The Iron King by Julie Kagawa

Title: The Iron King	Loved it	Graded
Author: Julie Kagawa
Genre: Fantasy
Publisher: Harlequin Teen
Elements: Fairies
Series: Book 1 of the Iron Fey series

Meghan Chase has never fit in at her small-town high school, and now, on the eve of her 16th birthday, she discovers why.

When her half brother is kidnapped, Meghan is drawn into a fantastical world she never imagined--the world of Faery, where anything you see may try to eat you, and Meghan is the daughter of the summer faery king.

Now she will journey into the depths of Faery to face an unknown enemy . . . and beg the help of a winter prince who might as soon kill her as let her touch his icy heart.

Re-reading this book is so much fun, so full of imagery and bookish goodness, that I'm going to bring both copies of THE IRON KING and THE IRON DAUGHTER on my trip overseas to combat boredom.

There are so many vivid, rich descriptions and scenes that make me feel like I'm there with Meghan, from her high school to her house to the NeverNever, the club, Unseelie and Seelie courts. I admit that I have absolutely no idea what the Unseelie and Seelie courts are, which is sad because I realise that I've read so many fey books. *sad face* But THE IRON KING, it can double as a fey dictionary.

Someone make one please?

Meghan, Meghan. Always so afraid, that I was glad when she realised that fact herself. The character growth was clearly there, but I was a bit sore that it happened a bit suddenly and because of Ash. The relationship seemed a bit forced, whereas the relationship with Puck was more natural.
What can I say, I love Puck. The fact that he almost seems human plays no part in it, noooo.Kagawa creates so many scenes in different places, both on Earth and NeverNever, each with its own history. She highlights the danger and ruthlessness of the NeverNever well, where humans are playthings that are easily discarded. NeverNever. Another name for Faeryland. I suppose it's because Faeryland sounds more like a Disney theme park ride than an actual place. Though NeverNever does bring to mind PeterPan.

There's one scene where Grimalkin introduces Meghan to the fey living on Earth, which I think is genius! At first read I thought nothing of it other than the obvious, but afterwards, I realise that it could apply to partners of influential people or runaways who go missing, for example.

There is extensive world building, with obviously a lot of research put into it. A heckload of characters, old and new that somehow works. What I like most was that THE IRON KING went back to the roots of the fey mythology, and yet manages to create a unique blend of the old mythology and new by introducing the Iron Fey element.

Iron Fey. Such an oxymoron. Such a good oxymoron. Why did no one think of this?

Overall, it's a very satisfying read, one that I can give the Liyana seal of approval to. Here's to THE IRON DAUGHTER, a more treacherous journey for Meghan and much more happy Puck.