The Iron King by Julie Kagawa

Meghan Chase has grown up unnoticed by the people around her.  She always seemed to blend in and fade away.  Even her stepfather seems to have a hard time remembering she's there.  There's a reason.  Meghan learns that she's half faery after her little brother disappears and is replaced with a Changeling.  Meghan must journey into the Nevernever to get him back, and discovers it's really her that everyone is after.

I enjoyed this, although I thought it kind of went on longer than it had to.  I assume it was so we could be introduced to all the different realms of the faery world, but some of the travel between the worlds felt unnecessary.

I liked that there was so much traditional faery lore that went into the writing of this book.  Meghan's only friend in the human world was a boy named Robbie Goodfell, who turns out to be Puck (if you remember your Midsummer Night's Dream you'll recall that Puck's real name is Robin Goodfellow).  Puck is of course part of Oberon and Titania's court, which is the Summer Court .  There is also the Winter Court, which was Tir Na Nog.  That was kind of weird choice, as there's nothing about Tir Na Nog being in endless winter in the Niamh and Ossian story, I don't think.  Anyway, I liked the mixing of all different kind of faery mythology.

Of course there was a budding romance, between Meghan and the Winter prince, Ash.  I'm not exactly sure why they're in to each other, it was one of those love-hate relationships.  Ash also kept making remarks that he would have no problem killing her.  Maybe he's just trying to cover up his feelings, which are all in turmoil.

Toward the end of the story, Meghan is beginning to realize that she has the potential to become very powerful, which is why everyone seems to be after her.  While I don't know if I'm going to read the rest of the series, and I can definitely see why these books are popular.


I have a question though.  At one point in the story, Meghan makes a deal that in exchange for information she'll give someone her happiest memory.  After it's taken, she has no memory of her father.  Why wouldn't she have any idea that she had a father if only a single memory was taken?  Her father was in her life until she was six, she certainly would have had plenty of memories of him.