Book Review: The Iron King (Book 1 of The Iron Fey series), by Julie Kawaga

Book Review

The Iron King, by Julie Kawaga

YA; Fantasy

3.5 Stars

A fun, light read

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 that everything she’s known is about to change. But she could never have guessed the truth.

For Meghan is the daughter of a mythical faery king…and a pawn in a deadly war. Now Meghan will learn just how far she’ll go to save someone she cares about, stop a mysterious evil no faery creature dare face…and find love with a young prince who might rather see her dead than let her touch his icy heart.

I started this book a little lacklusterly, almost not reading past the first couple of chapters (it’s only $1.99 on Amazon). Though instantly liking the main character, Meghan Chase, I found the portrayal of high school teens and their drama a little over-the-top, but I stuck with it, and by chapter six I was completely pulled in, glad I’d stuck it out. Once it gets there, it’s perfect if you’re in the mood for a light, fun, new-teen-love, action story, which I was 🙂

Julie Kawaga’s faery world is great. My first fairy story since Laurell K. Hamilton’s Merry Gentry series, I was excited to follow Meghan through her adventure, interested to see the author’s creation/interpretation of this otherworld. The world building was basic, but enough, the movement between the NeverNever and our world, I think, allowing the author to focus on the story rather than worry so much about creating constantly changing fantastical elements. Those elements that are created are rich and vibrant, and set the stage perfectly for the future of the series.

The whole concept and creation of the Iron King was clever, inspired, and on-point with the mythology of the feary world, reminding me a little of Neil Gaiman’s modern tech deities from American Gods. Little metallic gnomes and gremlins collecting scraps of broken tech, deadened, metallic trees whose branches act like sharpened knives created a nice paradox to the vibrant colors and life of the Summer and Winter Courts.

The Iron King is published under Harlequin’s Teen branch, so naturally there’s a love triangle element. I found the subtlety of it refreshing, but still wondered at the exact placement of certain events that seemed a bit forced. I get that X has to happen for Y to occur but take the time to develop the events. Maybe, I’m just a little out of touch with the teenage psyche…  still, I enjoyed the forbidden love element, and the heart-strings were thrummed more than twice.

In the end, it was the love story that brought me through the series 😉 It’s the reason I like these kinds of books, using them as a nice relaxing get-away-from-reality read. This series fit the bill, and I fully recommend buying the 3 book series as a set (it also comes with the 2 novellas that bridge the books, which were cute).

Happy reading 🙂

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