Title: The Iron Queen
Author: Julie Kagawa
Genre: YA Paranormal
Series: The Iron Fey (Book 3)
Publication Date: January 25, 2011
Format: Paperback, 358 Pages
ISBN-10: 0373210183 (Harlequin Teen)
ISBN-13: 978-0373210183 (Harlequin Teen)
Synopsis:
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.
Quick & Dirty: An engaging tale with excellent worldbuilding. Action and intrigue keep the plot moving, and the romance is heartbreaking.
Opening Sentence: Eleven years ago, on my sixth birthday, my father disappeared.
Excerpt: Here
The Review:
Meghan Chase’s perilous journey, which began in The Iron King, comes full circle in The Iron Queen. Meghan and Ash have been exiled from their respective faerie courts. Back in the mortal world, they hope to move on with their lives and try and forget all of the death and destruction. Meghan is looking forward to reuniting with her family and trying to focus on being a normal teenage girl. Unfortunately, it soon becomes apparent that Meghan won’t be able to go back to her mortal family just yet. The False King is on a rampage and is besting both the Winter and Summer courts. Meghan and Ash set out on yet another journey back to Nevernever to help both Winter and Summer defeat The False King and his Iron Fey.
The Iron Fey series grabbed me from the very beginning. The Iron King was a stunning debut. I was thoroughly captivated by its worldbuilding, well-crafted characters and its breakneck pacing. The second book in the series, The Iron Daughter, is equally fantastic. The various plot points remained compelling, and Ms. Kagawa delivered a gripping story written with a depth of emotion. Unfortunately, I didn’t find The Iron Queen as enthralling as the previous books in the series.
I’ve enjoyed experiencing Meghan’s struggles and triumphs throughout the series. I admired her ability to press on in the face of adversity. Meghan has great strengths and some humanizing weaknesses. Her doubts and insecurities are in full view, yet she still manages to be a strong character.
Even though it’s fascinating to see the growth of the characters, I couldn’t help but feel a little disenchanted with The Iron Queen. Many of the things that I loved about the first two books are no longer present. The once beloved characters fell a little flat for me, feeling as if they settled into their now established roles. For me, it needs to be more than the characters having to make hard decisions. The sense of constant danger and excitement isn’t as ever-present in The Iron Queen as it was in previous installments in the series.
The romance element is still great. The story shifts from love triangle to a definite choice. I’m pleased with Meghan’s choice. Puck continues to amuse and entertain with his antics and dialog. I have to admit that I found Ash a bit lackluster in this installment. He seems to have lost some of his edge.
Overall, The Iron Queen is a good read. This story will speak to readers on many levels. This book has plenty of emotional ups and downs, and action with characters thrust into an all-out war against evil. I’m still looking forward to reading The Iron Knight, which releases later this year.
Notable Scene:
The City of the Dead stretched away before me, stark and black under the swollen yellow moon, steaming in the humid air. Rows upon rows of crypts, tombs, and mausoleums lined the narrow streets, some lovingly decorated with flowers, candles, and plagues, others crumbling with age and neglect. Some of them looked like miniature houses, or even tiny cathedrals, spires and stone crosses raking the sky. Statues of angels and weeping women peered down from rooftops, looking stern or in the throes of grief. Their hollow eyes seemed to follow me down the tomb-lined alleyways.
I really have to learn to keep my mouth shut, I thought, trailing Ash through the narrow streets, my skin crawling with every noise and suspicious-looking shadow. A warm breeze whispered between crypts, kicking up dust and causing dead leaves to skitter along the ground. My overactive imagination kicked into high gear, seeing zombies shuffling between the rows, the tomb doors creaking open as skeletal hands reached out for us. I shuddered and pressed closer to Ash who, damn him, seemed quite unfazed about walking through a New Orleans cemetery in the dead of night.
The Iron Fey Series:
4. The Iron Knight – November 2011
You can visit Julie around the web here: Website | Blog | Twitter | Book Site
FTC Advisory: Harlequin Teen provided me with a copy of The Iron Queen. No goody bags, sponsorships, “material connections,” or bribes were exchanged for my review. In addition, I don’t receive affiliate fees for anything purchased via links from my site.
You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. Both comments and pings are currently closed.
i was expecting more
on 
on