The Lost Prince by Julie Kagawa

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In Faery, there are always more tales to tell…

 

It has been thirteen years since Meghan Chase vanished into the Nevernever to become the Iron Queen, leaving her family and her half brother, Ethan, behind. But that doesn't mean the fey left them alone, or forgot about them. Now seventeen, Ethan Chase is an expert on all things faery and feels nothing but rage toward the creatures who stole his sister so long ago.

 

Bel's Top Three Reasons To Love The Iron Prince:

1) The book cover - have you seen it? It is hot!! What!?!
2) Grimalkin - who can't get enough of a dry-humored, sarcastic cat?
3) Puck - pure fun!

So if the above is not reason enough or doesn't qualify as a thorough review, then fine, I'll elaborate.

It's pure pleasure to return to Kagawa's world even if it comes with some baggage.  She starts off The Lost Prince with the same tone she set with the previous Iron Fey series.  From the beginning it’s clear that Ethan is troubled and spends a great deal of time putting measures in place to protect himself from the fey. His objective is to survive and to do so he’s put on the façade of the bad boy loser you don’t want to mess with let alone sneak a glance at. No matter, trouble still finds him. The fey always seem to discover who he is and that he has the sight. Not to mention that he also happens to be the brother of the Iron Queen.  And since he's had no contact with Meghan in years, he's just a little bitter.

When Ethan starts at a new school, he’s careful to go into full a-hole mode. Unfortunately, the fey world catches up to him. When he happens upon some jocks bullying a kid – and not any kid but someone Ethan recognizes as part fey – he can’t ignore it and confronts the bullies instead. Ethan learns that this kid, Todd has also been covorting with the fey not realizing how dangerous that is. Ethan is reluctantly dragged into Todd's mess. Along for the unexpected ride is Kenzie, a feisty, no-nonsense schoolmate who is not in the least bit intimidated by Ethan. She finds him to be a curiosity and is constantly in his face. Well, she got more than she bargained for!

So as the adventure begins Ethan and Kenzie are dragged through the Nevernever and encounter good old Grimalkin again. He does have a brief reunion with Meghan though it's bittersweet as he’s forced to confront his anger towards her.  Ethan also receives a surprise about his family but all that is put aside to fight a new nemesis threatening both the fey world and the mortal world where exiles are disappearing in droves, including Todd. This puts Ethan in the very unfathomable position of helping the very people he despises in order to save another.

The Lost Prince is like visiting an old friend. Everything is in its familiar place with some new additions but always with that gripping action we all love. This time most of the action takes place in the mortal world. Setting aside his bad memories and distrust of all things fey, Ethan summons all his knowledge and experience to work with them to find his friend and protect Kenzie.  It's almost therapeutic that he's finally confronting his nightmares. Ethan grows up quickly through the course of the book turning his animosity into motivation. As I mentioned at the top, it's pure pleasure to go on this spectacular adventure again!

~ Bel