The Iron King

By Julie Kagawa

Meghan Chase has a secret destiny – one she could never have imagined

My name is Meghan Chase. In less than twenty–four hours I'll be sixteen. Countless stories, songs and poems have been written about this wonderful age, when a girl finds true love and the stars shine for her and the handsome prince carries her off into the sunset. I don't think it will be that way for me.

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 fairy 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 fairy creature dare face and to find love with a young prince who might rather see her dead than let her touch his icy heart.

“The Iron King is a must read!” New York Times bestselling author Gena Showalter

• Language: English
• Publisher: HarperCollins Publishers Australia
• Release date: Mar 1, 2010
• ISBN: 9781741168693

Julie Kagawa

Born in Sacramento, CA, Julie Kagawa moved to Hawaii at the age of nine. There she learned many things; how to bodyboard, that teachers scream when you put centipedes in their desks, and that writing stories in math class is a great way to kill time. Her teachers were glad to see her graduate. Julie now lives is Louisville, KY with her husband and furkids. She is the international and NYT bestselling author of The Iron Fey series. Visit her at juliekagawa.com.

Book preview

CHAPTER ONE

The Ghost in the Computer

Ten years ago, on my sixth birthday, my father disappeared.

No, he didn’t leave. Leaving would imply suitcases and empty drawers, and late birthday cards with ten-dollar bills stuffed inside. Leaving would imply he was unhappy with Mom and me, or that he found a new love elsewhere. None of that was true. He also did not die, because we would’ve heard about it. There was no car crash, no body, no police mingling about the scene of a brutal murder. It all happened very quietly.

On my sixth birthday, my father took me to the park, one of my favorite places to go at that time. It was a lonely little park in the middle of nowhere, with a running trail and a misty green pond surrounded by pine trees. We were at the edge of the pond, feeding the ducks, when I heard the jingle of an ice cream truck in the parking lot over the hill. When I begged my dad to get me a Creamsicle, he laughed, handed me a few bills, and sent me after the truck.

That was the last time I saw him.

Later, when the police searched the area, they discovered his shoes at the edge of the water, but nothing else. They sent divers into the pond, but it was barely ten feet down, and they found nothing but branches and mud at the bottom. My father had disappeared without a trace.

For months afterward, I had a recurring nightmare about standing at the top of that hill, looking down and seeing my father walk into the pond. As the water closed over his head, I could hear the ice cream truck singing in the background, a slow, eerie song with words I could almost understand. Every time I tried to listen to them, however, I’d wake up.

Not long after my father’s disappearance, Mom moved us far away, to a tiny little hick town in the middle of the Louisiana bayou. Mom said she wanted to start over, but I always knew, deep down, that she was running from something.

It would be another ten years before I discovered what.

MY NAME IS MEGHAN CHASE.

In less than twenty-four hours, I’ll be sixteen years old. Sweet sixteen. It has a magical ring to it. Sixteen is supposed to be the age when girls become princesses and fall in love and go to dances and proms and such. Countless stories, songs, and poems have been written about this wonderful age, when a girl finds true love and the stars shine for her and the handsome prince carries her off into the sunset.

I didn’t think it would be that way for me.

The morning before my birthday, I woke up, showered, and rummaged through my dresser for something to wear. Normally, I’d just grab whatever clean-ish thing is on the floor, but today was special. Today was the day Scott Waldron would finally notice me. I wanted to look perfect. Of course, my wardrobe is sadly lacking in the popular-attire department. While other girls spend hours in front of their closets crying, What should I wear? my drawers basically hold three things: clothes from Goodwill, hand-me-downs, and overalls.

I wish we weren’t so poor. I know pig farming isn’t the most glamorous of jobs, but you’d think Mom could afford to buy me at least one pair of nice jeans. I glared at my scanty wardrobe in disgust. Oh, well, I guess Scott will have to be wowed with my natural grace and charm, if I don’t make an idiot of myself in front of him.

I finally slipped into cargo pants, a neutral green T-shirt, and my only pair of ratty sneakers, before dragging a brush through my white-blond hair. My hair is straight and very fine, and was doing that stupid floating thing again, where it looked like I’d jammed my finger up an electrical outlet. Yanking it into a ponytail, I went downstairs.

Luke, my stepfather, sat at the table, drinking coffee and leafing through the town’s tiny newspaper, which reads more like our high school gossip column than a real news source. Five-legged calf born on Patterson’s farm, the front page screamed; you get the idea. Ethan, my four-year-old half brother, sat on his father’s lap, eating a Pop-Tart and getting crumbs all over Luke’s overalls. He clutched Floppy, his favorite stuffed rabbit, in one arm and occasionally tried to feed it his breakfast; the rabbit’s face was full of crumbs and fruit filling.

Ethan is a good kid. He has his father’s curly brown hair, but like me, inherited Mom’s big blue eyes. He’s the type of kid old ladies stop to coo at, and total strangers smile and wave at him from across the street. Mom and Luke dote on their baby, but it doesn’t seem to spoil him, thank goodness.

Where’s Mom? I asked as I entered the kitchen. Opening the cabinet doors, I scoured the boxes of cereal for the one I liked, wondering if Mom remembered to pick it up. Of course she hadn’t. Nothing but fiber squares and disgusting marshmallow cereals for Ethan. Was it so hard to remember Cheerios?

Luke ignored me and sipped his coffee. Ethan chewed his Pop-Tart and sneezed on his father’s arm. I slammed the cabinet doors with a satisfying bang.

Where’s Mom? I asked, a bit louder this time. Luke jerked his head up and finally looked at me. His lazy brown eyes, like those of a cow, registered mild surprise.

Oh, hello, Meg, he said calmly. I didn’t hear you come in. What did you say?

I sighed and repeated my question for the third time.

She had a meeting with some of the ladies at church, Luke murmured, turning back to his paper. She won’t be back for a few hours, so you’ll have to take the bus.

I always took the bus. I just wanted to remind Mom that she was supposed to take me to get a learner’s permit this weekend. With Luke, it was hopeless. I could tell him something fourteen different times, and he’d forget it the moment I left the room. It wasn’t that Luke was mean or malicious, or even stupid. He adored Ethan, and Mom seemed truly happy with him. But, every time I spoke to my stepdad, he would look at me with genuine surprise, as if he’d forgotten I lived here, too.

I grabbed a bagel from the top of the fridge and chewed it sullenly, keeping an eye on the clock. Beau, our German shepherd, wandered in and put his big head on my knee. I scratched him behind the ears and he groaned. At least the dog appreciated me.

Luke stood, gently placing Ethan back in his seat. All right, big guy, he said, kissing the top of Ethan’s head. Dad has to fix the bathroom sink, so you sit there and be good. When I’m done, we’ll go feed the pigs, okay?

’Kay, Ethan chirped, swinging his chubby legs. Floppy wants to see if Ms. Daisy had her babies yet.

Luke’s smile was so disgustingly proud, I felt nauseous.

Hey, Luke, I said as he turned to go, bet you can’t guess what tomorrow is.

Mmm? He didn’t even turn around. I don’t know, Meg. If you have plans for tomorrow, talk to your mother. He snapped his fingers, and Beau immediately left me to follow him. Their footsteps faded up the stairs, and I was alone with my half brother.

Ethan kicked his feet, regarding me in that solemn way of his. I know, he announced softly, putting his Pop-Tart on the table. Tomorrow’s your birthday, isn’t it? Floppy told me, and I remembered.

Yeah, I muttered, turning and lobbing the bagel into the trash can. It hit the wall with a thump and dropped inside, leaving a greasy smear on the paint. I smirked and decided to leave it.

Floppy says to tell you happy early birthday.

Tell Floppy thanks. I ruffled Ethan’s hair as I left the kitchen, my mood completely soured. I knew it. Mom and Luke would completely forget my birthday tomorrow. I wouldn’t get a card, or a cake, or even a happy birthday from anyone. Except my kid brother’s stupid stuffed rabbit. How pathetic was that?

Back in my room, I grabbed books, homework, gym clothes, and the iPod I’d spent a year saving for, despite Luke’s disdain of those useless, brain-numbing gadgets. In true hick fashion, my stepfather dislikes and distrusts anything that could make life easier. Cell phones? No way, we’ve got a perfectly good landline. Video games? They’re the devil’s tools, turning kids into delinquents and serial killers. I’ve begged Mom over and over to buy me a laptop for school, but Luke insists that if his ancient, clunky PC is good enough for him, it’s good enough for the family. Never mind that dial-up takes flipping forever. I mean, who uses dial-up anymore?

I checked my watch and swore. The bus would arrive shortly, and I had a good ten-minute walk to the main road. Looking out the window, I saw the sky was gray and heavy with rain, so I grabbed a jacket, as well. And, not for the first time, I wished we lived closer to town.

I swear, when I get a license and a car, I am never coming back to this place.

Meggie? Ethan hovered in the doorway, clutching his rabbit under his chin. His blue eyes regarded me somberly. Can I go with you today?

What? Shrugging into my jacket, I gazed around for my backpack. No, Ethan. I’m going to school now. Big-kids school, no rug rats allowed.

I turned away, only to feel two small arms wrap around my leg. Putting my hand against the wall to avoid falling, I glared down at my half brother. Ethan clung to me doggedly, his face tilted up to mine, his jaw set. Please? he begged. I’ll be good, I promise. Take me with you? Just for today?

With a sigh, I bent down and picked him up.

What’s up, squirt? I asked, brushing his hair out of his eyes. Mom would need to cut it soon; it was starting to look like a bird’s nest. You’re awfully clingy this morning. What’s going on?

Scared, Ethan muttered, burying his face in my neck.

You’re scared?

He shook his head. Floppy’s scared.

What’s Floppy scared of?

The man in the closet.

I felt a small chill slide up my back. Sometimes, Ethan was so quiet and serious, it was hard to remember he was only four. He still had childish fears of monsters under his bed and bogeymen in his closet. In Ethan’s world, stuffed animals spoke to him, invisible men waved to him from the bushes, and scary creatures tapped long nails against his bedroom window. He rarely went to Mom or Luke with stories of monsters and bogeymen; from the time he was old enough to walk, he always came to me.

I sighed, knowing he wanted me to go upstairs and check, to reassure him that nothing lurked in his closet or under his bed. I kept a flashlight on his dresser for that very reason.

Outside, lightning flickered, and thunder rumbled in the distance. I winced. My walk to the bus was not going to be pleasant.

Dammit, I don’t have time for this.

Ethan pulled back and looked at me, eyes pleading. I sighed again. Fine, I muttered, putting him down. Let’s go check for monsters.

He followed me silently up the stairs, watching anxiously as I grabbed the flashlight and got down on my knees, shining it under the bed. No monsters there, I announced, standing up. I walked to the closet door and flung it open as Ethan peeked out from behind my legs. No monsters here, either. Think you’ll be all right now?

He nodded and gave me a faint smile. I started to close the door when I noticed a strange gray hat in the corner. It was domed on top, with a circular rim and a red band around the base: a bowler hat.

Weird. Why would that be there?

As I straightened and started to turn around, something moved out of the corner of my eye. I caught a glimpse of a figure hiding behind Ethan’s bedroom door, its pale eyes watching me through the crack. I jerked my head around, but of course there was nothing there.

Jeez, now Ethan’s got me seeing imaginary monsters. I need to stop watching those late-night horror flicks.

A thunderous boom directly overhead made me jump, and fat drops plinked against the windowpanes. Rushing past Ethan, I burst out of the house and sprinted down the driveway.

I WAS SOAKED WHEN I REACHED the bus stop. The late spring rain wasn’t frigid, but it was cold enough to be uncomfortable. I crossed my arms and huddled under a mossy cypress, waiting for the bus to arrive.

Wonder where Robbie is? I mused, gazing down the road. He’s usually here by now. Maybe he didn’t feel like getting drenched and stayed home. I snorted and rolled my eyes. Skipping class again, huh? Slacker. Wish I could do that.

If only I had a car. I knew kids whose parents gave them cars for their sixteenth birthday. Me, I’d be lucky if I got a cake. Most of my classmates already had licenses and could drive themselves to clubs and parties and anywhere they wanted. I was always left behind, the backward hick girl nobody wanted to invite.

Except Robbie, I amended with a small mental shrug. At least Robbie will remember. Wonder what kooky thing he has planned for my birthday tomorrow? I could almost guarantee it would be something strange or crazy. Last year, he snuck me out of the house for a midnight picnic in the woods. It was weird; I remembered the glen and the little pond with the fireflies drifting over it, but though I explored the woods behind my house countless times since then, I never found it again.

Something rustled in the bushes behind me. A possum or a deer, or even a fox, seeking shelter from the rain. The wildlife out here was stupidly bold and had little fear of humans. If it wasn’t for Beau, Mom’s vegetable garden would be a buffet for rabbits and deer, and the local raccoon family would help themselves to everything in our cupboards.

A branch snapped in the trees, closer this time. I shifted uncomfortably, determined not to turn around for some stupid squirrel or raccoon. I’m not like inflate-a-boob Angie, Ms. Perfect Cheerleader, who’d flip out if she saw a caged gerbil or a speck of dirt on her Hollister jeans. I’ve pitched hay and killed rats and driven pigs through knee-deep mud. Wild animals don’t scare me.

Still, I stared down the road, hoping to see the bus turn the corner. Maybe it was the rain and my own sick imagination, but the woods felt like the set for The Blair Witch Project.

There are no wolves or serial killers out here, I told myself. Stop being paranoid.

The forest was suddenly very quiet. I leaned against the tree and shivered, trying to will the bus into appearing. A chill crawled up my back. I wasn’t alone. Cautiously, I craned my neck up, peering through the leaves. An enormous black bird perched on a branch, feathers spiked out against the rain, sitting as motionless as a statue. As I watched, it turned its head and met my gaze, with eyes as green as colored glass.

And then, something reached around the tree and grabbed me.

I screamed and leaped away, my heart hammering in my ears. Whirling around, I tensed to run, my mind filled with rapists and murderers and Leatherface from The Texas Chainsaw Massacre.

Laughter exploded behind me.

Robbie Goodfell, my closest neighbor—meaning he lived nearly two miles away—slouched against the tree trunk, gasping with mirth. Lanky and tall, in tattered jeans and an old T-shirt, he paused to look at my pale face, before cracking up again. His spiky red hair lay plastered to his forehead and his clothes clung to his skin, emphasizing his lean, bony frame, as though his limbs didn’t fit quite right. Being drenched and covered in twigs, leaves, and mud didn’t seem to bother him. Few things did.

Dammit, Robbie! I raged, stomping up and aiming a kick at him. He dodged and staggered into the road, his face red from laughter. That wasn’t funny, you idiot. You nearly gave me a heart attack.

S-sorry, princess, Robbie gasped, clutching his heart as he sucked in air. It was just too perfect. He gave a final chortle and straightened, holding his ribs. Man, that was impressive. You must’ve jumped three feet in the air. What, did you think I was, Leatherface or something?

Of course not, stupid. I turned away with a huff to hide my burning face. And I told you to stop calling me that! I’m not ten anymore.

Sure thing, princess.

I rolled my eyes. Has anyone told you you have the maturity level of a four-year-old?

He laughed cheerfully. "Look who’s talking. I’m not the one who stayed up all night with the lights on after watching The Texas Chainsaw Massacre. I tried to warn you. He made a grotesque face and staggered toward me, arms outstretched. Ooooh, look out, it’s Leatherface."

I scowled and kicked water at him. He kicked some back, laughing. By the time the bus showed up a few minutes later, we were both covered in mud, dripping wet, and the bus driver told us to sit in the back.

What are you doing after school? Robbie asked as we huddled in the far backseat. Around us, students talked, joked, laughed, and generally paid us no attention. Wanna grab a coffee later? Or we could sneak into the theater and see a movie.

Not today, Rob, I replied, trying to wring water from my shirt. Now that it was over, I dearly regretted our little mud battle. I was going to look like the Creature from the Black Lagoon in front of Scott. You’ll have to do your sneaking without me this time. I’m tutoring someone after class.

Robbie’s green eyes narrowed. Tutoring someone? Who?

My stomach fluttered, and I tried not to grin. Scott Waldron.

What? Robbie’s lip curled in a grimace of disgust. The jockstrap? Why, does he need you to teach him how to read?

I scowled at him. Just because he’s captain of the football team doesn’t mean you can be a jerk. Or are you jealous?

Oh, of course, that’s it, Robbie said with a sneer. I’ve always wanted the IQ of a rock. No, wait. That would be an insult to the rock. He snorted. I can’t believe you’re going for the jockstrap. You can do so much better, princess.

Don’t call me that. I turned away to hide my burning face. And it’s just a tutoring session. He’s not going to ask me to the prom. Jeez.

Right. Robbie sounded unconvinced. "He’s not, but you’re hoping he will. Admit it. You’re drooling over him just like every empty-headed cheerleader on campus."

So what if I am? I snapped, spinning around. It’s none of your business, Rob. What do you care, anyway?

He got very quiet, muttering something unintelligible under his breath. I turned my back on him and stared out the window. I didn’t care what Robbie said. This afternoon, for one glorious hour, Scott Waldron would be mine alone, and no one would distract me from that.

SCHOOL DRAGGED. THE TEACHERS all spoke gibberish, and the clocks seemed to be moving backward. The afternoon crept by in a daze. Finally, finally, the last bell rang, freeing me from the endless torture of X equals Y problems.

Today is the day, I told myself as I maneuvered the crowded hallways, keeping to the edge of the teeming mass. Wet sneakers squeaked over tile, and a miasma of sweat, smoke, and body odor hung thick in the air. Nervousness fluttered inside me. You can do this. Don’t think about it. Just go in and get it over with.

Dodging students, I wove my way down the hall and peeked into the computer room.

There he was, sitting at one of the desks with both feet up on another chair. Scott Waldron, captain of the football team. Gorgeous Scott. King-of-the-school Scott. He wore a red-and-white letterman jacket that showed off his broad chest, and his thick dark blond hair brushed the top of his collar.

My heart pounded. A whole hour in the same room with Scott Waldron, with no one to get in the way. Normally, I couldn’t even get close to Scott; he was either surrounded by Angie and her cheerleader groupies, or his football buddies. There were other students in the computer lab with us, but they were nerds and academic types, beneath Scott Waldron’s notice. The jocks and cheerleaders wouldn’t be caught dead in here if they could help it. I took a deep breath and stepped into the room.

He didn’t glance at me when I walked up beside him. He lounged in the chair with his feet up and his head back, tossing an invisible ball across the room. I cleared my throat. Nothing. I cleared it a little louder. Still nothing.

Gathering my courage, I stepped in front of him and waved. His coffee-brown eyes finally jerked up to mine. For a moment, he looked startled. Then an eyebrow rose in a lazy arc, as if he couldn’t figure out why I wanted to talk to him.

Uh-oh. Say something, Meg. Something intelligent.

Um… I stammered. Hi. I’m Meghan. I sit behind you. In computer class. He was still giving me that blank stare, and I felt my cheeks getting hot. Uh…I really don’t watch a lot of sports, but I think you’re an awesome quarterback, not that I’ve seen many—well, just you, actually. But you really seem to know what you’re doing. I go to all your games, you know. I’m usually in the very back, so you probably don’t see me. Oh, God. Shut up, Meg. Shut up now. I clamped my mouth closed to stop the incessant babbling, wanting to crawl into a hole and die. What was I thinking, agreeing to this? Better to be invisible than to look like a complete and total moron, especially in front of Scott.

He blinked lazily, reached up, and pulled the earphones from his ears. Sorry, babe, he drawled in that wonderful, deep voice of his. I couldn’t hear you. He gave me a once-over and smirked. Are you supposed to be the tutor?

Um, yes. I straightened and smoothed out my remaining shreds of dignity. I’m Meghan. Mr. Sanders asked me to help you out with your programming project.

He continued to smirk at me. Aren’t you that hick girl who lives out in the swamp? Do you even know what a computer is?

My face flamed, and my stomach contracted into a tight little ball. Okay, so I didn’t have a great computer at home. That was why I spent most of my after-school time here, in the lab, doing homework or just surfing online. In fact, I was hoping to make it into ITT Tech in a couple of years. Programming and Web design came easily to me. I knew how to work a computer, dammit.

But, in the face of Scott’s criticism, I could only stammer: Y-yes, I do. I mean, I know a lot. He gave me a dubious look, and I felt the sting of wounded pride. I had to prove to him that I wasn’t the backward hillbilly he thought I was. Here, I’ll show you, I offered, and reached toward the keyboard on the table.

Then something weird happened.

I hadn’t even touched the keys when the computer screen blipped on. When I paused, my fingers hovering over the board, words began to scroll across the blue screen.

Meghan Chase. We see you. We’re coming for you.

I froze. The words continued, those three sentences, over and over. Meghan Chase. We see you. We’re coming for you. Meghan Chase we see you we’re coming for you. MeghanChase weseeyouwe’recomingforyou… over and over until it completely filled the screen.

Scott leaned back in his seat, glaring at me, then at the computer. What is this? he asked, scowling. What the hell are you doing, freak? Pushing him aside, I shook the mouse, punched Escape, and pressed Ctrl/Alt/Del to stop the endless string of words. Nothing worked.

Suddenly, without warning, the words stopped, and the screen went blank for a moment. Then, in giant letters, another message flashed into view.

SCOTT WALDRON PEEKS AT GUYS IN THE SHOWER ROOM, ROFL.

I gasped. The message began to scroll across all the computer screens, wending its way around the room, with me powerless to stop it. The other students at the desks paused, shocked for a moment, then began to point and laugh.

I could feel Scott’s gaze like a knife in my back. Fearfully, I turned to find him glaring at me, chest heaving. His face was crimson, probably from rage or embarrassment, and he jabbed a finger in my direction.

You think that’s funny, swamp girl? Do you? Just wait. I’ll show you funny. You just dug your own grave, bitch.

He stormed out of the room with the echo of laughter trailing behind him. A few of the students gave me grins, applause, and thumbs-up; one of them even winked at me.

My knees were shaking. I dropped into a chair and stared blankly at the computer screen, which suddenly flicked off, taking the offensive message with it, but the damage was already done. My stomach roiled, and there was a stinging sensation behind my eyes.

I buried my face in my hands. I’m dead. I’m so dead. That’s it, game over, Meghan. I wonder if Mom will let me move to a boarding school in Canada?

A faint snicker cut through my bleak thoughts, and I raised my head.

Crouched atop the monitor, silhouetted black against the open window, was a tiny, misshapen thing. Spindly and emaciated, it had long, thin arms and huge batlike ears. Slitted green eyes regarded me across the table, gleaming with intelligence. It grinned, showing off a mouthful of pointed teeth that glowed with neon-blue light, before it vanished, like an image on the computer screen.

I sat there a moment, staring at the spot where the creature had been, my mind spinning in a dozen directions at once. Okay. Great. Not only does Scott hate me, I’m starting to hallucinate, as well. Meghan Chase, victim of a nervous breakdown the day before she turned sixteen. Just send me off to the loony bin, ’cause I sure won’t survive another day at school.

Dragging myself upright, I shuffled, zombielike, into the hall.

Robbie waited for me by the lockers, a soda bottle in each hand. Hey, princess, he greeted as I shambled past. You’re out early. How’d the tutoring session go?

Don’t call me that, I muttered, banging my forehead into my locker. And the tutoring session went fabulous. Please kill me now.

That good, huh? He tossed me a diet soda, which I barely caught, and twisted open his root beer in a hiss of foam. I could hear the grin in his voice. Well, I suppose I could say ‘I told you so—’

I glared daggers at him, daring him to continue.

The smile vanished from his face. —but…I won’t. He pursed his lips, trying not to grin. ’Cause…that would just be wrong.

What are you doing here, anyway? I demanded. "The buses have all left by now. Were you lurking by the computer lab, like some creepy stalker guy?"

Rob coughed loudly and took a long sip of his root beer. Hey, I was wondering, he continued brightly, what are you doing for your birthday tomorrow?

Hiding in my room, with the covers over my head, I thought, but shrugged and yanked open my rusty locker. I dunno. Whatever. I don’t have anything planned. I grabbed my books, stuffed them in my bag, and slammed the locker door. Why?

Robbie gave me that smile that always makes me nervous, a grin that stretched his entire face so that his eyes narrowed to green slits. I’ve got a bottle of champagne I managed to swipe from the wine cabinet, he said in a low voice, waggling his eyebrows. How ’bout I come by your place tomorrow? We can celebrate your birthday in style.

I’d never had champagne. I did try a sip of Luke’s beer once, and thought I was going to throw up. Mom sometimes brought home wine in a box, and that wasn’t terrible, but I wasn’t much of an alcohol drinker.

What the hell? You’re only sixteen once, right? Sure, I told Robbie, and gave a resigned shrug. Sounds good. Might as well go out with a bang.

He cocked his head at me. You okay, princess? What could I tell him? That the captain of the football team, whom I’d been crushing on for two years, was out to get me, that I was seeing monsters at every turn, and that the school computers were either hacked or possessed? Yeah, right. I’d get no sympathy from the school’s greatest prankster. Knowing Robbie, he’d think it was a brilliant joke and congratulate me. If I didn’t know him better, I might even think he set it up.

I just gave him a tired smile and nodded. I’m fine. I’ll see you tomorrow, Robbie.

See you then, princess.

Mom was late picking me up, again. The tutoring session was only supposed to be an hour, but I sat on the curb, in the drizzling rain, for another good half hour, contemplating my miserable life and watching cars pull in

Reviews for The Iron King

[beckymmoe_1 · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

This is a great start to an awesome new YA series. Kagawa takes a genre that is quickly becoming overrun with lots of similar titles (YA fantasy fiction) and really gives it a fresh perspective. With a little bit of Shakespeare, a healthy dose of faerie tales, and a lot of imagination, the invisible world of fey explodes into technicolor in this novel. It does take a bit of time to get started--Meghan Chase has always felt a bit different, but she has no idea just HOW different she really is for sixteen years--but once it gets going, hang on tight!

[ritastradling · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

Great! I'd call it 'Wizard of Oz' meets 'City of Bones' in faery land (or 'never never'). I couldn't put it down.

[mephistia · Rating: 3 out of 5 stars]

I was kind of surprised by my reaction to this book. I kind of swung between, "meh," and "Oh!"

The Otherworld, Tir na Nog, and Faerie courts seem to be a current popular topic in YA. I've run across quite a few books lately that retread the ground of classic fairy legends, and I've honestly been a bit disappointed at the lack of anything new or innovative. In this book, we're introduced to the Iron Fey, which is a bit akin to the idea of gods of technology, as seen in American Gods. Basically, the Fey exist because of the creativity and imagination of mankind, and when man started working and dreaming metal and machining, the Iron Fey were born. They hid from other Fey because iron is traditionally and well known to be anathema to the Fey.

It's an interesting twist on an old story -- anyone with a passing familiarity of fairy legends knows about the winter and summer courts (some legends also speak of autumn and spring courts), and we're familiar with injunctions such as, "Don't drink/ eat anything while you're in faerie," and "Don't listen to faerie music," and, "Don't dance at a faerie ball." All these were given their nod, the faeries were presented as otherwordly, beautiful, and terrible. But it was the Iron Fey that were the most intriguing, and it is the Iron Fey that make me want to keep reading the series -- it's a new twist, a different way of telling and looking at an old, familiar story.

Otherwise, the book is average. As far as pacing and plot structure go, it's well done. As far as description and dialogue go, it seems a bit choppy and rough occasionally, but overall is good. Since it's the first in a three-book series, the writing can only go up!

[jenwitch · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

I loved the adventure Julie Kagawa took me on in The Iron King. It reminded of so many different stories that I've love. Labyrinth, Alice in Wonderland and a little The Never Ending Story. Not in a copycat kind of way at all, this story definitely had it's unique voice. It was a wild ride from beginning to end and I found myself not able to stop reading at some points. The story flowed easily from one conflict from the next and I found it easy to connect to the characters.

I loved Meghan in the book. Probably one of my favorite female heroines. She isn't a complete dip that kept obsessing over every little decision. She is strong when she needs to be and weak when anyone would be. She slowly comes into her true self, rather than walking into Faery and having super powers out of nowhere. I really liked the progression of her character in this book and am excited to see what new surprises lie in store for the rest.

Puck/Robbie is the easy going best friend who obviously has a crush on Meghan. I enjoyed the way his character ligthens the mood. I also like how Julie fits the lore of his character into the story as well. Although I could never picture Meghan with him, he reminds me of every girls best guy friend that is simply a friend. Ash on the other hand, I loved from the minute he was introduce. There is just something about the dark brooding type. I like the fact that he is kind of a villain, not the perfect prince charming. It gives a little more depth to his character. Besides who isn't a villain in the land of Faery. How could I not adore Grim, the matter of fact cat, he says how it is and doesn't spare feelings. I'm interested to see how he uses the "little favors" he seems to be collecting.

I never thought I was into Fey lore, or books about it. The more I read the more I enjoy it. It's a magical world that isn't poises and roses. The Fey are mean spirited and selfish and I'm glad it was kept in tact in The Iron King. The Iron Fey make perfect sense and fit into the story well. What a great job.

The only thing I was a little disappointed in was the romance between Meghan and Ash. I felt I needed a little more to make it believable. I kind of feel like there is more there. He never really acted like he hated her and had shown up in the mortal world which made me wonder how long he had been watching her. There is still much that is a mystery. I can only assume that their story will evolve more in the later books and this was simple the door that leads to that.

Overall what a great book. I couldn't put it down and I'm anxious to get the rest of the books. I'm so glad they are all already out so I don't have to wait.

[maureene87 · Rating: 3 out of 5 stars]

In general I liked this–the writing was strong and Meghan is a sympathetic narrator. But I was never captured or convinced by this version of Fairyland. I know I’m a bit particular about depictions of Fairyland, but I felt like the wonder and the…engulfingness of it were missing. [Oct. 2011]

[kewpie83 · Rating: 3 out of 5 stars]

I had the great honor of winning this book from a fellow blogger. I went into this book with high expectations because of the fan base it has. While this book didn't let me down per se, it didn't live up to expectations.

'The Iron King' is a fun read. Simple as that. It's lighter than the typical fey stories that have been out in past years (ie: 'Replacement', 'Tithe'). Funny, the book I can most easily compare it to is 'Twilight'. It had that same sort of feel. The story flow is very light, jovial-- even in times when the characters are in mortal danger. I'm not saying this is a bad thing, just different from what I expected.

The romance is cute, even if it's totally predictable. At this point, I've gotten used to having instantaneous romances in my YA fantasy reads and 'The Iron King' is no exception to this trend. The romantic ties between the characters are formed fast. Thankfully, even with those quick love ties, main character Meghan doesn't fall into the trap that other YA heroines fall into. She keeps her cool and direction, even as she begins falling in love with a certain character. She keeps her eye on the mission at hand, while occasionally oogling the males in her party. (The end has a bit more of oogling, but I can forgive that!)

Pushing the storyline aside, I do enjoy the characters in this series. They all have at least one attribute that I latched onto. Puck, for example, has some great sarcastic lines that verge on snarky. Ash and his incessant need to battle Puck was entertaining, because you know neither one really means to do anything other but injure eachother. (It helps that he actually does come off as pretty darn hot on paper!) Meghan's 'go with the flow' attitude about her being part fey was refreshing. And Grim, well, I adore Grim. His Cheshire nature made me adore him instantly. He's the character I wonder about-- what are his intentions and what deals might he be calling in in future novels?

'The Iron King' is one of those reads that you should look at. It is a light story that sucked me in without me even knowing it. One of those reads where you'll find yourself rooting for the characters and even feeling bad for some of them!

This book gets 3/5 stars from me. I had to take off a few stars because I felt it was a bit over hyped. Still good, but just not as fantastic as expected. 'The Iron King' is on bookshelves online and in stores now. Take a peek!

[karinnekarinne · Rating: 3 out of 5 stars]

I put off writing a review for The Iron King because I don't have much to say about it: I liked it well enough while I was reading it, I didn't actively hate the main character and I don't remember wanting the book to be over or anything, but two days later, I had to reacquaint myself with the characters (and their flowing locks) and plot points before I could write a review. Junk food for the brain.

Yes, this is yet another offering in the trendy "faeries with a twist" genre, but Kagawa writes it well enough that I stayed attached to it until I was done: sixteen-year-old Meghan follows her young half-brother into the Nevernever after he's abducted. Over the course of the book, she discovers she's half-fey -- and a princess, at that -- and gets to deal with searching for her brother AND being used as a kind of political tool.

There are a lot of enjoyable literary references mixed into the story, too, like Kagawa's homage to Carroll's Cheshire Cat. And as is standard for this type of novel, there's a love triangle, although I wasn't really convinced that either of the Meghan-related arms of the triangle worked.

While I might not easily remember all the details of the book, I do remember a few quirky things: some words that were used in strange ways that might have been technically correct but were still odd (like "scanty wardrobe" meaning a limited selection of clothing) and an instance where Meghan notes that another character has addressed her by her name for the FIRST TIME -- I know, right? pitter pat -- except he has actually done so at least twice before, and one of those instances was all of two pages ago.

It's obvious that The Iron King is the first of a series; most plot points are wrapped up nicely but the ending is built for a sequel. I am not convinced that I NEED to read the next book in the series, but if I see it at the library, I'll pick it up.

[a_reader_of_fictions · Rating: 3 out of 5 stars]

The opening of The Iron King definitely worried me. It didn't look good. Meghan struck me as a bit stupid, her family as neglectful jerks and the school drama as obnoxious. Thankfully, this lasts only so long and, once the plot takes off, the book becomes much more interesting.

I know that these YA fantasy romances are everywhere these days (I read a lot of them). Their quality definitely varies from absolutely atrocious to fantastically good. Based solely on this book (not on the following books in the series, which I have not yet read), I would place The Iron King among the upper half of this genre of books. There were some moments that made me eyeroll, but, overall, Kagawa created a world that's largely convincing and a story that moves along at a good pace.

What was good about The Iron King?

The References- William Shakespeare's A Midsummer Night's Dream was a huge influence for this story. Since that is one of my favorite plays (and movies), I have to give Kagawa props for that (at least since she did it well enough). She also uses the term "otaku," which is a reference to nerds in Japan.
Meghan Chase comes across as a realistic girl. She is weak, skeptical, clever, awkward, strong and annoying at various points in the story. While she frequently needs to be saved by her companions, she also gets stuff done herself when she needs to.
The story falls a familiar fantasy quest plot, which is comforting in its way. Meghan sets off on a quest (to save her brother), acquires companions (Puck, Ash, Grimalkin, etc.), loses companions along the way, and must ultimately resolve her quest alone.
Grimalkin- I love this cait sith (fairy cat?). Despite his powers and the fact that he's a fairy, he's mostly just a cat. And it's fantastic.
The Pack Rats- They're just so cute.

There are some less good parts too, but the good outweighed the bad. It will be interesting to see how the story develops in the next books, which I will be reading over the next month.

[krumbs_1 · Rating: 3 out of 5 stars]

I didn't know what to expect from this and was pleasantly surprised. The author does use many of the standard conventions (making use of the Oberon/Mab traditional stories) but she goes beyond them in many ways. Her new Iron Court is very creative and although it is pretty easy to predict where the book is going the journey is interesting. The main character is a bit irritating; I grew frustrated with her willingness to just go along with everything she's told or told to do but she does eventually begin to move beyond this. I'm looking forward to reading the second book in the series.

[byeol-1 · Rating: 2 out of 5 stars]

Good things first: this book would make a great drinking game!

Take a shot if...
- Meghan says or does something stupid
- Meghan almost gets herself killed and rescued by some hot/sassy/mysterious guy
- somebody (mostly Puck) is SMIRKING
- somebody has beady or black eyes without pupils
- something is being overshadowed by a shadow cast by something big
- scenes change after two pages

Thank me later for the most intoxicated night of your life.

Also: I hate product placement it books; I don't care if a specific brand is part of the average teenager's life; instead of contributing to the authenticity of the plot I feel it cheapens the narrative.

Furthermore, this book featured a description of a characters asset that I found so excrutiatingly stupid that I --now get this-- that I facepalmed.

To reiterate: I actually PUT THE BOOK DOWN and SLAPPED MY FOREHEAD. I have never, ever in my life done this with ANY book. Ever.



Now to the good stuff.

First, me musing about stories and recycling ideas in general below the cut:
This book is an amalgam of elements that have already been used in world-famous stories like Labyrinth, The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe, The Neverending Story, and, of course, A Midsummer Night's Dream on which the characters of The Iron King are mainly based.

This in itself is not necessarily a bad thing, since I believe that (almost) everything and all stories have already been told in one form or other and that there is nothing truly and completely original any more. And I am okay with that. I love stories that take elements that have already been done and combine them to give them their own wicked or unexpected twist or manage to disguise the fact that parts are heavily borrowed from somewhere else. I do, however, also think that "everything's already been done" is not an excuse or a blank pass for poor plotting, writing, and execution (or, worse, an automatic guarantee for quality).

Because this is what this book is: poorly executed and lacking skilfull art and/or editing behind it. Yes, it takes some of literature's most fascinating and potentially interesting characters and tries to mingle them with ideas that, basically, have a lot of potential. But the execution just doesn't do it justice.

Now let me just preface my rant: I generally love fantasy! Books, movies, comics, TV, anything, anytime.

The characters, especially our "heroine", are incredibly flat and poorly fleshed-out. Puck in all his wicked glory had SO FREAKING MUCH potential to sweep the readers of their feet with his faery-ness-ness (yes, this is a word!) but... he is presented in such a shallow and flat way that you ALMOST don't notice him very CONVENIENTLY being disposed of in the last third, never to be seen again (at least in the first book), to make space for the bloodless lusting (seriously, who would call that love?) between Meghan and our tragical-dark-and-brooding-love-interest that is Ash.
While Ash grew on me towards the end (but seriously, "shocking" backstory was painfully obvious), I never could figure what he ever saw in Meghan and why, all of a sudden, he was falling for her.

Because you see, Meghan...

... might be one of the blandest protagonists and stupidest damsels-in-distress you might ever have encountered in YA land. See, I get that she is new to the Nevernever and doesn't know its ways but after the second or at least third time she gets herself into a life-threatening situation you would have reckoned she might learn something and actually try to think ahead. Never happens. Her stupid action get her in danger page after page, just to be conveniently saved by one of her cute love interest warrior guys. I really would have loved if Meghan was shown as helpless at first but somehow acquiring actual skills to save her own stupid ass sometimes.

At times it read just like this:
"I have to save Ethan! *hissy fit/forcing everybody to help her/determined look*" - *behaves stupidly* - *almost dying* - *BUT THEN THERE WAS ASH/PUCK/GRIMALKIN/OBERON/... (notice how they're all guys?)* - "Thanks for saving me! But now we have to save Ethan!" - lather, rinse, repeat.

So much for a strong heroine. Sigh. I seriously don't get what everybody saw in her (or her alleged "power" that she even refuses to properly work for).

And those life-threatening adventures page after page after page? They actually do happen with this frequency, it's almost ridiculous and dizzying (or, in my case, mind-numbingly exhausting). Bordering on sensory over-stimulation (man, if books were light, this book would be a stroboscope), one dangerous situation is mastered in one to two pages and then the next adventure happens, two pages later the next, and so one. No time to rest, take a breath and admire the wonder that is the Nevernever.

Speaking of which, the world building...
Yes, the scenes are often atmospheric and realistic enough, I could picture the situation more or less clearly in my mind. But that is not what good world building is about. I didn't see the Nevernever as an organic world. I wanted to know more: how does this work, what is this race, what's their back story, what about the magic? Nothing is fleshed out, everything is simply alluded to and you have to fill in the gaps by yourself, which actually isn't happening since Kagawa doesn't give you any hints and doesn't explain later.

And how would an author, when there is so limited space and so many OTHER IDEAS that have to be used? Seriously, Kagawa tried to use every possible situation and every impossible creature in her novel, so much so almost all creatures (only described by their looks, nothing else about the peculiarities of their respective races or anything) introduced in one scene are simply COMPLETELY forgotten about and NEVER EVER seen again later in the novel. Bummer. Revelations were also almost always very anticlimatic. Yawn.

What would have been great: focus on a handful of main ideas and characters and actually flesh them out, give them time to develop and room for the adventures to play out, and package that in such engaging writing that it never feels boring despite the "few" scenes/creatures.

The writing, while not awful per se, is functional and truly has its moments. With at times slim descriptions it managed to pull me in -- just to jerk me out of the story moments later with some ridiculous phrasing, odd or overdone description, or simply some confusing and illogical dialogue.

To sum it up: this book wasn't completely awful, and at times I was engaged enough to enjoy the read, but I never really felt the urge to pick it up again, and most of the time completely forgot what I read soon after. Towards the end, I just wanted it to be over.

[jammies_4 · Rating: 2 out of 5 stars]

Damn you, Ms. Kagawa, for writing a book with an interesting take on modern fantasy, with characters I could like and a plot that was fast-paced and a book I would really have loved if it weren't for what you did to the dog, to whom you even gave the name of my late and much-beloved Shepherd mix. Damn you for what you did to Beau.

[michelleannlib · Rating: 2 out of 5 stars]

Ehhhh. This one felt like a lot of stuff I have read before. If I hadn't read anything in this genre I think I would love this book. That being said, I just couldn't help feeling like I had read this book before. I do think a lot of teens will love this book, and I am happy to suggest it to readers.

[novastalker · Rating: 3 out of 5 stars]

Not bad, not amazing. The definition of a two and a half star book. Having just finished reading Cassandra Clare's Mortal Instruments series I am really not up for another love triangle with no triangle so I'm at least pleased Puck seems to have some chance with Meghan. Having said that of course I know it's not actually going to happen because the people who read these kinds of books don't want the best friend lover, they want the super perfect tortured hero guy who bathes in angst and more angst.Meghan, apart from having a misspelt name, really isn't a great lead heroine. She's determined enough but can't actually accomplish much of anything without other people doing all the legwork. I'll continue to read the series as it's not pro-actively offensive but mostly I'll just be waiting to see what happens with Puck.

[deltaqueen50 · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

The Iron King by Julie Kagawa is the first in her Iron Fey Trilogy and tells the story of a young girl, Meghan, who always felt something wasn’t quite right with her world but nonetheless is astonished to find she is only half human, the other half is fey, and fey royalty at that. Drawing on many literary references about magical creatures from Shakespeare to Lewis Carroll, the story brings Meghan to the Nevernever on a quest to rescue her younger brother, kidnapped and being held by a new type of fey, one who is dangerous to both the Seelie (Summer Fey) and Unseelie (Winter Fey).On her adventures she is aided by various magical creatures and develops strong feelings for Ash, a prince of the Winter Court. This attraction could lead to future problems as Meghan is the daughter of Oberon, King of the Summer Court. The two courts are enemies of long standing. Other members of her team include a cat-like creature called Grimalkin, and, her father’s favorite lackey, Puck. When dealing with the fey, one must be careful what one promises, but Meghan, in her eagerness makes some rash agreements that look as if they will come back to haunt her in future books.I have to admit that I usually don’t care for books about fairies, but I found The Iron King not only very readable but actually enjoyable as well. The author moves her story along at a nice pace, doesn’t indulge in too much teen angst, and keeps a vein of humor running throughout the story. She nicely wrapped up major plot points in this book, while still leaving the door wide open for the next story. I have been ensnared by this fey series and will be looking for the second book soon.

[laneliterati · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

Very enjoyable. Good mix of urban fantasy and fae mythology.

[aaishah_6 · Rating: 3 out of 5 stars]

It’s official. Faeries hate me. Apparently even more than other humans. I mean, torture us and keep us as pets and kill us, but can you please make me like reading about you? (To any faeries reading this, I’m kidding. OK? I’m a stupid human, I’m not worth your time!)When people talk about birthday surprises, they don’t mean finding out that faeries exist, that your brother has been swapped for a changeling or that you must enter the Nevernever if you insist on rescuing said brother. Yet for Meghan Chase, this is exactly what happens. Somehow she must travel through the faery realm and survive the journey if she has any hope of saving Ethan and getting them both back safely to the mortal world. That’s easier said than done, however, especially when there’s three faery courts after her – Summer, Winter, and the third court, whose very existence has remained secret until now...I must commend Kagawa on her world-building. She has that wonderful ability to paint a very clear picture, taking into account details rather than simply giving us a general image. She knows exactly what this world looks like and she ensures the reader does too. In that sense, it really was as though I was right there in the Nevernever. I enjoyed seeing all the variety of fey there was and thought the idea of the Iron Court and how it came into existence fantastically original. I always love it when an author can add a new twist on something you were pretty sure you knew a lot about.But. Unfortunately, my hopes that this would make me like reading about faeries fell flat. I know there are people out there who didn’t like them either and then had their opinion revised with this book, and I find it quite disappointing that I can’t say I’m one of them. After a while I grew weary of the plot and by the last fifth I was skimming just so I could get to the end.Meghan, as a protagonist, didn’t cut it for me. I admired her determination to rescue her brother, but other than that she failed to impress me. She was persistent in one thing, and that was screaming. In every situation, whenever there was the slightest bit of trouble, that’s what I’d catch her doing. If someone had come up to her and said ‘boo’, I have no doubt she would have screamed. She also seemed particularly adept at failing to hide, even when clearly warned. As for her decisions, well. I could only stare in disbelief at how rashly she acted; she never stopped to think. I can recall only one instance when I gave a nod of approval at her forethought.I liked the love interests, though I didn’t love them. Puck perhaps I felt a glimmer of something for a couple of times, but it never developed into a full-fledged swoon. I loved his humour and the way he was frank with Meghan, and I felt sorry that she was blind to his feelings. I hoped he would make an appearance again at the very end, but sadly that was another hope left disappointed. Ash was great in a fight and despite his motives, he was incredibly strong to continue as he did on the way to the Iron Court. It was he who stopped Meghan from making another mistake at the end.Despite my pretty negative review, this wasn’t all bad. My three stars exist because of the fabulous world-building and the whole idea of and backstory to the Iron Court. Ash and Puck were decent characters, and I have to say Grimalkin was a favourite. He reminded me very much of the Cheshire Cat in Alice in Wonderland. Oddly enough I also had a soft spot for the pack rats, metal rodents that collect metal junk. They were cute, OK? Unfortunately however, The Iron King is another case of me failing to become part of the hype. I will still be reading the next one though, because I’m quite curious to see what happens next after that ending.Uhh, I’m gonna finish here. I think I see faeries coming my way. (yeah, I have the Sight. Go me!)This review is also posted on my blog.

[bduke_15 · Rating: 2 out of 5 stars]

Through about 7/8 of this book I really didn't like it. At the very end it was okay. I hated all the bad language - even the big, bad word. It's bad enough to read that stuff in an adult book, but it makes it so much worse when it is labeled a teen book. Why am I surprised by the language I hear at the middle school I work at when it is thrown at them from every side? I could give a very big rant on society right now, but I will control myself. I also never connected with the characters. I didn't really care what happened to them. Am I supposed to love Ash just because he's gorgeous? Didn't happen. The Nevernever is filled with about a billion different annoying creatures. Maybe the next books get better, but I'm pretty sure I won't make the attempt to find out.

[neysak_1 · Rating: 3 out of 5 stars]

I first saw this book in my local library, and what caught me was its beautiful cover. It was gorgeous I can’t help but to buy it.The Iron King told us about the traditional fey court, Summer Court and Winter Court. The interesting thing about Kagawa’s fey court is the new court I had never heard before, The Iron Court. It was made because of todays technologies development and all. And the new Iron Court brought destruction to the fey’s world.Our main character, Meghan Chase, was just another girl from Earth, with her little brother who claimed that had been living in his closet. Meghan never believe him. Until the day he was gone, kidnapped into the fey’s world.I personally think that Meghan’s character was a bit undeveloped.She was not unstable or unconsistent, no. It’s just, she was a bit unmemorable.Ethan, Meghan’s brother, was better, in my personal opinion. I love it how he seemed to live in is own imaginary world with his imaginary friends.And there’s Ash, Meghan’s lover and the prince of Winter Court. I didn’t really get what he truly felt toward Meghan. He could be cold and indifferent at one time, but sweet and heart melting the other time. I like his personality, actually. It’s just his inconsistencies that put me off.The character that intrigued me most was-strangely-Grimalkin, the cat.It was strange when he could pop out of nowhere and left Meghan when she needs him most. But I think that Grimalkin’s personality was the most unique, and the most distinct from all of The Iron Fey’s cast.The plot was interesting too, with the new Iron Court, which add the spark that made Kagawa’s fey world unique.But it’s not really my style when the Meghan’s adventure was (over) throughoutly told, and many journey was made for reasons I cannot understand.Overall, if you like fey’s book and adventure, I think you could try this book. Many people love it. But for me myself, who’s more an urban-fantasy chick, I think this book is not for me.

[tlhelen · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

PKThis book. Strolling through the library, looking for a new series to start reading. I had read many other series' that I loved such as Pretty Little Liars, Gossip Girl and even Harry Potter. But this book was a different kind. The storyline was a kind that I've never actually read before and it was intriguing.The cover definitely captures the fantasy of the book and that was mainly the reason that I picked the book up and started to read it.Meghan Chase goes on a chase to get her brother back from the Faerie world. In the meantime she finds out many other things that she had never known before. I loved the characters. They were amazing in every single way. the way that the author moulded them absolutely caught me.The main character Meghan Chase seemed like just an ordinary high school girl, not that popular with her peers and just has that one best friend that could count as a milion. At first, I thought that she was quite boring to write a story about, but as the book goes on, Meghan matures and changes just that little bit by the end of the book.Robin Goodfellow (known as Puck in the Fey world) is just about the bestest (he's so amazing that we have to use a fake word for him) friend you could ever have. Puck is funny, dreamy and definitely cute. He's protective of Meghan and wants everything for the best of her, you can gradually tell that he has feelings for Meghan and what happens later almost broke my heart.Ash, the winter prince is definitely one of the best characters and although he is just a fictional character, I felt as if I almost, just almost, fell in love with him. He is cold, calm, but when you get to know him, he's nurturing, kind and protective.ASH~I felt as if I really delved into the book, it made me feel a part of it and I could really, really picture the events happening in my head, I was so in love with this book, I even dreamt about it. I recommend this book to Fantasy Faerie book lovers and lovers of a good YA romance and Adventure book.

[bhwrn1_1 · Rating: 3 out of 5 stars]

So, I had to read this series. Not only have I heard a ton of good things about it, but I also got a copy of The Lost Prince and didn't want to be lost when reading it!Blurb from Goodreads: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 heartI have to say that I was a bit bored for about the first half of the book. That was disappointing to me. I thought I would start reading and be drawn right in. But the first half is very much about the world building and not much happens.I love the cover of this book. It's just beautiful. I think it adequately captures the story in every way.Meghan Chase, the heroine, comes off to me as your basic teenage girl. She's a little boring, not really into anything going on at high-school, kind of an outcast with no friends. She seems fairly family oriented, although you can tell she doesn't have a high opinion of her step-father. I honestly didn't get the feeling that she felt something was off with her, as the description of the book says. I thought perhaps we could see more of what she was able to do as she came into whatever powers she had, but that really didn't happen. And I was expecting a bit more of a building in her relationship with Robbie (Robin Goodfellow/Puck) but it really wasn't there.As for Puck, I love his character. He's witty and kind. He's completely protective of Meghan and you can see that there is something else underlying their relationship. Ash is certainly the male character to swoon over. He's cold and calm, and conceals his feelings quite easily. Yet, when tempted with what he knows he should not have, he takes it, gives in with all his heart. But he is hot and cold and that really bothers me. He is a friend and a foe at the same time. It's such a conflict in his personality. I certainly want to get to know more about him and where he's coming from.I have to say that the cat, Grimalkin (Cait Sith) is my favorite character so far. He's just awesome. I love how he talks in riddles. He helps Meghan, always with some motive, but you can also see that he's becoming a genuine friend. I am certainly reminded of the Cheshire Cat from Alice in Wonderland when I picture him in my mind. And his typical response of "I'm a cat" is hilarious. As if that will just explain everything away!I would honestly like to see more character development from Meghan and Ash. I find them rather flat and I would love to see them become more whole and interesting.The storyline is quite interesting. This is my first strictly Fae book. I have read other books with a mix of creatures in them (such as Need by Carrie Jones). So I was interested to see where the story was going. I like the separation of the courts, one being summer and one being winter. It gives an interesting contrast to the descriptions of the landscapes in the book. I found the pace rather slow at first. Nothing very interesting really happened and there were a few inconsistencies that bothered me. But it certainly picked up in the second half of the book, giving a bit more action and showing a bit more character development. I do love how Kagawa uses Shakespear as her basis for characters in this story. I do love how the author ties the Fae world into our present world, showing that without the imagination of children and others the Fae world would not longer exist.I didn't find the writing to be all that enthralling. Considering the wonderful reviews I have seen and the raving over the books from my fellow reader friends, I really thought the writing would drawn me in more. But it didn't. Again, like the characters, I found the writing rather flat. I think part of this was because of the major amount of time spent on world building. Once the action started happening, I had a much easier time picturing what was going on in my head as the author described the scene. I am hoping the author shows some growth in her writing through the next books in the series.3 out of 5 stars from me, and the hope that the second book will be more intriguing than this one.

[andreabrite · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

I didnt think i would enjoy this book as much as i did. It was very enjoyable, fast ced and kept my interes the entire time. I cant wait to start reading the 2nd book!

[lms8esmith · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

I have had The Iron King in my classroom library for about a year, and I finally picked it up to read. I enjoyed diving into Kagawa's world of Faery because I loved the Wicked Lovely series so much, but I felt at times that the descriptions were just too much. I wanted to get right back into the action and move the plot along. Meeting Meghan, Puck, and Ash was great; now I can move on to book 2. Hopefully, my students will enjoy this book as well.

[sassybrunette · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

read this series! if you love romance, fairies, and aventures, this book is for you, it takes off like a rocket and doesnt slow down i read it in one day.

[sleahey_3 · Rating: 3 out of 5 stars]

This is an engaging fantasy that does a good job of blending contemporary high school life with the faery world, with a satisfying resolution and a lead-in to the next book in the series.

[bell7_1 · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

Meghan Chase finds her world has more than meets the eye when he brother is taken by faeries and a changeling with a mean streak takes his place. With only her friend Robbie to help her, she leaves her family behind to find her brother in the Nevernever.As a reader of the fantasy genre, some of the early revelations in the story were not unexpected (if you've read [5664::A Midsummer Night's Dream], Robbie's full name is meaningful the first time you see it, for example). But the simple truth is, I enjoyed this book. I enjoyed seeing Meghan grapple with new challenges, and I enjoyed the surprising and unsurprising plot twists, both the invention and the expected tropes. It was just...fun. And I hope the rest of the series has more of the same.

[michellel_15_1 · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

** spoiler alert ** I'm not a fan of "fae" (I prefer shapeshifters) and usually don't read stories that center around faeries. But The Iron King seemed pretty interesting and it has a nice cover so I decided to read it. This is probably one of the best faery books I've ever read. Julie Kagawa's writing style flowed really easily and the language she used made everything sound more interesting. She also doesn't focus on Meghan's school life which I appreciated. I don't read paranormal and fantasy books because I want to read about kids going to school. One thing that bothered me was the little teaser at the beginning of the book. I thought that was where the book was going to begin and it really confused me because I had no idea what was going on. It was fine after I figured out that that was just a scene in the book.The Iron King has a cast of really great characters. Not just the main characters, but the supporting characters as well. I especially loved Grimalkin and for some reason I really liked Ironhorse. When Meghan is travelling to find Ethan and the Iron King, we meet a new type of iron fey, the packrats. I thought they were kinda cute in a quirky way. Ethan is a cute character and I'm excited to read more about him in The Lost Prince. Meghan is a great protagonist, but I really hope she'll learn to use glamour soon so she can rely on herself more. She's strong, brave, stubborn ,and selfless. Puck is the funniest character in the book and one of Meghan's love interests.Team Puck or Team Ash? After reading The Iron King I think I'm on Team Puck. I don't really like either of them as Meghan's love interest, especially Ash. I didn't see anything that really made Ash stand out from all the other dark, brooding males in YA books. Puck on the other hand, is funny, loyal, and caring. He's been Meghan's best friend for as long as she can remember and he's willing to defy his king for her. Even though I have a feeling she will end up with Ash, I'm still going to root for Puck.I liked the idea that there were not only Winter and Summer fey, but because of the advances in technology there are also Iron fey. I thought this idea was really smart and original. What I didn't like was the scene near the end when Meghan killed the Iron King. I thought that happened too quickly and she defeated him to easily. Maybe he's not really dead, and he'll come back for revenge in a later book. And then at the end, when Ash comes to bring Meghan to the Winter Court it was a bit of a cliffhanger. Lucky for me I have the next one, The Iron Daughter, right in my Nook so I don't have to wait to see what happens next.

[amberfib · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

I know most people have already read this series, but sometimes I'm a late bloomer (or whatever), what can I say? Anyway, I've heard such amazing things about the series that I decided to give it a try, and I'm glad I did. The Iron King was an entertaining read that kept me turning the pages. The pacing was a bit slow for my tastes, and the romance wasn't the best, but overall, I really enjoyed this book.The characters were well-developed and flawed, but likable. My favorite character is Grimalkin. I am partial to cats, so that's one reason that he's my favorite, but the feline type personality details that Kagawa put into this character are amazing. This isn't a humanized talking cat. He iss still very much a feline, and he just happens to talk. I also enjoyed Puck's lightheartedness and Ash's cold, yet somehow endearing, personality. Meghan is all right. The narration is first person POV, so I got to know her very well. Her growth as a character over the course of the novel is obvious, and I liked that. However, she just doesn't blow me away. She's a bit boring. I hope she becomes more exciting in the following books. Boring or not, I still liked her, though. The pacing of the book is what really got on my nerves. Everything dragged along. There was one fight scene that I thought was going to last forever. I totally zoned out in the middle of it and when I started paying attention again, the fight scene was still going on. I was like, "seriously? Isn't it over yet? This is boring." When I think a fight scene is boring, that is not good. Normally, I love action, but the action in this book was somehow extremely boring. I think there was more telling than showing and that's why. Either way, I don't feel that writing action scenes is Kagawa's strong suit. The romance also really irritated me. I would have liked to have seen more interaction between Meghan and Ash in order to believe they loved each other. I mean I'm not faerie expert. Maybe they do insta-love in faerie land, who knows. All I know is that Meghan should have at least thought about Ash some before she kissed him and decided she couldn't live without him. That was a bit ridiculous to me. However, I'm willing to go with it and see what happens. She's only 16. Maybe it's infatuation that will lead to love. Who knows. I'm trying to be open minded here. The plot itself was intriguing, and that and the character development are the two things that kept me turning the pages. I read this book in one day, and I wasn't bored most of the time. I haven't read a ton of faerie books, so this concept was unique and interesting to me. I know that Kagawa pulled things from Alice in Wonderland, A Midsummer Night's Dream, and Peter Pan, but she pretty much admits that by referencing those works. When an author borrows from something but references it, I don't get that irritated about it. No idea is original, and if you're wiling to admit where the idea came from, then you're all right in my book. Anyway, I enjoyed the mixture of previous ideas and Kagawa's original material. She blended them together nicely.Overall, I liked this book, and I will be continuing the series. I would recommend The Iron King to fans of The Wicked Lovely series, for sure, as well as fans of Alice in Wonderland. I'm looking forward to reading The Iron Daughter next.

[laphenix · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

A familiar character changing names partway through was the biggest thing that caught me up. I love the story and the romance. The world she created was marvelous and imaginative! I can't wait to see what the sequel will bring!

[yabreviews_1 · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

What would you do if your life was not as you expected? That is what happened to Meghan Chase. After her father disappeared, her mom and she moved. Her mom later married Luke and then had Ethan. Meghan is in high school now and all she wants is her driver’s permit. That way, she wouldn’t have to walk to the bus. Her best friend, Robbie Goodfell, and she could drive. In what, she doesn’t know that yet, but she’ll work on that later. After being humiliated in school by the most popular jock, she goes home and finds that her brother has changed. At first, she is not sure of what she is seeing, because she has been seeing a lot of weird things lately. It is when her brother attacks her, that Robbie tells her that it is not her brother. She then learns of changelings and goes on a quest with Robbie, whom she later finds out is Puck, to find her brother.She also learns a lot of things when she crosses over into the Nevernever. The most important of those, is who she is, a princess of the Seelie Court. Her father is the King and never wanted her to know of the fey and their land. Getting Ethan back is the most important thing to her and she doesn’t let anyone deter her from that objective.After reading Kagawa’s book, The Immortal Rules, I thought it was time that I checked out her other works. I had heard great things about the Fey Series and I’m glad to say that I wasn’t disappointed. I really liked this book and thought it was a good way to start the series. I was drawn into the story of Puck and Ash. I’m not sure which one I’m behind just yet. I’ll have to read more of the series before I make that determination.Cover:The cover shows a female, whom I’m presuming to be Meghan Chase. I like the font that they used for the title. And the color green. Also the quote on the cover: “Iron. Ice. A love doomed from the start.”I Like:•Meghan Chase. She is the main character in the Iron Fey series. Well, one of THE main characters. She is a “half-breed” and doesn’t always have the same reactions that other fey have. She cares about people and not always about the outcome. She is strong is this book and doesn’t waver from her objective.•Ash. He is the prince of the Unseelie Court – or the Winter Prince. He officially meets Meghan at Elysium, when the Summer and Winter Court meet together, where a son and daughter of opposite territories must dance. Meghan’s first impression of him isn’t that great. When she leaves the Seelie Court, she runs into Ash again. This time, he has made a vow to Queen Mab, to bring Meghan to her. Only Meghan has other ideas and he winds up helping her rescue Meghan’s brother, Ethan. You learn a lot about Ash in those travels.•Puck, Robbie Goodfell, Robin Goodfellow. Those are the names that he goes by. In the mortal realm, he was given the task to look after Meghan, unbeknownst to her. He was her best friend and the first person to tell her about Nevernever. He went against King Oberon’s wishes and brought Meghan there to find her brother. He is always there for Meghan and she is grateful for that.•Grimalkin. He is the cat who helps Meghan. He always appears when she needs something. His help doesn’t come free or cheap. There is always something that he wants. Bargains in Nevernever aren’t made cheap.I Did Not Like:•King Oberon. He is Meghan’s father. When she first arrives at the Seelie or Summer Court, he is angry because she was never supposed to know about Nevernever and the faerie world.•Queen Mab. The Queen of the Unseelie or Winter Court, which is the enemy of the Summer Court. She wants to use Meghan for her own purposes and commissions her kingdom into finding her.•King Machina. He is the Iron King. During Meghan’s quest, you learn of him and that he also wants Meghan, but for different reasons. •Grimalkin. Sometimes he can be a little snooty, but he is a cat after all.

[burgandyice · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

This story grew on me.The entire first half was mostly confusing and frustrating. Meghan was confused and frustrated. The fae were completely freaky and unusual. The wildwood was frightening. Her friend, Puck, changing from who she always knew into one of the oldest faeries in existence who smiled eerily… was hard to swallow. Honestly, I held a grudge against Robin Longfellow until he demanded pity instead.Someone asked if I was “Team Ash” or “Team Puck” in that first half and I had to say enthusiastically that I was NOT “Team Puck” by long-shot, even though I had no reason to think “Team Ash”, yet, either.It might have bothered me because it was so realistic. Any human leaping into Nevernever would be completely off balance. Every little turn would feel dangerous. I guess that was described well. So well, in fact, that I wanted out!!!And then the claws of the story started to dig into me, demanding my attention and interest and not letting go! I didn’t notice it was happening until I couldn’t put the book down, which caught me by surprise.The difference was Meghan. She is intelligent and brave. She watched how the faery world functioned, started guarding her mouth, got herself into less trouble and managed some difficult circumstances without whining and complaining. I think the turning point for me was when Meghan busied herself as a slave in the kitchen. (I think I can say that without being spoilerish.) I expected her to give up in exasperation of all the things going wrong. The situation was so decidedly against her favor and even the small choices left to her were taken away. Instead of throwing any sort of fussy-fit, she buckled down and worked hard. She kept her sanity and when the time came to act, she moved definitively. The author won me as a fan during that lull before the Elysium, when the Unseelie Court came to Oberon’s territory in an uneasy truce of a feast:“All right, I told myself, taking a deep breath. They’re still out there, Meghan. Ethan and your dad. You can’t give up now. Time to stop being a crybaby and get your act together.Lying back on the cold floor, I closed my eyes and started to plan.”Meghan believes in herself even when the circumstances are against her and everyone thinks she’ll get herself killed. Since she believed she could do it, she started figuring out how to negotiate with faeries faery-style, she began earning their respect, and coordinating her rescue mission. Each of her successes carries her through the mounting difficulties, so the grand finale is deliciously believable.The very last scene is my favorite, and I don’t know how I’m not reading the next book TOMORROW!! Meghan has so many layers and she is so true to herself on every level. I love the way she accepts them all and the consequences along with them, again without any fussing.En fin, I went from mentally strangling this book and all things fae, to tripping over my feet to fangirl over Meghan. I will read the next book as soon as I can regardless of what’s “next” in my TBR pile. And I’ll definitely re-read some day to relive the entirety from a fangirling point of view. I wonder if the first half would still be frustrating after knowing that Meghan won’t wilt under the pressure? I kind of think that perspective changes everything. *sigh* Yay for Meghan!!! And Yay for Puck! And double-whammy yay for Ash!!!!!!!! And grudgingly yay for that cait sith!!The Faery Party of last Saturday was inspired by this book!!! :-DOne more (late-added) note:I notice that I don't mention much about the other characters in the book as I flip out over Meghan. My own review cracks me up... but that's why I write 'em immediately after reviewing. It's worth noting that Ash & Puck & Grim are all budding characters promising so much more in the books to come. I was sad over Meghan's mom and brother... and dad and dad and stepdad. But they're real people, like the school kids, and I don't mind being sad or irritated over them, hungry for more information on 'em. I think I covered Nevernever enough... it's growing on me, and that's the nicest thing I can say about it. There's tons of fae creatures coming and going and I'm intrigued by them all, in awe over the variety. It's no wonder this is a popular series. I feel justified in my sudden fan-obsession. I'm in good company!!!Cover Commentary: Um, Yeppers. Beautiful, mysterious, woodsy. The title didn't explain itself for a long time and I'm still furiously curious over why this is called the "Iron Fey" series... not obvious, yet. I'm trying not to spoil myself for future books, but I keep leaping to read every review for the up-coming books I "happen upon". *ahem* My Rating: 4 - Pretty Darn Good. Potential for rating higher upon rereading.