Half Summer faery princess, half human, Meghan has never fit in anywhere. Deserted by the Winter prince she thought loved her, she is prisoner to the Winter faery queen. As war looms between Summer and Winter, Meghan knows that the real danger comes from the Iron fey—ironbound faeries that only she and her absent prince have seen. But no one believes her.
Worse, Meghan’s own fey powers have been cut off. She’s stuck in Faery with only her wits for help. Trusting
anyone would be foolish. Trusting a seeming traitor could be deadly. But even as she grows a backbone of iron, Meghan can’t help but hear the whispers of longing in her all-too-human heart.
I absolutely loved the first book in this series – The Iron King, so I couldn’t wait to read this YA Fantasy. And it definitely didn’t disappoint. Kagawa brings back all the characters I loved from the first book, as well as her beautiful prose. The world she’s created is complex and heartbreaking at the same time. And the twists and turns that occur, the new characters who appear, and the tense plot all make this one a winner in my book. The unexpected steampunk elements carried over from the first book are a really nice touch and make this something different from the usual YA faery stories that are out there right now.
That being said, I’ve seen a lot of reviews from people who’ve complained that Meghan is a dishrag and wallows a bit too much in this story. I have to admit I didn’t notice it while reading, but thinking back, I can see where people would think that. It would be a stronger book if Meghan took charge of her life a little more and didn’t pine so much for Ash, but for a character arc, I think it’s done well and I have high hopes that in the third book, Meghan will finally come into her own.
Overall, I love this series, love the secondary characters and the world, and can’t wait to see what happens next.
I give The Iron Daughter 4 out of 5 stars.
