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The Iron King (The Iron Fey, #1)

Julie Kagawa

Start date: June 1, 2012

Finish date: June 30, 2012

Discussion: Monthly Reads!

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What Members Thought

Apr 05, 2010 Rose rated it really liked it

Shelves: tbr-challenge, fantasy, urban-fantasy, supernatural, romance, favorites, audiobooks, young-adult, rrrc-audiobook-challenge-2012

I'm going to own up to something right now - I did not expect to go into "The Iron King" and enjoy it as much as I did. I had no expectations whatsoever. If anything, I sat on my hands for quite some time thinking it was just another fey book, and there were many of my Goodreads friends that seemed to range in their opinions on the book itself, so it made me weary to try it until I decided just to hold my qualms and just jump in, feet first.

In the aftermath of reading this from beginning to end I'm going to own up to something right now - I did not expect to go into "The Iron King" and enjoy it as much as I did. I had no expectations whatsoever. If anything, I sat on my hands for quite some time thinking it was just another fey book, and there were many of my Goodreads friends that seemed to range in their opinions on the book itself, so it made me weary to try it until I decided just to hold my qualms and just jump in, feet first.

In the aftermath of reading this from beginning to end - I'm seriously impressed. Not only does Julie Kagawa manage to research the mythos of her world well and convey it in a convincing form, it also does the journey aspect of the novel remarkably well. I was drawn into the novel from beginning to end. It also establishes funny, interesting characters that are worth investment, and moves the conflict along quite well. There are some flaws in the novel that prevent it from being a perfect read for me, but I enjoyed it thoroughly, and I eagerly await picking up the next novel in the series.

To give a brief rundown of the story premise, Megan Chase lives with her mother, stepfather, and her four-year-old brother Ethan. Ethan's kidnapped (replaced by a changeling) and taken into the depths of the Fey world, just as Megan realizes that her best friend is not all that he says he is, and that her existence might have more to it than meets the eye. Together, they venture into the world of the Fey to bring Ethan back, and Megan learns that she's a princess and that her father - her true father - is of the fey world.

Add in a contentious rival prince (Ash), a myriad of interesting creatures serving as friends and foes (the Iron Horse was particularly interesting to me), and you get the cast of this rather alluring novel. I thought Kagawa did a remarkable job of showing how Megan grows along the journey and shows her interactions (and affections for) the people around her, both in the human world as she interacts in high school, as well as in the fey world. The novel does end on a cliffhanger as a lead in to the next book, but it's conducive to what the novel establishes as it goes along, and I didn't find the ending to be that jarring considering the events of the novel.

I genuinely liked the characters and their personalities as the story went on. They had a fair balance of strengths and weaknesses and were rounded well and plausible considering the circumstances. If I had to make a constructively critical comment about the work in general, it would be on a few major elements of the story. The first being the love triangle. I felt that while Puck and Ash are good characters and they have their fair balance of strengths and weaknesses, I don't think the emotional transitions were as sound as they could've been, but I still found myself taken by the story in general. The other aspect had to do with Megan herself, as I heard about the "potential" her character supposedly had with respect to her power, but I had yet to see the display of that power in the novel. Sure, she stands up for herself in some measures, but I didn't see as much from her as I did from Ash and Puck in the display of power. It might be that Kagawa will develop this later on in the series, but I just didn't see it here.

Overall, I would definitely recommend this to those who are fans of fey stories. There is a familiarity, I think, that follows in the troupes of the genre, but I think it manages to be an enjoyable story that holds its own.

Overall score: 4/5 ...more

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Jan 28, 2010 Kathryn rated it it was amazing

Shelves: pnr, ya, favorites

I thoroughly enjoyed this book. I am still thinking about this book even after I have finished it.
Meghan Chase is a great character and I can't wait to see where everything is going to go...
...more

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Aug 05, 2011 Courtney rated it it was amazing

Shelves: own, favorites

More reviews at Rondo of a Possible World: YA Book Reviews

After reading novels on angels, devils, and vampires, getting into the fey series was refreshing. Julie Kagawa's take on the Fey was truly an interesting read. Bringing in a source of iron, weakness to the Fey world, and transforming it into a fast paced novel that hit all the way home.

I found it fun to see the characters of A Midsummer Nights Dream cameo in Kagawa's novel. King Oberon, Queen Titiana, Robin Goodfellow, Queen Mab. Every ...more

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May 04, 2012 Ayu Adisty rated it really liked it

Shelves: lovetheworld, own

LOVE IT!

Finally! Buku yang bikin gleyer2 setelah terakhir gw dibikin emosi sama Eon (dalam artian bagus tho :P)

Iron King...ARGHHHHHHH..Ashhhhhh :((

*sedot ingus* daripada gw guling-guling ga jelas, here's the review:

Sinopsis

Peri = Tinker Bell? Jangan yakin dulu. Meghan Chase, gadis yang baru aja berulang taun ke 16 bisa ngebuktiin kalo itu salah besar. TETOT. Meghan pikir hidupnya di peternakan terpencil cuma gitu-gitu aja. Sahabatnya cuma satu: Robbie, cowok jail yang nemenin Meghan kemana-mana ...more

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Nov 26, 2010 Lola rated it really liked it

3.5 stars

I stumbled by accident with The Iron Daughter, the third part in this story and liked the cover instantly. But how to read a story if not by the begining. (I must admit I was about to not read the book when I saw it was is labeled "Harlequin Teen" and I could have missed a great book)

It´s amazing how a story written so long ago like A Midsummer Night's Dream is still inspiring writers to create new stories, I think thats why they are called classics.

Go William Shakespeare !!!

Though, I ...more

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Jul 11, 2011 Heather (Heather Hearts Books) Kilpatrick rated it it was amazing

Shelves: finished-in-2011

There's a special kind of magic that happens when a reader discovers on their own a book, or a series of books, that they love. I imagine that some of the first kids, teens, and adults, to discover Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone well before it began earning all the buzz and became a household name, feel a special bond to that series. I would assume that readers that discovered and loved the Twilight books without knowing that they were so popular, only to discover they were, would hold a There's a special kind of magic that happens when a reader discovers on their own a book, or a series of books, that they love. I imagine that some of the first kids, teens, and adults, to discover Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone well before it began earning all the buzz and became a household name, feel a special bond to that series. I would assume that readers that discovered and loved the Twilight books without knowing that they were so popular, only to discover they were, would hold a special place in their heart for the series.

I remember the afternoon that I received my Nook clearly. It was just a couple days before I was scheduled to have my eighth orthopedic surgery. My Nook was part birthday present (I'd turned 25 just a few days before) and part something for me to enjoy as I recovered. I was also given a gift card to fill up my Nook with new books and I was looking to stretch that money as far as possible. I wasn't firmly entrenched into the YA genre yet. I was a card carrying Harry Potter, Percy Jackson, and Twilight fan. But beyond that, I really hadn't ventured into the genre on my own yet. And I only got to the aforementioned series because I'd heard about them through other people. The Mortal Instruments series sat on my shelf unread. But I really wasn't addicted to YA then like I am now. I just loved some things about the genre.

But because I wanted to stretch my money, I decided I'd look into some of the YA titles that were under $5. That night, Julie Kagawa's Iron King was on sale, as were the next three books in the series. They all had gorgeous and enchanting covers. I remembered seeing their print copy counterparts in Barnes and Noble and even at Walmart. I was able to get all four books for under $30, which was a good deal to me. I bought the first one somewhat hesitantly, but within the first fifty pages, I paused so I could go and buy the other three books before the sale ended, because I was absolutely in love.

When I first read the description, I wasn't sure how I would feel about reading a book about fairies. After all, I'd been reading books about wizards, vampires, werewolves, and demigods. How exciting could fairies be?

I was so thankful that Julie's writing showed me just how fascinating, enchanting, and dangerously charming the fey could be. I loved how she wove elements and characters from Shakespeare's A Midsummer Night's Dream into a modern day tale of fairies and juxtaposed with the ultra-modern threat of the iron fey, from whom the series takes its name.

The creation of the characters was just so clever. From the protagonist Meghan, to the hilarious Robin Goodfellow known as Puck (borrowed from Shakespeare), to the darkly dreamy Ash, and the most sarcastic and clever cat embodied by Grimalkin, every character is so dynamic. Beyond that, the world-building was just so wonderful. I fell in love with Faery here, with the mystery, with the magic, and of course, with Ash, who has to this day, remains my ultimate book boyfriend. I am not at all a romantic person, but the sort of chivalry that exists in these books makes me wish that Faery and all the characters in it -- even Queen Mab -- were real.

I went on to read the rest of the series (Iron Daughter, Iron Queen, and Iron Knight followed it) and now read the companion series, Iron Fey: Call of the Forgotten (The Lost Prince and Iron Traitor are out now with a conclusion to the trilogy coming this fall) and loved each book more than I loved the last.

The Iron Fey series wasn't referred to me by anyone. I hadn't seen it on Goodreads or heard about it on the news because it was generating such publicity. I found it on my own. And it's consistently the series that I recommend most to people who are new the YA genre. And while I've discovered I love EVERYTHING that Julie Kagawa writes (check out The Blood of Eden series if you haven't already -- dystopia + vampires = AWESOMESAUCE), Iron Fey has a very special spot in my heart as my first love. ...more

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Jan 29, 2012 Bookish Michelle rated it it was amazing

Shelves: favorites

Help! I'm hooked onto this series again.

I first read this book in 2012. This is a book on how a mortal girl, Meghan Chase, travelled into the Faery realm against all odds to save her little half-brother Ethan from the clutches of the Fae. Of course she had help of 2 boys from opposing Courts in Faery, Puck from the Summer Court and Prince Ash from the Winter Court and a witty cat, Grimalkin.

Through this treacherous journey, Meghan learnt the truth about her own heritage, the secret behind her c ...more

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Jan 17, 2010 Jessica rated it really liked it

Kagawa's debut offers a different twist on the fey that ties in A Midsummer Night's Dream and technology. I loved the way she combined the world of the fey with ours.

Ash and Puck are former best friends who are now romantic rivals. They are also as opposite as night and day, but equally awesome. I'm finding it hard to choose who I like more as I love Puck's humor but think Ash is sexy in a cold, I-always-fall-for-the-guy-who-treats-me-like-crap kind of way. I'm very excited for the sequel, and a ...more

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