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Modern Faerie Tales #3
Ironside
In the realm of Faerie, the time has come for Roiben's coronation. Uneasy in the midst of the malevolent Unseelie Court, pixie Kaye is sure of only one thing -- her love for Roiben. But when Kaye, drunk on faerie wine, declares herself to Roiben, he sends her on a seemingly impossible quest. Now Kaye can't see or speak to Roiben unless she can find the one thing she knows doesn't exist: a faerie who can tell a lie.
Miserable and convinced she belongs nowhere, Kaye decides to tell her mother the truth -- that she is a changeling left in place of the human daughter stolen long ago. Her mother's shock and horror sends Kaye back to the world of Faerie to find her human counterpart and return her to Ironside. But once back in the faerie courts, Kaye finds herself a pawn in the games of Silarial, queen of the Seelie Court. Silarial wants Roiben's throne, and she will use Kaye, and any means necessary, to get it. In this game of wits and weapons, can a pixie outplay a queen?
Holly Black spins a seductive tale at once achingly real and chillingly enchanted, set in a dangerous world where pleasure mingles with pain and nothing is exactly as it appears.
Miserable and convinced she belongs nowhere, Kaye decides to tell her mother the truth -- that she is a changeling left in place of the human daughter stolen long ago. Her mother's shock and horror sends Kaye back to the world of Faerie to find her human counterpart and return her to Ironside. But once back in the faerie courts, Kaye finds herself a pawn in the games of Silarial, queen of the Seelie Court. Silarial wants Roiben's throne, and she will use Kaye, and any means necessary, to get it. In this game of wits and weapons, can a pixie outplay a queen?
Holly Black spins a seductive tale at once achingly real and chillingly enchanted, set in a dangerous world where pleasure mingles with pain and nothing is exactly as it appears.
323 pages, Hardcover
First published April 24, 2007
About the author
Holly Black
170 books111k followersHolly Black is the #1 New York Times bestselling author of over thirty fantasy novels for kids and teens. She has been a finalist for an Eisner Award and the Lodestar Award, and the recipient of the Mythopoeic Award, a Nebula, and a Newbery Honor. Her books have been translated into 32 languages worldwide and adapted for film. She currently lives in New England with her husband and son in a house with a secret library.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 2,043 reviews
December 30, 2022
"I taught myself to feel nothing. And you make me feel."
Rating: ⭐⭐⭐⭐
❗This review contains minor spoilers❗
⚠️Trigger Warning: Coarse language⚠️
Yes, I read the third book in the series before the second one and it seems like I've made the right choice. Valiant, the second book in the series, has different protagonists. Honestly, I don't know why the series order would be set like this but...oh well. It is what it is. I wanted to complete Roiben and Kaye's story before moving on to another one. I will read the second book, of course. I can't leave a series unfinished.
I am pleased to report that Ironside was a significant improvement to Tithe. It was still a little dull but not to the same extent as book one. The plot was much more interesting, fast-paced, and emotional. I also cared a lot more about the characters than I did previously. Not counting Kaye, Roiben, Corny, and Lutie-loo. I have loved them with all my heart since book one and I never stopped. There were some pretty cool twists, although a few were a little predictable but still enjoyable. I caught some major foreshadowing for The Folk of the Air series that blew my damn mind so thoroughly I haven't recovered yet. Also, I found the ending to be pretty satisfying and really really cute.
I found that Kaye had a much better character arc in this book and her storyline was more intense and emotional. I felt truly connected to the character. She also learned how to deal with the fae like a badass. Sure she's one of them, but a lot of those who have lived in Faerieland their whole lives couldn't manage as well as she did. She's a damn genius. As for Roiben, he was as charming and beautiful as ever, with his own spectacular moments of brilliance in him. Even though he sent Kaye away like a dumbass. Seriously, I fell in love with him all over again. Every time he talked about/to Kaye my eyes shifted into heart shapes and threatened to jump out of my skull in delight. With a little more practice, he could really give Cardan a run for his money. Holly Black's fictional boys are just👌🏻👌🏻👌🏻 There weren't as many scenes between Kaye and Roiben as I expected/wanted, each had their own journey to one another and only met here and there, but I have to admit that it made their reconciliation much more heartwarming.
Things have gone from good to bad and back again a whole bunch of times in this book (naturally, what else would one expect from Kaye's luck?) If there was one thing keeping me going through all of Kaye's misfortunes was my beloved Lutie-loo. She was an absolute delight on paper. Adorable, hilarious, and soooo lovableee 😍😍😍 And it sucked that she wasn't as present as SHE SHOULD HAVE BEEN. Corny was just as delightful as always, no surprises here. He also had a little romance of his own. A much, much healthier one this time. He and Luis are so great together, their romance made my heart swell. Nothing in the real world can make me feel this way. NOTHING. I also found a lot of the newcomers interesting. Dulcamara especially. She reminds me of an energetic Jude and I love it. Oh yeah, Ethine still sucks. I don't like her. Not one bit.
The Lament of Lutie-loo:
"Lutie was about the height of a large mug of tea. Or a pencil that had been sharpened a few times. Or a paperback book that could be tucked into a purse."
Rating: ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
❗This review contains some spoilers❗
If this was a full-length novel, I would give all my money. No joke. To be so precious, funny, and intelligent all at once. No one else has a chance. SHE EATS CHOCOLATE-COVERED COFFEE BEANS, DUDES!!! CHOCOLATE-COVERED COFFEE BEANS!!! CAN YOU GET ANY MORE ADORABLE THAN THAT?!?!?!?! Other than how adorable Lutie is, this little wholesome short takes place sometime between the events of The Cruel Prince. More specifically, a little before Dain's coronation from hell. Another exciting thing about this story is that MY BABY CARDAN HAS A CAMEO IN IT. How is he perfect in everything?? HOOOOW?? 😍😍😍 The only bad thing was that Jude didn't make an appearance and it really bummed me out. You can't have Elfhame without its most badass human killer. You just can't. Yes, Kaye and Roiben were perfect here, too. And yes, Ethine was just as unbearable as she always was, even though she made up with Roiben in the end.
I want to reread TFOTA, now. I don't think I can help myself.
Rating: ⭐⭐⭐⭐
❗This review contains minor spoilers❗
⚠️Trigger Warning: Coarse language⚠️
Yes, I read the third book in the series before the second one and it seems like I've made the right choice. Valiant, the second book in the series, has different protagonists. Honestly, I don't know why the series order would be set like this but...oh well. It is what it is. I wanted to complete Roiben and Kaye's story before moving on to another one. I will read the second book, of course. I can't leave a series unfinished.
I am pleased to report that Ironside was a significant improvement to Tithe. It was still a little dull but not to the same extent as book one. The plot was much more interesting, fast-paced, and emotional. I also cared a lot more about the characters than I did previously. Not counting Kaye, Roiben, Corny, and Lutie-loo. I have loved them with all my heart since book one and I never stopped. There were some pretty cool twists, although a few were a little predictable but still enjoyable. I caught some major foreshadowing for The Folk of the Air series that blew my damn mind so thoroughly I haven't recovered yet. Also, I found the ending to be pretty satisfying and really really cute.
I found that Kaye had a much better character arc in this book and her storyline was more intense and emotional. I felt truly connected to the character. She also learned how to deal with the fae like a badass. Sure she's one of them, but a lot of those who have lived in Faerieland their whole lives couldn't manage as well as she did. She's a damn genius. As for Roiben, he was as charming and beautiful as ever, with his own spectacular moments of brilliance in him. Even though he sent Kaye away like a dumbass. Seriously, I fell in love with him all over again. Every time he talked about/to Kaye my eyes shifted into heart shapes and threatened to jump out of my skull in delight. With a little more practice, he could really give Cardan a run for his money. Holly Black's fictional boys are just👌🏻👌🏻👌🏻 There weren't as many scenes between Kaye and Roiben as I expected/wanted, each had their own journey to one another and only met here and there, but I have to admit that it made their reconciliation much more heartwarming.
Things have gone from good to bad and back again a whole bunch of times in this book (naturally, what else would one expect from Kaye's luck?) If there was one thing keeping me going through all of Kaye's misfortunes was my beloved Lutie-loo. She was an absolute delight on paper. Adorable, hilarious, and soooo lovableee 😍😍😍 And it sucked that she wasn't as present as SHE SHOULD HAVE BEEN. Corny was just as delightful as always, no surprises here. He also had a little romance of his own. A much, much healthier one this time. He and Luis are so great together, their romance made my heart swell. Nothing in the real world can make me feel this way. NOTHING. I also found a lot of the newcomers interesting. Dulcamara especially. She reminds me of an energetic Jude and I love it. Oh yeah, Ethine still sucks. I don't like her. Not one bit.
The Lament of Lutie-loo:
"Lutie was about the height of a large mug of tea. Or a pencil that had been sharpened a few times. Or a paperback book that could be tucked into a purse."
Rating: ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
❗This review contains some spoilers❗
If this was a full-length novel, I would give all my money. No joke. To be so precious, funny, and intelligent all at once. No one else has a chance. SHE EATS CHOCOLATE-COVERED COFFEE BEANS, DUDES!!! CHOCOLATE-COVERED COFFEE BEANS!!! CAN YOU GET ANY MORE ADORABLE THAN THAT?!?!?!?! Other than how adorable Lutie is, this little wholesome short takes place sometime between the events of The Cruel Prince. More specifically, a little before Dain's coronation from hell. Another exciting thing about this story is that MY BABY CARDAN HAS A CAMEO IN IT. How is he perfect in everything?? HOOOOW?? 😍😍😍 The only bad thing was that Jude didn't make an appearance and it really bummed me out. You can't have Elfhame without its most badass human killer. You just can't. Yes, Kaye and Roiben were perfect here, too. And yes, Ethine was just as unbearable as she always was, even though she made up with Roiben in the end.
I want to reread TFOTA, now. I don't think I can help myself.
August 7, 2020
It’s not often that a series conclusion elevates a series to another level. This does.
In Ironside, the conclusion to the Modern Faerie Tales series, Roiben sends Kaye on an impossible quest, and Kaye must come to terms with her identity between faerie and human worlds.
Ironside’s biggest success is in its newfound development of characters who didn’t feel as if they had internal lives earlier. Specifically, Corny, who came off like a gay best friend trope in the first book, has a far more interesting arc here. In the first book, he’s used as a prop until the ending, and feels lacking in internal life. Here, he’s dynamic, with an arc around trauma and revenge that is genuinely resonant. He and Liam from book two also start a romantic relationship that feels… surprisingly well-built? There’s this one scene between the two——that I genuinely can’t stop thinking about.
The development of Ellen, Kaye’s mother, was likewise really interesting. Kaye’s first book characterization could have done with better focus on this relationship, which was flawed from the beginning. Here, the relationship between the two is put towards Kaye’s growth, her acceptance of herself as both faerie and somehow human.
The plot here feels simultaneously just as brutal and more twisty than previous books, which I enjoyed.
Holly Black has definitely improved a lot as an author since writing this series in general, but this series conclusion was good. I don’t know if I’d tell everyone to take their time and read this series, but if you’re a fan of Holly Black’s other work, I’d encourage you to go for it.
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In Ironside, the conclusion to the Modern Faerie Tales series, Roiben sends Kaye on an impossible quest, and Kaye must come to terms with her identity between faerie and human worlds.
Ironside’s biggest success is in its newfound development of characters who didn’t feel as if they had internal lives earlier. Specifically, Corny, who came off like a gay best friend trope in the first book, has a far more interesting arc here. In the first book, he’s used as a prop until the ending, and feels lacking in internal life. Here, he’s dynamic, with an arc around trauma and revenge that is genuinely resonant. He and Liam from book two also start a romantic relationship that feels… surprisingly well-built? There’s this one scene between the two——that I genuinely can’t stop thinking about.
The development of Ellen, Kaye’s mother, was likewise really interesting. Kaye’s first book characterization could have done with better focus on this relationship, which was flawed from the beginning. Here, the relationship between the two is put towards Kaye’s growth, her acceptance of herself as both faerie and somehow human.
The plot here feels simultaneously just as brutal and more twisty than previous books, which I enjoyed.
Holly Black has definitely improved a lot as an author since writing this series in general, but this series conclusion was good. I don’t know if I’d tell everyone to take their time and read this series, but if you’re a fan of Holly Black’s other work, I’d encourage you to go for it.
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October 7, 2019
In Ironside we are back to following the adventures of Kaye, the pixie.
Her adventures in this final book include an impossible quest to find a faerie who can lie and to retrieve the human girl she was replaced with in infancy.
Somehow Kaye finds herself as a pawn to be used by the Seelie queen against Roiben.
In all honesty I would give this whole trilogy 2.5 stars.
I wish I had dnf'd this in book 1, but alas, I was stubborn.
These characters were bland, and the writing was so bad I could not believe this is the same author who gave us the master piece that is The Folk of the Air series.
It just wasn't for me.
Her adventures in this final book include an impossible quest to find a faerie who can lie and to retrieve the human girl she was replaced with in infancy.
Somehow Kaye finds herself as a pawn to be used by the Seelie queen against Roiben.
In all honesty I would give this whole trilogy 2.5 stars.
I wish I had dnf'd this in book 1, but alas, I was stubborn.
These characters were bland, and the writing was so bad I could not believe this is the same author who gave us the master piece that is The Folk of the Air series.
It just wasn't for me.
July 18, 2018
Loved this book!
Ironside is the third installment of the Modern Faerie Tales series. I just love this dark and creepy series. Learning about the faerie world just keeps getting interesting and interesting. However, I'm still just wondering why the food is never good? Or is that just me...
Now in this book, you will meet and fall in love with Corny. He was definitely amazing and perfect in my eyes. Any character that speaks sarcasm will always connect with me. ALWAYS. Yeah, that's pretty much it. Kaye and Roiban were just meh to me. I hate their constant push and pull kind of relationship. Kaye just seems to always be in a crisis or something. I was just so done with their meh relationship.
Besides all of that, there's a crap ton of death, torture, and destruction in this book. Again, I love the darkness in these books. Maybe it brings out the darker side of me but yeah, it was funny and a really enjoyable read. I'm happy that I finally got a chance to dive into this book and I can't wait to dive into another book by Holly.
Ironside is the third installment of the Modern Faerie Tales series. I just love this dark and creepy series. Learning about the faerie world just keeps getting interesting and interesting. However, I'm still just wondering why the food is never good? Or is that just me...
Now in this book, you will meet and fall in love with Corny. He was definitely amazing and perfect in my eyes. Any character that speaks sarcasm will always connect with me. ALWAYS. Yeah, that's pretty much it. Kaye and Roiban were just meh to me. I hate their constant push and pull kind of relationship. Kaye just seems to always be in a crisis or something. I was just so done with their meh relationship.
Besides all of that, there's a crap ton of death, torture, and destruction in this book. Again, I love the darkness in these books. Maybe it brings out the darker side of me but yeah, it was funny and a really enjoyable read. I'm happy that I finally got a chance to dive into this book and I can't wait to dive into another book by Holly.
August 25, 2020
2.75 stars
I suppose this is a solid end to this trilogy, but it was my least favorite book of the three and this series in general is one of my least favorites by Holly Black.
Thoughts on Book #1, Tithe.
Thoughts on Book #2, Valiant.
This is another reaction review, folks, so please check the book description if you want more detailed info!
Okay, so Ironside wasn't exactly what I expected—or, to be brutal, even wanted—for the end of this trilogy. That sounds dramatic. It was fine. But I wanted more, and what I got I wanted less of.
First off, I think it's hard to have a series where the first book follows one set of characters, the second book follows another set of characters, and then the third book cherry-picks which of those two sets of characters to include—instead of wrapping up the plot lines of ALL the characters. It leaves me, the reader, with confused vibe. I thought we'd get an almost 50/50 split of the main characters of Tithe and the main characters of Valiant, but this really wasn't the case. That bothered me.
I was also irked by the choices made in terms of how the final endgame went down. In a typical move for this series, lots of time and descriptions were spent on the random fillers of the series—the gritty realities of urban city life, the mundane day-to-day, the weird teenager dialogue. When you have a "final showdown" between two faerie courts, I was expecting us to cover that portion with more detail and pages....not spend 75% of the book on the same stuff that the first two books covered.
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I suppose this is a solid end to this trilogy, but it was my least favorite book of the three and this series in general is one of my least favorites by Holly Black.
Thoughts on Book #1, Tithe.
Thoughts on Book #2, Valiant.
This is another reaction review, folks, so please check the book description if you want more detailed info!
Okay, so Ironside wasn't exactly what I expected—or, to be brutal, even wanted—for the end of this trilogy. That sounds dramatic. It was fine. But I wanted more, and what I got I wanted less of.
First off, I think it's hard to have a series where the first book follows one set of characters, the second book follows another set of characters, and then the third book cherry-picks which of those two sets of characters to include—instead of wrapping up the plot lines of ALL the characters. It leaves me, the reader, with confused vibe. I thought we'd get an almost 50/50 split of the main characters of Tithe and the main characters of Valiant, but this really wasn't the case. That bothered me.
I was also irked by the choices made in terms of how the final endgame went down. In a typical move for this series, lots of time and descriptions were spent on the random fillers of the series—the gritty realities of urban city life, the mundane day-to-day, the weird teenager dialogue. When you have a "final showdown" between two faerie courts, I was expecting us to cover that portion with more detail and pages....not spend 75% of the book on the same stuff that the first two books covered.
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May 18, 2020
In Ironside, Kaye returns as the protagonist, and the plot continues a week after the events of Tithe…which I shall try not to spoil, haha. In order to do so, I’ll be very brief. Kaye no longer knows where she belongs in the Unseelie Court as a changeling, but is sure of one thing and one thing only: her love for Roiben. At his coronation, Kaye gets drunk on faery wine and declares herself to him. He then sends her on a seemingly impossible quest…She cannot see or speak to him until she finds a faery who can lie, something she knows does not exist. Or does it?
November 5, 2012
Reviewed by Andie Z. for TeensReadToo.com
I have been looking forward to this book ever since I finished TITHE, and Holly Black most definitely does not disappoint. IRONSIDE picks up soon after the events in TITHE and VALIANT, and takes the reader on another breathless journey into the amazing and deadly world of Faerie.
Things have been uneasy ever since Roiben assumed the throne of the Unseelie Court, and with the threat of war in the air and Roiben's coronation drawing near, everyone is on edge. Changeling Kaye Fierch knows that she loves Roiben, but she feels increasingly unwelcome and out of place in the Unseelie Court. So the night of the coronation, determined to prove herself to Roiben and the rest of the court, she makes a formal declaration and pledges herself to him as his consort. However, faerie custom demands that a quest be undertaken before anyone can sit as the Lord's consort, and Roiben grants Kaye an impossible task: to find a fairy who can tell an untruth. Now she is forbidden from seeing or speaking to him until she completes something she knows cannot be done.
Kaye doesn't know where to go, because she has been feeling uncomfortable at home as well, knowing that she stole a human child's life. In a moment of desperation, she tells her mother the truth: that she is a changeling that was switched with Ellen's real daughter, the real Kaye, and she vows to retrieve her from the Seelie Court and return her to Ellen. She feels that this, at least, is something she can do, even if there's no way she can complete Roiben's quest.
But with all the tension between the courts there is nowhere safe, and in venturing into the Seelie Court to find her human counterpart, Kaye puts herself within reach of Lady Silarial. Silarial wants Roiben's throne, and she's willing to do anything, including using Kaye, to get it. Once again Kaye finds herself in the middle of Faerie politics, but this time Roiben's not there to save her, and she may not have a way out.
In my personal experience it is rare that a sequel ever lives up to the first book, but IRONSIDE does just that. Full of court rivalry, deception and betrayal, sword fights and murder, faerie curses, new romances, and even characters from VALIANT, IRONSIDE is another wonderful foray into the dark, gritty world of Faerie and will not leave readers disappointed. It will make you laugh, it will make you cry, it will make you pound your pillow in frustration and clap your hands in delight. My one and only complaint is that this is the last book set in this amazing world.
I have been looking forward to this book ever since I finished TITHE, and Holly Black most definitely does not disappoint. IRONSIDE picks up soon after the events in TITHE and VALIANT, and takes the reader on another breathless journey into the amazing and deadly world of Faerie.
Things have been uneasy ever since Roiben assumed the throne of the Unseelie Court, and with the threat of war in the air and Roiben's coronation drawing near, everyone is on edge. Changeling Kaye Fierch knows that she loves Roiben, but she feels increasingly unwelcome and out of place in the Unseelie Court. So the night of the coronation, determined to prove herself to Roiben and the rest of the court, she makes a formal declaration and pledges herself to him as his consort. However, faerie custom demands that a quest be undertaken before anyone can sit as the Lord's consort, and Roiben grants Kaye an impossible task: to find a fairy who can tell an untruth. Now she is forbidden from seeing or speaking to him until she completes something she knows cannot be done.
Kaye doesn't know where to go, because she has been feeling uncomfortable at home as well, knowing that she stole a human child's life. In a moment of desperation, she tells her mother the truth: that she is a changeling that was switched with Ellen's real daughter, the real Kaye, and she vows to retrieve her from the Seelie Court and return her to Ellen. She feels that this, at least, is something she can do, even if there's no way she can complete Roiben's quest.
But with all the tension between the courts there is nowhere safe, and in venturing into the Seelie Court to find her human counterpart, Kaye puts herself within reach of Lady Silarial. Silarial wants Roiben's throne, and she's willing to do anything, including using Kaye, to get it. Once again Kaye finds herself in the middle of Faerie politics, but this time Roiben's not there to save her, and she may not have a way out.
In my personal experience it is rare that a sequel ever lives up to the first book, but IRONSIDE does just that. Full of court rivalry, deception and betrayal, sword fights and murder, faerie curses, new romances, and even characters from VALIANT, IRONSIDE is another wonderful foray into the dark, gritty world of Faerie and will not leave readers disappointed. It will make you laugh, it will make you cry, it will make you pound your pillow in frustration and clap your hands in delight. My one and only complaint is that this is the last book set in this amazing world.
February 22, 2018
This was nearly as good as the first book, which is my favourite in this series. It had an actual quest and adventure, like the first. But it focused mostly on Kaye, Corny, and Luis (a returning character from book 2), and not enough Roiben. And there was very little romance. The most sexually charged scene was actually between two supporting characters. It was brief but you could tell it was heated. I wouldn't have been disappointed if we had seen more of them. This book remains primarily a faerie adventure. In that sense it was very good. Lots of action and suspense and faerie politics.
Although Luis was in this one, and a glimpse of Val and Ravus at the end, the story of the second book was not relevant to this one, and anything you would have to know about Luis was explained in this one. So you could read just #1 and 3, or just #2 alone, if you wanted to. But just read them all!
Although Luis was in this one, and a glimpse of Val and Ravus at the end, the story of the second book was not relevant to this one, and anything you would have to know about Luis was explained in this one. So you could read just #1 and 3, or just #2 alone, if you wanted to. But just read them all!
April 2, 2018
A mixed bag, like previous 2 books (faerie lore - yeah!, romance, teen angst - meh!). Glad to see mostly the better aspects of Black's early faerir books made it into The Cruel Prince.
March 29, 2022
3.5★ | The more powerful you become, the more others will find ways to master you. They'll do it through those you love and through those you hate; they will find the bit and bridle that fits your mouth and makes you yield.
I loved the main characters and side characters so much and yet, we didn't get enough of them. Reading about them all made me have a really great time and I'd happily read more about them should Holly decide to continue writing about these characters.
Even though I enjoyed it a lot, laughed at times and felt sad or horrified, it just didn't feel like a 4 star level good book to me. It was going great until more than half the book but I feel like it shouldn't have ended that way. But again, I feel like that about tfota too. I truly wish Holly writes more books for all these characters.
She's written these in the form of faerie fruit. You read (eat) it and it would end but you'll keep wanting more. (At least, thats how I felt)
My reviews/ratings of other books
Tithe (book 1) 3.5★
Valiant (book 2) 4★
(It's funny tho, that I love Kaye and Roiben more than Val and Ravus and yet their story, their book was such a solid 4 star book)
________
and finally, the book I've been waiting for. Can't wait to see Tithe and Valiant characters interacting (at least, I hope I get that, this book is thick, after all)
I loved the main characters and side characters so much and yet, we didn't get enough of them. Reading about them all made me have a really great time and I'd happily read more about them should Holly decide to continue writing about these characters.
Even though I enjoyed it a lot, laughed at times and felt sad or horrified, it just didn't feel like a 4 star level good book to me. It was going great until more than half the book but I feel like it shouldn't have ended that way. But again, I feel like that about tfota too. I truly wish Holly writes more books for all these characters.
She's written these in the form of faerie fruit. You read (eat) it and it would end but you'll keep wanting more. (At least, thats how I felt)
My reviews/ratings of other books
Tithe (book 1) 3.5★
Valiant (book 2) 4★
(It's funny tho, that I love Kaye and Roiben more than Val and Ravus and yet their story, their book was such a solid 4 star book)
________
and finally, the book I've been waiting for. Can't wait to see Tithe and Valiant characters interacting (at least, I hope I get that, this book is thick, after all)
August 9, 2019
I'm very fresh out of all the Modern Faerie Tales by Holly Black, and I have to say that this garnered the most bland reaction from me, even though I think it stands on par with the others rating-wise.
It has no major flaws that I can really highlight, it just wasn't endowed with the most engaging plot, in my opinion. I wasn't very invested in Kaye's quest for Roiben , and I could predict from early on Silarial's plot. While I loved to spend time again with the characters from both Tithe and Valiant (though I would've liked more Ravus and Val), I think that was really the highlight of this book. I didn't find Kaye's POV interesting for this story, and as she even pointed out in the middle of the book, she didn't feel like the main character in this either.
I'm being perhaps picky here, but all of this to say that this book just didn't engage me as much as the others and wasn't very interesting plot-wise.
What was interesting, again, were the characters and the interactions between those from "different books"! There were some moments of expanded world-building as well (namely with the declarations of love and the quest), but these were sparse nonetheless.
It has no major flaws that I can really highlight, it just wasn't endowed with the most engaging plot, in my opinion. I wasn't very invested in Kaye's quest for Roiben , and I could predict from early on Silarial's plot. While I loved to spend time again with the characters from both Tithe and Valiant (though I would've liked more Ravus and Val), I think that was really the highlight of this book. I didn't find Kaye's POV interesting for this story, and as she even pointed out in the middle of the book, she didn't feel like the main character in this either.
I'm being perhaps picky here, but all of this to say that this book just didn't engage me as much as the others and wasn't very interesting plot-wise.
What was interesting, again, were the characters and the interactions between those from "different books"! There were some moments of expanded world-building as well (namely with the declarations of love and the quest), but these were sparse nonetheless.
March 31, 2020
Far better than Ironside, this still just fell a little flat for me.
RTC
RTC
January 20, 2013
Honestly, I don't know why I keep reading Holly Black, because even while I enjoyed this -- and it was enjoyable; if you liked Tithe or Valiant, you'll enjoy this one -- I always find myself ending up annoyed by her books, which overrides any enjoyment I get out of them. I don't know, I just feel like her books are too coy, like they're full of inside jokes that I don't get, and okay, you know what, that's fine, she can put all the inside jokes she wants in her books, but when her readers feel alienated because of them, when they actively read her books and feel like they're left out of the cool kids club, that's a bad thing. And that's always how I end up feeling when I read a Holly Black novel, and, yes, I feel guilty and mean for feeling that, but it doesn't change the fact that I feel it in the first place.
Edit: Holy cow, people, this review is FIVE YEARS OLD - I have no idea what I meant, I gave up reading Holly Black shortly after this book because I just personally didn't enjoy her books, I seriously can't answer any questions about this.
Edit: Holy cow, people, this review is FIVE YEARS OLD - I have no idea what I meant, I gave up reading Holly Black shortly after this book because I just personally didn't enjoy her books, I seriously can't answer any questions about this.
July 27, 2019
Holly Black is an amazing writer, no matter which series you’re reading. Her writing is sooooo atmospheric, immersive and dark you can almost feel the chill in the air and smell crispy leaves 🍁 Nor does she shy away from portraying the dark side of humanity.
This was by far my favorite book of the series and I enjoyed every bit of it!
I loved the close friendship between Kaye and Corny, and their shared grief of Janet. I loved the support they gave each other in dealing with their different traumas that occurred in Tithe. Their jokes, their understanding of each other’s quirks. It was just so sweet and I loved it.
For the first time in this series I really liked Ellen’s character. She surprised me with how she handled things, but I loved her for it.
I of course loved my beloved Roiben, and sympathized for all he had to put up with just to keep a dictator from having complete dominion of all of faerieland. I need to find my Roiben in real life 🥰
The plot of this one had me hooked and had no dull blah moments like Valiant had. This one was soooo good! The definite best of the series! I’m so glad I read it and endured the ho-hum-ness of the previous books. I did like parts of both the first books, but this one I enjoyed in its entirety. Not as much as Folk of the Air obviously, but for her early writing, it’s a very enjoyable read 😊
This was by far my favorite book of the series and I enjoyed every bit of it!
I loved the close friendship between Kaye and Corny, and their shared grief of Janet. I loved the support they gave each other in dealing with their different traumas that occurred in Tithe. Their jokes, their understanding of each other’s quirks. It was just so sweet and I loved it.
For the first time in this series I really liked Ellen’s character. She surprised me with how she handled things, but I loved her for it.
I of course loved my beloved Roiben, and sympathized for all he had to put up with just to keep a dictator from having complete dominion of all of faerieland. I need to find my Roiben in real life 🥰
The plot of this one had me hooked and had no dull blah moments like Valiant had. This one was soooo good! The definite best of the series! I’m so glad I read it and endured the ho-hum-ness of the previous books. I did like parts of both the first books, but this one I enjoyed in its entirety. Not as much as Folk of the Air obviously, but for her early writing, it’s a very enjoyable read 😊
June 12, 2022
Ostatnia część podobała mi się najbardziej, chociaż wiadomo Okrutnego Księcia nie przebije, polubiłam bohaterów, zwłaszcza Corny był ciekawy w tym tomie, najlepszy był dodatek z Lutie
May 5, 2021
"Żelazna kraina" zdecydowanie przypadła mi najbardziej do gustu z całej trylogii "Elfów Ziemi i Powietrza". W tej części wracamy do historii bohaterów z "Złej Królowej" i jesteśmy świadkami nowych, niezwykle intrygujących wydarzeń. Po paru miesiącach Roiben wreszcie zostaje koronowany jako władca na dworze Termitów. Niestety, nic nie może być idealne i elfom grozi wojna z ich dawną królową i byłą kochanką Roibena. Co więcej, Kaye wzięła na siebie dwa niemalże niemożliwe zadania: udowodnienie swojej miłości do Roibena poprzez niewykonalne zadanie i odnalezienie swojej siostry i przywrócenie jej życia. Pojawią się tu również gościnnie bohaterowie drugiej części łącząc ze sobą wydarzenia całej trylogii.
Tak jak już niejednokrotnie wspominałam-jestem wielką fanką stylu Holly Black i niemalże zawsze jestem pewna, że jej książki przypadną mi do gustu. W tym przypadku również tak się stało. Lekki język i magiczna historia zawsze mnie kupią. Czytało mi się ją niezwykle przyjemne. Pomimo tego, że moim zdaniem zdecydowanie odstaje jakością od trylogii "Okrutnego Księcia" to i tak warto po nią sięgnąć. Określiłaby te książki jako idealne na zastój czytelniczy bo mnie z niego wyciągnęły. Zdecydowanie mogę je polecić.
Tak jak już niejednokrotnie wspominałam-jestem wielką fanką stylu Holly Black i niemalże zawsze jestem pewna, że jej książki przypadną mi do gustu. W tym przypadku również tak się stało. Lekki język i magiczna historia zawsze mnie kupią. Czytało mi się ją niezwykle przyjemne. Pomimo tego, że moim zdaniem zdecydowanie odstaje jakością od trylogii "Okrutnego Księcia" to i tak warto po nią sięgnąć. Określiłaby te książki jako idealne na zastój czytelniczy bo mnie z niego wyciągnęły. Zdecydowanie mogę je polecić.
October 3, 2020
I enjoyed this, and I enjoyed the plot, the characters, the relationships.
I liked seeing the characters from book one again, seeing them still getting over their grief, getting used to their new position of power, finding out where they fit amongst there family.
Corny was different in this one after everything he went through in Tithe he goes in search of power, and that makes for an interesting storyline.
I liked seeing the characters from book one again, seeing them still getting over their grief, getting used to their new position of power, finding out where they fit amongst there family.
Corny was different in this one after everything he went through in Tithe he goes in search of power, and that makes for an interesting storyline.
May 30, 2020
In book three we go back to following Kaye (like in book one). I liked that we got to see some of the characters from the previous two books. I mostly loved seeing Kaye and Corny deal with the events from book 1 and this one. I felt like it was more in depth than what happened in book one. To me this one was a lot more suspenseful than the first one. It was a really crazy adventure and I enjoyed it so much more than Valiant. Everything happened so fast and I didn't even have the ability to put the book down.
January 12, 2022
3.5 stars. My last book for 2021.
This book takes us back to the characters of book 1, with some of the characters from book 2 mixed in.
Kaye makes an impulsive declaration which leads to her having to fulfill an impossible quest. She has to find a faerie that can lie.
Meanwhile Roiben is trying to hold on to his tenuous title of King of the Unseelie Court while trying to avoid a full blown war.
All in all it's a good modern faery tale series, but missing some elements that would make it great. I much preferred the Cruel Prince series.
This book takes us back to the characters of book 1, with some of the characters from book 2 mixed in.
Kaye makes an impulsive declaration which leads to her having to fulfill an impossible quest. She has to find a faerie that can lie.
Meanwhile Roiben is trying to hold on to his tenuous title of King of the Unseelie Court while trying to avoid a full blown war.
All in all it's a good modern faery tale series, but missing some elements that would make it great. I much preferred the Cruel Prince series.
April 28, 2023
"I thought myself to feel nothing. And you make me feel." Awww
September 27, 2009
Sequel to Tithe. The one where Roiben of the Seelie Court finds himself in charge of the Unseelie, and tries to protect his love Kaye, a pixie changeling, by giving her an impossible quest.
I really want to know what I'm doing wrong that I keep checking out books without knowing that they're sequels. Wouldn't you think they'd say so on the cover?
The backstory/exposition was very skillfully done here (unlike Wicked Lovely, this book understands the difference between suspense and confusion), so it wasn't too bad reading book 2 before book 1.
I found Kaye reasonably believable and likeable, and I only wanted to throttle her a little bit for getting into trouble for lack of asking simple and obvious questions. I couldn't quite get a handle on Corny's character, and this might be a place where I'm paying the price for not having read Tithe yet, because I can't make sense of the cruel streak he shows every now and then. (Also, I'm not sure I really believe how quickly and totally he turns around, and how small a thing it takes to be the catalyst for the change.)
Nice sexual tension between Corny and his male friend, and yay! for gay sexual tension without a big deal made of it.
I liked the Faerie politics (except how Kaye solved the quest problem, which disappointed me). But the cruelty of the faeries is portrayed with more relish than I'm comfortable with; it came close to triggering my torture squick in a couple of places. And I'm not clear on the difference between the Seelie and Unseelie courts, though it seems very important to the characters.
I really want to know what I'm doing wrong that I keep checking out books without knowing that they're sequels. Wouldn't you think they'd say so on the cover?
The backstory/exposition was very skillfully done here (unlike Wicked Lovely, this book understands the difference between suspense and confusion), so it wasn't too bad reading book 2 before book 1.
I found Kaye reasonably believable and likeable, and I only wanted to throttle her a little bit for getting into trouble for lack of asking simple and obvious questions. I couldn't quite get a handle on Corny's character, and this might be a place where I'm paying the price for not having read Tithe yet, because I can't make sense of the cruel streak he shows every now and then. (Also, I'm not sure I really believe how quickly and totally he turns around, and how small a thing it takes to be the catalyst for the change.)
Nice sexual tension between Corny and his male friend, and yay! for gay sexual tension without a big deal made of it.
I liked the Faerie politics (except how Kaye solved the quest problem, which disappointed me). But the cruelty of the faeries is portrayed with more relish than I'm comfortable with; it came close to triggering my torture squick in a couple of places. And I'm not clear on the difference between the Seelie and Unseelie courts, though it seems very important to the characters.
June 25, 2009
Ironside follows shortly after the events of Tithe and Valiant. Roiben was a loyal knight of the Seelie Queen, even after she sent him to serve her sister, the Queen of the Unseelie Court. After countless years of torment and cruelty, he brought about the Unseelie Queen's death and now presides over her court. At his coronation, he sets an impossible quest for his lover, the pixie Kaye, to keep her safe from the war between the courts. Of course Kaye will have none of this romantic nonsense, and pledges to fulfill his quest. Meanwhile, Kaye's bff Corny is dealing with the rage and self-loathing left behind by his enthrallment and his sister's death.
This book feels so genuine. The characters are each and every one of them fully fleshed out--Corny is particularly real. The fey courts and the human world (aka "Ironside") are described with a precise poetry. Unlike Emma Bull's War for the Oaks or say, Poppy Z Brite's Lost Souls, the descriptions of the fey and the punked out humans never feel like wish-fulfillment. The entire book is about negotiation, re-negotiating power, trying to come to terms with an untenable situation and new, uncomfortable knowledge about oneself. I loved it! I read the entire book in about an hour.
This book feels so genuine. The characters are each and every one of them fully fleshed out--Corny is particularly real. The fey courts and the human world (aka "Ironside") are described with a precise poetry. Unlike Emma Bull's War for the Oaks or say, Poppy Z Brite's Lost Souls, the descriptions of the fey and the punked out humans never feel like wish-fulfillment. The entire book is about negotiation, re-negotiating power, trying to come to terms with an untenable situation and new, uncomfortable knowledge about oneself. I loved it! I read the entire book in about an hour.
July 17, 2022
“The more powerful you become, the more others will find ways to master you.”
I liked Tithe but I loathed Valiant - luckily, Ironside was better than both its predecessors. The main reason for liking this one more is probably because it is a lot more faerie and court-centric and I can actually see that yes, this is in the same world as The Folk of the Air. It also helped that Kaye, Roiben and Corny are infinitely more likeable and interesting characters than those of the second instalment.
Nonetheless, we do also get to see a couple of Valiant's characters: Louis is the most prominent and I am happy enough with that as he was reasonably likeable and automatically becomes a nicer character when paired with Tithe's cast. All other characters were mostly just mentioned or made very small appearances - I am grateful for that as I intend to forget ever having read the middle book.
I liked that Ironside dealt directly with the aftermath of the first book and the characters had to put some thought into what they want out of their life going forward. I wish there could have been a tad more Roiben but otherwise, I was pretty happy with all the point of views we got. It was nice seeing Corny have a better turn at romance, even if I do feel that it came a little out of the blue. The answer to Kaye's quest felt a little lacklustre but it was nonetheless a nice quest-type of story and a much better blend of fantasy and urban life than Valiant offered.
Now that I actually know Kaye and Roiben's story, I look forward to rereading The Folk of the Air to see these characters with new eyes.
February 6, 2023
Quiero muchísimo a Roiben. Y muchísimo a Kaye. Y a Corny, muchísimo muchísimo a Corny, tremendo personaje es cuando pasan los años y lo relees y te lo vuelves a encontrar. Y también a Luis, que es el nuevo pero mola mucho, adoptado.
Sigo diciendo que lo que me gustó de esto en su idea era que resultaba mega turbio todo (en detalles que incluso no me daba cuenta y ahora me escandalizan muchísimo), y sigue siendo de lo que más me gusta ahora. También se nota que Black va mejorando a medida que escribe la trilogía, lo que implica (creo, más allá de que las escenas son menos caóticas y hay algunas subtramas un pelín más trabajadas) que este es el menos turbio de los tres, lo que me ha hecho que pierda un pelitín. También es cierto que para ser el libro que cierra la historia de Roiben y Kaye he tenido muy poquito de Roiben y Kaye para mi gusto.
Eso sí: todo el tema de las cortes, lo malísima que es la reina luminosa, y los juegos de los faes, me han encantado. Leería sobre eso como otros tres libros, y a lo mejor ese es el detalle. Me he quedado muy muy vacía al acabar. Después de años (literales, más de quince) esperando leer esto.... se acabó. Ha sido muy raro. Me siento muy rara, como si aun pudiera esperar un poquito más.
Pero de verdad que muy agradecida de que una editorial haya apostado por traer estos libros por fin. Quiero volver a leerlos, y los volveré a leer seguro.
Sigo diciendo que lo que me gustó de esto en su idea era que resultaba mega turbio todo (en detalles que incluso no me daba cuenta y ahora me escandalizan muchísimo), y sigue siendo de lo que más me gusta ahora. También se nota que Black va mejorando a medida que escribe la trilogía, lo que implica (creo, más allá de que las escenas son menos caóticas y hay algunas subtramas un pelín más trabajadas) que este es el menos turbio de los tres, lo que me ha hecho que pierda un pelitín. También es cierto que para ser el libro que cierra la historia de Roiben y Kaye he tenido muy poquito de Roiben y Kaye para mi gusto.
Eso sí: todo el tema de las cortes, lo malísima que es la reina luminosa, y los juegos de los faes, me han encantado. Leería sobre eso como otros tres libros, y a lo mejor ese es el detalle. Me he quedado muy muy vacía al acabar. Después de años (literales, más de quince) esperando leer esto.... se acabó. Ha sido muy raro. Me siento muy rara, como si aun pudiera esperar un poquito más.
Pero de verdad que muy agradecida de que una editorial haya apostado por traer estos libros por fin. Quiero volver a leerlos, y los volveré a leer seguro.
January 13, 2022
I’m really gonna miss these characters. Kaye is so chaotic and, at times, dumb as fuck, but that’s what makes her so fun to read about. Honestly, that can be said about the majority of the main cast in this series. I found them all to be so compelling and unique, each with their own internal struggles that they were working through as they just tried to survive the dangerous, yet alluring world of faerie. I wasn’t sure what rating I was going to end up giving this, but once I finished it, I just knew I couldn’t give it anything lower than a 5. Does this series have the best writing? Certainly not. Are these characters the most likable? Nooooo, they’re an acquired taste I would say. Is this series, at times, very questionable in terms of morals and being a good influence? Yeah, for sure. But, nonetheless, I had a great time and I was INVESTED from beginning to end. This series isn’t going to be for everybody, but man oh man was it for me.
August 18, 2019
August 2019: reread for #Faerieathon! Definitely my favorite of the trilogy.
3.5 stars.
3.5 stars.
January 22, 2019
This is what I'm talking about!!!! This is what I want from a fae book written by Holly Black!!! Perfection! <3
April 9, 2020
This was both better and way way way worse than the first book. I won’t even compare it to the second (yikes)
As usual, the pacing was atrocious, with hardly any coherent transitions at all; a lot of the story was just left for me to figure out on my own, I guess. Characters would change location at the drop of a hat without any preamble or explanation. It killed any flow or suspense or tension the story had managed to garner and left me bored and confused, and only wishing it would end faster.
The awkward instalove between Luis and Corny was super random, but since Luis was barely recognizable anyway, I guess it didn’t matter. (To be fair, Luis’ side of things felt a bit more natural, whereas it’s been established that Corny should be renamed Horny) Corny’s character arc came out of nowhere and also he never got any consequences for some very questionable decisions from the beginning of the book. Like, love can’t conquer all when one of the partners is a sociopath (looking at you, SJM 👀)
Roiben’s plot was the more interesting storyline but also his character arc made no sense because he was barely in the book. If the book had been solely about him, it might have been better and had more room to expand on themes instead of mentioning them and moving on. Kaye’s storyline was mostly okay, but everything with her mom melted into saccharine mush, which was a real shame, since I had actually liked that part and even shed a single tear when she confronted her again. It had been really intriguing, but then Black took the easy route and decided to have an off-screen character arc for the mom and ruined the story. *sigh* It really could have been decent.
Also, so many names were thrown around and I honestly don’t know if these characters had been introduced before or not, because they were treated like I already knew them and I definitely didn’t.
This series was largely incoherent but 12 year old Faith probably would have been trash for it. Maybe I should have read this first so my expectations of Black’s work weren’t at least middling. The other two books I’ve read outside of this series ( The Darkest Part of the Forest and The Coldest Girl In Coldtown ) both weren’t great but I at least enjoyed them. Black has improved, I guess, but her books are still pretty and meaningless.
As usual, the pacing was atrocious, with hardly any coherent transitions at all; a lot of the story was just left for me to figure out on my own, I guess. Characters would change location at the drop of a hat without any preamble or explanation. It killed any flow or suspense or tension the story had managed to garner and left me bored and confused, and only wishing it would end faster.
The awkward instalove between Luis and Corny was super random, but since Luis was barely recognizable anyway, I guess it didn’t matter. (To be fair, Luis’ side of things felt a bit more natural, whereas it’s been established that Corny should be renamed Horny) Corny’s character arc came out of nowhere and also he never got any consequences for some very questionable decisions from the beginning of the book. Like, love can’t conquer all when one of the partners is a sociopath (looking at you, SJM 👀)
Roiben’s plot was the more interesting storyline but also his character arc made no sense because he was barely in the book. If the book had been solely about him, it might have been better and had more room to expand on themes instead of mentioning them and moving on. Kaye’s storyline was mostly okay, but everything with her mom melted into saccharine mush, which was a real shame, since I had actually liked that part and even shed a single tear when she confronted her again. It had been really intriguing, but then Black took the easy route and decided to have an off-screen character arc for the mom and ruined the story. *sigh* It really could have been decent.
Also, so many names were thrown around and I honestly don’t know if these characters had been introduced before or not, because they were treated like I already knew them and I definitely didn’t.
This series was largely incoherent but 12 year old Faith probably would have been trash for it. Maybe I should have read this first so my expectations of Black’s work weren’t at least middling. The other two books I’ve read outside of this series ( The Darkest Part of the Forest and The Coldest Girl In Coldtown ) both weren’t great but I at least enjoyed them. Black has improved, I guess, but her books are still pretty and meaningless.
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