As much as I was looking forward to reading The Iron Knight, I was also very reluctant to read it. I hate reading the last book of a series I’ve enjoyed because it’s so final. I know Julie Kagawa is going to be writing a continuation series centered around Meghan’s brother, but it’s not going to be the same and we all know it. But, I did it. I read The Iron Knight because I had to know how it all ended, and let me tell you, I wasn’t disappointed.
WARNING: This review will spoil you if you haven’t read the rest of the Iron Fey series. There’s no way around it. Sorry.
My name—my True Name—is Ashallayn’darkmyr Tallyn. I am the last remaining son of Mab, Queen of the Unseelie Court. And I am dead to her. My fall began, as many stories do, with a girl…
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.
So it starts off pretty much just after The Iron Queen ends. Ash has no place to call his own since he’s no longer recognized as a prince of the Winter Court and Meghan’s off being the Queen of the Iron realm and has refused Ash admittance while he’s still fey. What’s a former prince supposed to do?
Get a soul, obviously.
The journey Ash undertakes, with former Summer fey pal Puck, cait sith Grimalkin, and some surprise guests along the way, took up about half the book. We get to see more of the fey world and Julie takes us to places that, quite honestly, scared me a bit. There are some creepy, horrible things that live in the fey world. Personally, I never want to go there. We also get to have a lot of insight in Ash himself since the book is in his point of view. He takes a trip down memory lane and I started to kind of fall for him. I mean, I liked him in the Iron Fey series. I liked him and Meghan together and I understood why he did most of what he did, but I never really felt like he was someone who had… morals, at least, not when it came to anything but Meghan. After reading this book, I can’t say that any longer.
What Ash went through to get a soul, to be with Meghan, was heartbreaking and wonderful and I hope she appreciates what he did for her.
I did find the book to slow down when emotional time started up. Emotional time was hard to get through, in part because emotions and Ash in the same thought was something I had to reconcile and get used to. The big twist was… mphm. I was not pleased with it. I might have taken my frustration out with CAPS for several minutes in my notes. And there was some name calling. I’m not proud of it, but it needed to happen so I could overcome the feelings and move on with the reading.
Once the trials started for Ash’s soul, it picked back up. I really liked the trials, mainly because we get to see Ash before he became Meghan’s. I would love a book just about Ash as a true Winter Court Prince, before he grew tired of the games and the politics. Also, Puck grew on me a lot during this book. Before I found him a little silly and kind of irritating, but he was a good friend to Ash and redeemed himself, in my eyes.
I know Ethan’s book will be coming out later this year and I’m interested to see what his story is and if we’ll get any glimpses of Meghan or Ash in it. I also wouldn’t mind knowing what happened to Puck after The Iron Knight. I hope he’s featured a bit in Ethan’s book.
Overall, I found this book to be a great addition to the Iron Fey series. If you like Ash and you like the series, then you’ll like this book. Easy as that.