Ironside
ISBN: 978-0689868207 | Pages: 336 (hardcover)
Author: Holly Black
Ironside continues the story of pixie and changeling Kaye that started in Tithe. Once again there’s plenty of faerie politics, beginning with with Kaye “declaring herself” to love interest Roiben and receiving a seemingly impossible quest. But that’s barely touching the surface of everything going on. The complicated chain of events that follows isn’t easy to summarize.
I’ve heard differing opinions on whether Ironside lives up to its predecessor, and - though it’s been more than a year since I read Tithe - I tend to agree with those who say it’s even better. The characters and pacing are both good. The extremely short sentences can seem inelegant at times, but the writing style is far from bad. It was neither too long nor too short - as much as I love long and heavy books, for Ironside, 65,000 words felt right.
Most of all, the plot is great. It often turns in unexpected ways while remaining utterly believable, and by the final page, everything fits together with a “perfectness” that reminds me of traditional fairy-tales. Every scene in the book has not one but two or more distinct purposes.
Conclusion: 4.5 / 5. If you’re interested in the teen fantasy genre and haven’t read this yet, get yourself a copy.
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