Book Review: The Iron Daughter by Julie Kagawa

THE IRON DAUGHTER (IRON FEY, BOOK 2) BY JULIE KAGAWA
Reading level: Young Adult
Paperback: 368 pages
Publisher: Harlequin; Original edition (August 1, 2010)

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, iron-bound faeries that only she and her absent prince have seen. But no one believes her. Worse, Meghan's own fey powers have been cut off. She's alone in Faery with only her wits for help. Trusting anyone would be foolish. Trusting a seeming traitor could 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.

"She leaned forward, looking utterly inhuman, and I fought the urge to run screaming from the throne room. "I have heard of your exploits, Meghan Chase, " the queen rasped, narrowing her eyes. "Did you not think I would find out? You tricked a prince of the Unseelie Court into following you into the Iron Realm. You made him fight your enemies for you. You bound him to a contract that nearly killed him. My precious boy, almost lost to me forever, because of you. How do you think that makes me feel?" Mab's smile grew more predatory, as my stomach twisted in fear."-page 23

Out of the fry pan and into the fire, that sure describes Meghan Chase's life. When we last left her in The Iron King, she had accomplished a huge feat. But did she get a chance to catch her breath? Not in the slightest. She was on her way to the Winter Court, escorted by Prince Ash himself. As The Iron Daughter kicks off, we find that Meghan is still in danger, but somehow the stakes seem even more dire than in the last book. All is not well with Ash. With Grimalkin conveniently absent and Puck recuperating, Megan must find the strength to stand alone. No longer knowing if she can count on Ash, she maneuvers among the fae with great precision. The Winter Court is a truly frightening world: one where the queen freezes humans alive at the drop of a pin and ravenous redcaps lurk in dark corridors. Meghan must remain sharp, focused and keep her wits at all times. She knows one wrong word, one misjudged display of feeling, one small misstep and she could fall into the hands of a faery bargain she can never escape from, or worse..the wrath of the Winter Queen herself. With tones reminiscent of Melissa Marr's Wicked Lovely series, The Iron Daughter plunges the reader into a world full of even more peril, romance and action than it's predecessor.

The Iron Daughter is an engrossing read made up of enigmatic characters with entertaining personalities. Favorite characters return and new ones are introduced. The inner workings of the fae court drip with intrigue and danger. Interwoven into the plot are intriguing elements of back story only hinted at in the first book. We find out why Puck and Ash are sworn enemies. Though heartbreaking, it adds a deeper level of understanding to both their personalities.

Meghan seemed more mature in this novel. She's been through so much and now, there's no going back. I enjoyed the growth in her character. In regards to the romantic elements with Ash, it was sizzling, though at times Meghan made me cringe with her neediness for him. Nevertheless, the world Julie Kagawa has created never ceases to impress me. This installment was by far my favorite, and a must have for any bookshelf. But be forewarned- The Iron Daughter ends with an incredible nail biter of a cliffhanger. It will leave you screaming for more.

The Iron Queen, releasing in 2011 is one novel I know I will be anxiously waiting to get my hands on.

About the Author:Julie Kagawa was born in Sacramento, California. But nothing exciting really happened to her there. So, at the age of nine she and her family moved to Hawaii, which she soon discovered was inhabited by large carnivorous insects, colonies of house geckos, and frequent hurricanes. Julie now lives in Louisville, Kentucky, where the frequency of shark attacks are at an all time low. She lives with her husband, two obnoxious cats, one Australian Shepherd who is too smart for his own good, and the latest addition, a hyper-active Papillon puppy.

Official Website of Julie Kagawa.
Purchase The Iron Daughter at Amazon.com.