Review: The Iron King by Julie Kagawa

Title: The Iron King
Author: Julie Kagawa
Genre: Young Adult
Release Date: 02/01/10
Summary:

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

Plot: 4.5 Stars
I liked how the imagination and wonder of humans fueled the faerie world. It really sets the faerie lore of this book apart from the other faerie books in the genre. I also liked how human inventions and technology affected the faerie world. I don't want to give anything away, but I just have three words to describe my absolute favorite part of the book: the iron fey. The idea and lore behind them is so unique and interesting.

Pace: 3.5 Stars
The novel itself read at an enjoyable pace: not too quickly and confusing, not to slowly and uninteresting. But sometimes it felt like everything that could possibly go wrong, did go wrong, along with even more things going wrong. It was kinda like the author felt there needed to be more and added another problem. A few little scenes here and there could've been left out, and the story would've read smoother but still ended the same.

Characters: 4 Stars
I loved Meghan as a main character. Her family isn't as well off as others in the area, but it doesn't get her down. Instead of whining about everything she can't have, she saved up and bought herself an iPod. I also loved how much she cared for her little brother, Ethan. Robbie and Ash brought a nice balance to her journey while still causing chaos. And Grimalkin made the book for me. This cait sith was absolutely hilarious.

Cover: 4 Stars
I liked the cover model chosen (she fit the description of Meghan given in the book quite well) and the placement. The teal color that dominated was a very good choice. And I loved the swirly design that dominated the cover. The only thing I had a problem with was where the forest was overlayed over the model's face. Kinda weird, but overall, not that big of a deal.

Overall: 4 Stars

Disclosure: I bought this book for my own enjoyment.