A review by wingsofareader
The Iron Queen, by Julie Kagawa
4.0
Finally.
Meghan starts to really use both her brain and her spine.
Ash gets a sense of humour.
Puck finds a bit of a balance between true friend, trickster, sad-but-not-quite-hopeless-lover, and wise, centuries old fey.
By far - so far - the most effectively characterized of the Iron Fey books, all three of Robin Goodfellow, Ash and Meghan are growing up a bit, but not only that, their reactions, actions, motivations and emotional passions are fleshed out. Plot elements Kagawa has been setting up since the first book come together, admittedly fairly predictably, but nonetheless enjoyably, in part because the characters are at long last realized rather than just being caricatures. Even Grim, still determinedly sarcastic and inscrutable, is opened up a trifle. Even Luke has a moment - literally one line, but hey, it's moment - of going beyond his cookie cutter as the forgetful-stepforded-step-dad. I admit that I'm somewhat disappointed that Meghan's mother has never had the opportunity to be explored to any extent beyond being the object of fascination for three men of such differing temperaments, and being noted as being unusual in her ability to recall the fey beyond her moments of immediate interactions with them - it seems that she's simply announced as being simply irresistible and the reader is expected to believe that she was and remains so. I cannot help but hope that sometime in the next books in the series, her influence is explored further, particularly when the books transfer focus to Ethan, her other child.
Philosophically, this book draws the reader towards the notion that unlike the Iron Fey that represent the mechanical progress and absolute belief in science over imagination that drove the Industrial Revolution, and then the beginnings of the Information Revolution, this third book opens the door on the idea that there is a point at which technology and creativity may mesh into something new and invigorating and unique, but something which is nonetheless inimical to the cold, selfish and darkly destructive but ultimately natural powers of the Unseelie court. Perhaps this is Kagawa's opening salvo to suggesting that the melding of technology and the power of warmth and creation, if married to the power of passion that turns its back on darkness and moves to the light, will, ultimately, be the salvation of us all?
Meghan starts to really use both her brain and her spine.
Ash gets a sense of humour.
Puck finds a bit of a balance between true friend, trickster, sad-but-not-quite-hopeless-lover, and wise, centuries old fey.
By far - so far - the most effectively characterized of the Iron Fey books, all three of Robin Goodfellow, Ash and Meghan are growing up a bit, but not only that, their reactions, actions, motivations and emotional passions are fleshed out. Plot elements Kagawa has been setting up since the first book come together, admittedly fairly predictably, but nonetheless enjoyably, in part because the characters are at long last realized rather than just being caricatures. Even Grim, still determinedly sarcastic and inscrutable, is opened up a trifle. Even Luke has a moment - literally one line, but hey, it's moment - of going beyond his cookie cutter as the forgetful-stepforded-step-dad. I admit that I'm somewhat disappointed that Meghan's mother has never had the opportunity to be explored to any extent beyond being the object of fascination for three men of such differing temperaments, and being noted as being unusual in her ability to recall the fey beyond her moments of immediate interactions with them - it seems that she's simply announced as being simply irresistible and the reader is expected to believe that she was and remains so. I cannot help but hope that sometime in the next books in the series, her influence is explored further, particularly when the books transfer focus to Ethan, her other child.
Philosophically, this book draws the reader towards the notion that unlike the Iron Fey that represent the mechanical progress and absolute belief in science over imagination that drove the Industrial Revolution, and then the beginnings of the Information Revolution, this third book opens the door on the idea that there is a point at which technology and creativity may mesh into something new and invigorating and unique, but something which is nonetheless inimical to the cold, selfish and darkly destructive but ultimately natural powers of the Unseelie court. Perhaps this is Kagawa's opening salvo to suggesting that the melding of technology and the power of warmth and creation, if married to the power of passion that turns its back on darkness and moves to the light, will, ultimately, be the salvation of us all?