Reading Level -- 4th grade -- definitely not a beginner book
Length --421 pages
Chapter Book -- no pictures
Warnings : magic, witches, discussion of creation/life force, kissing, some violence
Rating:3 Stars!!
Why is it that all series seem to do this? The first book draws you in, you get interested in the story, the characters, and the concepts -- and then following books take you down a path you never intended to go? What a disappointment. :(
Plotline: Basically this book picks up where the last one left off. Lucy, Liz, and David are at home, and David's "girlfriend" Sophie sets off on a trip to Africa for a short time. At that point, things begin to change -- the simple, child friendly story from the first book quickly descends into magic, mystery, and otherworldliness. The plot itself follows David and Zanna's (Zanna is a classmate of David's with a serious attraction to our hero) attempts to learn what happened to Gwain (the last dragon's) tear. In the process of learning that secret, Zanna "quickens" a dragon egg sending Liz into a "birthing trance," and they draw to themselves an ancient Polar Bear mystic (disguised as their professor) and a Sybill (witch - disguised as Liz's aunt.) The story culminates in a showdown in David's bedroom where Liz incubates her dragon egg while David and the Sybill fight. In the end good wins over evil, David's girlfriend Sophie returns, and he is forced to choose between Sophie and Zanna -- or rather Sophie chooses for him.
Comments:Let me start by saying that as an adult reader, I enjoyed this book! It was an easy read, and interesting - with plot twists I wasn't expecting, and characters that drew me in. If you're an adult, or looking for a book for a child say 11+, this book would be a good one. Unfortunately, I'm screening for a 6 year old, and this book did NOT fit the bill. There's an underlying issue in this book that may slip past you on first glance -- it's a relationship nightmare. David is essentially cheating on the girlfriend he's promised to wait for by building this relationship with Zanna, and yet you (the reader) find yourself rooting for him to do just that. Aside from that, however, there is serious magic and alternative ideas in the role of Gwilanna. She is clearly evil, and not afraid to use her evil for negative purposes -- including KILLING David at one point! (She allows him/forces him to fall through a hole in the floor, and we are given a brief description of his body being crushed beneath the rocks as his hand goes limp. Not pleasant....he is "brought back to life" by a polar bear tooth that has been given to him.) All these things together set of big warning bells for me. Because my daughter had SO loved the first book, we read this one together, and she was equally upset. She said it was too scary, and in her words "The first book is good for now, the next book is good for maybe, someone who is ten." :) Brilliant child.
Once sentance summary: This book has an interesting plot and well developed characters, making it good for an older crowd, however the subject matter it touches on (including dark magic, death, and violence) leave me suggesting it be left OFF of The Bookshelf.
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