The Iron King by Julie Kagawa is a very entertaining fantasy novel. It does a great job at depicting the life and thoughts of an average sixteen year old girl while also diving into a world of magic and mischief. To summarize, the book starts out with a regular teenage girl, Meghan Chase, who leads a totally average life in a small and uneventful town. The only thing in Meghan’s life that is somewhat notable (in her opinion) is how Meghan’s father disappeared when she was only five years old. His disappearance has always been a mystery, but no one in her town ever gave much thought to it, so neither did Meghan. Just like most teenagers, Meghan feels invisible and unimportant. In the first couple of pages, Meghan’s life is tremendously boring, filled with trivial issues like boys and friend drama, until her entire world is flipped upside down. One day after coming home from school, she discovers that her younger brother, Ethan, was taken by a vicious mystical creature who left a small Fey demon child in his place. No one knows that her real brother is gone, and no one believes her desperate cries to save him. It is up to Meghan and her best friend, Robby, to journey into the Fey world, find her brother, and get the three of them back to the human world in one piece. Meghan faces countless mystical creatures and meets some interesting Fey along the way. During her journey, Meghan learns the real reason why her father disappeared and who she actually is. Meghan’s adventures allow her to finally come into herself and be who she was born to become.

Though the book is a fantasy novel, it is extremely relatable to a real teenager’s experience. I loved the way Meghan thought and spoke. Everything about her character was engaging. She is a very lovable character, and the way she cares for those around her is admirable. Furthermore, Kagawa did a great job at creating a strong and powerful female lead. Meghan faces some challenging and awful situations, but somehow always comes through them stronger. She is a passionate and empathetic protagonist who kicks butt and was so much fun to read about.

Another thing I loved about this book was how it focused a lot on ancient 2Fairy lore. The book’s Fey characters come from the classic Fey fairy tales written about in ancient times as well as in the play A Midsummer Night’s Dream. Meghan gets to meet the infamous Puck, the powerful Mab, and the leader of them all, King Oberon. Each of theses characters showcase their magical abilities and their unbelievable power. The characters all possess very strong and unique personalities that make the book so much more entertaining. Reading a book filled with so much magic and glamour made me excited to dive into fantasy fiction. Overall, The Iron King was a wholesome book about a young girl who finds herself while glimpsing into the mystical world of the Fey. I would definitely recommend it and you should definitely read it!

Checkout The Iron King from the Newport Beach Public Library.