Thursday, July 7, 2011

Review: The Iron Daughter by Julie Kagawa

Click here to read the book description.

Available at Amazon, Book Depository, Chapters, Harlequin

The Iron Daughter is my third foray into Julie Kagawa's version of the Faery world and its interactions with the human world (I am including the short story, Winter's Passage in my calculations :-) As I mentioned in my review of Winter's Passage, I had thought this book would start with the travel to the Winter Court, but it starts smack dab with Meghan in Mab's domain.

We get to really meet Ash's whole family here, and I know they're supposed to be cold and all, but that they'd make great candidates for the Jerry Springer Show was surprising to me. Ash's mother (Mab) is portrayed as a raving lunatic, at times. Granted, she's been around a long, long time and has felt the enmity against the Summer King for just as long,  it stands to reason that a raging war is always just brewing under the surface. I think this is where I really started to feel something for Ash; he's trying so hard to maintain his cool facade around his mother, while battling his growing feelings for Meghan. Poor guy!

The love triangle aspect was obvious to readers, even in The Iron King, but it is brought out in the open in this book. I could have done without that part; it's just so overdone in books, I think. I suppose it just adds another layer to the story. But, there are lots a layers in The Iron Daughter: a new Iron King (who is it?), an obvious setup and the simmering feud between Oberon and Mab, the mysterious Charles, a huge betrayal, among others. Yes, I stick with my original statement; the love triangle was unnecessary.

I have to say though, compared with the first book, I liked this one much better. There was lots of action, drama, and even a few tears for Sage, and dare I say it? Ironhorse. I felt the characters had grown on me a lot through this installment, I even warmed up to Ash considerably, which is a feat in itself, him being a Winter Prince and all. If I hadn't liked this book as much, I would have hesitated on reading The Iron Queen, but now I'm fully invested and really need to see what happens next!

5 comments:

Melissa (My World...in words and pages) said...

I was more taken with this book as well. I really liked it. And the love triangle, yeah it's kind of getting old. But I like that Meghan has made her choice now and I HOPE she sticks with it. ;D

Great review.

Mel (He Followed Me Home) said...

Glad you liked this one more! Have you decided which team you're on yet? Ash/Puc???

Jackie said...

@Melissa - Oh, she better not change! We'll soon find out though, right?

@Mel - Team Ash, all the way. You'll see what I mean when you get a chance to read them :-)

Alexia561 said...

Love this series, and they just keep getting better! While I do sympathize with Ash, I'm still Team Puck all the way! Love a guy with a sense of humor! ;)

Jackie said...

@Alexia - I think it's because Ash sacrifices everything and he gets all the best lines, the ones you'd want someone saying to you (I just read one in Iron Queen that made my knees weak, lol). Then again, you might be right about the humour; after an eternity together, maybe Ash would get boring? (I hope not, though)

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