Book Review: The Iron Knight by Julie Kagawa

Title: The Iron Knight

Author: Julie Kagawa

Publisher: Harlequin

Publication date: October 25, 2011

Softcover: 304 pages

Stand Alone or Series: Series--this is the last in a series.

How I got this book: E-galley from Netgalley

Why I chose this book: Hello!?  It's THE IRON KNIGHT!  With Ash!

Synopsis:

Ash, former prince of the Winter Court, gave up everything. His title, his home, even his vow of loyalty. All for a girl… and all for nothing.

Unless he can earn a soul.

To cold, emotionless faery prince Ash, love was a weakness for mortals and fools. His own love had died a horrible death, killing any gentler feelings the Winter prince might have had. Or so he thought.

Then Meghan Chase—a half human, half fey slip of a girl— smashed through his barricades, binding him to her irrevocably with his oath to be her knight. And when all of Faery nearly fell to the Iron fey, she severed their bond to save his life. Meghan is now the Iron Queen, ruler of a realm where no Winter or Summer fey can survive.

With the (unwelcome) company of his archrival, Summer Court prankster Puck, and the infuriating cait sith Grimalkin, Ash begins a journey he is bound to see through to its end— a quest to find a way to honor his solemn vow to stand by Meghan’s side.

To survive in the Iron realm, Ash must have a soul and a mortal body. But the tests he must face to earn these things are impossible. At least, no one has ever passed to tell the tale.

And then Ash learns something that changes everything. A truth that turns reality upside down, challenges his darkest beliefs and shows him that, sometimes, it takes more than courage to make the ultimate sacrifice.

Review:

I'm going to make this short and sweet.  There are very (very) few books that I would give five stars to.  Here's the criteria for a five star book: I feel like what has happened throughout the book was a part of my life; I feel like the characters are a part of me--their struggles my struggles; The book haunts me in my dreams; the story lives with me far after I'm done reading it; I wish it would never end.  I could go on and on as to what makes a five star book, but I think you've got the gist. 

So here's what you've been waiting for: The Iron Knight by Julie Kagawa is a five star book.  I'm so sad to see the series ending, but I love the insight that Kagawa has given me to the future of the characters.  I feel like they will live with me forever.  (Even though I know I will be reading this series over and over again.)

Two words to sum up this book: agonizingly epic.  Agonizing, because this book really makes me feel.  I don't know how to go into detail on that point, but that's what it does.  It makes everything around me stop, and takes me to another world.  And the epic part is pretty easy to understand.  This is a book I will force me children to read one day. (Read: I'm only sixteen.  We have a while.) 

I will definitely be reading anything else Kagawa puts out there!