Ironside: A Modern Faerie Tale (udgave 2007)

the pure chaotic energy it requires to finish a three book series with a pun and a cheeky sex reference omfg

"The more powerful you become, the more others will find ways to master you. They'll do it through those you love and those you hate. They will find the bit and the bridle that fits your mouth and will make you yield."

"So there's no way to be safe?"

"Be invisible, perhaps. Be worthless. ... Make them yield first. Or be dead. No one can yet master the dead."

I don't have too much to say - turns out Holly Black was always the faerie queen, and I love how she writes them with all their tricks and riddles. She writes faeries in my favourite way.

But this was a resounding meh, despite lots of good moments. I...look I know I read book 3 and didn't realise the whole Modern Faery Tale series is connected, but I promise it wasn't because of that. Regardless it was a nice change of pace for me, and I'm glad I finally finally knocked it off my list! ( )

Ironside was a fairly good conclusion to this interestingly dark trilogy. I had a couple problems with it, but overall it was a good way to wrap things up.

Once again, Holly Black does a wonderful job blending realism with a fey air of utter creepiness. I don't think I'll ever see faeries as butterfly-winged beauties anymore.

I liked the cameos we saw of previous characters, and I was glad that Luis got the most development here, since I felt like I'd had enough of the other "Valiant" characters. I was kind of bummed Roiben and Kaye spent so much time apart; I was hoping for a lot more insight into their relationship. Oddly enough though, Corny and Luis almost made up for it; theirs was definitely a strange, unorthodox, but oddly moving romance. Corny is an amazing character; I didn't quite realize that in "Tithe," but here he really shone because he was so layered, crazy and loyal and confused and determined and compassionate and lost.

The climax was also cool; it was slow to buildup, but a breathtaking whirlwind of events. While the end felt a little abrupt, it left the characters in satisfying, but not perfect, situations, which I liked. ( )

When I read a fantasy YA book, I want to be wished away to a fantasy world, quick and dirty ( within two chapters). this happens when ever I read a Holly Black faerie book. I live her work and her world's come alive right off the page and my feeble mind can quickly fall into them and imagine every step. I loved this series, I'm just sad it took me for ever to find all three in a hardcover format. ( )

This is not the first book in the series (not sure where it falls), but generally that doesn't matter. Holly Black's descriptions of faeryland are entrancing. This is NOT your average Disney Tinkerbell fairyland. It is seriously fay. ( )

As the concluding book in this trilogy, Ironside brought the characters of the first two books together for an exciting and emotional conclusion. It was fun to watch Holly Black's skill as a writer grow over the course of this trilogy, with each book being better than the last. For example, while I wasn't really sold on the romances that developed in the first two books, I actually really enjoyed watching the new romance that this book brought us. I especially loved the scene where the love was finally confessed. I'm also glad to say that nothing in this book felt questionable with regards to consent, as that was a problem that really bothered me in the first two. Finally, I really liked how things were settled with Kaye's family at the end of the story. ( )