Review: The Iron Knight by Julie Kagawa

Julie Kagawa, I salute you.

THAT'S how you write the perfect ending to an awesome series!!

From the Back Cover:

(I'm abbrieviating this in the interest of avoiding spoilers!)

Ash, former prince of the Winter Court, gave up everything. His title, his home, even his vow of loyalty. All for a girl… and all for nothing.

Unless he can earn a soul.

My Thoughts:

The Iron Fey is one of my favorite series, for so many reasons. This series has everything a reader could ask for: A courageous heroine worthy of being a role model to teen girls everywhere? Check. A not-so-perfect-yet-swoonworthy hero who will do anything for his girl? Check. A wildly imaginative and inventive storyworld? Check. Impressive character growth and development? Impeccable writing that grabs the reader and never lets go? A story that takes the reader on one hell of an emotional roller coaster ride? Check, Check, and Check!

All of that and more is in store in this fourth and final book of The Iron Fey series. The first three books were written from Meghan Chase's point of view, but this final book belongs to her Iron Knight, Prince Ash. A heartbreaking chain of events at the end of The Iron Queen--seriously, I cried my eyes out--set Ash on the path to fulfilling the ultimate quest to attain what he wants more than anything: to be able to survive in the Iron Realm and take his place beside his Iron Queen, and The Iron Knight is the story of his journey.

And it's a journey to end all heroic journeys. With the help of his former best friend turned archrival Puck, everybody's favorite cait-sidhe Grimalkin, and a few surprising allies picked up along the way, Ash fights his way through the neverending dangers of the Nevernever to the River of Dreams and on to the End of the World, where he must face the Guardian and a series of tests to determine if he is worthy to receive the human soul he so desperately craves. Confronted by truths from his past, present and future, Ash begins to question everything he's ever wanted, everything he's ever believed about himself and those around him, and whether he has what it takes to see his journey through to the end.

Strangely enough, I'm not saddened to see this series end. I think it's because it just really came around full circle and felt so complete, and also because I know I will re-live this adventure many times as I read these books over and over again. And as for how Ash's quest, and the series, ends, I'll just say this: Perfectly. You know an ending is just right when it has you sobbing and grinning from ear-to-ear at the same time.

My Rating:  5 Stars out of 5

*Please Note: This title will be published October 25, 2011, and this review references an advance digital copy received from the publisher via NetGalley, and therefore the final published copy may differ. Though I received this book from the publisher, these are my honest and unbiased thoughts, and I was not compensated in any other way for reviewing this book.