The Iron Raven, and the return of the 2010s
This month the ninth book in ‘The Iron Fey’ series, and the beginning of the new trilogy within the world, hit shelves. ‘The Iron Raven’ by Julie Kagawa brings back Meaghan, Ash, Grimalkin and Puck going on adventures in the Wyldwood, but with Puck leading the show this time.
While the original series ended in 2012, the spin-off starring Kierran, the son of Meaghan and Ash, ran until 2015. And now it’s back.
It’s not the first popular, nostalgic YA series to be resurrected in the last few years and I have some thoughts about this new phenomenon.
Suzanne Collins brought back ‘The Hunger Games’ with ‘The Ballad of Songbirds and Snakes’, Stephenie Meyer brought back Edward and Bella with ‘Midnight Sun’, and Tahereh Mafi went back to the world of ‘Shatter Me’ after four years.
The thing about returning to a series, world and characters that was left behind a long time ago is that it all relies on nostalgia. That is the foundation for these new stories, along with the reliance on old memories, old loves and tropes of literature that are sometimes a decade old. In order to bring something new to this established world, the author needs to rework it to their modern audience and to those original readers who have grown and changed since they first fell in love with these novels.
With ‘Midnight Sun’, I went in knowing exactly what to expect and I loved the experience. With the others I expected something new and fresh, yet still familiar, to be blown away by and fall in love again and I keep being disappointed.
Julie Kagawa’s return to the Nevernever wasn’t a disappointment at all. While the Nevernever and the Wyldwood were settings we’d explored in previous books, Puck’s perspective is darker than Meaghan’s and a different darkness to Ash and Kierran. I loved the reflections on his history with Ash, with Meaghan and moments from his life as Robin Goodfellow. It all added up to a more rounded picture of Puck and why he struggled so much with Ash and Meaghan’s relationship which was really interesting. I also really enjoyed the introduction of Nyx, a Forgotten faery older even that the Courts, and she was a really strong contrast with Meaghan and Puck. She’s kickass and it was great watching her take Puck down a peg or two.
Though it also wasn’t necessary? It didn’t add anything to the original story, just extended it. It was the gang going on an adventure through the Nevernever, coming across dangerous obstacles and new challenges being through in the way at every end point. And I have a serious issue with a book published in 2021 using the word ‘spastic’ and I’m hoping that doesn’t make it to the finished copy as I did read an e-proof.
Written by Sophie
A e-proof of ‘The Iron Raven’ by Julie Kagawa was provided by NetGalley and HQ.
The UK e-book was released on 9 February and the UK paperwork will be released on 1 April by HQ.
