I've just had the pleasure of reading Ms. Kagawa's final installment in her New York Times bestselling series, IRON FEY, and all I can say is...WOW.
Ms. Kagawa wasn't lying to us. If we thought we knew Ash before, we hadn't seen anything yet! And you'll be even more in love with him when you've read his story. Just you wait Team Ash...you're in for a treat! *fans face*
If you remember, The Iron Queen left us emotionally conflicted (um, utterly distraught? ready to throw my Kindle?). We were relieved the war between Winter, Summer, and Iron ended and the Nevernever would survive, but there was just one little, itty bitty catch. Ash, our beloved Winter Prince, realizes he can't be with the woman he loves without it physically killing him. He simply cannot exist as a Fey in Meghan's Iron Kingdom (remember dear friends, iron is toxic to faeries). So, what does our dashing knight in shining armor do? Well, he sets out on a quest to find a way to be with the woman he loves, and, in the process, discovers that in order to be with her, he must become mortal.
*gasp*
The Iron Knight begins with Ash and the infamous and seemingly omnipresent Puck (who's just as hilarious and flippant as ever) seeking out a particular, annoying cat in hopes of finding a way for Ash to become mortal. What the Winter Prince needs is a soul, and the journey to gaining that soul is treacherous and agonizing and full of heart-wrenching discoveries.
With Puck and a few other surprise (ahem!) guests at his side, Ash faces his haunting past. We finally begin to understand the "ice" in "Ice-boy." Ms. Kagawa's writerly skill and prowess forces us to live Ash's torment and agony. We feel the weight of his decision and we are devastated when he finally discovers what he must sacrifice in order to be with Meghan Chase.
Filled with adventure, suspense, humor, and romance, The Iron Knight is sure to leave the reader completely satisfied. It is a perfect and beautifully crafted ending to the Iron Fey Series, and while I'm still coming down from my happy cloud, I'm sad to part with Ms. Kagawa's rich and exciting Fey world.
That is...for now. :) She's announced a SECOND Iron Fey trilogy starring Meghan's younger brother, Ethan. It'll take place several years after the first trilogy.
Thank you, Julie Kagawa, for introducing us to such a wonderful group of "friends" and sharing their fantastic journey with us. Can't wait for more!
The Iron Knight will be released in October 2011!
*If you like YA Fantasy, check out my book, GAIA'S SECRET. The sequel is coming soon!
Here's a link to my review for the rest of The Iron Fey series
I haven't read the books, but I read enough of your post to WANT to! Thanks for sharing, woman! I always love adding new victims to my "To Read" list!
ReplyDeleteYes, it does sound good... I'll put it on my list.
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You are WELCOME!...and seriously, it's a fabulous series. Julie Kagawa is an amazing writer, too. Her YA voice is one of my favorites.
ReplyDeleteI love that there's another series planned in the same world. Those are so much fun! Thanks for the great review.
ReplyDeleteWhat a wonderful review. This series sounds amazing. Thank you! : )
ReplyDeleteYou're so welcome!...it truly was a joy to get lost in.
ReplyDeleteYou will fall in love with him all over again. Puck gets his fair share of the lime light in this one as well. His meanderings keep Ash in line, whether either of them want it or not. Like Ash, his character is bared right down to the bone and you can see exactly what makes him tick. Before now, I regarded him simply as a quirky character.
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