BOOK REVIEW: Dragon Slippers
Title: Dragon Slippers
Author: Jessica Day George
Series: Dragon Slippers
Creel's aunt thinks she has a wonderful idea. All she needs to do is sacrifice Creel to the local dragon, and all of there problems will be solved. Creel will get captured, and a brave local knight will save her and marry her, benefiting everyone all around. Fortunately, this terrible idea is thwarted when Creel learns that the local dragon is not feral or violent at all, but quite reasonable. She negotiates her escape, and even gets a pair of shoes from the dragon's hoard out of the deal, allowing her to make her way to the capital city. But there's something strange about these new slippers that Creel can't quite put her finger on. She'll have to figure it out soon, because if the slippers fall into the wrong hands, it would mean disaster.
After thoroughly enjoying Jessica Day George's Sun and Moon, Ice and Snow, last August, I knew I had to read more of her work. So when all three ebooks in her Dragon Slippers series went on sale last month, I figured they were worth the investment. I was quite right. Dragon Slippers is the type of book that got me to fall in love with the fantasy genre in the first place. It features a tough young heroine who must make her way through a rich fantasy world by her own efforts, talents, and and a handful of allies. Much like the early works of Tamora Pierce, Dragon Slippers is a fun read all around, filled with plenty of action and adventure. Even it ended up being quite different from Sun and Moon, Ice and Snow, I found that I enjoyed both titles equally.
I have a soft spot for books involving intelligent dragons, and the dragons featured in Dragon Slippers are no exception. I liked how the dragons in Creel's world possess a variety of personalities, much like people. The one trait that ties them all together (besides being dragons), is their love for collecting. Instead of hoarding treasure, each one has their own particular taste, such as a collection of shoes, stained glass windows, or even live dogs. There are a number of aerial sequences involving these dragons, and they're always very exciting to read, I enjoyed getting to meet the cast of side characters in Dragon Slippers, both human and dragon. Admittedly, I was a little disappointed that the books only disabled character ended up being the least likable and least complex in the book. Still, beyond this aspect, I really didn't have any other issues with this otherwise entertaining book.
Final Thoughts: Dragon Slippers is a great fantasy read that should appeal to both young adult and middle grade fans who enjoy stories about tough heroines and intelligent dragons. The novel reminded me a lot of books by Tamora Pierce, Gail Carson Levine, and Patricia C. Wrede. I suspect followers of all three of these authors will find something to like about this book Four and a Half Stars
Next I will be reviewing Avatar: The Last Airbender: The Promise, Part 2 by Gene Luen Yang
Author: Jessica Day George
Series: Dragon Slippers
Creel's aunt thinks she has a wonderful idea. All she needs to do is sacrifice Creel to the local dragon, and all of there problems will be solved. Creel will get captured, and a brave local knight will save her and marry her, benefiting everyone all around. Fortunately, this terrible idea is thwarted when Creel learns that the local dragon is not feral or violent at all, but quite reasonable. She negotiates her escape, and even gets a pair of shoes from the dragon's hoard out of the deal, allowing her to make her way to the capital city. But there's something strange about these new slippers that Creel can't quite put her finger on. She'll have to figure it out soon, because if the slippers fall into the wrong hands, it would mean disaster.
After thoroughly enjoying Jessica Day George's Sun and Moon, Ice and Snow, last August, I knew I had to read more of her work. So when all three ebooks in her Dragon Slippers series went on sale last month, I figured they were worth the investment. I was quite right. Dragon Slippers is the type of book that got me to fall in love with the fantasy genre in the first place. It features a tough young heroine who must make her way through a rich fantasy world by her own efforts, talents, and and a handful of allies. Much like the early works of Tamora Pierce, Dragon Slippers is a fun read all around, filled with plenty of action and adventure. Even it ended up being quite different from Sun and Moon, Ice and Snow, I found that I enjoyed both titles equally.
I have a soft spot for books involving intelligent dragons, and the dragons featured in Dragon Slippers are no exception. I liked how the dragons in Creel's world possess a variety of personalities, much like people. The one trait that ties them all together (besides being dragons), is their love for collecting. Instead of hoarding treasure, each one has their own particular taste, such as a collection of shoes, stained glass windows, or even live dogs. There are a number of aerial sequences involving these dragons, and they're always very exciting to read, I enjoyed getting to meet the cast of side characters in Dragon Slippers, both human and dragon. Admittedly, I was a little disappointed that the books only disabled character ended up being the least likable and least complex in the book. Still, beyond this aspect, I really didn't have any other issues with this otherwise entertaining book.
Final Thoughts: Dragon Slippers is a great fantasy read that should appeal to both young adult and middle grade fans who enjoy stories about tough heroines and intelligent dragons. The novel reminded me a lot of books by Tamora Pierce, Gail Carson Levine, and Patricia C. Wrede. I suspect followers of all three of these authors will find something to like about this book Four and a Half Stars
Next I will be reviewing Avatar: The Last Airbender: The Promise, Part 2 by Gene Luen Yang