Review: The Iron Traitor by Julie Kagawa

In the real world, when you vanish into thin air for a week, people tend to notice. 

After his unexpected journey into the lands of the fey, Ethan Chase just wants to get back to normal. Well, as "normal" as you can be when you see faeries every day of your life. Suddenly the former loner with the bad reputation has someone to try for-his girlfriend, Kenzie. Never mind that he's forbidden to see her again. 

But when your name is Ethan Chase and your sister is one of the most powerful faeries in the Nevernever, "normal" simply isn't to be. For Ethan's nephew, Keirran, is missing, and may be on the verge of doing something unthinkable in the name of saving his own love. Something that will fracture the human and faery worlds forever, and give rise to the dangerous fey known as the Forgotten. As Ethan's and Keirran's fates entwine and Keirran slips further into darkness, Ethan's next choice may decide the fate of them all.

Title: The Iron Traitor
Author: Julie Kagawa
Series: Iron Fey: Call of the Forgotten #2
Publisher: Harlequin Teen
Publication Date: October 29th 2013

Rating: 3.5 stars

Thoughts:

I'm quite certain that Julie Kagawa is a cruel person. I mean, WHO ends a book like that? Who leaves us hanging like that? I have a feeling that Kagawa enjoys ripping out our hearts and shredding them to pieces. That ending... And how long till book 3? A year? This is pure cruelty ;_;

In all seriousness, though: I did have some problems with The Iron Traitor. I felt that this book was a bit.. too long. I mean, Kagawa only describes the necessary things and I can't think of anything that needn't be there. Still, this book dragged a little and I had trouble getting through it. Especially the middle felt really slow, and, to be honest, didn't exactly have me flipping the pages. In fact, I found that I could lay away this book far too easily, while Kagawa's previous books were really addictive.

A lot of the book feels, in a way, 'low'. Or maybe 'passive' is a better word. Don't get me wrong - the characters do a lot of things and never stand still. But I never really felt that urgency. Also, there was a lot less fun banter. Which is a shame, because Kagawa excels at banter! There is some, especially when Puck shows up, but I felt the book really needed that lighter tone and that there simply was too little of it.

There were a lot of positive things to be found in The Iron Traitor, though. As always, the originality and imagery in the book is great. Kagawa has a really visual way of describing things, and it was really easy to picture everything (especially the Nevernever). And the plot with the Forgotten keeps getting better an better.

The characters were pretty great, too. Their personalities are still well-thought out. Ethan can be a bit of a jerk sometimes, but he recognizes that and tries to tone it down. Kenzie is getting stronger and stronger and still won't take 'no' for an answer. The only 'weak' character (for a lack of a better word) for me is Annwyl. I still don't have a grasp on her personality and she felt a bit bland to me. I don't feel like I really know her, nor could I describe her to someone who hasn't read these books. I really disliked Keirran in this book, but I do understand why he acted the way he did. He was just a bit scary and also a bit of a jerk, and I was never sure where his loyalties lay. (Hence the title: The Iron Traitor.) However, the reason for his actions were clear and while I didn't like him at all, I did understand him.

In all, I did enjoy The Iron Traitor. While I felt that the middle of the dragged a little, Kagawa made up for it with that ending. THAT ENDING. THAT VERY CRUEL ENDING.

**Review copy provided by Harlequin Teen. Thank you! No money or favors were exchanged to alter this review. **