Cold Iron

by Caitlin Magness

Seventeen-year-old Siobhan Murray has never believed any of the stories of the supernatural in her hometown of Port Alto, Massachusetts. Since her mother's disappearance thirteen years ago, she hasn't believed in much of anything. But when Siobhan's best friend Wren goes missing, Siobhan sets out to find her, coming face to face with the truth about Port Alto, her mother, and the mysterious and dangerous realm of Arcadia in this fast-paced, emotional fantasy debut.

217 pages, Kindle Edition

Published October 24, 2020

About the author

Caitlin Magness is an author of YA and speculative fiction, including her debut novel Cold Iron and the upcoming What Sharp Claws. Her writing explores themes of identity, religion, mental health, and less-recognized forms of love.

Caitlin grew up in Illinois, attended Truman State University and the University of Missouri, and currently works as a librarian in St. Louis. In addition to writing and reading novels, she enjoys video games, an eclectic library of music, hyperfixating on her favorite media, and being bad at drawing.

Reviews

[Anna Mussmann · Rating 4 out of 5]

The extraordinary thing about this debut novel is the way it manages to be strongly idea-driven, yet also character-driven at the same time.

On the idea side, it’s something of a gender-swapped Christ-figure story with fae folk. I love stories with dark and dangerous fae folk. I’m also impressed that the author was able to include an element of allegory without letting it weigh down or cheapen the story--no easy feat to pull off.

The character-driven part centers around the friendship of two highschool-aged girls. I’m not sure it’s an entirely healthy relationship, in that they are both hurting, needy people who are probably looking to each other to fill their own voids; but its intensity feels real. It definitely provides the story with a heart.

Friendship doesn’t get explored nearly enough in modern stories, so I appreciate the author’s choice to focus on two girls who love each other. I’m still processing what I think of how this is presented in the narrative. Most 21st-century folks will see the various cues in the story and assume the two characters will discover they are gay. I’m not quite sure whether the author intends to encourage this assumption before surprising readers with the revelation that it’s a little off-base, or whether she’s simply trying to carve out more room for love within friendship than our culture usually allows.

As much as I enjoyed the ideas, I thought some scenes were stronger and more convincing than others. I also would (personally) have preferred a little less sexual content. I understand why it was there, but perhaps it would have worked better--for me, at least--if those male characters had been more fleshed out.

I look forward to seeing what this author writes as she continues to develop as a storyteller. I would definitely buy her next book.

[Heidi]

This book was intense and foreboding in a way that made me think of Edgar Allan Poe. Readers will find the seamless blend of fantasy and modern teen angst both relatable and escapist. Relationships between friends, lovers, and family are all portrayed in a way that pushes uncomfortably against societal expectations, and the author largely (and interestingly) leaves that tension unresolved.

It would have been nice to have a clearer picture of how Arcadia came to be, and I wish Morgan would have gotten more into how she reconciles her paranormal research with her Roman Catholic faith. Overall, the book would have benefited from a more robust spiritual/religious presence.

This author is one to keep an eye on.

[Caitlin Magness]

it's okay.

the playlist is pretty good too. you can listen to it here: https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list...

short(er) playlist: https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list...