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The Iron King (The Iron Fey, #1)

Julie Kagawa

Start date: February 11, 2023

Finish date: March 12, 2023

Discussion: Buddy Reads 2023

Why we're reading this: Feb 2023 BR
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Buddy Reads 2023

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last updated Oct 28, 2023 06:49AM

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What Members Thought

Jul 31, 2012 Lauren Stoolfire rated it it was amazing

Shelves: fantasy, young-adult, urban-fantasy, romance, fairy-tales-and-retellings

Actual rating 4.5 stars.

Nothing has been quite right in Meghan Chase's life since her father mysteriously disappeared 10 years ago and she's never quite fit in anywhere. When a stranger starts watching her and her best friend, Robbie, becomes overly protective of her, she can tell that something is about to change. She never would have guessed the truth - that she's a half-faerie and the daughter of Oberon, King of the Seelie Court. That makes her very important and a potential war-time pawn. No Actual rating 4.5 stars.

Nothing has been quite right in Meghan Chase's life since her father mysteriously disappeared 10 years ago and she's never quite fit in anywhere. When a stranger starts watching her and her best friend, Robbie, becomes overly protective of her, she can tell that something is about to change. She never would have guessed the truth - that she's a half-faerie and the daughter of Oberon, King of the Seelie Court. That makes her very important and a potential war-time pawn. Now she'll find just how far she'll go to save her kidnapped little brother, and stop a threat that no faerie would dare face.

I've wanted to read this for quite a while now. I'd had it one my shelf for a long time and I finally got around to it I'm actually kind of ashamed that I hadn't gotten around to it sooner because it was a lot of fun.

The world-building is pretty darn fantastic throughout the novel. Kagawa is quite a visual writer so I could fully "see" scenes in my mind's eye. She also is able to bring the concept of the sidhe into the present with the iron fey and I like where she's taking it.

In regards to the cast, Meghan is a good leading lady. Although she has the appearance of a stock YA fantasy heroine, she really comes into her own over the course of the story and she is immensely likable and relatable to top it off. Robbie is a fun character, especially when you find out just who he is, and he has potential and for the most part her vision of the character is successful. Ash, a son of Queen Mab, is an interesting foil to Robbie. With his character, there are quite a few opportunities to see just how inhuman the fey are. If you don't already know, there is some romance in this novel and bit of a love triangle which I'll admit did get old at times. What saved it, for me, was the fact that the romance doesn't consume the story at all.

Overall, I enjoyed The Iron King so much and I'm looking forward to the sequel, The Iron Daughter. If you like Maggie Stiefvater and Holly Black, chances are you'll like Julie Kagawa too. ...more

7 likes · Like · see review

Nov 23, 2018 Vicki rated it really liked it

Shelves: fantasy, paranormal, young-adult, pages_301-400, wheels-3

I am almost embarrassed to say that this book has been on my shelf since September, 2012, and I joined GR in August, 2012, so it's one of the books that has been on my shelf the longest. Why? I don't know. I have read Julie Kagawa before and LOVE her, so I'm not sure what took me forever to get to this one, but I'm glad I finally read it.

Spoilers throughout:
One of the first things I noticed when I was reading this is the allusions to Shakespeare's A Midsummer Night's Dream. I know I read it when I am almost embarrassed to say that this book has been on my shelf since September, 2012, and I joined GR in August, 2012, so it's one of the books that has been on my shelf the longest. Why? I don't know. I have read Julie Kagawa before and LOVE her, so I'm not sure what took me forever to get to this one, but I'm glad I finally read it.

Spoilers throughout:
One of the first things I noticed when I was reading this is the allusions to Shakespeare's A Midsummer Night's Dream. I know I read it when I was in college and took a Shakespeare class and loved it at the time, so certain things were familiar to me, such as the character of Puck. I love the name because it's just so fun. In this story his name is Robin Goodfellow; his nickname is Puck. His character is still funny, confident (maybe a little cocky), and uses a lot of sarcasm which I absolutely love!

The MC is Meghan Chase, who is half-human, half-faery. Her little brother, Ethan, is deathly afraid of something/someone in his closet, so Meghan always checks for him and reassures him there is nothing there...supposedly. He gets kidnapped by the fey and they leave a changeling in his place. Once she discovers that "Ethan" isn't her little brother, she gets her good friend Robbie to go on the hunt to find the real Ethan. When they're on their journey, they come across Ash, who is what I guess you'd call Robbie's worst nightmare and vice-versa. Ash literally wants to kill Robbie for a previous incident.

Grimalkin is one character that surprised me because he is a cat...did I read that right? He helps Meghan go through NeverNever, or she might not have been successful. Even though I don't like cats (I'm sorry, I know), I love Grimalkin. I think it's the fantasy of a cat that is able to help Meghan as much as he did and talk her through things with all his advice (along with his personality) that made me love him.

When I first met Ash, I couldn't stand him but only because he seemed hellbent on killing Robbie, and I knew Robbie was Meghan's friend and was helping her look for Ethan. But as the story went on, I grew fond of Ash. He's obviously, from his descriptions and Meghan's heart pitter-patters a little hotty. And poor Meghan having just turned 16 falls head-over-heels for his looks, thus for him.

Recommendation: Please read it and don't wait for over 6 years like I did! ...more

5 likes · Like · see review

Nov 13, 2012 Tayla Potayta rated it really liked it

Shelves: need-to-buy, 2013

If I could give this a 4.5 I would. This book was really great. In the beginning I think I put way too much expectations on it. (view spoiler) I expected great things and got good things. If I just read the book and tried not to guess, I think it would have gotten 5 stars. ...more

2 likes · Like · see review

May 22, 2013 K. rated it liked it

Shelves: zzz2013

I liked it :) There were lots of points where I was literaly groaning, when Meghan did something..like ate fae food or made bargains. I have had my fair share of fairy books, so those things just stood up. Loved it when she hold her own with bargains.

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Nov 06, 2018 Nicole B rated it it was ok · review of another edition

Shelves: kindle, fantasy, reading-list-2018, paranormal-supernatural, romance, young-adult, wheel-2018

I think I have a high expection of fairy fiction in the young adult genre. This did not do well. Its not terrible and there were some good story elements but it also felt a little too forced together. Too many different ideas slammed together with not good enough writing for me. If this is young adult, its more tweenie than anything else.

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