Review: The Iron Daughter

The Iron Daughter by Julie Kagawa
The Iron Fey #2
Publisher: Harlequin Teen
Release Date: August 1st, 2010
Source: Library
Date Read: 7/16/14 to 7/21/14
359 Pages
Rating: ✰✰✰1/2

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.

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It's been a year since reading The Iron King, and I've finally decided to pick up where I left off, which may have been a bad thing to do, seeing that I actually don't remember much. Sure, I know the basics, but I think not knowing a lot of the details definitely put a damper on my enjoyment of The Iron Daughter.

So, let me summarize what I know of the first book, bullet point style:

• Meghan Chase, our protagonist, finds out that her little brother has been kidnapped by the Iron Fey
• Then, later, she finds out that her best friend, Robbie, is actually Robin Goodfellow, and also a fey sent to protect her, since she's a half-breed and also the Summer King's daughter
• So, she goes into the Nevernever to go against the Iron Fey, who are hated by all because iron kills normal fey, or faery, or whatever they're actually called.
• And along the way she meets the Winter Prince, Ash. Cue insta-love.

So the journey continues from there, and because I'm a nice person, you would have to read the first book to find out what happens later. And I don't want to spoil. And on that note, the second book in the Iron Fey starts with Meghan being in the Fey world, but held against her own will by the Winter Queen, Mab. However, the Iron Fey are on the rise again, this time led by a false Iron King. Plus they stole the scepter which lets either the Winter Queen or Summer King govern the seasons in the human world. Or something like that. Basically it's powerful and is dangerous in the wrong hands

First off, I had mixed feelings about this book. On one hand, I did like how easy it was to breeze through. I had no problems at all understanding what was going on, and the writing felt smooth overall. Then on the other hand, I wanted to punch the love triangle, even though it's physically impossible because romance can't be objectified. BUT STILL. I would.

I'm just going to start off with the good stuff before I go on with my little rant.

Ok, so what really made me like the Iron Daughter, and the Iron Fey series in general, is how the author put in a lot of effort into the world. I liked the idea of Summer Fey, Winter Fey, and the Iron Fey, and how it all connected with the human world. As with the first book, I liked being back into this world. I'm a sucker for all things magical and fantasy, so this was to be expected.

AND PUCK! And GRIMALKIN! There really needs to be a crossover between The Abhorsen and this so that Grim and Mogget can meet and be sarcastic cat buddies. Really, I think Grim is the only reason why everyone isn't dead yet.

And now, there's Meghan. Don't get me wrong, I do like her as a character. Sure, she has a normal sounding name that sounds funny when said in a serious tone, but other than that, she acted normally, knowing how to make important decisions and so on. Well....unless there's Ash involved.

Honestly, why is Meghan so oblivious to what Ash is trying to do at the start of the book? He's ignoring her for a certain reason, to not piss off his mother, the Winter Queen. He does love you, but he just knows that the Summer Fey and Winter Fey can't be together. Like come on. How did she not notice that. And then she tries to get his attention anyways. Honestly, Meghan does make great decisions, only when it doesn't revolve around Ash.

Then she kisses Puck anyways! The other love interest, who not only has been around protecting her her whole life, but actually seriously loves her back. And then she just kisses him out of loneliness. I may not know about romance or love in general, but I don't think you should be leading him on like that.

And then, there's a Winter formal that all three of them go to, in order to you know "replenish Ash's strength and energy by being in a room full of human emotions". Or you know, it could just be a ploy the author uses to get the boys gushing over Meghan in a dress. Or something along the likes.

Overall, yes I did enjoy the Iron Daughter, I really did. It's just, why did all of Meghan's actions have to revolve around Ash. I get it, he's your love and you would do anything for him, but, I don't know. To be honest, maybe this love triangle/romance just didn't work out for this series. Maybe I would've enjoyed it better without it all. The ending definitely made me angry too. *sigh* But maybe I'm just not a person that enjoys this type of romance. I don't know. I have mixed feelings and I don't know how to express them at this point. Maybe I should've read the first book again. Argh. Still going to borrow the last book though.