Publisher: 24th February 2021 by Harlequin Australia & MIRA
Pages: 416 pages
How I Read It: ARC book
Genre: Sci Fi & Fantasy, Teens & YA
My Rating: 4 cups
Synopsis:
You may have heard of me...
Robin Goodfellow. Puck. Prankster, joker, raven, fool… King Oberon’s right-hand jester from A Midsummer Night’s Dream. The legends are many, but the truth will now be known as never before, as Puck finally tells his own story and faces a threat to the lands of Faery and the human world unlike any before.
With the Iron Queen Meghan Chase and her prince consort, Puck’s longtime rival Ash, and allies old and new by his side, Puck begins a fantastical and dangerous adventure not to be missed or forgotten.
My Thoughts
‘You are Robin Goodfellow,” the Tinkerer said. “The Puck. The infamous trickster, and one of the most well-known faeries in existence.’
The Iron Raven is book #1 of the Iron Fey: Evenfall series by Julie Kagawa. This book is a spin-off of the Iron Fey series and is told from Puck’s point of view. Julie does provide some recaps and flashbacks, therefore if you have not read the previous series you won’t be so lost. However, that being said, the reading experience is always much richer if you have previous encounters with particular characters.
This is a fun YA book to read! It has all the right ingredients: action-packed fight scenes with fantastical beasts; a love story that adds rather than distracts from that action; and, loads of humorous moments with witty dialogue that one would expect from Court Jester, Puck. Julie’s writing builds not only on relationship and conflict between characters, but presents great world building - love the steampunk of the Iron Realm.
‘I’ve always known who I am, princeling. I’m the guy no one takes seriously. The guy everyone laughs at, who has a joke for everything, because the world is screwed up and the only way to deal with it is to look it in the eyes and smile. I smile, because it’s either that or get vindictive. And no one likes me when I’m vindictive.’
This is Puck's story and he is such a lively and entertaining character. The plot is fun as they band together to fend off doomsday and whilst there is an ending of sorts, it is clearly part of a series with future battles ahead. Julie does like her battles, a few drawn out ones, so make sure fight scenes are your thing. A little slow at times, however, by the end it was fast paced and it was here that Julie’s writing really won me over. This is a book about personal struggles and often, fighting the demon within. I appreciated the message (no spoilers) that I hope YA will read and respond to on how to overcome ‘evil’.
Fans of Julie Kagawa are in for a treat. A return to the Iron Fey world with an epic journey on the horizon as friendships and loyalties are tested under the shadow of jealousy and revenge. Can old hurts and inner demons be overcome? A captivating tale for YA readers into a magical fae world.
"If he happened to disappear, then those responsible would know the same pain I was feeling. Why should they get their happily-ever-after? When would it be my turn to come out on top?"
This review is based on a complimentary copy from the publisher in exchange for an honest review. The quoted material may have changed in the final release.
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