The Iron Daughter (The Iron Fey #2) by Julie Kagawa

Half Summer faery princess, half human, Meghan has never fit in anywhere. Deserted by the winter prince she thought loved her, she is prisoner to the winter faery queen. As war looms  between Summer and Winter, Meghan knows that the real danger comes from the Iron fey - ironbound faeries that only she and her absent prince have seen. But no one believes her.

Worse, Meghan's only fey powers have been cut off. She's stuck in Faery with only her wits for help. Trusting anyone would be foolish. Trusting a seeming traitor would be deadly. But even as she grows a backbone of iron, Meghan can't help but hear the whispers of longing in her all-too-human heart.  

Paperback, 359 pages
First published January 1st by Harlequin Teen


My Rating: 3.8/5
Genres: Fantasy, Yound-Adult
Read from 2 August to 3, 2014
order online in Alibris




MY REVIEW:


When i first read the Iron King (The Iron Fey #1) I was mainly dissapointed by the narrative style and Meghan's dumbness. Then The Iron Daughter came, and i wasn't expecting at all that I would fall for a book of this series. See, the narrative style got better so I only had to cope with Meghan's infinite stupidity, whining and love problems but there was a payback: Lots of action, lots of abrupt changes, lots of slaps-in-the-face that made Meghan change to someone better!

The Iron Fey has a Part 1 and Part 2. If you want to avoid getting spoiled at all, you can skip the following to the part where I review the characters. 

Part 1 is Meghan's stay and captivity in Tir Na Nog where lots of interesting things happen. That's the point where she faces Queen Mab's endless cruelty and she is all alone as Ash claims that he tricked her and was not in love with her all along. Tir Na Nog is so artfully created, I was instantly enamored and filled with fear - the ice-glazed palace, the Goblin Market, the humans encased in ice that decorate the palace, the looming darkness. At some point things change, the truth is uncovered and Ashe helps Meghan escape, [SPOILER] where they meet the fact that there is a traitor in the winter court. [End Of Spoiler] They find shelter in an old fort, a place where Ash and Ariella (Ash's betrothed and long dead beloved one) used to stay between their hunts. [SPOILER] That's where Robin Goodfellow/Puck joins them and Ash decides to leave, as he has to end things between him and Meghan once and for all. [End of Spoiler]. Part 1 ends in a heartbreakingly beautiful scene, where in a sea of glowing magical flowers that create Ariella's dancing and happy image, it becomes clear to Meghan that Ash loved the dead girl all along. Then Ash leaves. 

    

“ This was Ash’s memory of Ariella, perfect, happy and

full of life, a yearning so great it was given form, if only for a moment. Ariella wasn’t here.

This was only a dream, an echo of a being long departed.”

Part 2 is where the action begins. Puck, Meghan, Grimalkin the cat and an unexpected ally find refuge in the Exiles Queen Leanansidhe's apartments where they plan how to overthrow the new Iron King. 


THE CHARACTERS:

• Meghan Chase: Well, if you've read the rest of the review, you will probably have realized that i don't have the best opinion about her. What infuriates me most is that we spend most of the book with a Meghan like this:

Why? Because of Ash, who for all she knows, tricked her, left her, and is still in love with a dead girl. For Fuck's Sake Meghan! 

• Ash: 

“He shook his head, once. “I wasn’t fair to you,” he murmured. “I knew the

laws, better than anyone. I knew it would end…like this. I ignored my better judgment, and for

that, I’m sorry.” His voice didn’t change. It was still calm and polite, but I felt an icy hand

squeeze my heart as he continued. “But, after tonight, we’ll be enemies. Your father and my

queen will be at war. If I see you again, I might kill you.” His eyes narrowed, and his voice

turned cold. “For real this time, Meghan.”

He half turned, as if to leave. The glow of the flowers made a halo of light

around him, only accenting his unearthly beauty. In the distance, Ariella danced and twirled,

free from sorrow and pain and the trials of the living. “Go home, Princess,” murmured the

Unseelie prince. “Go home, and forget. You don’t belong here.””

I really don't want to spoil you, but I prefer this Ash much better that the one he becomes in the end of the series. He let me down a bit when he lied about his feelings, but the Ash of The Iron Daughter is honorable, cold and he knows where his loyalties belong. Generally I am not a big fan of male heroes who go over the board for their beloved one. I like it when everyone stands their ground. 

[SPOILER] In order to properly spoil you then, Ash's growing feelings win over his loyalty and in the end he betrays everything in order to be with Meghan. I did like the fact that he was honest with himself and his feelings, I didn't like the immaturity of such a decision.[End of Spoiler] 

• Puck: 

““You’re kind of blind, you know?” Puck whispered, smiling to soften his

words. “I wouldn’t defy Oberon for just anyone. But, for you…” He leaned forward, touching

his forehead to mine. “I’d come back from the dead for you.””

Well, well, well. During reading The Iron King, I was wondering when the big revelation would happen. I can't say that Puck did right, waiting for such a long time to show his feelings, but then again... Meghan? What about safety of choices, instead of endless recklessness and erratic decisions? I don't think that Meghan gives him a proper chance, because as I already pointed out:

And of course, when Meghan chooses Ash, that's what happens:

Sorry Puck. For Meghan, your option never existed. 

• Grimalkin: The cat who saves the day. Looking back, without him Puck and Meghan would still be lost somewhere in the Wildwood. Grimalkin is the cold voice of logic, the one who always makes me laugh even when the others are facing the nastiest situation. The explanation he gives for all these?
  “ I am a Cat. ”

• Leanansidhe: The queen of the Exiles is beautiful, creepy and cruel beyond measure. I found her interesting, as she is close to the kind of the female book characters I like. 

• [SPOILER] IRONHORSE:  Well he is quite the surprise. Without him, that story wouldn't be the same either as he protected Meghan until the end. I really hated the way Leanansidhe treated him, end the fact that he died in the end.[End of Spoiler]

If you want to check out my reviews on the rest of the books in the series, click on the image below to be redirected: