Title: Iron Fey #05: The Lost Prince
Author: Julie Kagawa
ISBN: 9780373210572
No. of Pages: 328
Genre: Young Adult, Fantasy
Synopsis:
”Don’t look at Them. Never let Them know you can see Them.
That is Ethan Chase’s unbreakable rule. Until the fey he avoids at all costs—including his reputation—begin to disappear, and Ethan is attacked. Now he must change the rules to protect his family. To save a girl he never thought he’d dare to fall for.
Ethan thought he had protected himself from his older sister’s world—the land of Faery. His previous time in the Iron Realm left him with nothing but fear and disgust for the world Meghan Chase has made her home, a land of myth and talking cats, of magic and seductive enemies. But when destiny comes for Ethan, there is no escape from a danger long, long forgotten.”
Thoughts: Julie Kagawa is back and brings with her all of the beloved characters made famous in her Iron Fey series. This time, though, they are nothing but a backdrop for the real story, a new mysterious threat to the Fey and Ethan Chase’s role in protecting the Nevernever as The Lost Prince.
When readers last saw Ethan, he was an adorable and beloved younger brother to Meghan and the reason she entered the land of the Fey in the first place. Now, Meghan is firmly enthroned as the Iron Queen, and Ethan is a surly teenager struggling to fit into a world that has no knowledge of the magic beings only he can see. It has been years since he saw Meghan, and his resentment towards her abandonment of him radiates from his every action and thought.
Enter Todd, a half-breed who gains Ethan’s sympathy in spite of being the epitome of everything he holds in disgust. When Todd’s life is in danger by an unknown new type of Fey, Ethan tries to maintain the careful distance he has built between himself and the Nevernever. However, once the spunky and formidable Kenzie is threatened, the barrier crumbles, and Ethan finds himself once more in the land of the Fey searching for help among those he once considered the bane of his existence.
The Lost Prince follows a familiar format, including a gentle cliffhanger to keep a reader’s interest piqued, secrets kept, a dastardly plot, a forbidden love affair, the obligations of familial bonds, and young love. As familiar as it all is, this does not prevent it from remaining as charming as the rest of the series. Razor provides some of the comic relief missing now that Puck is relegated to a minor character, and Kierran is a great combination of both his mother and father, including his penchant for a fairy from an opposing Court. Kenzie’s no-nonsense approach to their perils is an excellent counterpoint to Ethan’s fondness for whining and regret, and there is suitable mystery and peril to keep one’s excitement high.
The Lost Prince will thrill those fans of the Iron Fey series who were sad to leave Meghan and Ash behind in their own personal happily-ever-after. Indeed, long-time readers will appreciate appearances by Meghan, Ash, Puck, and especially Grimalkin, as Ethan and Kenzie try to sound the call against these new Fey. There is nothing truly earthshattering about the plot or the characters. Still, Ms. Kagawa’s vivid imagery and sense of playfulness highlight every page. One cannot help but be charmed by her reintroduction to the Chase family, and fans will eagerly anticipate future stories as Ethan and Kenzie work to alert the Courts to the pending danger. The Lost Prince continues to delight fans and showcase Ms. Kagawa’s rich world of the Nevernever.
Acknowledgments: Thank you to Harlequin Teen for my e-galley!
