The Iron King by Julie Kagawa

Meghan Chase has never fit in. Since her father mysteriously disappeared one day in the park, Meghan has felt different from everyone in her life, except her best friend, Robbie. But on the day before her sixteenth birthday, weird things start happening, and Meghan soon finds out just why she's always felt so different. She would've never guessed that she was actually the daughter of a powerful faery king, fated to become a pawn in a war against a foe that could destroy the fae world as it has always existed.

Wow. I'm a latecomer to this series, and I honestly, deeply regret it. If I had known just how much I would enjoy The Iron King, I would've read it the day it came out. But, I now understand where the slight craziness surrounding these books comes from, and I probably will become a part of it. :)

My first thought is how much I loved the idea behind the antagonist. So, so much. I don't know enough about the traditional fae stories to know if they actually came into being from people's hopes and dreams, like in the book, but I just loved the idea that the Iron Fae were a result of man's want for more and more advanced technology, which is slowly eradicating people's creativity and imaginations. I thought it was a resonating idea.

I appreciated Meghan's growth throughout the book, too. Sometimes you go into a novel and the protagonist starts off annoying, gets better for a while, and then gets annoying again, for whatever reason. Meghan started off a normal teenage girl, who wants the attention of the cute boy and wants to be liked, but goes through such a transformation. You can see it starting when she heads into the Nevernever to find Ethan, but by the end it's a complete change, and it made me love her.

I also loved a bunch of the secondary characters. Grimalkin was awesome. He had a very Cheshire Cat-ness about him, who I have always loved. Puck/Robbie was always good for a laugh. Ethan was adorable whenever he was not a changeling. What I enjoyed most about all of the fae is that you never know quite where they stand in terms of good or bad. Yes, they will help you, but for a price, be it a memory, your name, or even your first born child. It keeps you on your toes, though you always want to hope they're good (at least I do!)

 

The Iron King exceeded all expectations I had for it. I thought the story was imaginative, plot-driven, and fast paced. I will be getting my grubby hands on the next two very very soon. :)

Risk a paper cut? YES!!! I would reckon I'd give a kidney... If those are the organs you can live without one of...

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