Review: Iron Maiden by Resa Nelson

Hello Everyone! So I am halfway through my class and you know what that means? I am bored out of my mind and need to focus on anything else before I lose it! I have been doing quite a bit of reading in the past few days and wrote absolutely no reviews. Therefore, I am going to stockpile some posts to have something to do right now and sporadically release them so it seems like I'm really blogging when In fact I'm pulling my hair out from the roots as I stare blankly at a sentence in a textbook that I've read 32 33 times and still haven't gotten. Here's review #1:

Book: The Iron Maiden
By: Resa Nelson
Publication Date: December 21, 2011
Publisher: Mundania Press

Description: Astrid is reluctant to travel the winter route beyond the Northlands, even though it’s her duty.  She’d rather stay home in her village, surrounded by friends and neighbors.  Ignoring the bonds of tradition, she decides to spend the cold winter months in the warmth of her blacksmith shop.  Why should she leave the comfort of her cottage to serve and protect foreigners who might raid and harm her native Northlands?
Everything changes when a traveling merchant steals Starlight, the first dragonslayer’s sword Astrid forged and her last link to her sweetheart DiStephan.  Having no time to alert her friends, Astrid races in pursuit of the merchant, determined to reclaim Starlight as her own and return home in time for dinner.  Instead, her quest leads her to new lands, unexpected friendships with foreigners, and a harrowing encounter with the damage done by the followers of a new god that considers women as nothing more than servants to men.  All the while, she must be ready to face any dragon traveling the winter route.
In Book 2 of the Dragonslayer series, Astrid must learn that deciding who she is isn’t a decision she can make just once.  It’s a decision she must make every day.

My Thoughts: This book thoroughly emphasizes self growth and the power and strength even the smallest people have. It was a fantastical, unreal and wonderful addition to the first book and I definitely enjoyed it.

This story continues Astrid's journey as a Dragonslayer/blacksmith. I love how strong willed and set in her belief's she is. It makes her stubborn, but a little stubbornness is sometimes necessary to grow. One of the main themes I gathered from this book involved the position of women in the world. This book seems to be set in a medieval era, thus women were expected to be meek, docile, feminine and ladylike at all times, to follow their men and accept any fate presented to them. Astrid takes those ideals and buries them in the ground. She fights, makes weapons, dresses like men, and has shortened hair (all illegal events in some territories). She stands up for her rights and the rights or other women. Astrid is a true hero. This book takes us on her journey to retrieve her most prized possession, and along the way, teaches her (and us) the value of choices and change.

I loved this story and there were a few things I wish were done better. I hate shifts in narrator, thus, this book became a bit annoying as I had to determine who was the narrator for each section. I also didn't care much for the flow of the plot. At some times, the plot would move from one event to another smoothly, but later, it would seem to jump and I wouldn't be sure exactly why we are where we are. Finally, the conversations seemed very full on and immediate. There were rarely any fun or lighthearted conversations teasing or bickering someone or just relaxing. It all seemed so serious. I wanted a few jokes.

All in all, I enjoyed this book. I would recommend it for people who, like the first book, enjoy fantasy a lot. I give it 3 Stars.