Dragonswood

by Janet Lee Carey

On Wilde Island, there is no peace between dragons, fairies, and humans.
Wilde Island is in an uproar over the recent death of its king. As the uneasy pact between dragons, fairies, and humans begins to fray, the royal witch hunter with a hidden agenda begins a vengeful quest to burn girls suspected of witchcraft before a new king is crowned..

Strong-willed Tess, a blacksmith’s daughter from a tiny hamlet, wants more for herself than a husband and a house to keep. But in times like these wanting more can be dangerous. Accused of witchery, Tess and her two friends are forced to flee the violent witch hunter. As their pursuer draws ever closer they find shelter with a huntsman in the outskirts of the forbidden Dragonswood sanctuary. But staying with the mysterious huntsman poses risks of its own: Tess does not know how to handle the attraction she feels for him—or resist the elusive call that draws her deeper into the heart of Dragonswood.

• ISBN10: 0803735049
• ISBN13: 9780803735040
• Publish Date: 5 January 2012 (first published 1 January 2012)
• Publish Status: Remaindered
• Publish Country: US
• Publisher: Penguin Putnam Inc
• Imprint: Dial Books for Young Readers,US
• Format: Hardcover
• Pages: 416
• Language: English

Reviews

[Briana @ Pages Unbound]

This review is also posted at Pages Unbound Book Reviews.

Source: ARC

Review: Dragonswood is a strongly crafted novel that will appeal to fantasy fans who love a good classic quest and imaginative worlds populated with magical species. Carey deftly creates three distinct races in Dragonswood—humans, fairies, and dragons—giving each a rich history and defining characteristics. Then, just as quickly, she demonstrates all are ultimately people with similar hearts, if different perspectives.

Carey’s world is in fact a mix of the real and the fantastic. It is set on an island close to England, where the descendants of King Arthur reign and have built one of the world’s final refuges for the disappearing dragon and fairy races. This setting is unclear at first, making the frequent references to the Christian God and saints bewildering when mixed so casually with talk of magic, but eventually enough clues are dropped that the reader can settle comfortably into this uniquely imagined world.

Tess is an intriguing protagonist, a mix of strength and vulnerability. She has a brave and loyal heart, yet has suffered years of abuse from her father. She distrusts men. Sometimes she stands tall, and sometimes she flees. Her reactions, however, are altogether human and a lot of readers will be able to relate. She teaches her audience what it means to be brave in the face of fear.

The dialogue is a bit awkward, the standard attempt at “fantasy” speech where people refuse to use contractions and often employ the present tense. At times, the dialogue contributes to demonstrating Tess’s fear, as she sounds inordinately subservient. This is somewhat logical, due to the characterization mentioned above, but there are places where it truly seems unintentional—the dialogue makes her sound more awkward in a given situation than the author might want her to.

The pace is generally pleasant. Carey weaves action, description, romance, and exploration beautifully together to craft a tale that truly has it all. The climactic scene would have benefited from being a little longer, as some characters really should have been more hesitant to believe the incredible and not simply accepted everything that was told to them. Nothing more was out of place, however.

Overall, a fantastic read I recommend to fans of the genre.

Pretty good! Definitely an interesting story with a good ending :)
Review coming soon.

[ladygrey]

Dragonswood wasn't as magical as I was expecting. It was actually very practical in its dragons and medieval history and fairies. I liked the dragons. But they didn't even show up until a third of the way through. The first two sections, in fact, were rather dense and felt like things were only on the verge of ever happening, however much action there was. And, again, they were very practical rather than particularly magical or romantic or fun or much of anything else. It didn't help the I unraveled the plot far too early. About half way through the fantasy elements kicked in and I liked them; I felt that the story was moving along much better. And the pace was quite good through to the end.

I didn't particularly love Tess. Mostly I didn't like how distrustful she was and how often she assumed the worst in people. But she was strong and loyal and kind of fearless. I didn't love Garth, either, though I liked him well enough.

There was definitely enough in this story to keep me reading it all the way through but not enough to captivate or really engage me.

For all its historical accuracy, the world Janet Lee Carey created is definitely unqiue. I gladly give her credit for that.

[Suz @ Bookish Revelations]

Dragonswood is a dark alluring powerfully epic high fantasy filled with wonderfully delicious hidden secrets, intrigue, and enchanting mystical realms that will leave readers breathless. From the start, it is deeply compelling and masterfully written, filled with wonderfully developed characters and dangerous action-packed trials facing them. Carey exudes stunning world building skills and introduces a unique spin on fulfilled prophecies. It is a lively mystical tale unlike any other that has come before it. Vastly fascinating and cleverly suspenseful, with the perfect harmonious blend of paranormal and fantasy.

Tess, the heroine, finds herself at a cross roads with fate and faces the question of how to shoulder the destiny that lies ahead of her and how to survive the outcome that may befall. The world surrounding Tess visions becomes desperate, as they keep showing a mysterious man wielding a sword. This raises many questions as to who he is and what part he has to play in this epic battle. Carey's characters are brightly vivid with a twinge of darkness and beautifully developed, while still possessing hidden flaws of their own. Tess, for example, is a strong and loyal heroine and friend, yet even she will falter a bit in the way of betraying her friends to a degree. It paints the perfect portrait of not being perfect, yet still possessing likable and desirable characteristics that readers will find appealing.

The romance between Tess and Garth is wildly daring and is exquisitely heart pounding, fueled by a strong magnetic attraction that builds and builds, pulling towards destiny and each other. It is handled in such a truly magical and splendid way, that readers will fall hopelessly in love with these two. It's just so natural and pleasing. Dragonswood is an action-packed, highly intense story that will leave readers clamoring for more of the fantasy and the developing mythos as unpredicted twists and turns become more and more evident in the journey. It is such a riveting fantastical story that will surely hook readers. Fans of Scott Tracey's Witch Eyes, Amber Argyle's Witch Song, or even the intriguing writing style of Tamora Pierce will be sure to enjoy this novel.

Readers will definitely not want to miss out on this high epic tale of fantasy, filled with talking dragons who's status as lords are vastly important to the mythos and magical realms in which they live in or precarious little faeries they'll be introduced to along the journey. It is sure to remind them, that it's not necessarily the destination that makes the story worth telling, but the journey along the way.