Book Review: Iron Daughter

Iron Daughter

By:  Julie Kagawa

Publisher:  Harlequin Teen

Publish Date:  August 2010

Format:  Paperback 359pgs, Trade size

Genre:  YA Fantasy

Series:  2nd book in Iron Fey series; Book 1 ~ Iron King, Novella 1.5 ~ Winter's Passage

Recommendation:  Yes. Even adults how love to read fey, this is a fun adventure full of love for friends and family.

Book Synopsis:
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 - ironbound 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 stuck 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.

First Sentence:
The Iron King stood before me, magnificent in his beauty, silver hair whipping about like an unruly waterfall.

My Thoughts and Summary:
Meghan has been in the Winter fey court for some time now waiting all the while for Queen Mab to call her for an audience.  And Ash has been no where around.  Meghan questions whether her feeling for Ash were true or a glamour, and Ash's feeling for her.  Could there be a way to live with hiding their feelings from others?  The time of the Exchange of the scepter between courts and changing of seasons comes and King Orebon himself makes the trip, letting everyone know he will get his daughter back.  Then suddenly the Iron Knights appear, with only Meghan and one other seeing them and no one believing her, under instruction of their new King to steal the scepter from Winter Court drawing the Winter and Summer courts into war.  Meghan gets her chance to go home to her family, outside of the fey realm.  But will she choose to go home and try to forget or help the fey she is coming to love?

Now this is what I like to see.  I liked the first book, but it was more setup of the fey realm and the characters for me.  This one was all story.  There are so many different angles to go here.  There is the scepter, Ash, Puck, the between world and what is held there, Meghan's family outside of fey, and family in fey.  So many different degrees blended easily together here.

I loved what I got to learn of the Unseelie court and creatures.  To me I think this part of the fey world is more intriguing and interesting.  But then maybe I'm just drawn to the bad and evil side of things.  Even if they are on the notty side in their behaviors and habits.  Even down right cruel.  But it makes the dynamics of the different fey and mortal world more distinct. 
The characters... we meet new characters that are fun and even strange  Severla of these I hope to see again in the future.  Then we have our main characters as expected.  And they all make their appearances here.  Meghan has grown for me in this book.  She still has her moments of innocence but she thinks more on the bigger picture here.  She is learning and growing.  And we have our boys back as well.  But we have a new ally in this book which brings questions in the end of Meghan and what might be in store for her.

Do you need to read the novella Winter's Passage?  No you don't.  Actually much of it is repeated in the beginning of this book.  But it is a nice addition and verifies a few pieces left out in the beginning, but you definitely don't need it to go on with this book.  Although it is a nice little addition to enjoy.

The series is definitely getting better with this book.  I really enjoyed it and will be picking up Iron Queen soon.


I purchased this book for my own enjoyment.


This book qualifies for Speculative Fiction Challenge hosted by Floor to Ceiling Books and 2011 YA Reading Challenge hosted by Jamie love YA.