The Iron Knight (Iron Fey #4) by Julie Kagawa - A Spoiler-Free Review

Release date: October 25, 2011

Publisher: HarlequinTEEN

Pages: 386

Format: Egalley

Source: Publisher provided through Netgalley

Buy the book: Barnes & Noble | Amazon | The Book Depository

Ebook available from: Barnes & Noble | Amazon | Google

My name—my True Name—is Ashallayn'darkmyr Tallyn.


I am the last remaining son of Mab, Queen of the Unseelie Court. And I am dead to her.


My fall began, as many stories do, with a girl…

I have loved every single preceding Iron Fey novel, but Julie Kagawa absolutely blew me away with The Iron Knight. It started off much like the other three books for me, but somewhere in the middle took a turn into something so much deeper. Ash's journey was one of epic and unforgettable proportions.

I got started into the Iron Fey series later than most, but I dived heart-first into the stories and haven't looked back since. We watched Meghan grow from a rather whiny normal teenager into a formidable queen and got to see her somehow melt the heart of the ice prince. But Ash was always a bit of a mystery, even as we saw more and more of him. Reading The Iron Knight from his point-of-view was emotional, beautiful, and fulfilling. We finally get to see how his mind works and just what has been tearing him apart for so long. It's been worth the wait. Before, all we'd seen Ash do was assist Meghan in her troubles, but now we get to see him truly step into his own story and see just what he's made of. (And he's even better than we can imagine.)

We see the return of all of our favorite traveling companions--Grimalkin and the ever witty Puck--along with some new, rather familiar, characters as well. I loved seeing the rapport between Ash and Puck as always, though this time around it took a more pointed turn. We also see a whole lot more of the Nevernever and beyond than we've ever even dreamed of. There are twists and turns and hidden paths everywhere, most of them unexpected and wonderful.

I want to talk about, in super generic terms, what Ash has to endure for Meghan. I am betting it's not going to make much sense, but I was rather moved by it. I anticipated certain trials similar to those I've seen in other books, but Ash's journey is so different, meaningful, relevant, and touching that I was just floored. Not only did it make me love Ash ten times more than I already did, but it made me think about my own life and how I was spending it and what I was valuing. It takes something special to do that, and The Iron Knight really is that something special to me. It has definitely become one of my favorite books, and will afford many subsequent readings.

Risk a paper cut? I think I've said enough, haven't I? I don't think much more gushing is necessary... :)

On another note, if you want to freak out about, well, the whole book with me, please feel free to email me! I'd love to fan-girl about. :)