This book review was part of a podcast discussion.
Listen to the episode here.
Tina Connolly’s Ironskin checks a lot of boxes for me. In the recent past, mostly through the influence of my wife, I’ve come to appreciate a lot of what Ironskin offers: A gothic tone. A narrative voice concerned with manners and social placement. Dark, eldritch secrets and competing technologies of anachronistic societies bent on controlling each other. Okay, that last one might have been all me.
In Ironskin, Jane Eliot suffered an injury in the Great War between humanity and the Fey. She must wear an iron mask, Ironskin, to protect those around her from the terrible curse that her injury inflicts on not only herself, but those around her. As a consequence, she has let herself be pushed to the edges of society, with her sister her sole confidant. With her sister soon to be married, Jane believes she must take her destiny back into her hands and find employment.
She finds it in the home of Edward Rochart as governess for his daughter, a girl with her own Fey curse. Jane struggles to teach Dorie Rochart how to stifle herself and behave as a proper young lady should, a job complicated by her growing crush on her charge’s father. A crush complicated by her low place in society and the growing strength of her curse. A curse complicated by the strange fey nature of the nearby forest, and the possible return of humanity’s old enemy.
Connolly deftly balances the many elemental genres of Ironskin. Romance, fantasy, family drama, and a post war world all receive equal weight and blend into a story that is gripping and engaging. Jane’s journey with her injury beautifully mirrors the world’s own difficult recovery from the war. Jane, in her inquisitive nature and strong voice, leads the story well, and her empathic personality lends heart to the plot in a wonderful way.
It’s possible that Ironskin‘s gothic nature and non-modern voice might not interest some people, but for me Ironskin is a great tale that should appeal to everyone who can keep an open mind. I give Ironskin by Tina Connolly four out of five stars.
Chicago, IL
A preacher's kid from the South who went North a long time ago. I'm an Engineer by day trying desperately to enjoy my day job. I love fantasy and sci-fi and I'm always looking for new worlds to explore.
DanielEavenson.com is my author site.
