The Iron Thorn by Caitlin Kittredge

Release Date: 22/02/11
Publisher: Delacorte Books for Young Readers
Pages: 493
Target Audience: Teens/Young Adults
Genre: Faerie/Fantasy/Steampunk/Fiction

Synopsis: In the city of Lovecraft, the Proctors rule and a great Engine turns below the streets, grinding any resistance to their order to dust. The necrovirus is blamed for Lovecraft's epidemic of madness, for the strange and eldritch creatures that roam the streets after dark, and for everything that the city leaders deem Heretical—born of the belief in magic and witchcraft. And for Aoife Grayson, her time is growing shorter by the day.


Aoife Grayson's family is unique, in the worst way—every one of them, including her mother and her elder brother Conrad, has gone mad on their 16th birthday. And now, a ward of the state, and one of the only female students at the School of Engines, she is trying to pretend that her fate can be different.

My Review: Steampunk meets Faerie! I never thought I'd see the day, so of course, I simply had to read this and it was amazing! To top it off, just look at the stunning cover, I mean really look at it, it's beautiful! Anyway, moving on to my thoughts...

It's been a while since I got so completely lost in a complex and beautifully built world and though at times Lovecraft and the other places in this novel were pretty freaky, I still had the bizarre desire to explore this incredible fictional city and that amazing Grayson mansion.

The idea of the Necrovirus was truly terrifying, not knowing on a day to day basis if you're going to wake up crazy is something no one would like to face, especially if all the evidence tells you that eventually you will. As for the ghouls and other creepy things, I would not like to go out walking after dark in this world as it just sounds too terrifying to contemplate.

Even the Fae in this book are darker and scarier than in anything else I've read and I wanted to punch a certain Fae character in the face multiple times, and though I spent a portion of the book silently yelling at Aoife (pronounced Ee-fah, for those who are wondering. I looked it up, it's an old Gaelic name by origin)  not to do certain things, I have to admit that girl has guts when dealing with the Fae.

This book isn't short on romance either and lets just say the love interest is one amazing guy. He isn't some over the top 'I can't live without you' sort, but his and Aoifa's relationship is genuine, develops slowly, is a bit funny and is pretty heart-warming and wow, is he a bit of an enigma.

The ending took me by surprise and I don't just mean the literal ending, I mean several events leading up to it too including some pretty shocking revelations and a bit of a cliffhanger finish that has made me really want to read the next book. It should be arriving soon in the post, and my wait will be over! Awesome.