Review - Dragonswood

by Janet Lee Carey
publisher: Dial BFYR
date of publication: January 5, 2011
format: ARC
pages: 386
source: LibraryThing Early Reviewers
Amazon / Goodreads / B&N

From Goodreads:

Wilde Island is in an uproar after the recent death of its king. The uneasy pact between dragons, fairies, and humans is fraying, and a bloodthirsty witch hunter with a hidden agenda whips villages into frenzies with wild accusations. Tess, a blacksmith’s daughter from a tiny hamlet near the mysterious Dragonswood, finds herself caught in the crosshairs of fate when she is accused of witchery and has to flee for her life along with her two best friends.

Not even Tess’s power to see the future can help the girls as they set off on their desperate journey, but she keeps having visions of a man wielding a sword. And when she finally meets him, Tess has no idea how to handle the magnetic attraction she feels for him, or the elusive call she hears from the heart of the Dragonswood.

In this epic romance, an ancient prophecy comes true in a way neither dragon, fairy, nor human would have predicted.

What I Thought

There is nothing quite like high fantasy to get the imagination jump-started.  Dragonswood is a prime example of all that is great about the genre.  Filled with such things as adventure, fantasy creatures, and magic, Dragonswood takes you on a soaring flight into a world where both the remarkable and the dangerous are everyday occurences.  By injecting the fictional Wilde Island into the post-Arthurian Britain, Janet Lee Carey has created a stirring backdrop for a story as harrowing and fantastic as one could ask for.

Everything from the characters to the setting grabbed my attention with this book.  For starters, Tess is an amazing heroine to read about.  Though she succumbs to extreme circumstances and betrays her friends, she proves to be a loyal, strong friend that will stop at nothing to right a wrong and keep her dearest friends alive.  From their escape from Harrowton to their journey into the dangerous and mystical Dragonswood, the girls are in good hands with Tess, who is a born survivor.  When she learns more about herself, she becomes all the more fascinating.  I don't know if she is featured in the companion novel yet, but I certainly hope she will be. 

The fantasy elements were especially entertaining to me.  It doesn't get much better than capricious faeries and talking dragons.  I loved that the dragons were able to hold such an important role in the story, as well as their status as lords.  It all made for a more riveting story.  The lore injected into the story with regard to both dragons and faeries made it all the better.  I was sad when the book ended simply because I wanted to read more! 

If you want a rousing YA high fantasy for your TBR list, I would definitely recommend Dragonswood.  This was my first experience reading a work by Janet Lee Carey and I can safely say that it won't be my last.  Fans of strong characters and vivid settings will want to read this in a heartbeat.  I give Dragonswood 5 hoots and can't wait to buy a finished copy for my shelves.

Obligatory legal statement: This ARC was provided to me free of charge by the publisher via LibraryThing Early Reviewers. No monetary compensation was received in exchange for this fair and unbiased review.