The Iron Trial - Book Review

The Iron Trial (Magisterium #1)
by Cassandra Clare and Holly Black

What is it about:
Most kids would do anything to pass the Iron Trial.

Not Callum Hunt. He wants to fail.

All his life, Call has been warned by his father to stay away from magic. If he succeeds at the Iron Trial and is admitted into the Magisterium, he is sure it can only mean bad things for him.

So he tries his best to do his worst - and fails at failing.

Now the Magisterium awaits him. It's a place that's both sensational and sinister, with dark ties to his past and a twisty path to his future.

The Iron Trial is just the beginning, for the biggest test is still to come . . .

What did I think of it:
Having really enjoyed the books of both Cassandra Clare and Holly Black, I was curious if a book they wrote together would be just as enjoyable.

And I can tell you: this is a really cool read.

I love how this story plays with existing tropes and puts those up side down at times. There were several times I thought I could see where the story was going, but then Black and Clare would surprise me again.

When reading this book you can't escape comparing it to a certain other series about a boy being send to a school for magic. And there certainly are similarities, but enough differences that this book can easily step out of the shadows of that certain series and deserve a fan base all of its own.

I really liked Callum. He's sneaky, flawed and a troublemaker, but I could relate. I also liked a couple of the other students, and fell in love with a minor character I hope to see more of in upcoming books.

All in all I very much enjoyed this book and I will most certainly keep an eye out for the next book, because I want more.

Why should you read it:
It's a cool and entertaining read for Middle Grade and up