Review: The Iron King

The Iron King

Julie Kagawa

Copyright 2010, Harlequin Teen

In the hit Disney TV show, Wizards of Waverly Place Alex Russo is forced to be in a schools rendition of Peter Pan. As she (Tinker Bell) lay dramatically dying she proclaims to the audience that she might live "If the boys and girls believe in me" - this is supposed to induce applause from the crowd that helps her to heal.
Unfortunately, that's all I could think about whenever Kagawa's characters would talk about Nevernever fading away if the mortal world ceased to believe in them. Once I was able to try and block Selena Gomez from my mind, however, I was able to see the world Kagawa created quite vividly.

(See time 1:42ish for the exact scene I'm talking about! And Yes. I realize I'm old and still love tween shows. Sue me. They're fun.)

Meghan Chase is just a 15 year old girl whose mother tore her away from her life and memories after her dad disappeared. Meghan's the last person to see him, but what she saw is almost impossible - he walked into a lake in a park - never to be seen again. If only that were the extent of her problems. Today is her 16th birthday, the day her crush will notice her and the day her mom will take her for her drivers permit. Today the lowely step daughter of a pig farmer will start to forge a new life for herself - or so she thinks. Life isn't a fairy tale guys, and your 16th birthday doesn't mean you get to change the world. Her crush is a jerk, her permit has to wait and only Meghan's good friend Robbie is able to make her smile.

Robbie's been around for as long as she can remember and though he's goofy and always pulling pranks, he is a great source of comfort and she can't imagine life without him. When he comes over to cheer her up for her birthday, Meghans life is in chaos. Her mom slipped and hit her head, laying knocked out on the kitchen floor. Her brother is very noticably different and her step-father who doesn't even seem to remember her now has her babysitting the crazy little boy while he takes her mom to the hospital. So much for birthday festivities.

Noticing her brother's change is one thing but when he turns ultra violent, Robbie lets in on a tiny secret. She's not all of who she thinks she is, this kid isn't her brother at all and he himself is definitely not who he's let on. Robbie is actually the famous Robin Goodfellow from A Mid Summer Nights Dream. His immortality seems to come from his fame, the songs and poems written about him keeping him strong. And he's her bodyguard. Her father is Oberon - King of the Summer Court. If Meghan wants to see her real brother again she'll have to enter Nevernever and travel throughout it to find him.

After risking life and limb to make it to Oberon she finally gets one on one with Ash. FINALLY. I'll admit, with a lack of worthy swoons I have a hard time reading, Ash's entrance was a welcome surprise and the rest of the book picks up considerably.

Besides trying not to die and promising favors to just about all she meets there is also an undeniable chemistry between she and Ash. His pale skin and dark features are merely highlight to his personality. He's a challenge, the kind of closed of reserved type that you just know has a history behind it, the kind that makes for the greatest long lasting loves - and did I mention that he's a prince? *swoon*
Anyway, I'll be reading on through the series that everyone loves so much but I'm not sure I'm seeing how there are different teams. I keep hearing Team Puck, Team Ash but as far as I'm concerned from book 1...Team Ash. Without a doubt :)

Check back soon for my thoughts on The Iron Daughter!