore. DNF at 62%. This is a negative review, so if you liked the book please respect my opinion as I respect yours.

... this book. You see, this is not a situation in which I can say that the book wasn't bad but it just wasn't for me (as it happened with Cruel Beauty, or even with Fangirl). This book is terrible. It's every cliché and stereotype in YA fantasy in one single book.
It was honestly painful for me to even get this far, and I don't want to do this anymore. Ever ...more

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Mar 13, 2013 Whitley Birks rated it it was ok

Shelves: 2013

I don’t mind if you want to write a story with a “green” message, if you want to encourage people to value and protect nature, if you want to say the narrative equivalent of “yo, bro, you don’t seem to have noticed that pollution is bad.”

But when you do that by literally killing the embodiment of the dream of human progress?

Sweetie, we’re going to have issues.

So let’s break down all the many ways this doesn’t work, shall we? In this anti-science, anti-reason, anti-all-that-is-separating-us-from- ...more

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Aug 20, 2010 Jessica rated it it was amazing

Shelves: 0-faves, 01-hall-of-fame, 05-crush-worthy-guy, 14-faeries, 27-fantasy-paranormal-ya, fantasy

Endearing Heroine? Check. Unique plot? Check. Gripping story that sucks you right in? Check. Loveable and interesting secondary characters? Check. Hot romance? Check!

You see? DING DING DING DING DING ! Jackpoooooot!

God, I pretty much devoured this book. As so many others I find it rather difficult to review books that I loved and seeing as the Iron King will join the rest of my favorite books in my personal hall of fame I can hardly come up with anything to say about it except for: This.Was.Trul ...more

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Dec 13, 2016 Sh3lly (grumpybookgrrrl.com) rated it liked it · review of another edition

Shelves: fae-sidhe-fairies-elves, fantasy, iffy-reviews, thrift-store, buddy-read, read-2017, romance, young-adult

Solid 3 star read. I liked it enough to want to continue the series.

What I liked:

- Ash
- Puck
- Grimalkin
- The various fae creatures were well-represented and varied
- Imaginative, creative, and like a fairy-tale

What I didn't like so much:

- This is very PG-rated (with maybe a few PG-13 moments) and geared to younger YAs. There is nothing wrong with that! I just think I might be getting too old and like grittier stories. I think I prefer the author's Immortal Rules series, although I have only read ...more

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Aug 29, 2017 Choko rated it really liked it

Shelves: ya, fantasy, high-school

*** 3.75 ***

A buddy read with the MacHalo sisters, because this summer we want to return to our early teens:):):)

So yes, I finally read this and I have to say, it is not bad at all. However, it is another of those series that I wish had been around when I was 12, 13, 14 or so years old, because I would have been swooning and in love with this Fairytale for teenagers and YA. I think this is exactly what one of those should read and feel like, not to light, not heavy, no excess in violence and ro *** 3.75 ***

A buddy read with the MacHalo sisters, because this summer we want to return to our early teens:):):)

So yes, I finally read this and I have to say, it is not bad at all. However, it is another of those series that I wish had been around when I was 12, 13, 14 or so years old, because I would have been swooning and in love with this Fairytale for teenagers and YA. I think this is exactly what one of those should read and feel like, not to light, not heavy, no excess in violence and romance, no sex. Full of Fae of all sorts and the idea that Fairy lives as long as people dream of things, this book is nicely imaginative and I even think it would make a great Disney movie. The 16 year old Megan and the two young men around her, her best friend Puck and the possible frenemy/love interest Ash, of the Winter Court, make for a potential love interest, but I am guessing that would develop later in the series. For now, the three of them, together with a magic snarky Cat, are looking for Megan's brother, who has been taken by someone with nefarious motives.

"...“Careful, human.” Grimalkin appeared on the corner of the stage, overshadowed by the dead chimera. “Do not lose your heart to a faery prince. It never ends well.”
“Who asked you?” I glared at him. “And why do you always pop up when you’re not wanted? You got your payment. Why are you still following me?”
“You are amusing,” purred Grimalkin.”..."

In the true self-centered fashion of the teenage girls the world over, Megan tends to overlook a lot of important details and asks just the wrong questions. I decided early on not to take that to heart, because otherwise there wouldn't have been a story, of course. Obviously, she threw herself with abandon into any and all dangerous situations, not taking under true consideration the possible outcomes and how dire some circumstances could be. It is also way to easy for her to say that she would do something or die, if that is what it takes. This is not brave, but reckless in my opinion, particularly because most of the time she gets just about killed, but someone always prevents it, not dew to her personal prowess though. Rarely does she thinks about her parents and if they are worried about her, which for me is a big issue, but that might be because I am the age I am... Kids just don't always think about their parents feelings while not into their company. And her constant willingness to bargain when she had nothing to offer... Ghhhrrrrr....

"...“I guess the sacrifice of my dignity is the only thing that will save us now. The things I endure for love. The Fates laugh at my torment.” ..."

Despite all that, once again given the targeted audience I understand and can overlook those parts, I actually was in need of something Fairytale-like and fluffy, so I enjoyed this read. It was just what I could handle after another big block of Grim-Dark Fantasy, letting me relax and visit with some Fantasy Fae Creatures:):):) I recommend this series for readers as young as 9-10 years old and up, definitely a linear story line and more about the younger imagination than for those who are looking for something more complex or challenging. Enjoy!:):):)

"...“Time to switch to decaf, princess. If you're going to shriek at every bogey that jumps out and says 'boo', you'll be exhausted before we reach the edge of the woods. -Puck”..."

Now I wish you All Happy Reading and many wonderful books to come!!! ...more

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Sep 18, 2018 Em Lost In Books rated it liked it · review of another edition

Shelves: 2010-19, 2018, br-with-ini, 3-star

Two boys, one girl, and an unknown enemy. Running away from one enemy only to barge into another enemy, this sure was fun.

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Jul 30, 2009 Kristi rated it it was amazing

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

This book was outstanding. I mean really... I was totally enthralled from page one to page three hundred and sixty eight. I am blown away at the sheer awesomeness that emits from this book.

First off, I’m a huge fan of “Fae” in general, especially love reading this type of story. But at the same time, when it comes to book about fae there are a lot of similarities. Many books share the same mythology, the Summer Court and Winter Court, references to Midsummer Night’s Dream... The Iron King has t ...more

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Jan 16, 2010 The Flooze rated it liked it

Shelves: urban-fantasy-paranormal, owned, vanquished_2010, 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.**

**3.5-ish?**

Julie Kagawa’s YA novel is an interesting treatment of Celtic legend, with characters reminiscent of Alice in Wonderland and the movie Labyrinth. Kagawa’s vision of Faerie (or the NeverNever) is fully-realized and her particular talent lies in description--her world feels incredibly alive. I can ...more

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Mar 01, 2010 Misty rated it it was ok

Shelves: cover-appeal, recommended, juvenile-ya, own, read-in-2010, sci_fi-fantasy, series, supernatural-paranormal, ya-challenge-4, fae

I liked it, I didn't like it, I liked it I didn't like it IlikeditIdidn'tlikeit...
I'm torn.

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Nov 12, 2014 Alienor ✘ French Frowner ✘ rated it really liked it

Recommended to Alienor ✘ French Frowner ✘ by: Chelsea ❤Peril Please❤

Shelves: fantasy, young-adult, knots-in-my-stomach, likeable-mc, fave-characters, made-me-laugh, fave-ya-and-fantasy, autobuy-authors, romance-i-root-for

There's just something so satisfying in reviewing a much hated book that I genuinely liked a lot. Or is that just me? See, when I'm in the minority, it's usually because I can't bring myself to understand the fucking appeal of some asshole who's loved by everyone and his cousins.

The opposite is rarer, but it does happen. Proof's The Iron King. Even if I read it in 2014, back in the time when I was new to GR and barely back to reading, I won't change my rating. Here's why.

I loved this book.
I lo ...more

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Jan 06, 2012 Katya rated it it was ok · review of another edition

Shelves: 2012, the-ya-project

Well, that was mighty unimpressive.

I'd seen this series mentioned several times, but I never really thought about reading it. The premise was, sorry, just like any other girl-with-secret-destiny-and-two-hot-guys book out there, and I've read enough of those to be weary of sneaky marketing. But then I read Kagawa's "The Immortal Rules", and I admit, I was impressed, even if I thought the book had problems. So I picked this series up.

Um...

Well, first of all, I think that this is probably going to ...more

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Feb 17, 2013 Eryn rated it it was amazing

Shelves: original-idea, imaginative, 5-stars, almost-favorites, made-me-laugh, owned, romance, young-adult, fairytale, fantasy

[Second Read]

Still 4.25 stars!
This series is so amazing - I'm glad I picked it up again!

**********************

[Original Review]

4.25

Ah, this book.

I read this book/series about 3 years ago, and whenever I think about it I still remember how amazing it was. I know some people say that Meghan is annoying and not likeable, but I never thought so. She's insecure, like many of us are and I always thought that made her very relatable. She felt real - and I felt as though I was going through everything a ...more

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Oct 29, 2015 Simona Bartolotta rated it liked it

Shelves: in-english, fantasy-and-co

"Of all the stupid ideas! What is wrong with you?"

-Robin Goodellow aka Puck when asked to choose a sentence to describe Meghan When-in-danger-when-in-doubt-run-in-circles-scream-and-shout Chase. We all appreciate his outspokenness.

As a matter of fact, I'm rating this three stars not because it's good (that's what the three-star rating means for me); I'm rather doing it because it's not bad, in a pleasant way. It does no harm. The book is undoubtedly pretty naive, childish at times, crammed full ...more

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Jun 01, 2017 Jeff rated it it was amazing

Meghan realizing she has faery blood:
Image result for GIF surprised look

Meghan sees Ash:
Image result for GIF adoring look

Ash tries to kill Meghan:
Image result for GIF angry sparta

Meghan still chases after him:
Image result for GIF girl chasing

Yeah, you probably get the idea. This might sound like a cheesy book, but don't worry, there's definitely more to it!
Meghan's brother is caught by the evil baddies, the Iron fey.
Image result for GIF dun dun dun

She meets many wonderful characters in winter wonderland and in the sunny summer territories!
Yes, there's definitely more than Helena and Demetrius actions between Meghan and Ash!

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Mar 17, 2011 Steph Sinclair rated it it was amazing

Shelves: 2011-reads, all-time-favorites, i-loved-it, fey, surprised-me, best-characters, 2011-favs, young-adult, i-own-it, feb-2014-ny-trip

Ummm....WOW! That is how I felt after reading The Iron King. Simply amazing. I was lost in this book for a few days and I never wanted to leave the beautiful world Julie Kagawa painted. This is the best "Fey" book I have ever read!

What I liked about this book: everything! There is not one thing I would change. I rarely give books 5 stars unless the story really calls to my soul. And boy was this book singing! The characters were totally believable and realistic. Puck is my favorite bc he is simp ...more

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Mar 16, 2010 Amelia, the pragmatic idealist rated it liked it

Shelves: 2010, ya-kids-teen, series-books, paranormal, point-of-view-girl

The Iron King was an enjoyable read, but not exactly a memorable one. And while there were certain elements to it that were fairly original, the majority of the story felt like the same old tired scenario that Holly Black and Melissa Marr have already used. And because I'm ornery for details - the linguistically accurate term is fay, not fey. Just saying.

For a protagonist, I certainly enjoyed Meghan Chase more than whosit from the Holly Black book and Madam Skank from the other author's book. Th The Iron King was an enjoyable read, but not exactly a memorable one. And while there were certain elements to it that were fairly original, the majority of the story felt like the same old tired scenario that Holly Black and Melissa Marr have already used. And because I'm ornery for details - the linguistically accurate term is fay, not fey. Just saying.

For a protagonist, I certainly enjoyed Meghan Chase more than whosit from the Holly Black book and Madam Skank from the other author's book. Though prone to rash decisions and over-assumptive, Meghan seemed to have a good head on her shoulders and, when she wasn't jumping to conclusions, was a pretty reasonable character. Unlike a lot of other protagonists in fairy books, Meghan's motives and reasons for acting made sense to me, and she was easy to relate to - a definite plus. As for the other characters in The Iron Fey, I have to mention Grimalkin (the talking cat) and Puck...the dude from A Midsummer Night's Dream. Puck makes so many appearances in fiction nowadays, he's practically a stock character, and while I'm not sure I think he's a viable love interest, he was certainly a fun, sympathetic character. I like the way Kagawa portrayed him. Grimalkin the talking cat was definitely my favorite character - by a long shot. I guess I just have a thing for talking animals with a know-it-all and a Nell-if-I-care attitude. I tell you what, Grimalkin definitely had the best lines, that's for sure.
And it just wouldn't be a modern fairy story without Meghan falling in love with a fairy...dude. Sorry, but for me, Prince Ash was the worst character in the book. I know he and Meghan are going to end up together - surely - but it's a shame. One of the drawbacks I've encountered in paranormal fiction is the near-constant appearance of this type of love interest: the smooth-talking, cocky, oft-smirking bad boy (view spoiler). I just don't like bad boy characters as love interests, and I'd rather see them done-in than reformed, to be honest. So every scene with Ash had me rolling my eyes. And really, it's the reason I'm not keen on continuing the series with The Iron Daughter and The Iron Queen - I don't think I can stomach more Ash. Blah.

It's a shame, too, because Julie Kagawa is a more than decent writer. Her style isn't overly-wordy and flowing with pace-slowing descriptions, but it isn't choppy, either. However, there was a repetitious pattern I noticed in The Iron King's plot. I can't tell you how many times Meghan and company would encounter scary, nasty creatures...then escape. Then they'd encounter more scary, nasty creatures...then escape. Here's something that I've noticed: it really doesn't matter how many scary, nasty creatures the characters encounter. It really doesn't. Because if the reader has guessed that nobody's gonna die, and nobody's gonna lose a limb...it just doesn't have the same effect.
As far as fairy books go, I'm not exactly sure why authors feel the need to portray fairies the same, worn way. The problem with portraying fairies amorally is that you really can't turn around and call the 'good guys.' Both of the courts (Summer and Winter, if I remember correctly) were portrayed the same way - so who are the good guys, and who are the bad guys? When the "good guy" characters act almost exactly like the "bad guy" characters, what kind of contrast exists? Tell me, how are Mab and Titania any different? And yet one is queen of the Unseelie Court...Unseelie usually implying malevolent. No contrast. And that's what frustrated me about the portrayal of fairies. (view spoiler).

Though I sound critical, I still enjoyed The Iron King, and I'm glad I read it. It was entertaining, but I don't really feel an overwhelming urge to continue the series. ...more

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Jan 21, 2019 Kat rated it really liked it

Shelves: library-3

This was a cool take on the fae from the perspective of half-fae Megan, who has grown up on a pig farm in Louisiana, convinced she is nothing special. When her brother is kidnapped, she must venture to fairyland in order to get him back. Lots of world-building and exposure to different fairies on this quest-type fantasy journey. It’s so interesting to me all the different takes writers have on the fae!

Please excuse typos/name misspellings. Entered on screen reader.

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Apr 12, 2010 Flannery rated it liked it

Shelves: swords-and-lasers, kcls, read-in-2010, young-adult-teen, i-want-to-go-to-there

Before I begin this review, I'd like to clear something up. Keep in mind, it is complete fact*:

If there were 100 women in the world, 90 of those people would think long hair on a guy is gross. Of the 10 remaining women who aren't totally turned off by long hair, 8 of those women are scifi, fantasy, or romance authors.

Julie Kagawa, what the heck? You took a guy that could be a total babe (okay, who am I kidding, he still is) and gave him "silky" long locks. Blech.

This book took my ultimate night Before I begin this review, I'd like to clear something up. Keep in mind, it is complete fact*:

If there were 100 women in the world, 90 of those people would think long hair on a guy is gross. Of the 10 remaining women who aren't totally turned off by long hair, 8 of those women are scifi, fantasy, or romance authors.

Julie Kagawa, what the heck? You took a guy that could be a total babe (okay, who am I kidding, he still is) and gave him "silky" long locks. Blech.

This book took my ultimate nightmare topic--fairies--and turned it into something I could stomach, nay, something I thoroughly enjoyed. Meghan Chase is a teenager living in backwoods Louisiana. She isn't very popular but she does have a best friend. (whose family and house she very conveniently yet unrealistically never sees) Surprise! (but not really, this isn't really a spoiler) It turns out she is part-fey and must go into the Nevernever (I know, right?) to save her kidnapped brother. The only thing this book was missing was David Bowie in his tights. I mean, we all like Labyrinth, right? There are a few more similarities--namely, the poisonous fruit and the pack rats besides the baby (or 4-year old) retrieval quest. I also felt some similarities to The Princess Bride which is a pretty badass book compliment.

Kagawa works in references to A Midsummer Night's Dream, both in terms of fey folklore and character names/traits but it doesn't feel forced. I have to say, I truly appreciated the update to current times. Fairy folklore is pretty alienating to me so I was/am excited that I was engaged and interested in what was going on despite so many random creatures and words.

There are definitely a lot of characters and potential side plots that are introduced but it didn't bother me in this book. I knew going into it that it is the beginning of a series so I wasn't expecting everything to be wrapped up with a bow at the end. (this is very much NOT the case) Perhaps it was a case of great book at the right time, but I really hope not. I read it in one day, so it is definitely a quick read. The narrative moved quickly, the plot was fun, the pacing was mostly perfect (the ending felt a little hurried) and I couldn't find too many typos or annoying grammatical errors. (contrary to this review, which is probably riddled with them) And if ponytail-length hair on the male love interest is all I have to complain about, then this book must be pretty awesome:-)

Can't wait to read the rest of the series!

*Source: My opinion. ...more

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Nov 10, 2014 Katerina Kondrenko rated it liked it · review of another edition

Recommended to Katerina by: Nastassja

Shelves: from-the-1st-p-pov, read-in-2015, action-driven-plot, antihero, as-plain-as-day, book-boyfriends, cliffhanger, cute-non-human-creatures, fae-fairies, fantasy

7 out of 10

Ревью в моем блоге/This review on my blog
Living A Thousand Lives (please use Chrome/Yandex browser or Android/IOS to see the page; otherwise, spoiler-tags I use to make my post compact may not work)

Short-Soundtrack:
Zero-project – Dance of the fairies
Licorne Argente – Seelie Court
Licorne Argente – Unseelie Court

Genre: fantasy, YA
Stuff: fairies, jester, prince and awesome cat
Setting: US, Nevernever
Fail: naivety
WOW: world-building and mythology, Grimalkin
POV: 1st-person, female
Love-G ...more

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Are You Team Puck or Team Ash?	170	575	Nov 03, 2018 07:16PM
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