The Iron Daughter by Julie Kagawa | DNF Review

The Iron Daughter by Julie Kagawa

The Iron Fey #2

First Published: 2010

Paperback

Young Adult, Fantasy

Rating:

Half Summer faery princess, half human, Meghan has never fit in anywhere. Deserted by the Winter prince she thought loved her, she is prisoner to the Winter faery queen. As war looms between Summer and Winter, Meghan knows that the real danger comes from the Iron fey—ironbound faeries that only she and her absent prince have seen. But no one believes her.
Worse, Meghan's own fey powers have been cut off. She's stuck in Faery with only her wits for help. Trusting anyone would be foolish. Trusting a seeming traitor could be deadly. But even as she grows a backbone of iron, Meghan can't help but hear the whispers of longing in her all-too-human heart.

DNF at 50%

This was such a painful review to write, you guys. I was almost 100% sure I would love this book because I really enjoyed  the first and then to have this happen... I even held a candle of hope that I'll return to finish this novel when I first wrote this review.

Alas, it was not in the stars.

I WAS BORED OUT OF MY MIND

The one thing I would've never expected in a million years of this books was to be so hella boring. Especially after the last book. Maybe it's me, because even running away from a dragon didn't manage to awaken any excitement in me.

I felt like reading my grocery list would've been more stimulating. Don't ask me why I felt this way when no one else seems to. I just did. I had to force every sentence I read, to try hold down my attention to the book one minute at a time to no avail.

I have no idea what happened. It's far easier for me to pin down what went wrong on the characters front.

I COULDN'T STAND MEGHAN. 

Where is the girl I met in The Iron King and when does she come back? Meghan was a brave, kind, clever girl. Now's she's whiny, annoying and stupid? Maybe she's a changeling? 'Cause that would've been one heck of a twist. But something tells me this is too much to hope for.

I want the girl who held her own in an unfamiliar world. The girl who fooled and outsmarted fairies and trolls. The girl who beat Machina. Not this pathetic excuse of her.

Especially not one exhibiting such a fierce case of THE BELLA SYNDROME

SPOILER ALERT! 

The Bella Syndrome: Named after Bella Swan and her behavior in New Moon, The Bella Syndrome is a phenomenon where a girl falls so deeply in love with a guy that when something happens in their relationship [such as a break up/disappearance, death] said girl falls apart and becomes a weeping, depressed mess who can't stand on her own two feet anymore. 

This is exactly what happens to Meghan. If you recall, I was never really on board with the romance in book one as it came out of the blue and failed to sale me on it. But I had hoped it will develop and convince me in this book.

Instead, the romance is ten times worse as this book begins with Meghan being an angst filled mess. It doesn't get more angsty or pathetic when a girl falls into a freakin' coma when she hears the guy say he doesn't love her. 

Yes, yes, she ate a magical mushroom and that's the physical reason that happened. But were you there when she said she doesn't even want to wake up because there's no point now that she knows he doesn't love her? Because I was. And I wanted to gauge my eyes out.  

What finally wakes her up? Ash saying he didn't mean it. 

Not to mention every other page had crying/mentions of longing/soul calling/pain/being teared apart/feeling dead/feeling empty. All this over a guy she barely knows. I can't even.

I gave this book ample opportunity to sway me back, but I think after more than 150 pages it's time to concede it's just not for me.