The Iron Fey series continues to be one of the most fun supernatural YA series out there. While long-time fans will miss old favorites like Puck, Ash, Meghan, and even Grimalkin, Ethan and Kenzie admirably fill the gaps left by their absences. Ethan is a psychologist’s dream character, with the unspoken but not-so-buried feelings of abandonment by his sister and very obvious anger towards the very land who claimed her. Kenzie proves to be every bit as feisty as Meghan, if not more so because she has nothing to lose. Keirran remains the wild card, more like his faery heritage than his human side. It makes for a very different and welcome dynamic with its focus on family bonds rather than on any love triangle. The only true negative element of the novel is the frustration one feels at the distinct lack of answers Ethan – and the reader – receives. Ms. Kagawa leaves a reader with many a question while the given answers that are frustratingly oblique. The ending is a killer and will leave fans howling with impatience at what it implies and the possibilities it portends. In other words, The Iron Traitor is classic Julie Kagawa.
