Review Detail

Books about dragons, so far as my limited exposure has shown me, are not books that I make friends with very easily. However, I’m always looking to broaden my reading horizons, try new things, etc. Dragonswood by Janet Lee Carey, being a standalone, seemed like the perfect opportunity to try out a dragon book without getting invested in a never-ending epic fantasy series.

For the most part, this novel wasn’t what I expected at all. Rather than a thrilling and action-intensive piece of epic fantasy, I instead found Dragonswood to be a cute, light-hearted fantasy novel that’s obviously geared toward middle grade readers. I still enjoyed this book, though had I known it was intended for a younger audience, I never would have picked it up. I have nothing against middle grade fiction, but I’m really at the point in my life where I can no longer enjoy them.
Tess, the novel’s protagonist, was likable in the way I find many fantasy heros are. She was rough around the edges, wouldn’t take crap from anyone, and managed to save the day in the end, as well as winning her Prince Charming. Tess wasn’t a particularly deep or emotionally troubled character (in spite of her past as a victim of abuse at the hands of her stepfather). I’m typically used to reading deeper, more mature portrayals of humanity; that’s just what I prefer to read. Technically speaking, there was nothing the matter with Tess or with her gang of compadres.

In terms of plot, Janet Lee Carey told a very simple story that was easily and happily resolved. Nothing was overly complicated—the interweavings of fey, dragon, and human culture where more or less simple to sort through. With the aid of dragons and her fey relatives, Tess swooped in and saved the kingdom of Wilde Island from the hands of a scheming courtier, and the reader was then treated to an almost nauseatingly sweet epilogue, where everyone is a big, happy family and all three species are getting along magnificently. It was very touching, and probably something I would have enjoyed in elementary school, but did nothing for me today.

I feel like, in general, books where everyone—even the villain—gets a happy ending are good to have in the world. My sister, who reads middle grade and young adult fantasy almost exclusively, would no doubt love this book. Personally, I enjoyed Dragonswood, but wasn’t wowed. Carey’s simplistic prose and predictable plotting didn’t sell me.

Fans of Gail Carson Levine, Tamora Pierce, and middle grade fantasy will doubtless enjoy Dragonswood much more than I did. It really is a good book, entertaining and fast-paced. Sadly, it just wasn’t as amazing for me as it would be for most other readers.