Iron Cast Hardcover – October 11, 2016

The friendship between Ada and Corinne is really the key relationship between two people in this book. I wouldn't say we really see it evolve, but it's the core relationship that helps Ada and Corinne individually navigate the changes in Boston and in the Cast Iron. They're so very different (different ethics and talents and desires), but they're there for each other, always wanting to be on each other's side and by each other's side.They also both have important familial relationships, and those do have arcs. I like where Ada's goes (her mother, Nyah, is amazing), but I love Corinne's family arc. It fits so strongly with what Corinne is learning personally in this book.I appreciated how little of world history was changed here because of hemopathy. Ada's point of view, in particular, brings up a lot about race and histories of slavery and colonialism. A lesser book might have minimized racism because of the large amounts of anti-hemopathy in the story here, but Iron Cast doesn't.There was one thing about when the HPA came into existence that I thought caused a continuity error?One instance of "just a friend."

I loved this book a lot more than I ever could have predicted. If you have any interest at all in a YA historical fantasy with a focus on female friendship, you should read this book.Ada Navarra and Corinne Wells are best of friends who preform together at the Cast Iron nightclub in Boston, the year of 1919. But their performance is no usual routine, for Ada and Corinne are hemopaths – people who’s afflicted blood gives them magical abilities based on the arts. Ada can affect people’s emotions with her music and Corinne can use her poetry recital to craft illusions. But it’s not easy to be a hemopath in Boston of 1919. Performances have been outlawed and while the club still performs illegally, Ada and Corinne have been running cons to make ends meet. At the beginning of Iron Cast, Ada has been captured and imprisoned in one of the institutions designed to be the “humane” solution for the hemopath “problem.” But that’s only the start of the pair’s trouble.Destiny Soria brilliantly creates her vision of a magical, 1919 Boston. I felt utterly transported into her setting, and while I’m not an expert on the time period, her version rang true to me. Iron Cast takes you from shadowy clubs to splendid ballrooms, and every moment was wonderful. I also really loved the magical system of the book. I’ve seen various other versions of “art as magic” stories, but Iron Cast is undoubtedly my favorite. Soria’s writing really conveys the beauty and emotion of her protagonist’s artwork.Speaking of emotion, Iron Cast got me so emotional! I don’t think I’m normally this caught up in a story. When things looked bad for our protagonists, I felt panicky and on the edge of my seat. I had to know what happened next! The beginning may have been a bit slow, but by the second half I was practically glued to the pages.However, the main highlight of Iron Cast was the relationship between Ada and Corinne. It’s unusual to see friendship treated as this important and powerful, especially between female characters. I adored it. I love how much these two girls love each each other and support each other. Together, they are an unstoppable force, and I couldn’t get enough of it.Not only were Ada and Corinne well developed, but the supporting cast was strong as well. I’m writing this review two weeks after reading the book and I can still remember the names of the supporting characters. This is huge for me. I’m also happy with how diverse the cast was in terms of race, gender, and sexual orientation. Ada’s mixed race, and the difficulties of being black and female in 1919 aren’t glossed over. Oh, and doesn’t she look so beautiful on the cover? Honestly, cover love is what drew me to this book in the first place.Iron Cast isn’t exactly a heist book per se, but it had enough of those elements to keep me happy. While the story stands alone, I hope that Soria decides to write a sequel because I’d love to return to this world and these characters. This is one of those books where I’ll be enthusiastically pushing my copy onto my friends, begging them to read it. I can’t recommend it enough, and I am excited to read whatever Soria writes next!

This is exactly my kind of story. A fantasy, in a historical setting, featuring strong female characters who are friends with one another. Historical magical con artists! Glam girls in a 1920s club! Magical mystery! It's all the elements I love in a fantasy.Ada and Corinne were perfect! I loved them and their friendship and banter from the opening scene. They're the heart of this story together and apart. I love Ada's dedication to her family, and Corrine's devil may care attitude.As much as I loved Ada and Corinne and their friendship, the largest thing I wanted from this book was more! While it was almost there, I felt like it needed just a tiny bit more to develop the side characters for me. And to create that oomph that would make me really really attached to the plot. (It's not that the stakes aren't huge, I think there just needed to be a little bit more time to linger on the meaning of the stakes and the horror of Haversham, to linger on the Cast Iron club, to linger on Ada's relationship with her mother, etc).If you're a fan of The Diviners, or fantasy in that vein, definitely pick this book up!

To clarify : I'd seen "Iron Cast" pop up in my timeline a few times and the feedback seemed positive, but I bought it on impulse because the cover was so pretty. Best superficially motivated decision ever. The writing is vivid and evocative, the storyline keeps throwing you curve balls ("you thought they were safe? fool..."), and the characters are brilliant. Ada and Coline's relationship is proof that friendship can be just an unconditional and passionate as love, and both protagonists are great in their own way. The supporting cast is also very well fleshed-out, from Ada's proud mom to ambivalent Saint and Charlie with his heart of gold... The fantasy setting as a unique flavor, and the fate of the hemopaths resonates subtly with the racial issues addressed. I'll admit that I was begging for the twists to stop towards the end, too much fearing for the characters' safety for my fragile soul. Recommended for any readers over 12 who like strong female characters, adventures, magic, and a different kind of fantasy book.