I liked this series. I think that Holly Black has created three-dimensional characters that are interesting and compel the reader to care about what happens to them. The imaginary world in which they reside is believable and worth exploring. The series is gritty enough to not be trite, while benign enough not to worry parents or teacher. However, this is definitely a book for an older adolescent--no middle school kids. ( )

Ironside is the third novel of A Modern Faery’s Tale. It had been a faerly fairly long amount of time between reading the first two books, but I didn’t have a problem picking up where everything left off. It even helped me understand why Valiant was in the middle of these two books!Kaye is unsure where she belongs in the world. She doesn’t know anything about the world she belongs to as a faery, yet she can’t get comfortable in the human world, even though she was raised there, because she isn’t human. Feeling sorry for herself she lets herself become drunk on faery wine at her boyfriend’s, Roiben’s, coronation. Since she is feeling so good she lets Roiben know how she really feels. In her deceleration Roiben sends her on a quest to prove her love, but the quest he requests is impossible to attain. (the quest he requests, say that five times fast) Kaye has to find a faery that can lie.In the midst of it all Kaye tells her mother, the truth, that she is a faery, and of course that doesn’t go over well. Then there is the whole thing about the two faery courts being at war to deal with, Oh! And Kaye can’t see Roiben again until she has conquered her little quest. With the help of her friend Corny and a reappearance of Luis from Valiant, Kaye must detangle herself from the Seelie Queens web, and save herself and Roiben.Whew! This is my favorite book of the three. Tithe was the first faery novel I read, well dark faery novel, so I had to figure out some of the faery terminology, like the whole glamour thing. Then being one of those people that love the likes of Meg Cabot and Sarah Dessen’s wholesome, leading ladies, I wasn’t used to seeing young characters drinking, doing drugs, just being so unwholesome! I mean whoa! But then that is what made these novels so cool and different and refreshing! I love the darkness and the edginess! I’m totally faery-punkified! ( )

Kaye declares herself to Roiben, her Unseelie lover, and must complete an impossible quest before she can become his consort.

This was yet another wonderful read in Holly Black's Modern Tales of Faerie series. Once again, I found myself sucked into the dark, seductive world she's created. The characters are great, the plot twists are clever, and the book just flies by.

But despite all its good points, I didn't enjoy this one quite as much as the first two. It wasn't quite as dark, and I wished that some things had been fleshed out a bit more. There are three main stories here, (Kaye's quest, Roiben's struggle to deal with what the Unseelie court has made him, and Corny's... well, spiritual journey, I guess you'd call it), and they sometimes feel a little rushed. I think each storyline could have benefited from just a little more attention. They work, as written, but I would have liked to see Black spend more time on each one.

All in all, though, this is a good book that's certainly worth your time. There's quite a bit of overlap with both TITHE and VALIANT, though, so read those first. ( )

A great series, consists of three books. My first books of faerie tales. ( )

Ironside starts off a few months after the events of Tithe and Kaye has been feeling lost as she doesn't know where she belongs, so she drunkenly declares herself to Roiben, and he sends her on an impossible quest.
Meanwhile Queen Silarial is still trying to kill Roiben, so Kaye also has to prevent her, though they don't know what she's planning.
She is joined on her quest by Corny, and also someone from Valiant(I wont give away who) which I was pleased with because i had not really seen Valiant as a sequel but more of a companion book.
I have to agree with the previous reviewer that Ironside completely lives up to it's prequels. It is a great book that will not disappoint. ( )