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alboyer6's review
3.0
A solid start to potentially a great series. 13year old orphan, Piper, finds an injured girl, Anna, who turns out to be more than meets the eye. Despite the book having a bit of a slow start, they end up on a great adventure trying to find Anna's home. They make great friends and in the end find what they are looking for but still left room for another great adventure in books to follow.
Galley courtesy of Netgalley and the publisher.
Galley courtesy of Netgalley and the publisher.
tinynavajo's review
4.0
An intriguing combination of steampunk, magic, war, and poverty. This book centers on three main characters, ranging in age from 11-13 years. There are two girls, one who has magic that centers on machines, the other a cyborg type. There is one boy, who is a shape-shifter. There is chance for all three to act heroic as well as act like normal teenagers.
Overall, this is a good book, a good read, and it has a very interesting world. But there is a problem with this premise. It seems to only have enough juice for the one story, which makes me sad. There could be a lot more to do in this world. But for this one story, I would say it is all good. Very well done.
Overall, this is a good book, a good read, and it has a very interesting world. But there is a problem with this premise. It seems to only have enough juice for the one story, which makes me sad. There could be a lot more to do in this world. But for this one story, I would say it is all good. Very well done.
vale15's review against another edition
4.0
may contain spoilers....duh
I'm just going to jump into what I loved about this book.
Firstly, I think the world layout was interesting a simple enough not to confuse anyone. Two main territories which are inching toward conflict. The falling artifacts from other worlds is super enticing and I really want to go scrapping now. Piper, our heroine, is an orphaned kid who responsible and has some morally grey moments. Even though this is a middle grade book, I always appreciate characters who are a mature, hardworking and kind.
The side characters were fleshed out enough to add some depth. The world-building was there and what you get is good but lacking in quantity. Plot moved along and I didn't ever feel like the pace slowed at any point. The 401 was obviously awesome and is on my list of cool trains.....bringing it up to two. (the other is Hogwarts Express which probably goes without saying).
And I can't avoid talking about some issues.
Can I just say that I'm so disappointed book 2 and 3 are not actually continuations of this story line. I have so many unanswered questions and loose ends that I am honestly upset. Whyyyyyyyy.....
The second most frustrating issue is you just get the barest taste of this world but never a whole bite. We suddenly have alien animals, plants, races, and governments and little to zero info about them. Do we even ever find out who rules the Merrow Kingdom? What is the history behind the sarnuns? Have they always lived among humans despite being so different? Do the meteors come from multiple worlds or just one? So many questions!!! This applies to the side characters. How did Jeyne lose her arm? Is there a map of the train? How many compartments does it have?
Despite the torture of having so many questions unanswered I did really enjoy reading this book. I know I would have loved it when I was younger and I look forward to passing it along to kids I know.
I'm just going to jump into what I loved about this book.
Firstly, I think the world layout was interesting a simple enough not to confuse anyone. Two main territories which are inching toward conflict. The falling artifacts from other worlds is super enticing and I really want to go scrapping now. Piper, our heroine, is an orphaned kid who responsible and has some morally grey moments. Even though this is a middle grade book, I always appreciate characters who are a mature, hardworking and kind.
The side characters were fleshed out enough to add some depth. The world-building was there and what you get is good but lacking in quantity. Plot moved along and I didn't ever feel like the pace slowed at any point. The 401 was obviously awesome and is on my list of cool trains.....bringing it up to two. (the other is Hogwarts Express which probably goes without saying).
And I can't avoid talking about some issues.
Can I just say that I'm so disappointed book 2 and 3 are not actually continuations of this story line. I have so many unanswered questions and loose ends that I am honestly upset. Whyyyyyyyy.....
The second most frustrating issue is you just get the barest taste of this world but never a whole bite. We suddenly have alien animals, plants, races, and governments and little to zero info about them. Do we even ever find out who rules the Merrow Kingdom? What is the history behind the sarnuns? Have they always lived among humans despite being so different? Do the meteors come from multiple worlds or just one? So many questions!!! This applies to the side characters. How did Jeyne lose her arm? Is there a map of the train? How many compartments does it have?
Despite the torture of having so many questions unanswered I did really enjoy reading this book. I know I would have loved it when I was younger and I look forward to passing it along to kids I know.
brandypainter's review
3.0
Originally posted here at Random Musings of a Bibliophile.
The Mark of the Dragonfly by Jaleigh Johnson is a magical adventure tale that uses several tried and true tropes and expands on them in new ways to create a fun new tale.
Piper is a girl with no family, who lives in a scrap town. Her life is supported by her extraordinary gift with machines and the "treasure" she mines from the meteorite showers. Treasure that includes watches, books, and music boxes that come from other worlds. Piper is a tough survivor. She has a couple friends, but in the scrap towns it is pretty much everyone for herself. When faced with choosing whether or not to help an inured and frightened girl fleeing the man who terrifies her, Piper does not choose to help solely because she is a good person. She is hoping to get something from it. But as she and Anna run from Anna's past and the secrets it holds, Piper comes to truly care for what happens to her. Theirs is a great friendship story, where there strengths and weaknesses work well together. Anna is a strange and different girl. I thought her big secret was rather easy to figure out, but young readers are going to be shocked to their toes. The third character in the trio (it is a MG fantasy so there has to be a three part lead) is a boy in charge of guarding the train the girls stowaway on by the name of Gee. Gee is quick-witted and fiercely protective. Once he decides the girls are part of his train and within his circle of protection, there is nothing that will keep keep him for helping them. There is a flirtation that develops between Piper and Gee that is sweet and perfect for a MG book. While there is mystery and magic in each of the three main characters' stories, they are pretty much the standard trio of characters you find in a fantasy novel of this type. They don't really go beyond the basics of character development.
The world is contained to two different kingdoms completely cut off from the rest of the planet/place/dimension they inhabit. These kingdoms are, of course, on the brink of war. Anna is important to one of the kingdoms. She wears the titular mark of the Dragonfly, which means she is under the protection of the king. Into this world debris that has been thrown away from other world comes in meter showers. (Including a copy of The Wizard of Oz.) The world is a fascinating concept in itself. The threat of coming war, the factories where people are losing their lives due to pollution, and the hard life of the scrap towns comes together to make a bleak place full of danger. This allows for our heroes to have more adventures. From the dangerous meteor showers, to stowing away on a train, to escaping slavers, to running from Anna's pursuer, to escaping dangerous sky raiders, there are plenty of adventures to go around. This is certainly a book for readers who like action packed plots. It does all make the book a bit longer than it needed to be and some of the scenes seemed superfluous, not adding much to the character development or the main plot.
This is a book I see appealing to the target audience well, particularly lovers of adventure and fantasy.
I read a ARC received at ALA Midwinter from the publisher, Delacorte Book for Young Readers. The Mark of the Dragonfly is available for purchase on March 25.
The Mark of the Dragonfly by Jaleigh Johnson is a magical adventure tale that uses several tried and true tropes and expands on them in new ways to create a fun new tale.
Piper is a girl with no family, who lives in a scrap town. Her life is supported by her extraordinary gift with machines and the "treasure" she mines from the meteorite showers. Treasure that includes watches, books, and music boxes that come from other worlds. Piper is a tough survivor. She has a couple friends, but in the scrap towns it is pretty much everyone for herself. When faced with choosing whether or not to help an inured and frightened girl fleeing the man who terrifies her, Piper does not choose to help solely because she is a good person. She is hoping to get something from it. But as she and Anna run from Anna's past and the secrets it holds, Piper comes to truly care for what happens to her. Theirs is a great friendship story, where there strengths and weaknesses work well together. Anna is a strange and different girl. I thought her big secret was rather easy to figure out, but young readers are going to be shocked to their toes. The third character in the trio (it is a MG fantasy so there has to be a three part lead) is a boy in charge of guarding the train the girls stowaway on by the name of Gee. Gee is quick-witted and fiercely protective. Once he decides the girls are part of his train and within his circle of protection, there is nothing that will keep keep him for helping them. There is a flirtation that develops between Piper and Gee that is sweet and perfect for a MG book. While there is mystery and magic in each of the three main characters' stories, they are pretty much the standard trio of characters you find in a fantasy novel of this type. They don't really go beyond the basics of character development.
The world is contained to two different kingdoms completely cut off from the rest of the planet/place/dimension they inhabit. These kingdoms are, of course, on the brink of war. Anna is important to one of the kingdoms. She wears the titular mark of the Dragonfly, which means she is under the protection of the king. Into this world debris that has been thrown away from other world comes in meter showers. (Including a copy of The Wizard of Oz.) The world is a fascinating concept in itself. The threat of coming war, the factories where people are losing their lives due to pollution, and the hard life of the scrap towns comes together to make a bleak place full of danger. This allows for our heroes to have more adventures. From the dangerous meteor showers, to stowing away on a train, to escaping slavers, to running from Anna's pursuer, to escaping dangerous sky raiders, there are plenty of adventures to go around. This is certainly a book for readers who like action packed plots. It does all make the book a bit longer than it needed to be and some of the scenes seemed superfluous, not adding much to the character development or the main plot.
This is a book I see appealing to the target audience well, particularly lovers of adventure and fantasy.
I read a ARC received at ALA Midwinter from the publisher, Delacorte Book for Young Readers. The Mark of the Dragonfly is available for purchase on March 25.
queenofthefae17's review against another edition
4.0
This was such a unique and exciting story i thoroughly enjoyed it
pwbalto's review against another edition
3.0
Gr 4-8 -- It is a harsh life for Piper, an orphan who makes her living salvaging meteor storm debris and repairing small machines in Scrap Town #16. When she rescues an unconscious girl - Anna - from the wreckage of a travelers’ caravan and discovers that she is under the protection of the king of the Dragonfly Territories, Piper knows that returning Anna to her family is her only chance of a new life. But Anna has lost her memory. And she’s very odd. And a strange, intense man is hot on her heels - he will stop at nothing to capture Anna.
Part Firefly and part Airborn (Kenneth Oppel), this alternate-Earth novel is full of mechanical wonders, magical people, and unambiguous good guys and bad guys. Appealing characters and lots of action make it a good choice for young adventure readers with a taste for steampunk.
Reviewed for Booklist online —Paula Willey
Part Firefly and part Airborn (Kenneth Oppel), this alternate-Earth novel is full of mechanical wonders, magical people, and unambiguous good guys and bad guys. Appealing characters and lots of action make it a good choice for young adventure readers with a taste for steampunk.
Reviewed for Booklist online —Paula Willey
bookgirl4ever's review against another edition
3.0
Thirteen year old Piper lives a meager life as a gifted machinist and scrapper in a poor town next to the Meteor Fields. When a meteor shower hits, random objects from another world fall from the sky along with a poisonous green dust. After the storm has settled, scrappers forage for the items to sell. During one storm, Piper's best friend Micah ventures out to the Meteor Field to beat others to scavenge objects that would be worth good money. Piper runs after him to try to bring him back to shelter but Micah is injured. During the storm, Piper also sees a caravan moving along the Fields. A meteor hits the caravan leaving a survivor, a girl a couple years younger than Piper who is unconscious. Piper brings both Micah and the girl back to the village. Micah is fine, but when the girl awakes, she speaks weird things and has a dragonfly tattoo-a tattoo that marks a person who in under special protection from the king of the Dragonfly Territories. Piper soon learns that a man is looking for the girl, a man the girl fears. Piper is determined to take Anna to safety and they board the 401 train return escape to the Dragonfly Territories. Piper embarks upon an exciting adventure that helps her find her place in the world. An enjoyable read.
Middle school/junior high
Middle school/junior high