Book Review: The Iron Warrior

The Iron Warrior
(The Iron Fey: Call of the Forgotten #3)

Author: Julie Kagawa

Published By:  Harlequin Teen

Publication Date: October 27th, 2015

Page Count: 384 Pages

Buy it at:  Amazon, Barnes & Noble, IndieBound

Source:  Purchased by Reviewer

Audience:  Young Adult Fantasy

What a ride the last few years have been in The Iron Fey universe!  This last book in The Iron Fey series finished epically and so satisfyingly that...yes...I still want more!  But...I am totally happy with how it ended.

Because going into any details might give away a bit too much, I will stick with being vague and maybe focus more on the series as a whole.

Julie Kagawa invented a totally unique story that revolved around classic faery folklore.  She put her own spin on it way back in the first book of this epic series, The Iron King, by introducing some modern technology to a totally fantastical world.  Anyone who has read more than their fair share of faery stories would know that iron and the fey do not mix.  This is the crux of the story, along with richly invented characters and awesome adventures that test even those most imaginative minds.

In this extension of the original Iron Fey series, Call of the Forgotten focuses on a new (old, actually) race of faeries that we got a glimpse of during Ash's quest to the end of the world, to gain his soul in order to be with Meghan.  His visit to Phaed opened up a can of worms that would be the catalyst for this new adventure that evolves around Ethan (Meghan's younger brother from the previous books, but all grown up), and Meghan & Ash's son, Keirran (who happens to be about the same age as Ethan thanks to funky faery time) and the prophecy we learned about late in the first books of the Iron Fey.  We also had some familiar and much loved faces from those earlier books make appearances...and in this final book, they were very much a part of it.

The arc between both series was seemless.  Julie's recipe for writing epic fantasy stayed true right to the very end.  Julie is also known for excellent character development.  Ethan grew from the bitter and paranoid 17 year old we got reacquainted with in The Lost Prince to a much more mature and caring new adult by the end of this epic conclusion.  He had been through so much--faeries were always a part of his life (terrifyingly so), and yet, he eventually managed to see the good in even those he originally hated for tearing his world apart.  However, he didn't come to these realizations totally on his own; he had some help from Kenzie.

I adored Kenzie.  She was a tough, feisty thing with a heart of gold and one who had been dealt an unfair hand in life.  I loved her progression through the books.  I loved how Julie wrapped up her story-line.  But I can't go any further on that without giving away too much.

Keirran was a tough character to love.  While we all knew he was good at his core (he was Meghan & Ash's son after all).  But when he was under The Lady's influence, he made us want to hate him.  Only Julie could successfully pull off making us love and hate him at the same time.  Again, Julie could have gone in several different directions with his character arc but I'm totally satisfied with the route she took.

As I mentioned, our favourites from the earlier books were very present...Meghan, Ash, Puck, Grimalkin...and a few others we met before.  I loved all of their parts in this.  And I especially loved that these core characters stayed true to themselves.  They didn't suddenly seem different after some time had passed.  They WERE timeless anyway.

Now...there were some sacrifices, which were sad.  I wanted everyone to come through but I understand the author's reasons for not letting everyone cross the finish line.  That adds to some of the realism in this fantasy world.  Not everything and everyone gets their happily ever after.

Having said that, I closed this last book of The Iron Fey with watery eyes and a huge smile on my face. Despite the fact that it took me so long to read it (life getting in the way), I loved every single minute of this journey. Julie ended it perfectly--in such a bittersweet way--that I can still say that this remains my most favourite YA story ever. And the fact that she left just a couple of doors open for possible revisitation, makes me so hopeful that Julie's mind is churning with more epic storylines for this beloved series. *fingers crossed*

My review for The Lost Prince
My review for The Iron Traitor

Goodreads

The Iron Prince—my nephew—betrayed us all.

He killed me.

Then, I woke up.

Waking after a month on the brink of death, Ethan Chase is stunned to learn that the Veil that conceals the fey from human sight was temporarily torn away. Although humankind's glimpse of the world of Faery lasted just a brief moment, the human world has been cast into chaos, and the emotion and glamour produced by fear and wonder has renewed the tremendous power of the Forgotten Queen. Now, she is at the forefront of an uprising against the courts of Summer and Winter—a reckoning that will have cataclysmic effects on the Nevernever.

Leading the Lady's Forgotten Army is Keirran himself: Ethan's nephew, and the traitor son of the Iron Queen, Meghan Chase.To stop Keirran, Ethan must disobey his sister once again as he and his girlfriend, Kenzie, search for answers long forgotten. In the face of unprecedented evil and unfathomable power, Ethan's enemies must become his allies, and the world of the fey will be changed forevermore.