Author: Janet Lee Carey
Genre: Teen Fiction, Fantasy
Publication Date: January 5, 2012
Publisher: Penguin Young Readers Group
ISBN-13 Book: 9780803735040
Source: I purchased and ebook version for my nook. This is my honest review!
Dragonswood by Janet Lee CareyMy rating: 3 of 5 stars
When Tess is accused of being a witch, and then tortured to reveal the names of her best friends, she and her two best friends must leave their perilous lives behind in their small village to escape the witch hunter. Unsure who to trust and with nowhere safe to run, Tess and her friends are helped by a mysterious huntsman who Tess had seen in her visions; a man who may know more about the kingdom’s affairs than he lets on.
I was really looking forward to this novel. It sounded so intriguing, and like a good engrossing fantasy. I was looking for something completely set in a fantasy world, and this novel fit the bill.
Dragonswood starts off with a bang and a lot of action. At the very beginning Tess is accused of witchcraft, and then tortured. This was the type of beginning that really hooks me as a reader. It was fast and action packed.
After a great start, however, the novel slows down considerably—perhaps even too much. There were later parts that dragged by so much so that I was tempted to put the book down. Still the need to know what was going to happen and where the novel would go kept me reading.
Tess is a likable character who is realistically flawed. She only knows what she has been told and is ignorant of much of the world. I like the fact that Tess’s character is so well rounded. She makes mistakes and has flaws, and that made her so much more real than even her two best friends.
Overall, there were some parts of the story that could have been better developed, and some loose ends that were too neatly tied up at the end, but all in all this was an interesting book to read. While you may notice some connections with Carey’s book Dragon’s Keep, it is not necessary to read Dragon’s Keep to enjoy Dragonswood although doing so may provide you with some background and history that will be useful.
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I've read a number of books recently that start off very strong and then seem to lose steam; it's always so disappointing when the book can't seem to sustain the momentum of its opening chapters. Thanks for the honest review.
ReplyDeleteAnd thank you so much for your thoughtful comments on my blog--they are very much appreciated.