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3.79 AVERAGE
3.79 AVERAGE
The Dragon of Ynys is a charming and hopeful fairytale with an inclusive cast of characters. Sir Violet has been retrieving stolen items from the local dragon’s hoard for years. But when a villager goes missing, he is forced to take action. Upon confronting the dragon, his assumptions and beliefs are challenged. A quest ensues and friendship forms between knight and dragon as they search for the missing villager.
Examining what it means to be a hero and villain, the assumptions we make, and classic adventuring, this book is sweet and meaningful. The Dragon of Ynys is written in the style of Patricia C. Wrede in Dealing with Dragons, where assumptions about dragons do not prove true. In many ways, this is a story about a knight and a dragon on a quest, with classic scenarios that readers will recognize. However, this story also expertly incorporates ace, aromantic, and trans representation. This positive representation is needed now more than ever, particularly in children’s literature.
One of my favorite things about this story is how accessible is is for young children, middle grade, and adults. The Dragon of Ynys is a valuable addition to any library, especially for those seeking inclusivity, dragons, and fairytales with representation. I recommend this ownvoices story for anyone, regardless of age. I’m reading a version of this story that was written after the author had the opportunity to revise and reflect on feedback received from readers, which is addressed by the author in the afterword. The Dragon of Ynys releases on September 15, 2020. Thank you to Minerva Cerridwen, Atthis Arts, and Netgalley for a free ARC in exchange for an honest review.
Examining what it means to be a hero and villain, the assumptions we make, and classic adventuring, this book is sweet and meaningful. The Dragon of Ynys is written in the style of Patricia C. Wrede in Dealing with Dragons, where assumptions about dragons do not prove true. In many ways, this is a story about a knight and a dragon on a quest, with classic scenarios that readers will recognize. However, this story also expertly incorporates ace, aromantic, and trans representation. This positive representation is needed now more than ever, particularly in children’s literature.
One of my favorite things about this story is how accessible is is for young children, middle grade, and adults. The Dragon of Ynys is a valuable addition to any library, especially for those seeking inclusivity, dragons, and fairytales with representation. I recommend this ownvoices story for anyone, regardless of age. I’m reading a version of this story that was written after the author had the opportunity to revise and reflect on feedback received from readers, which is addressed by the author in the afterword. The Dragon of Ynys releases on September 15, 2020. Thank you to Minerva Cerridwen, Atthis Arts, and Netgalley for a free ARC in exchange for an honest review.
Sir Violet is a knight, or, well, at least mostly a knight. He has never met the king and thus never formally been knighted, but as he handles all the knightly duties in his town, the point is fairly negligible. The town itself is pretty peaceful, and most of Sir Violet’s duties involve trekking out to the dragon’s cave and asking him to return whatever item the dragon has stolen from an unlucky townsperson this time. The dragon, Snap, is polite and easy going, though an incurable kleptomaniac, so Sir Violets duties are not generally terribly onerous. But when the baker goes missing, Sir Violet, the baker’s wife, and the dragon must set off on a quest.
I love dragons. I love dragon art. I love dragon books. I love dragons. I also love fairytale.So you might say I am a bit predisposed to like stories like this one. A fun fairy tale will always be my favorite form of entertainment.
But that’s not all this novella has to offer. I am ace. I hoard stories with ace representation the way Snap hoards gold. There isn’t much in the way of ace representation in any media, though the field is slowly growing. I will say that this is the only story I have ever encountered with an aro-ace main character—so the field is definitely not in danger of crowding. The world is made better by stories like this one.
Plus it is straight up funny. Its got a good selection of one liners, like when the dragon goes to clear up snow from an avalanche and says“Now if you would please both get out of the way. I am about to create a river and have been told that drowning is not a recommendable death.“
So, if you’re looking for a fun, inclusive, and lighthearted fairytale, look no further. It’s short enough to read in a single sitting, but filled with enough heart to make your entire day.
I’m thankful to NetGalley and the publisher for granting my request for a review copy of this book.
I love dragons. I love dragon art. I love dragon books. I love dragons. I also love fairytale.So you might say I am a bit predisposed to like stories like this one. A fun fairy tale will always be my favorite form of entertainment.
But that’s not all this novella has to offer. I am ace. I hoard stories with ace representation the way Snap hoards gold. There isn’t much in the way of ace representation in any media, though the field is slowly growing. I will say that this is the only story I have ever encountered with an aro-ace main character—so the field is definitely not in danger of crowding. The world is made better by stories like this one.
Plus it is straight up funny. Its got a good selection of one liners, like when the dragon goes to clear up snow from an avalanche and says“Now if you would please both get out of the way. I am about to create a river and have been told that drowning is not a recommendable death.“
So, if you’re looking for a fun, inclusive, and lighthearted fairytale, look no further. It’s short enough to read in a single sitting, but filled with enough heart to make your entire day.
I’m thankful to NetGalley and the publisher for granting my request for a review copy of this book.
Sir Violet is a knight, or, well, at least mostly a knight. He has never met the king and thus never formally been knighted, but as he handles all the knightly duties in his town, the point is fairly negligible. The town itself is pretty peaceful, and most of Sir Violet’s duties involve trekking out to the dragon’s cave and asking him to return whatever item the dragon has stolen from an unlucky townsperson this time. The dragon, Snap, is polite and easy going, though an incurable kleptomaniac, so Sir Violets duties are not generally terribly onerous. But when the baker goes missing, Sir Violet, the baker’s wife, and the dragon must set off on a quest.
I love dragons. I love dragon art. I love dragon books. I love dragons. I also love fairytale.So you might say I am a bit predisposed to like stories like this one. A fun fairy tale will always be my favorite form of entertainment.
But that’s not all this novella has to offer. I am ace. I hoard stories with ace representation the way Snap hoards gold. There isn’t much in the way of ace representation in any media, though the field is slowly growing. I will say that this is the only story I have ever encountered with an aro-ace main character—so the field is definitely not in danger of crowding. The world is made better by stories like this one. It’s nice to know the web is being built, to know that these stories are there and that they have a place.
Plus it is straight up funny. Its got a good selection of one liners, like when the dragon goes to clear up snow from an avalanche and says“Now if you would please both get out of the way. I am about to create a river and have been told that drowning is not a recommendable death.“
So, if you’re looking for a fun, inclusive, and lighthearted fairytale, look no further. It’s short enough to read in a single sitting, but filled with enough heart to make your entire day.
I’m thankful to NetGalley and the publisher for granting my request for a review copy of this book.
I love dragons. I love dragon art. I love dragon books. I love dragons. I also love fairytale.So you might say I am a bit predisposed to like stories like this one. A fun fairy tale will always be my favorite form of entertainment.
But that’s not all this novella has to offer. I am ace. I hoard stories with ace representation the way Snap hoards gold. There isn’t much in the way of ace representation in any media, though the field is slowly growing. I will say that this is the only story I have ever encountered with an aro-ace main character—so the field is definitely not in danger of crowding. The world is made better by stories like this one. It’s nice to know the web is being built, to know that these stories are there and that they have a place.
Plus it is straight up funny. Its got a good selection of one liners, like when the dragon goes to clear up snow from an avalanche and says“Now if you would please both get out of the way. I am about to create a river and have been told that drowning is not a recommendable death.“
So, if you’re looking for a fun, inclusive, and lighthearted fairytale, look no further. It’s short enough to read in a single sitting, but filled with enough heart to make your entire day.
I’m thankful to NetGalley and the publisher for granting my request for a review copy of this book.
A magical tale that makes you feel at ease
Key words: acceptance, LGTBIA+, asexual, tale, fiction, dragon, informative, fantasy, children fiction, ownvoice
First thing first, let’s take a moment to admire this beautiful cover by @ullathynell. This cover is the reason why I downloaded this book on @Netgalley. Second reason is because this book talks about LGTBIA+ and I haven’t read a lot of books on that subject. It was really informative. This book is quite short (less than a hundred pages for the ebook) but let’s keep in mind that it is a tale and tales are short. Also, that is why, I think, this book only explains terms such as transgender, asexual, aromantic without going deeper on these notions. It was not a problem at all from my point of view because it is important to have books like that, that explains the terms without being heavy and difficult to read. Minerva herself is a quenderqueer aromantic asexual writer, making this book a #ownvoice. I saw that it was the second version of this book as the first one could be seen as hurtful but since I didn’t read it, I cannot compare. Nonetheless, I can tell you that this book is great and the characters are all loveable, especially the dragon, and learning from their mistakes. It just makes you feel at ease. The only critique I have is that I think this tale is missing some magic. Otherwise, I fully recommend this book, especially for children but not only.
4/5
Thank you Netgalley and Atthis Art for this ebook in exchange of my honest opinion
Key words: acceptance, LGTBIA+, asexual, tale, fiction, dragon, informative, fantasy, children fiction, ownvoice
First thing first, let’s take a moment to admire this beautiful cover by @ullathynell. This cover is the reason why I downloaded this book on @Netgalley. Second reason is because this book talks about LGTBIA+ and I haven’t read a lot of books on that subject. It was really informative. This book is quite short (less than a hundred pages for the ebook) but let’s keep in mind that it is a tale and tales are short. Also, that is why, I think, this book only explains terms such as transgender, asexual, aromantic without going deeper on these notions. It was not a problem at all from my point of view because it is important to have books like that, that explains the terms without being heavy and difficult to read. Minerva herself is a quenderqueer aromantic asexual writer, making this book a #ownvoice. I saw that it was the second version of this book as the first one could be seen as hurtful but since I didn’t read it, I cannot compare. Nonetheless, I can tell you that this book is great and the characters are all loveable, especially the dragon, and learning from their mistakes. It just makes you feel at ease. The only critique I have is that I think this tale is missing some magic. Otherwise, I fully recommend this book, especially for children but not only.
4/5
Thank you Netgalley and Atthis Art for this ebook in exchange of my honest opinion
A light and quick read, The Dragon of Ynys is a low-stakes fantasy adventure about acceptance and growth. Enjoyable, cute, funny, and fast paced, I was able to read this in a single sitting. I loved the afterward and the author's acknowledgement of growth between the two publications, and how sensitivity readers were utilized to make sure that all areas of representation were accurate. Thank you to Netgalley for the copy of this arc in exchange for an honest review!
while the story was cute... Sir Violet didnt get to talk much and he didnt move the plot considering he was the main character... It focused more on the couple and while they were cute, I picked this book because of the acearo rep. And while it was there, he didnt ...do much.... and I was a little disappointed
I absolutely adored this book. It's so incredibly sweet and hopeful and thoughtful and just an absolutely amazing time. I appreciated the discussion of the ways that people can mess up, even when they're trying to help, and the fact that perfection isn't the goal because it's impossible but rather continual growth as we try to do better by the people around us. There were just so many good conversations in the book between characters where they acknowledged that they'd messed up and hurt someone, and the person who was hurt is allowed to voice their hurt and explain what they need to feel more comfortable and safe and their needs are respected. And the ending being Violet's ideal ending to a story? *chef's kiss* perfection
Thank you to Netgalley, Atthis Arts and Minerva Cerridwen for providing me an ARC in exchange for an honest review.
The Dragon of Ynys is a beautiful story full of adventure and representation. There's a reclusive dragon who occasionally steals from the village, a brave village knight who goes to face the dragon whenever something is taken and a lovely journey of acceptance and found family.
It is written in a very easy to read way, and is aimed at all ages although is likely more for younger audiences, children who want to see themselves represented and see their stories told. The book features trans characters, asexual and aromantic characters, and lesbian characters. It is a truly beautiful story with a deep meaning and could become a favourite for children learning about their own identities.
One of the main messages in the book surrounds the internet and the benefit of spreading messages of love and acceptance in an attempt to make the world a safer place for those that are different, it is told in a beautiful way through the lens of fantasy in a world where the internet does not exist. However, it isn't only the internet that is important for spreading these messages but also the libraries for those who do not have access to the internet as our books should reflect the diversity around us and teach children about the things they feel.
Overall a really lovely book with a great message. It feels like a fairy tale and there's a great found family element for the characters which is adorable. It's not exactly what I had expected, I was expecting a longer YA style fantasy book, but this book is likely invaluable to children who are questioning their identity.
The Dragon of Ynys is a beautiful story full of adventure and representation. There's a reclusive dragon who occasionally steals from the village, a brave village knight who goes to face the dragon whenever something is taken and a lovely journey of acceptance and found family.
It is written in a very easy to read way, and is aimed at all ages although is likely more for younger audiences, children who want to see themselves represented and see their stories told. The book features trans characters, asexual and aromantic characters, and lesbian characters. It is a truly beautiful story with a deep meaning and could become a favourite for children learning about their own identities.
One of the main messages in the book surrounds the internet and the benefit of spreading messages of love and acceptance in an attempt to make the world a safer place for those that are different, it is told in a beautiful way through the lens of fantasy in a world where the internet does not exist. However, it isn't only the internet that is important for spreading these messages but also the libraries for those who do not have access to the internet as our books should reflect the diversity around us and teach children about the things they feel.
Overall a really lovely book with a great message. It feels like a fairy tale and there's a great found family element for the characters which is adorable. It's not exactly what I had expected, I was expecting a longer YA style fantasy book, but this book is likely invaluable to children who are questioning their identity.
This was a very cute story about acceptance, leaving behind prejudice, and welcoming others in their own true self.
I really appreciated the intent of the story and, reading the acknowledgments of the author, I applaud all the work that went into rewriting it to mend some mistakes in the first publication. I love to see an author that can recognize the flaws in their own work, listen to reviews, and try to make it better. That's very brave.
The messages of the story felt a little too preachy and in-your-face. I prefer to read a story and learn the lessons in a more subtle way. Maybe if you look at it from a kid's story then it might make more sense, but I still believe not everything needs to be spelled out to be understood.
Nevertheless, this kind of stories need to be told more and more and I like to see that they do exist and start to get more credit. Own voices books are incredibly important and I hope one day soon every little kid or adult will be able to see themselves represented in more and more books. Inclusion in fiction, starting from children's fiction, is an incredibly important step to create a more accepting and loving future generation.
I'd like to thank the published and NetGalley for providing me an e-copy to review.
I really appreciated the intent of the story and, reading the acknowledgments of the author, I applaud all the work that went into rewriting it to mend some mistakes in the first publication. I love to see an author that can recognize the flaws in their own work, listen to reviews, and try to make it better. That's very brave.
The messages of the story felt a little too preachy and in-your-face. I prefer to read a story and learn the lessons in a more subtle way. Maybe if you look at it from a kid's story then it might make more sense, but I still believe not everything needs to be spelled out to be understood.
Nevertheless, this kind of stories need to be told more and more and I like to see that they do exist and start to get more credit. Own voices books are incredibly important and I hope one day soon every little kid or adult will be able to see themselves represented in more and more books. Inclusion in fiction, starting from children's fiction, is an incredibly important step to create a more accepting and loving future generation.
I'd like to thank the published and NetGalley for providing me an e-copy to review.
adventurous
hopeful
lighthearted
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
No