Marked By Books: Review of The Iron King by Julie Kagawa

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 heart.

Fairies, piksies, brownies, and redcaps. What else could there be in the world of Nevernever? The world of the elite and immortally beautiful fey?

Well, for one, there are talking cats that go by the name of a Cait Sith. Or, Grimalkin, who just happen to enjoy having people in their debts.

There are the ruthless redcaps that like to chew-n-chaw the bodies (living or dead) of any creature. As long as they get some meat and blood, they are happy critters. Happy, bloodthirsty miniature, vile, critters but critters all the same.

And let's not forget the Iron creatures that appear to be scraps of shredded iron. Hah! Meghan Chase only wishes that were the case. They actually turn out to be fire-breathing creations from the minds of us humans that continuously increase the production of technology on a daily basis, thus ridding the world of the old, mystical Fey.

Allow me to start from the beginning, because I am undoubtedly confusing you. Meghan Chase is a 16 year old girl who is half-human as well as half-Fey. I.E: Half fairy. Not only that, she is the illegitimate daughter of the Fairy King, Oberon. She has enemies from many sides that want her dead all because she is his daughter. The Unseelie court (The court of the Baddies, not the Goodies) want her. Well technically speaking, the evil Queen Mab wants her. And, the reason is still for bad ones. So, she is more important than she has any idea of. Quite the Awakening for a young girl who was considered a "country hick" back in her own world.

Well the plot of the story is more original than what most supernatural stories are nowadays: Her little half-brother, Ethan, was kidnapped and replaced with a changeling. So, she uses the help of her BFF, Robin Goodfellow, who also happens to be Puck. Yes, THE Puck from William Shakespeare's A Midnight Summer's Dream. Turns out the old Bard was more right than he ever could have imagine while alive. Well, through a flurry of obstacles, near death experiences and witty moments with her companions, she sets out to recapture and save her beloved Ethan.

And also might fall in love on the way....