The Iron Knight by Julie Kagawa

Kiki & Jules Rating:    5 Stars and then some!!

This final chapter of The Iron Fey series, The Iron Knight, was flat out phenomenal.  We absolutely loved it!! We really took our time reading this book solely because we just didn't want it to end.  It was written beautifully by Julie Kagawa.  It took us up and down through a roller coaster of emotions, and kept us guessing until the very end.  I'm sure soon, in the not too distant future, we will be feeling withdrawals and re-read the series all over again!!

The Iron Knight made a change and is written from Ash's point of view.  In this last installment, Ash, the exiled Winter Prince, is on a quest to fulfill his promise to Meghan Chase, Iron Queen, and return to her forever.  The only way for Ash to survive the Iron Kingdom is for him to find a soul and become human. Before he can do this he must locate the ever elusive Grimalkin and find his way to the end of the world.  Along for the ride is Puck, who appears to not be wanted by Ash due to his constant poking of the hornet's nest, but in all reality is Ash's true and only friend. There were times that we felt Puck stole the show.  With his never ending side comments and quips during battles, we laughed until we cried.  We really don't think the book would have been the same without Puck.

There is so much involved in Ash's quest that there is never any shortage of excitement and adventure. You see the warrior in him, and for once your feel all the emotion he holds for Megan.  What he thought in the past as a weakness now drives him on.  He will fulfill his duty for her or die trying.  No matter the danger or depth of his challenge Ash never wavered from his quest until Ariella, his first love, returns from "the dead".  Guilt over the time lost with Ariella and the fear of not fulfilling his promise to Meghan threatens to pull Ash apart.  Ariella tries to calm the storm revealing that she purposely hid herself from Puck and Ash to ensure that they meet Megan.  She explains how as a seer she saw that it was Ash's destiny to save Megan, and in turn save all of Fey.  But she does let her jealousy and love of Ash get the best of her and interferes at every turn whenever Ash has a fleeting moment with Megan.  It was enough to drive any man insane.  Along with her return comes the anger and pain Ash has toward Puck causing an even bigger web to be weaved. It isn't until near the end of the Gauntlet that Ash discovers himself.  He sees his future with Megan, even the loss of his own life, and he sees what it truly means to have a soul.  It is then he sees that he has nothing without Megan, and even if he is to die in the end it would be worth it just to be with her.

From every moment, to every conversation, to the depth of the characters, and the vivid settings, all the way up to the very end this book was amazing!!  What else can we say!

Happy Reading

~Kiki & Jules