“The dragonfly pool was outside time: safe, beautiful and private.”
My first read of 2021! I'm happy that I ended 2020 and started 2021 with this book.
The main character, Tally, is a typical MG heroine. She is kind, helpful to everyone she meets, has a stubborn streak and is likable.
Tally is sent to a boarding school called Delderton Hall and it was nice to see her adapt to life there and meet many interesting characters. I enjoyed reading about the students, teachers and their quirks, Tally's friendship with the Prince and her interest in Bergania. I also appreciate Tally's family and I love how invested her aunts are in her life.
There is an element of Historical Fiction as the occupation of other countries by Nazi Germany and possibility of World War 2 is presented to a younger audience.
There's a clear denotation between the good and the bad, which isn't a negative because sometimes it's good to have the characters and their motives spelt out, but I prefer when they're morally grey. I've recently been noticing this in other books too so it might be a me problem, but the villians also seem like caricatures.
What I enjoy about most MG books is the whimsical aspect. There are elements that aren't believable, characters that are stereotypical and exaggerated and a sense of knowing where the story is heading, but everything seems so magical and genuine.
The Dragonfly Pool is one of those books that I read at the right time. It's wholesome and comforting.