annieb123's Review of Miss Bennet's Dragon (Jane Austen Fantasy, #1)

by M Verant

An unforgettable fantasy retelling of Jane Austen’s Pride and Prejudice that is romantic, funny, and more relevant than ever.

Elizabeth Bennet is hiding a forbidden power. She can speak to draca, the fire-breathing creatures kept as status symbols by English gentry. If only Mr. Darcy would stop noticing… and hinting at his own dark secret.

When Elizabeth’s sister falls deathly ill, the cure lies in the mysteries of draca. Elizabeth, aided by her brilliant sister Mary, defies restrictive English society to hunt for lost draca lore. She must hurry. England’s war with France has drawn other hunters, and they have darker goals.

Elizabeth’s search leads her to the fabulous Pemberley estate, home of the entitled and infuriating man whose proposal she scorned. There, Elizabeth’s worlds smash together—protocol against passion, and exultation against the risk of love.

But the stakes are greater than her sister’s life. Elizabeth must test herself against a distant war.

And her enemy is not who she thought.

“Thrilling, superbly paced, and moving. I highly recommend this novel to fans of Jane Austen, as well as to anyone who has ever pondered the mystery of dragons.” – Katherine Sturtevant, author of At the Sign of the Star

“A historical romance that encompasses the Napoleonic Wars, arcane marriage laws, and women with the power to command the fiercest, most dangerous, and wisest of beasts.” – Vanessa MacLaren-Wray, author of All That Was Asked

Miss Bennet’s Dragon is a stand-alone story that begins a trilogy of Jane Austen Fantasy.

Originally posted on my blog: Nonstop Reader.

Miss Bennet’s Dragon is a charming Pride and Prejudice homage with dragons by M. Verant. Released 2nd May 2021, it's 380 pages and is available in print, audiobook, and ebook formats. It's worth noting that the ebook format has a handy interactive table of contents as well as interactive links and references throughout. I've really become enamored of ebooks with interactive formats lately. For Kindle Unlimited subscribers, this book is currently included in the KU subscription library to borrow and read for free.

I've been a lifelong fan of Jane Austen and revisit her oeuvre regularly. This pastiche is clearly not Austen, however, I can say in all fairness it is a charmingly written and engaging tribute which is reminiscent of the broader strokes of that book and whether the reader is a fan of the principal works of Austen or not, will find a fun and worthwhile read.

Familiarity with Pride and Prejudice is not necessary to the enjoyment (and indeed, I sincerely hope people who haven't read P&P previous to reading this volume will be inspired to seek out and enjoy the original). The book is a standalone and the first in a series, so no backstory introduction is necessary.

The narrative plot and progression are well paced and I never found it dragging or difficult. The world building (along with the different kinds of draca and their characteristics) are well thought out and appealingly developed. Clearly a lot of thought has gone into the world and its descriptions.

There is more violence and bloodshed than in most 19th century costume dramas, but nothing at all truly objectionable in the descriptions on-page and all of the violence and conflict are in context. I'm intrigued and looking forward to more from this author. Definitely one to keep an eye on.

Four stars. Rigidly inflexible fans of the canonical works of Austen might have to avert their eyes occasionally but for the rest of us who just love a good read, this will satisfy those cravings.

Disclosure: I received an ARC at no cost from the author/publisher for review purposes.

Miss Bennet's Dragon (Jane Austen Fantasy, #1)

by M Verant

Reviewed by annieb123 on Oct 30, 2021

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