Sunday, October 30, 2011

The Iron Queen by Julie Kagawa


Book:  The Iron Queen
Author:  Julie Kagawa
Publisher:  Harlequin Teen
Date published:  January 25, 2011
My grade:  A+

My name is Meghan Chase.
I thought it was over. That my time with the fey, the impossible choices I had to make, the sacrifices of those I loved, was behind me. But a storm is approaching, an army of Iron fey that will drag me back, kicking and screaming. Drag me away from the banished prince who's sworn to stand by my side. Drag me into the core of conflict so powerful, I'm not sure anyone can survive it.
This time, there will be no turning back.
My Review

I cannot believe how much I loved this book.  For reals.  Now, I really liked the first 2 and that’s not why I waited this long to read this one.  I actually read the first 2 in this series this past summer for my class in YA lit.  I really wanted to keep reading, but I had to move on to the next assignment.  (And my professor limited the number of supernatural books I could read….wasn’t that just mean?)

Anyway, I then was lucky enough to receive an ARC of The Iron Knight!  So I had to read this one and I kept trying to fit it into my schedule.  Finally, finally, finally I was able to read it!  Hooray!!!  I think this is my favorite of the series so far.  Why, you ask?

Because finally, finally, finally I was able to see Meghan’s attraction to Ash.  Now, I will personally always be Team Puck.  I have a soft spot for gingers and in my mind, he looks just like Prince Harry.  Hot, right? : )

But I finally started liking Ash.  I liked him a lot in this novel.  I could believe Meghan’s love for him and his love for her and watching them navigate all the ins and outs of faery courts, politics and intrigues was really fun.  I had a hard time putting this book down. 

What I really like about this book series is that Julie Kagawa has found a way to completely take the faery mythology and, without changing anything about it, add a whole new dimension.  Her descriptions are so vivid and give lots of detail.  I can imagine the lush worlds that she creates in the books.  But, it’s not a load of boring description like, oh, Charles Dickens?  (I realize I just offended all English teachers in the country, but really?  Dickens is so overwrought!)

Her words bring her world to life and her characters are so wonderful.  You can sympathize with almost all of them, even if they are supposed to be “bad” because really, they are all so multi-dimensional.

Like Grim.  I love that cat.  He seems so self-serving and he often is, yet, he also shows up when he is most needed and then he is able to help in a way that I NEVER saw coming in this book. 

This book was so satisfying to me.  I could believe the entire ending and I loved what happened and how it resolved.  If it weren’t for the Meghan/Ash question that is left unresolved, I could be totally happy with this book ending the series.  Of course “The Iron Knight” is narrated in Ash’s voice, so I’m looking forward to it also, now that I am actually a fan of the Winter Prince.

Oh!  There is one thing that I don't like about these books.  The covers!!!!  In one of them, the girl looks like she's sporting a bad 80's girl mullet.  Really?  This was the best you could do, Harlequin?  I mean, I like all the scrollwork, but get the girl to look better.  Now, the Iron Knight cover is AWESOME, so why couldn't they make the girl covers look better?  Nitpicky, I know.

My grade for this book and this series is an A+.  If you haven’t started this series, what are you waiting for???

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