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Dragon Chronicles #1
Dragon's Milk
"You must go to the dragon. You must leave tonight."
Before she even hears the words, Kaeldra already knows what she must do. She must search out the mother dragon whose draclings have just hatched and somehow get some of her precious milk. It's the only way to save her foster-sister's life. Kaeldra would rather not go. It's much too terrifying, much too dangerous. But Kaeldra knows that she's the only one who can do it. For she is the only one who can actually communicate with dragons.
But little does Kaeldra know what she's getting into. She's about to begin a journey that will entwine her fate with that of three little draclings and one would-be dragonslayer. A journey that will become a struggle for life.
Before she even hears the words, Kaeldra already knows what she must do. She must search out the mother dragon whose draclings have just hatched and somehow get some of her precious milk. It's the only way to save her foster-sister's life. Kaeldra would rather not go. It's much too terrifying, much too dangerous. But Kaeldra knows that she's the only one who can do it. For she is the only one who can actually communicate with dragons.
But little does Kaeldra know what she's getting into. She's about to begin a journey that will entwine her fate with that of three little draclings and one would-be dragonslayer. A journey that will become a struggle for life.
242 pages, Paperback
First published October 1, 1989
92 people are currently reading
6500 people want to read
About the author
Susan Fletcher
15 books246 followersLibrarian Note: There is more than one author in the GoodReads database with this name.
Susan Fletcher is the author of a popular trilogy that includes the books Dragon's Milk, Flight of the Dragon Kyn, and Sign of the Dove, as well as of several other novels for young readers.
With a medieval setting inspired by pictures of the Welsh countryside from where Fletcher traces her roots, the dragon trilogy features Fletcher's imaginative, dragon-centered plots, which have won praise from reviewers and readers alike. Calling 1993's Flight of the Dragon Kyn "a joy to read," Booklist contributor Deborah Abbott added: "Fletcher pens some of the best yarns around."
Born in Pasadena, California, in 1951, Fletcher and her family moved to Ohio when she was seven years old. She had dreamed of being a writer ever since she entered the third grade. "Back then my name was Susan Clemens," she once explained. "One day my teacher told us about a famous author named Mark Twain, whose real name was Samuel Clemens, whose daughter's name was Susan. It was fate, I thought. I decided not to become the daughter of a famous author (which is impossible to arrange), but to become a famous author myself (which is difficult enough)."
Returning to California in sixth grade, Fletcher graduated from high school in 1969, having spent her senior year as fiction editor of her school's literary magazine. She enrolled at the University of California at Santa Barbara and earned her bachelor's degree in English. She then moved to Michigan, where she earned her master's degree in English from the University of Michigan. Moving again to Colorado, Fletcher got a job with a local advertising agency and met her soon-to-be husband, Jerry; they were married in June of 1977. Moving again, this time to Minneapolis, Minnesota, she put her writing talent to work creating copy for radio advertisements, which she enjoyed and was good at. When her husband relocated to Portland, Oregon, Fletcher planned to look for a similar position, but those plans changed when she discovered that she and her husband would soon be having a child. Magazine writing became her new focus--it was something Fletcher could do from home--and from there it was a short step to becoming a children's book writer.
Fletcher's first novel for young readers, 1988's The Haunting Possibility, was inspired by Oregon's Lake Oswego area and the practice of draining the lake each winter to allow dock repairs to be made. Learning the nuances of characterization and plotting as she went, Fletcher completed the manuscript and sent it to almost twenty publishers before it was accepted. She quickly involved herself in a local group of children's writers, meeting several editors and gaining constructive criticism of her work in the process.
Susan Fletcher is the author of a popular trilogy that includes the books Dragon's Milk, Flight of the Dragon Kyn, and Sign of the Dove, as well as of several other novels for young readers.
With a medieval setting inspired by pictures of the Welsh countryside from where Fletcher traces her roots, the dragon trilogy features Fletcher's imaginative, dragon-centered plots, which have won praise from reviewers and readers alike. Calling 1993's Flight of the Dragon Kyn "a joy to read," Booklist contributor Deborah Abbott added: "Fletcher pens some of the best yarns around."
Born in Pasadena, California, in 1951, Fletcher and her family moved to Ohio when she was seven years old. She had dreamed of being a writer ever since she entered the third grade. "Back then my name was Susan Clemens," she once explained. "One day my teacher told us about a famous author named Mark Twain, whose real name was Samuel Clemens, whose daughter's name was Susan. It was fate, I thought. I decided not to become the daughter of a famous author (which is impossible to arrange), but to become a famous author myself (which is difficult enough)."
Returning to California in sixth grade, Fletcher graduated from high school in 1969, having spent her senior year as fiction editor of her school's literary magazine. She enrolled at the University of California at Santa Barbara and earned her bachelor's degree in English. She then moved to Michigan, where she earned her master's degree in English from the University of Michigan. Moving again to Colorado, Fletcher got a job with a local advertising agency and met her soon-to-be husband, Jerry; they were married in June of 1977. Moving again, this time to Minneapolis, Minnesota, she put her writing talent to work creating copy for radio advertisements, which she enjoyed and was good at. When her husband relocated to Portland, Oregon, Fletcher planned to look for a similar position, but those plans changed when she discovered that she and her husband would soon be having a child. Magazine writing became her new focus--it was something Fletcher could do from home--and from there it was a short step to becoming a children's book writer.
Fletcher's first novel for young readers, 1988's The Haunting Possibility, was inspired by Oregon's Lake Oswego area and the practice of draining the lake each winter to allow dock repairs to be made. Learning the nuances of characterization and plotting as she went, Fletcher completed the manuscript and sent it to almost twenty publishers before it was accepted. She quickly involved herself in a local group of children's writers, meeting several editors and gaining constructive criticism of her work in the process.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 279 reviews
January 21, 2013
This was one of my favourite books as a kid - I was a huge dragon nut, to the point where I refused to read Harry Potter because of something I read in the back summary of the first book that lead me to assume JK Rowling was "doing it wrong," so I turned my nose up at the whole series. Seriously. I recall this vividly. Kids say the darndest things.
Anyway, the Dragon Chronicles series was one of my favourites for a variety of reasons - I loved that the dragons were intelligent, misunderstood creatures who just wanted to live, no different from any other large predator. I also loved that the baby dragons act like any actual baby animals - they're bratty, difficult to control and sometimes (unintentionally) dangerous, but with their moments of sweetness and silly mischief. I liked that the protagonist was a tall, awkward, tomboyish girl - I could never relate to delicate waifs as a kid - and Kaeldra was enough of an outcast to appeal to my lonely, nerdy self. The series does have romance in it, but it's toned down to the point where it's really easy to flat-out ignore. It doesn't feel forced or tacked-on like romance tends to in a lot of other YA novels. (God, I pray for the death of the love triangle as a plot point.)
These are mostly stories about girls and young women thrust into complicated, painful situations where right and wrong aren't necessarily clear-cut. I loved that nuance, just like I loved that the books are very sad; characters die and have to make some very difficult choices. There's a lot of sacrifice and sweat and tears and blood in these books, and when the characters are in danger, you really feel like they're in danger - there's very rarely that voice in the back of your head like "Yeah right, she's not going to kill off any important characters..." Nothing comes easy for Kaeldra, and at many points in the book I ached with sympathy for her.
Kaeldra makes a great cipher - you learn about the world as she does, so there's not a ton of exposition dumped on your head all at once. Her story was believable and her journey captivated me to the point where I read this book over and over and over.
It's worth noting that I also love the covers - the art is beautiful!
Does it still hold up to my childhood obsession? Nothing really does. But I would absolutely recommend this book (and the sequels) to anyone with a young fantasy-loving girl in the family. If she's anything like me, she'll reread them until they fall apart.
Anyway, the Dragon Chronicles series was one of my favourites for a variety of reasons - I loved that the dragons were intelligent, misunderstood creatures who just wanted to live, no different from any other large predator. I also loved that the baby dragons act like any actual baby animals - they're bratty, difficult to control and sometimes (unintentionally) dangerous, but with their moments of sweetness and silly mischief. I liked that the protagonist was a tall, awkward, tomboyish girl - I could never relate to delicate waifs as a kid - and Kaeldra was enough of an outcast to appeal to my lonely, nerdy self. The series does have romance in it, but it's toned down to the point where it's really easy to flat-out ignore. It doesn't feel forced or tacked-on like romance tends to in a lot of other YA novels. (God, I pray for the death of the love triangle as a plot point.)
These are mostly stories about girls and young women thrust into complicated, painful situations where right and wrong aren't necessarily clear-cut. I loved that nuance, just like I loved that the books are very sad; characters die and have to make some very difficult choices. There's a lot of sacrifice and sweat and tears and blood in these books, and when the characters are in danger, you really feel like they're in danger - there's very rarely that voice in the back of your head like "Yeah right, she's not going to kill off any important characters..." Nothing comes easy for Kaeldra, and at many points in the book I ached with sympathy for her.
Kaeldra makes a great cipher - you learn about the world as she does, so there's not a ton of exposition dumped on your head all at once. Her story was believable and her journey captivated me to the point where I read this book over and over and over.
It's worth noting that I also love the covers - the art is beautiful!
Does it still hold up to my childhood obsession? Nothing really does. But I would absolutely recommend this book (and the sequels) to anyone with a young fantasy-loving girl in the family. If she's anything like me, she'll reread them until they fall apart.
April 25, 2022
Read as part of my ongoing shelf audit. Verdict: somewhat to my surprise, it's a firm keeper. I can't let this series go.
I've been thinking a lot lately about what dragons mean: what's their role in the narrative, and what does it bring to a story to invoke them? Just as every dystopian novel is actually about the world in which it is penned, a story about dragons isn't necessarily just a story about dragons. My developing theory is it's also a story about how we feel about something strange, wild, and powerful. (Or something 'ancient, strange, and lovely', which is the closest I will come to acknowledging a book that doesn't need to exist. The title is very nice, is all.)
This book, I think, gets dragons in a way that a lot of other media with them doesn't - and I say that as someone who loves dragon media dearly. Fletcher strikes a delicate balance, making her dragons both intelligent and markedly nonhuman, with their own priorities and needs. I hesitate to say that they're 'animals', except with the caveat that humans are also animals, and a lot of our behaviors would look similarly strange from the other side of the glass, so to speak. They are capable of understanding, violence, and vulnerability, but in their own distinct ways; they are like us, but thoroughly alien. While this trilogy turns on the hunting of dragons by humans, it's not clear that dragons would have willingly coexisted with humans even without that factor - they certainly don't see anything wrong with devouring domesticated livestock, for example. They inspire wonder and fear simultaneously, even in the rare people who can speak to them.
(If looked at through a certain lens, this book is an environmental parable. Dragons are everything wild, dangerous, and wonderful about the natural world; they are both existential threat to humanity and potential resource; and they are slowly being squeezed to the margins by the ever-expanding human population. They represent the magic of the wilderness, disappearing as we watch, feared by many and protected by only a few. The fact that they are also the source of life-saving medicine is also a poignant parallel.)
I feel I should also mention that Kaeldra is here too, and has a great character arc as she finds that she is capable of much more than she imagined, and learns to value herself more than she had previously thought she deserved. That part's great, and definitely makes her a compelling protagonist. She's very much one of the 1990s MG/YA heroines who predates Strong Female Character discourse and is simply... a strong female character, in a nuanced and unselfconscious way.
But really, I'm here for largely for the dragons, and this is an exemplary portrayal.
I've been thinking a lot lately about what dragons mean: what's their role in the narrative, and what does it bring to a story to invoke them? Just as every dystopian novel is actually about the world in which it is penned, a story about dragons isn't necessarily just a story about dragons. My developing theory is it's also a story about how we feel about something strange, wild, and powerful. (Or something 'ancient, strange, and lovely', which is the closest I will come to acknowledging a book that doesn't need to exist. The title is very nice, is all.)
This book, I think, gets dragons in a way that a lot of other media with them doesn't - and I say that as someone who loves dragon media dearly. Fletcher strikes a delicate balance, making her dragons both intelligent and markedly nonhuman, with their own priorities and needs. I hesitate to say that they're 'animals', except with the caveat that humans are also animals, and a lot of our behaviors would look similarly strange from the other side of the glass, so to speak. They are capable of understanding, violence, and vulnerability, but in their own distinct ways; they are like us, but thoroughly alien. While this trilogy turns on the hunting of dragons by humans, it's not clear that dragons would have willingly coexisted with humans even without that factor - they certainly don't see anything wrong with devouring domesticated livestock, for example. They inspire wonder and fear simultaneously, even in the rare people who can speak to them.
(If looked at through a certain lens, this book is an environmental parable. Dragons are everything wild, dangerous, and wonderful about the natural world; they are both existential threat to humanity and potential resource; and they are slowly being squeezed to the margins by the ever-expanding human population. They represent the magic of the wilderness, disappearing as we watch, feared by many and protected by only a few. The fact that they are also the source of life-saving medicine is also a poignant parallel.)
I feel I should also mention that Kaeldra is here too, and has a great character arc as she finds that she is capable of much more than she imagined, and learns to value herself more than she had previously thought she deserved. That part's great, and definitely makes her a compelling protagonist. She's very much one of the 1990s MG/YA heroines who predates Strong Female Character discourse and is simply... a strong female character, in a nuanced and unselfconscious way.
But really, I'm here for largely for the dragons, and this is an exemplary portrayal.
March 25, 2017
This author lives right near me and I've had the pleasure of meeting her. Not only if she a lovely, intelligent lady, but her books are as well. I really enjoyed reading this trilogy when I was younger, and now that I'm older I still enjoy them as much as I did then (she has this writing style that gets to me).
Also, bonus points for having a female lead that's badass. Seriously, this is extremely rare in fiction. I think one of the only times I've encountered a badass female in fantasy was Howl's Moving Castle. The cast of characters are mainly likable and intelligent female characters as well, so MORE bonus points go to Fletcher.
Also, bonus points for having a female lead that's badass. Seriously, this is extremely rare in fiction. I think one of the only times I've encountered a badass female in fantasy was Howl's Moving Castle. The cast of characters are mainly likable and intelligent female characters as well, so MORE bonus points go to Fletcher.
January 22, 2021
Somehow this book never made it into our house when my daughters were the right age. The title is really not very good, in my opinion, and this might have stopped my kids from reading it despite the fact that it has been around since 1989 (not this copy) and there was a fourth one put out in 2010.
The writing isn't bad, probably fairly good, really, and it was fun to read this for a challenge, but honestly, it's another teen who goes off and does some stellar things, but also runs into a lot of trouble as she cares for 3 draclings. This is a term I don't recall reading before, but it's young dragons, as you may well have surmised; if this term is used in fantasy, I don't read that much of it.
The writing isn't bad, probably fairly good, really, and it was fun to read this for a challenge, but honestly, it's another teen who goes off and does some stellar things, but also runs into a lot of trouble as she cares for 3 draclings. This is a term I don't recall reading before, but it's young dragons, as you may well have surmised; if this term is used in fantasy, I don't read that much of it.
July 2, 2018
Real rating: a generous 2.5 stars
Based on the description above for the book, I thought this book was going to be a super cool action-adventure where a girl has to raise these dragons or carry them to their distant cousins or something.
Instead, this book was gruesome and weird.
Firstly, the dragon babies were complete idiots. That had absolutely no concept of survival or that humans were bad DESPITE BEING HUNTED. One scene that I can remember clearly was when Kaeldra goes to a farm to try to steal some food for them since they're all hungry, the family invites her inside to eat, and instead of the baby dragons doing what dragons do best and hunting for their freaking food in the giant woods they're in, the dragons waltz into the humans' farm, kill some rabbits, get attacked by a dog, kill the dog, and almost kill a boy. It was so pointless and stupid.
Kaeldra is hunted the entire book because she has green "dragon" eyes, which means she can speak to dragons (not that it does any good because they never listen). In this, dragons are seen as giant pests, much like wolves, and are hunted to near extinction. Their scales are used to make outfits, their bones, blood, and teeth for medical "remedies," their flesh eaten, and their hearts consumed because it "supposedly makes a person invulnerable." The kestrel that her grandmother made that is supposed to lead Kaeldra to some guy who will save the baby dragons is the reason she keeps winding up in horrible situations where she is being thrown into prison, kidnapped, and the dragons nearly killed every time. The kestrel is absolutely no help at all.
The ending was THE most unsatisfying ending I have ever read since the one dragon baby I actually gave a crap about WAS EATEN BY A FREAKING HUMAN and the whole "Kaeldra calls the dragons" was ridiculous because she calls them and they showed up in, like, five seconds. So unless these dragons fly at the speed of sound, which would mean they should have never been caught/killed off to begin with, then the dragons have been loitering around in human territory for generations, waiting to be called.
When the dragons arrive, a human army conveniently shows up shortly after to lull the dragons into a false slumber, start killing them off so that they, too, can eat them. I did say this was gruesome.
What made no sense to me and I probably missed because my eyes were glazed over: how did the dragons snap out of the trance and where the heck did the army go? I don't recall it mentioned that the dragons killed all the humans, so they must have left, but all the dragon corpses were still there, so they had to have been driven off, but there wasn't a battle...so where did they go and why. Also if Kaeldra had that supersonic scream/shout power where she could make all the dragons listen to her an wake up, why wasn't she able to use that before when the idiot draclings kept NOT following her directions and almost getting killed.
I was genuinely disappointing in this book, if you can't tell, and really grossed out. I got through half of this book before I realized it was "technically" YA, and even then I didn't see the point in the whole "oh, instead of kill the dragons we've decided to eat them" plot twist. It did nothing to the story and made me hate everyone.
Based on the description above for the book, I thought this book was going to be a super cool action-adventure where a girl has to raise these dragons or carry them to their distant cousins or something.
Instead, this book was gruesome and weird.
Firstly, the dragon babies were complete idiots. That had absolutely no concept of survival or that humans were bad DESPITE BEING HUNTED. One scene that I can remember clearly was when Kaeldra goes to a farm to try to steal some food for them since they're all hungry, the family invites her inside to eat, and instead of the baby dragons doing what dragons do best and hunting for their freaking food in the giant woods they're in, the dragons waltz into the humans' farm, kill some rabbits, get attacked by a dog, kill the dog, and almost kill a boy. It was so pointless and stupid.
Kaeldra is hunted the entire book because she has green "dragon" eyes, which means she can speak to dragons (not that it does any good because they never listen). In this, dragons are seen as giant pests, much like wolves, and are hunted to near extinction. Their scales are used to make outfits, their bones, blood, and teeth for medical "remedies," their flesh eaten, and their hearts consumed because it "supposedly makes a person invulnerable." The kestrel that her grandmother made that is supposed to lead Kaeldra to some guy who will save the baby dragons is the reason she keeps winding up in horrible situations where she is being thrown into prison, kidnapped, and the dragons nearly killed every time. The kestrel is absolutely no help at all.
The ending was THE most unsatisfying ending I have ever read since the one dragon baby I actually gave a crap about WAS EATEN BY A FREAKING HUMAN and the whole "Kaeldra calls the dragons" was ridiculous because she calls them and they showed up in, like, five seconds. So unless these dragons fly at the speed of sound, which would mean they should have never been caught/killed off to begin with, then the dragons have been loitering around in human territory for generations, waiting to be called.
When the dragons arrive, a human army conveniently shows up shortly after to lull the dragons into a false slumber, start killing them off so that they, too, can eat them. I did say this was gruesome.
What made no sense to me and I probably missed because my eyes were glazed over: how did the dragons snap out of the trance and where the heck did the army go? I don't recall it mentioned that the dragons killed all the humans, so they must have left, but all the dragon corpses were still there, so they had to have been driven off, but there wasn't a battle...so where did they go and why. Also if Kaeldra had that supersonic scream/shout power where she could make all the dragons listen to her an wake up, why wasn't she able to use that before when the idiot draclings kept NOT following her directions and almost getting killed.
I was genuinely disappointing in this book, if you can't tell, and really grossed out. I got through half of this book before I realized it was "technically" YA, and even then I didn't see the point in the whole "oh, instead of kill the dragons we've decided to eat them" plot twist. It did nothing to the story and made me hate everyone.
August 4, 2014
Originally posted at Worlds Abound
Dragon's Milk starts with our introduction to Kaeldra, a young girl living in a small village on a farm with her adoptive family. Unfortunately for her, she is obviously the only Krag (a type of people that are tall and blond) in a village full of Elythians (smaller people with dark hair). When her younger sister, Lyf, contracts Vermilion fever Kaeldra's grandmother reveals to Kaeldra her heritage of dragon speaking and that the only way to save Lyf is to get milk from a dragon. Luckily, a dragon dam just happened to return to their land after decades of absence to hatch her eggs.
I really enjoyed this book, even in it's predictability. The book is short, I finished it in a couple of hours and is perfect as a "I don't really know what I want to read next, but I don't want anything too taxing" kind of book. Kaeldra is likable and not constantly noble; she wants to be rid of her dracling charges and go back to her normal life. But, she won't just leave them to fend for themselves. Some parts were sad, I don't want to say too much but this author is not afraid to kill off characters.
For those out there there really like some type of romance in their book, this kind of has some (but seriously, very minimal). There are three more books in this series, but this one gives closure to Kaeldra's story, and the next two are about different characters. I will probably check them out the next time I'm in the mood for a light, easy read but for now I'm satisfied with how this played out!
Definitely check it out if you're interested in dragons, fantasy and middle grade fiction. It's a cute little book!
Dragon's Milk starts with our introduction to Kaeldra, a young girl living in a small village on a farm with her adoptive family. Unfortunately for her, she is obviously the only Krag (a type of people that are tall and blond) in a village full of Elythians (smaller people with dark hair). When her younger sister, Lyf, contracts Vermilion fever Kaeldra's grandmother reveals to Kaeldra her heritage of dragon speaking and that the only way to save Lyf is to get milk from a dragon. Luckily, a dragon dam just happened to return to their land after decades of absence to hatch her eggs.
I really enjoyed this book, even in it's predictability. The book is short, I finished it in a couple of hours and is perfect as a "I don't really know what I want to read next, but I don't want anything too taxing" kind of book. Kaeldra is likable and not constantly noble; she wants to be rid of her dracling charges and go back to her normal life. But, she won't just leave them to fend for themselves. Some parts were sad, I don't want to say too much but this author is not afraid to kill off characters.
For those out there there really like some type of romance in their book, this kind of has some (but seriously, very minimal). There are three more books in this series, but this one gives closure to Kaeldra's story, and the next two are about different characters. I will probably check them out the next time I'm in the mood for a light, easy read but for now I'm satisfied with how this played out!
Definitely check it out if you're interested in dragons, fantasy and middle grade fiction. It's a cute little book!
January 14, 2013
Actual Rating: 3.5 stars
For the most part, I enjoyed this book, mainly because it had baby dragons in it. They were cute, cuddly and adorable...not what you would expect from dragons. Even their names were cute--Embyr, Pyro and Synge. Of course, there were also the more deadly, dangerous adult dragons as well, who weren't nearly as sweet and cuddly! Ms. Fletcher's descriptions of them, however, were vivid and compelling.
The dragon's milk in the title played only a small part in the beginning of the story, but the search for it was what ultimately sent Kaeldra on her mad, dangerous dash across the countryside in her quest to save the draclings. I loved her relationship with the babies and their heartwarming acceptance of her as a surrogate mother. As is typical of youngsters, they often ignored and disobeyed her, but her soft heart wouldn't allow her to be too upset with them. Their antics were often funny and very reminiscent of rambunctious puppies.
The book did have its flaws. Sometimes, I found the wording and dialogue a bit stilted and clunky, particularly in the beginning when Kaeldra and Granmyr were speaking. The romance--what little there was of it--seemed somewhat improbable and only so-so, which made the epilogue also a little improbable.
All in all, I enjoyed the book. It was funny and light-hearted for the most part, but there were also moments of sadness, darkness and danger. The draclings were definitely the saving grace for the story and, if you're like me when it comes to dragons, I think you would also enjoy this delightful fantasy.
For the most part, I enjoyed this book, mainly because it had baby dragons in it. They were cute, cuddly and adorable...not what you would expect from dragons. Even their names were cute--Embyr, Pyro and Synge. Of course, there were also the more deadly, dangerous adult dragons as well, who weren't nearly as sweet and cuddly! Ms. Fletcher's descriptions of them, however, were vivid and compelling.
The dragon's milk in the title played only a small part in the beginning of the story, but the search for it was what ultimately sent Kaeldra on her mad, dangerous dash across the countryside in her quest to save the draclings. I loved her relationship with the babies and their heartwarming acceptance of her as a surrogate mother. As is typical of youngsters, they often ignored and disobeyed her, but her soft heart wouldn't allow her to be too upset with them. Their antics were often funny and very reminiscent of rambunctious puppies.
The book did have its flaws. Sometimes, I found the wording and dialogue a bit stilted and clunky, particularly in the beginning when Kaeldra and Granmyr were speaking. The romance--what little there was of it--seemed somewhat improbable and only so-so, which made the epilogue also a little improbable.
All in all, I enjoyed the book. It was funny and light-hearted for the most part, but there were also moments of sadness, darkness and danger. The draclings were definitely the saving grace for the story and, if you're like me when it comes to dragons, I think you would also enjoy this delightful fantasy.
September 26, 2007
When I read a book I don't enjoy, I have to read a couple books I know I'll love to get the bad taste of bad reading out of my head. It's usually a more recently discovered comfort read, but if it was a really bad book, I might feel compelled to reach deep into the past and draw out a very old favorite.
I read a very bad book the other day. This book is a very old favorite. I probably read it first when I was nine or ten, and it immediately became a much-read favorite(possibly just because it was so different - I hadn't read much fantasy besides Tolkien at that point). But it has been a very long time since I last picked it up, so it was nice to go back to it. I was kind of worried that, after so many years, it might not be as lovely as I remembered. But it was, even if it was not quite as epic or romantic as I remembered. It's a lovely little book that I am glad to find I remain very fond of.
I read a very bad book the other day. This book is a very old favorite. I probably read it first when I was nine or ten, and it immediately became a much-read favorite(possibly just because it was so different - I hadn't read much fantasy besides Tolkien at that point). But it has been a very long time since I last picked it up, so it was nice to go back to it. I was kind of worried that, after so many years, it might not be as lovely as I remembered. But it was, even if it was not quite as epic or romantic as I remembered. It's a lovely little book that I am glad to find I remain very fond of.
September 2, 2009
I read this at least a dozen years ago. What I remember: there is a young girl (possibly adopted, but definitely less parentally favored) who tries to save her sick younger sister with doses of dragon's milk. To get the milk, she makes a bargain with a dragon. But after the mother dragon is killed, Kaeldra takes on the responsibility of the three baby dragons left behind. She and a would-be dragon slayer traverse a surprisingly well-thought-out fantasy world, trying to keep ahead of their enemies.
August 16, 2011
The first in Susan Fletcher's series about dragons and their offspring, called "draclings." (A perfect word for them!) The dragons are fierce and the draclings are mischievous. Kaeldra is sucked into their world in order to save her younger sister from an illness. She comes to realize she can mind-speak to dragons, along with birds who are related to dragons. While other humans hasten to wipe out the dragons from the countryside, Kaeldra must race to save the draclings and their kind from annihilation. A super first installment in the series!
September 4, 2023
When I was in fifth grade, I was selected for some kind of conference for gifted and talented children in the Portland (Oregon) area. It was a day of math and science and art activities designed to please all varieties of young nerds. But the most exciting part of the day, the only part I can still remember (however dimly) 25 years later, was the closing keynote, from a local children’s fantasy novelist named Susan Fletcher. Though I liked fantasy stories, I had somehow never heard of her before. But she gave a wonderful talk about how writers need to do research, even if they are writing about fantastical creatures and made-up countries. For instance, a character in Dragon’s Milk makes pottery on a wheel, and I seem to recall Fletcher telling us that she signed up for pottery lessons in order to write those scenes accurately. (I have always loved getting practical, specific insights into the writing process—I hate writers who speak in generalities and abstractions!) I found it all so inspirational that I went home and informed my parents that I had to read Ms. Fletcher’s Dragon Chronicles books immediately.
So it was with a deep sense of nostalgia that I picked up Dragon’s Milk from a Little Free Library late last month. I hadn't forgotten the basic premise: Kaeldra, a 16-year-old misfit girl, finds herself looking after three adorable baby dragons, then (after the mother dragon is slain), leading the “draclings” on a perilous journey north. Interestingly, I found that I remembered a lot of scenes from the first part of the book, plus the events of the final chapter and epilogue, but not really anything from the middle section. That might be because the middle is very much a standard-issue fantasy-adventure quest where Kaeldra has to disguise herself as a boy, hide out in barns and wagons, flee from omnipresent danger, etc. The focus is on survival and endurance, not on deeper character growth. Whereas the beginning of the book is more centered on Kaeldra’s internal emotions, such as the alienation she feels as an adoptee from a foreign country. It also features more worldbuilding that goes beyond standard medieval-ish fantasy tropes: the grandmother who does pottery magic, the very idea that female dragons lay eggs but also produce milk.
Because the middle section kind of failed for me on this reread (and, it seems, it wasn't my favorite part as a kid either!), I therefore had to drop the rating from four stars to three. But man, I wish I could go back in time and hear Susan Fletcher give that wonderful, inspirational lecture again.
So it was with a deep sense of nostalgia that I picked up Dragon’s Milk from a Little Free Library late last month. I hadn't forgotten the basic premise: Kaeldra, a 16-year-old misfit girl, finds herself looking after three adorable baby dragons, then (after the mother dragon is slain), leading the “draclings” on a perilous journey north. Interestingly, I found that I remembered a lot of scenes from the first part of the book, plus the events of the final chapter and epilogue, but not really anything from the middle section. That might be because the middle is very much a standard-issue fantasy-adventure quest where Kaeldra has to disguise herself as a boy, hide out in barns and wagons, flee from omnipresent danger, etc. The focus is on survival and endurance, not on deeper character growth. Whereas the beginning of the book is more centered on Kaeldra’s internal emotions, such as the alienation she feels as an adoptee from a foreign country. It also features more worldbuilding that goes beyond standard medieval-ish fantasy tropes: the grandmother who does pottery magic, the very idea that female dragons lay eggs but also produce milk.
Because the middle section kind of failed for me on this reread (and, it seems, it wasn't my favorite part as a kid either!), I therefore had to drop the rating from four stars to three. But man, I wish I could go back in time and hear Susan Fletcher give that wonderful, inspirational lecture again.
March 29, 2020
I would have liked this book more if I was younger. As it happens, I feel disappointed.
Now, to be fair, I have read MANY books about dragons. And MANY of those books are about girls and dragons. And while this book is a solid book about a girl and three baby dragons attempting to get them safe from dragon-slayers, it doesn't do anything really new.
Kaeldra, our heroine, is a very passive character. Most of the plot happens to her rather than giving her a proper decision time or even a thought process. The dragon babies are pretty interchangeable; there's Embyr who is the "responsible" one, Pyro the one and Synge the "sweet" one. The dragon talk being in symbols annoyed me. And many animals die in this book which makes sense for the story but it is still rather gruesome for young children.
I did like the pottery magic and Fletcher did do her homework about dragon mythology. One thing that I liked (that I think was invented by Fletcher) was the dragons relationship with birds, both the kestrel and the gyrfalcon were interesting and I enjoyed Kaeldra following the kestrel while the falcon was dangerous because of its connection to the draclings.
Now, to be fair, I have read MANY books about dragons. And MANY of those books are about girls and dragons. And while this book is a solid book about a girl and three baby dragons attempting to get them safe from dragon-slayers, it doesn't do anything really new.
Kaeldra, our heroine, is a very passive character. Most of the plot happens to her rather than giving her a proper decision time or even a thought process. The dragon babies are pretty interchangeable; there's Embyr who is the "responsible" one, Pyro the one and Synge the "sweet" one. The dragon talk being in symbols annoyed me. And many animals die in this book which makes sense for the story but it is still rather gruesome for young children.
I did like the pottery magic and Fletcher did do her homework about dragon mythology. One thing that I liked (that I think was invented by Fletcher) was the dragons relationship with birds, both the kestrel and the gyrfalcon were interesting and I enjoyed Kaeldra following the kestrel while the falcon was dangerous because of its connection to the draclings.
October 9, 2017
I can’t believe I missed this book in my younger days. It would’ve fit in perfectly during my Tamora Pierce/Robin McKinley binges. A strong heroine, twisting adventure, humor... this has everything that younger me really loved in a book. And older me really enjoyed returning to that kind of world. I can’t wait for the other three in the series!
April 14, 2012
This was a beautifully written story about a young girl trying to keep three draclings (young dragons) safe. I love everything concerning dragons, so this book was wonderful for me! I just wish it had been a bit longer, I didn't want it to end!
February 22, 2024
Needed a book for my 5th grade fantasy book club. We weren’t sure about this one at first. The old fashioned writing was difficult to read. It took us multiple chapters to feel invested in Kaeldra & the draclings. Once their mother died, we hopped on board. This adventure was wild! I thought the plot was entertaining, good storyline, but just hard to read. Even as an adult I had to look up a lot of words & reread sections for comprehension. Ryfenn was my least favorite character, I still don’t understand why she was so horrible to Kaeldra. It felt unnecessary. The small bit of romance with Kaeldra and Jeorg was beautiful but also appropriate for the audience. I won’t continue the series but it was a decent read for someone who doesn’t like fantasy.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
December 7, 2022
I was able to introduce the dragons to my nine-year-old son. I loved revisting with Kaeldra, the first time since middle school when I discovered these books. I still love the story and am once more inspired by the thrill of fantasy that Susan eloquently paints in these pages. Tomorrow, we fly with the kyn.
December 27, 2021
The action started almost immediately and never abated! I was so worried about our characters the entire time! Since it is middle grade, I knew the MC would survive, but whew!
July 2, 2018
This was my favorite book when I was in 6th grade. It was wonderfully nostalgic to reread it, and to be equally moved by Fletcher's prose. I have not read any further into this series but I am curious ...
October 30, 2015
Deze recensie is als eerste geplaatst op Carpe Libra
Wat me in eerste instantie aantrok om Dragon's Milk te lezen was natuurlijk de fantastische kaft."Oh, daar is veel moeite in gestoken, dat zal dan ook wel een geweldig verhaal zijn om te lezen!", waren mijn eerste gedachten. Normaal gesproken is dat ook zo, kijk maar naar de 'Timber Wolves Trilogy' van 'Tammy Blackwell' en 'The Summer King Chronicles' van Jess E. Owen. Prachtige covers en super geweldige verhalen. Helaas was dit niet het geval bij dit boek. Het verhaal vond ik niet eens half zo mooi als de voorkant!
De eerste paar bladzijdes waren zo slecht nog niet. Het boek is geschreven in makkelijk begrijpbaar Engels en korte zinnen. Ik lees nu al jaren mijn boeken in het Engels, dus voor mij zou dit toch eigenlijk geen probleem moeten zijn?? Waarom had ik dan zo'n moeite met het volgen van het verhaal? Met snappen wat er aan de hand was? Ik heb de meest simpele zinnen keer op keer moeten lezen voordat er iets doordrong. Zelfs daarna had ik nog het gevoel dat er sommige dingen niet klopten, over werden geslagen of ontbraken...
Kaeldra's persoonlijkheid was ook iets waar ik problemen mee had. Ze gedroeg zich het grootste gedeelte van het boek als een kip zonder kop. Waarom zou je anders zonder enige vorm van plan de grot van een mensetende draak inlopen, een moeder draak die ook nog jongen heeft om te beschermen. Waarom kijk je dan raar op als de draak besluit om je op te eten? Daarnaast heeft ze ook nog de rare verwachting dat de jonge baby draakjes haar bevelen opvolgen. Halllooo, de woorden zeggen het toch al?? Het zijn jonge baby draakjes. Ooit gehoord van een baby die meteen luistert?? Ik niet hoor, maar Kaeldra misschien wel??
Het boek had verder ook niet echt diepgang. De personages bleven nogal vlak en onderontwikkeld. Voordat het echt spannend kon worden was het meestal al over. De enige reden waarom ik eigenlijk door bleef lezen was dat ik wilde weten hoe het zou eindigen met de draakjes. Zelfs dat einde was niet bevredigend....
Mijn eerste intentie was om Dragon's Milk maar één ster toe te kennen. Ik heb niet echt genoten van dit boek. Er zaten wel van die schattige draakjes in... en de cover is werkelijk fantastisch. Dat is die twee sterren toch wel waard. Het verhaal zelf zekerste weten niet!
February 25, 2019
I first read this book in junior high, and remember loving it as a thrilling adventure story involving dragons and a plucky heroine. Revisiting it as an adult, I find it's not quite as wonderful as I remembered. But it's still an enjoyable fantasy/adventure story, one that kids and young teens will enjoy and with a heroine that's strong and capable, if a little whiny and bland at times.
Kaeldra feels like an outsider in her foster family -- too tall, green-eyed, and constantly looked down on by her foster mother. But when her foster sister falls ill of a dangerous fever, she's the only one who can seek out a cure... the milk of a dragon. For Kaeldra's green eyes mark her as one who can speak to dragons, and soon she finds herself striking a bargain with a mother dragon to save her foster sister. When the mother dragon dies, however, Kaeldra finds herself taking responsibility for her orphaned draclings, and in a race to get these rare and precious dragons to sanctuary before a would-be dragonslayer -- or a greedy king -- can destroy them.
The prose in this book is servicable enough, though a little bland. I found myself wanting more background on the world built within this book, and was frustrated that only tiny tidbits were seeded throughout the book -- not nearly enough to build a picture in my mind of what this fantasy land was supposed to be like beyond "generic medieval setting." I'm not expecting page upon page of worldbuilding, but at least some idea of what all these countries the book is referring to are like, and how they're connected.
Kaeldra is a capable heroine, able to find her way out of most scrapes. But beyond being capable and wanting acceptance from her foster family, I didn't feel there was much to her personality. Few of the other characters are developed much, save the would-be dragonslayer, who turns out to be a more interesting character than Kaeldra in my opinion. The draclings are adorable, at least, and their mother appropriately intimidating even if I hoped for more personality from her.
Beyond those flaws, however, "Dragon's Milk" is an entertaining fantasy-adventure, and so long as you go in expecting nothing more than that you won't be disappointed. Perhaps the other books in the series flesh out the world and characters more, though I'd hoped the first volume would do more groundwork-laying than it did. Still, if you want a capable and strong heroine, adorable baby dragons, and/or a fun, if somewhat mindless, adventure story, "Dragon's Milk" is a good choice.
Kaeldra feels like an outsider in her foster family -- too tall, green-eyed, and constantly looked down on by her foster mother. But when her foster sister falls ill of a dangerous fever, she's the only one who can seek out a cure... the milk of a dragon. For Kaeldra's green eyes mark her as one who can speak to dragons, and soon she finds herself striking a bargain with a mother dragon to save her foster sister. When the mother dragon dies, however, Kaeldra finds herself taking responsibility for her orphaned draclings, and in a race to get these rare and precious dragons to sanctuary before a would-be dragonslayer -- or a greedy king -- can destroy them.
The prose in this book is servicable enough, though a little bland. I found myself wanting more background on the world built within this book, and was frustrated that only tiny tidbits were seeded throughout the book -- not nearly enough to build a picture in my mind of what this fantasy land was supposed to be like beyond "generic medieval setting." I'm not expecting page upon page of worldbuilding, but at least some idea of what all these countries the book is referring to are like, and how they're connected.
Kaeldra is a capable heroine, able to find her way out of most scrapes. But beyond being capable and wanting acceptance from her foster family, I didn't feel there was much to her personality. Few of the other characters are developed much, save the would-be dragonslayer, who turns out to be a more interesting character than Kaeldra in my opinion. The draclings are adorable, at least, and their mother appropriately intimidating even if I hoped for more personality from her.
Beyond those flaws, however, "Dragon's Milk" is an entertaining fantasy-adventure, and so long as you go in expecting nothing more than that you won't be disappointed. Perhaps the other books in the series flesh out the world and characters more, though I'd hoped the first volume would do more groundwork-laying than it did. Still, if you want a capable and strong heroine, adorable baby dragons, and/or a fun, if somewhat mindless, adventure story, "Dragon's Milk" is a good choice.
May 31, 2011
This book had a decent story, but in my opinion wasn't very well written. It's about a girl named Kaeldra who lives with her adoptive family. She feels excluded from society because she is from a far away land. Not only that, but she has the green eyes of a dragonsayer, one who can communicate with dragons. When her foster sister Lyf falls ill, her grandmyr sends her on a journey to retrieve dragon's milk from a nearby dragon. Kaeldra finds the dragon easily, and eventually settles on a trade- milk in return for watching the dragon's 3 babies.
The dragon, Fiora, is killed by dragonslayers, and the rest of the story is about Kaeldra trying to get them to other dragons. Along the way she has to avoid a mysterious dragonslayer and disguise herself so she is not recognized as a dragonsayer. The book ends with the hope that one day people will return to being at peace with dragons and then they can live on the earth again.
This book is non-stop action, which is good sometimes, but in this case it seemed like the story progressed and randomly developed too fast. Not a book that I'd make an effort to recommend, but an amusing and easy read.
The dragon, Fiora, is killed by dragonslayers, and the rest of the story is about Kaeldra trying to get them to other dragons. Along the way she has to avoid a mysterious dragonslayer and disguise herself so she is not recognized as a dragonsayer. The book ends with the hope that one day people will return to being at peace with dragons and then they can live on the earth again.
This book is non-stop action, which is good sometimes, but in this case it seemed like the story progressed and randomly developed too fast. Not a book that I'd make an effort to recommend, but an amusing and easy read.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
January 3, 2012
This book truly is magical. The characters, plot, everything.
The book starts off with a good and steady pace. Kaeldra (first of all, let me apologize if I spell her name wrong. It's a mouthful.) soon learns that her foster sister has grown terribly ill. She must set off on an adventure she never would have believed before.
Let me just say that I LOVE THE DRAGONS. They're described beautifully! Everything about them is beautiful. Even their names. They're misunderstood creatures who honestly mean no harm to the humans in this book.
I'm extremely glad there wasn't a lot of romance. I'm tired of corny relationship stuff in books. That was a great breather from the usual stuff that's in books you read these days. Just a little bit of romance sprinkled on top is nice, too, writers.
In short, I really loved this book. I might even read it again sometime, if I can get my hands on my own copy.
The book starts off with a good and steady pace. Kaeldra (first of all, let me apologize if I spell her name wrong. It's a mouthful.) soon learns that her foster sister has grown terribly ill. She must set off on an adventure she never would have believed before.
Let me just say that I LOVE THE DRAGONS. They're described beautifully! Everything about them is beautiful. Even their names. They're misunderstood creatures who honestly mean no harm to the humans in this book.
I'm extremely glad there wasn't a lot of romance. I'm tired of corny relationship stuff in books. That was a great breather from the usual stuff that's in books you read these days. Just a little bit of romance sprinkled on top is nice, too, writers.
In short, I really loved this book. I might even read it again sometime, if I can get my hands on my own copy.
May 6, 2017
When I was a kid, I read a book called Dragon's Milk. This appears to be the only book by that title, so I'm assuming it was this one, but I've been re-reading it and finding it not only very unfamiliar but of the high-fantasy style that I have never liked, even when I was a child.
I don't remember much about the book -- I have a vague impression of a girl hiding dragons babies in a shed or a barn or something of the sort, which doesn't seem to actually happen in this book. The only reason I know I read a book called Dragon's Milk is because around the same time I made a Neopets account and called it Dragonmill because Dragonmilk was taken. I liked it enough to name my Neopets account after it! Could it really be this book?
This book is simply not my type of book. I don't even want to finish it. I keep rolling my eyes at key points because it is so very much not my style. I guess it spoke to me in some way as a child, but it's not doing it now.
I don't remember much about the book -- I have a vague impression of a girl hiding dragons babies in a shed or a barn or something of the sort, which doesn't seem to actually happen in this book. The only reason I know I read a book called Dragon's Milk is because around the same time I made a Neopets account and called it Dragonmill because Dragonmilk was taken. I liked it enough to name my Neopets account after it! Could it really be this book?
This book is simply not my type of book. I don't even want to finish it. I keep rolling my eyes at key points because it is so very much not my style. I guess it spoke to me in some way as a child, but it's not doing it now.
July 27, 2018
I recently read this book because I had an inkling I had read it when i was younger and wanted to confirm things (I had in fact (though I don't know when I first read it)).
The book itself was a fine middle grade book but it did not capture my imagination as others have. I think the book was good but it was not great. Even in children's literature I am used to a certain emotional progression and I felt this book had very abrupt decisions. Characters popped in and out very quickly and it was difficult to create a lasting impression of any secondary characters.
I think this would have been a good book for maybe elementary school me. Reasoning: I thought the writing more simplistic (but comparatively aged/ targeted towards) than Brian Jacques's writing and I obsessively read his books at that time.
I will still finish the series since I am a completionist but I do not believe this will be a series I purchase for my bookshelves.
The book itself was a fine middle grade book but it did not capture my imagination as others have. I think the book was good but it was not great. Even in children's literature I am used to a certain emotional progression and I felt this book had very abrupt decisions. Characters popped in and out very quickly and it was difficult to create a lasting impression of any secondary characters.
I think this would have been a good book for maybe elementary school me. Reasoning: I thought the writing more simplistic (but comparatively aged/ targeted towards) than Brian Jacques's writing and I obsessively read his books at that time.
I will still finish the series since I am a completionist but I do not believe this will be a series I purchase for my bookshelves.
December 31, 2013
3.5
I read this book a long time ago, so my memory is kind of fuzzy on certain details (I've been reading a ton since I read this one, so that's why :P) but I did actually like this book.
It was well written, and the storyline made you want to keep reading.
WARNING, SPOILERS AHEAD
I mean, yes, it's good that the heroine lives and gets the guy and saves the day, but the thing is, there WAS no saving the day, all of the dragons, save for her chicks, died :/
And, yeah.
Aside from the ending, it was good. The main character was likeable, which is good. And the dragons were cute, which is also good.
And I liked that the author strayed from the 'oh, dragons are bad!' thing.
Overall, it was not a horrible book, but I was very disappointed with the ending.
I read this book a long time ago, so my memory is kind of fuzzy on certain details (I've been reading a ton since I read this one, so that's why :P) but I did actually like this book.
It was well written, and the storyline made you want to keep reading.
WARNING, SPOILERS AHEAD
I mean, yes, it's good that the heroine lives and gets the guy and saves the day, but the thing is, there WAS no saving the day, all of the dragons, save for her chicks, died :/
And, yeah.
Aside from the ending, it was good. The main character was likeable, which is good. And the dragons were cute, which is also good.
And I liked that the author strayed from the 'oh, dragons are bad!' thing.
Overall, it was not a horrible book, but I was very disappointed with the ending.
January 17, 2011
This book truly is magical. The characters, plot, everything.
The book starts off with a good and steady pace. Kaeldra (first of all, let me apologize if I spell her name wrong. It's a mouthful.) soon learns that her foster sister has grown terribly ill. She must set off on an adventure she never would have believed before.
Let me just say that I LOVE THE DRAGONS. They're described beautifully! Everything about them is beautiful. Even their names. They're misunderstood creatures who honestly mean no harm to the humans in this book.
I'm extremely glad there wasn't a lot of romance. I'm tired of corny relationship stuff in books.
The reason this book loses one star is because there's no comedy and it has a terrible ending. Other than that; simply amazing.
The book starts off with a good and steady pace. Kaeldra (first of all, let me apologize if I spell her name wrong. It's a mouthful.) soon learns that her foster sister has grown terribly ill. She must set off on an adventure she never would have believed before.
Let me just say that I LOVE THE DRAGONS. They're described beautifully! Everything about them is beautiful. Even their names. They're misunderstood creatures who honestly mean no harm to the humans in this book.
I'm extremely glad there wasn't a lot of romance. I'm tired of corny relationship stuff in books.
The reason this book loses one star is because there's no comedy and it has a terrible ending. Other than that; simply amazing.
October 24, 2017
I feel as if the ending to Dragon's Milk made it all seem worth it. I did not enjoy the beginning and felt as if it seemed to wander. I also felt the main character suffered a great deal from the start and anything that gave depth to the character was reserved to be a mystery. At some point I questioned as to why she really had to continue caring for such creatures because there just was not enough rational reasons. Seriously both, humans and dragons were unpleasant and rather hard to like. It just made it hard for me to believe a child would bother with such a task. Frankly the quest just seemed so forced at times. Also, it took forever for the dragons to have personalities that made them seem worth caring for.
November 24, 2015
Wow, I think it's been at least 15 years since I've last read this book. Back then, I had no idea it was going to be part of a series, but I remember loving it. So, now that the series is finished, I am going to read them all! I can't wait! This book is even better than I remember it, and even 15 years later I'm still a big fan of dragons. This book is great for both boys and girls, juveniles, tweens and teens; fantasy fans and dragon lovers. Action! Suspense! Adventure! Lots of walking summarized very well so as to not be boring (I'm looking at YOU Robert Jordan and his successor)! And an ending you won't forget!
August 27, 2011
in 6th grade i was in battle of the books because my school was awesome enough to have it as an elective class. this was one of the books. when everyone finished they were all 'this sucked'. i was pretty close to being the only one who liked it. i dont get why the other kids hated it and they never gave a reason. i think this is a good book. i like to read books like this: adventure, some kind of paranormal thing going on.
November 24, 2008
This was the book that got me hooked on dragons. The author won the Young Readers' Choice award when I was in 4th grade and gave a presentation at my school about the research she did for the book. It's a great blend of different mythologies and includes some classic intrigue and coming-of-age storyline.
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