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the_fabric_of_words's review
5.0
I'm always up for a good dragon book, and we loved the dragon in this story. Anya, who's Jewish, and a fool's son, Ivan, inadvertently uncover a dragon swimming in the river. Now, the ruler has decreed the people are not to use magic, and magic creatures are being hunted, both by the ruler's fools and a northern warrior, Sigurd, who's just terrifying.
When they meet this little dragon, they learn he's not just a creature, he can talk and he's about their age and absolutely desperate to play! The local blacksmith's been raising and hiding him, all these years.
But playing outside is not exactly the smartest thing to do when you're being hunted, and as a reader you know where this tale's headed, and fast.
I won't spoil how Anya saves him, and defeats the big bad warrior, and convinces the fool's family not to hunt the little guy, and saves her family's farm from a prejudiced town administrator, but in the end, it all works out.
A quick, fun read!
Visit my blog for more great middle grade book recommendations, free teaching materials and fiction writing tips: https://amb.mystrikingly.com/
When they meet this little dragon, they learn he's not just a creature, he can talk and he's about their age and absolutely desperate to play! The local blacksmith's been raising and hiding him, all these years.
But playing outside is not exactly the smartest thing to do when you're being hunted, and as a reader you know where this tale's headed, and fast.
I won't spoil how Anya saves him, and defeats the big bad warrior, and convinces the fool's family not to hunt the little guy, and saves her family's farm from a prejudiced town administrator, but in the end, it all works out.
A quick, fun read!
Visit my blog for more great middle grade book recommendations, free teaching materials and fiction writing tips: https://amb.mystrikingly.com/
ani_a_1's review
adventurous
challenging
inspiring
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.0
jlynnelseauthor's review
5.0
Despite the tsar’s ban, magic encompasses every aspect of Anya’s life. Water magic, plant magic, animal magic, even fool magic. Problem is, Anya is the only one in her family who can’t pull the magic threads. When the town magistrate threatens to take their land and throw her mother in prison, Anya will do whatever it takes to help, including hunt the last-known dragon in 10th-century Kievan Rus’. She’s not the only one looking, though. A strange man arrives in town and threatens everyone she cares about. When the mysterious dragon shows up and saves Anya’s life, she will be faced with a difficult choice: her family’s safety or the dragon’s life?
Anya is an enjoyable narrator who is a determined, spunky young girl with lots of heart. Her choices and reasonings are appropriate for her age and the period, lending a youthful charm to the narration. Additionally, Anya is surrounded by a variety of enjoyable and engaging characters. The landscape is enchantingly detailed with living folklore ranging from domovoi to rusalka to bogaryr while also maintaining a strong pastoral expression. Anya’s assumptions are challenged in meaningful ways dealing with topics of prejudice, faith, perception, and greed. Being able to experience Anya’s quest and its challenges with a non-magical main character is the perfect way to draw young readers into the story. As one character says, “The greatest magic in the world is an open mind.” The combination of sweet characters, enduring relationships, strong faith, and a spellbinding adventure conjures up an irresistible tale readers of all ages will enjoy. Recommended.
Review originally posted via the Historical Novel Society at: https://historicalnovelsociety.org/reviews/anya-and-the-dragon/
Anya is an enjoyable narrator who is a determined, spunky young girl with lots of heart. Her choices and reasonings are appropriate for her age and the period, lending a youthful charm to the narration. Additionally, Anya is surrounded by a variety of enjoyable and engaging characters. The landscape is enchantingly detailed with living folklore ranging from domovoi to rusalka to bogaryr while also maintaining a strong pastoral expression. Anya’s assumptions are challenged in meaningful ways dealing with topics of prejudice, faith, perception, and greed. Being able to experience Anya’s quest and its challenges with a non-magical main character is the perfect way to draw young readers into the story. As one character says, “The greatest magic in the world is an open mind.” The combination of sweet characters, enduring relationships, strong faith, and a spellbinding adventure conjures up an irresistible tale readers of all ages will enjoy. Recommended.
Review originally posted via the Historical Novel Society at: https://historicalnovelsociety.org/reviews/anya-and-the-dragon/
mjspice's review
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Content Warnings
Graphic: Genocide
captain_valour's review
3.0
More like a 3.5. The middle kinda lost me a little bit, but that ending totally made up for it. I definitely enjoyed it.
careinthelibrary's review against another edition
3.0
Anya and the Dragon was totally enjoyable and fun. First off, I loved the blend of both Russian and Jewish folklore and culture. "There were some things more important than dragon hunting, and baking challah was one of them." With her friend Ivan, Anya hunts down a dragon to save her family from the anti-Semitic magistrate, but what she discovers is that the dragon is not the evil monster that she thought. And perhaps this is a metaphor that extends into larger themes of the book. With a cute, lighthearted story and a wonderful message of friendship, courage, diversity, and acceptance, I really recommend this.
The touches of Jewish celebration in the face of adversity and prejudice made it more than just a fun kids' novel, it had depth and dire consequences behind the adventure. And I'm glad this is the route we're moving towards in writing now. I'll check out the sequel when it's coming because this world just felt comforting and endearing but not without its very real dangers and problems.
Lastly, I love the cover. Jeff Langevin has been a favourite artist of mine for a long time and this cover is so stunning. Colourful and enticing, it really sums up the book perfectly. Also, the little chapter illustrations were cute as well! Perfect for the chapter's content and folksy whimsical. A wonderful package altogether.
Keep your eyes out for Anya this September from Versify!
The touches of Jewish celebration in the face of adversity and prejudice made it more than just a fun kids' novel, it had depth and dire consequences behind the adventure. And I'm glad this is the route we're moving towards in writing now. I'll check out the sequel when it's coming because this world just felt comforting and endearing but not without its very real dangers and problems.
Lastly, I love the cover. Jeff Langevin has been a favourite artist of mine for a long time and this cover is so stunning. Colourful and enticing, it really sums up the book perfectly. Also, the little chapter illustrations were cute as well! Perfect for the chapter's content and folksy whimsical. A wonderful package altogether.
Keep your eyes out for Anya this September from Versify!
cnohero's review
adventurous
emotional
funny
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
3.75
nairam1173's review against another edition
2.0
I was so excited when I heard about this book. It sounded like an amazing combination of Jewish culture, Russian/Jewish history, and folktales.
And maybe it is--but the plot doesn't serve it. It sets up and ends like it wants to talk about a lot more things--religious persecution in particular--but the middle is a slog of chase and action scenes that, most of the time, fundamentally don't result in significant change for the story or the plot when they end. Because of that, they feel repetitive and unnecessary.
The villain feels cartoonishly evil, with constant added powers that should raise the stakes--but again, since the battles rarely change something significant, they don't really. I think a more interesting route could have been taken with Ivan's family being people we liked that were ultimately also a bit of an antagonist, but this book sidesteps that in the end. I also may have misunderstood something, but the finale seems to also fake-out a moral dilemma it had been trying to build, and then doesn't get into the ramifications Anya's final decisions have on her. After fighting through the repetitive middle, the ending feels oddly rushed and thematically thin.
I am still mildly interested in the sequel, depending on reviews, because some of the issues could be learned from and improved on. This is a debut. I also think it might have been a little too concerned with being exciting and setting up the cast/world/magic. I think there really could be depth here, if explored properly, and that it might have a better chance in a second book.
And maybe it is--but the plot doesn't serve it. It sets up and ends like it wants to talk about a lot more things--religious persecution in particular--but the middle is a slog of chase and action scenes that, most of the time, fundamentally don't result in significant change for the story or the plot when they end. Because of that, they feel repetitive and unnecessary.
The villain feels cartoonishly evil, with constant added powers that should raise the stakes--but again, since the battles rarely change something significant, they don't really. I think a more interesting route could have been taken with Ivan's family being people we liked that were ultimately also a bit of an antagonist, but this book sidesteps that in the end.
Spoiler
Also, the village, which as far as we know, has always ostracized Anya's family for being Jewish (to the point of her repeatedly talking about not having friends), suddenly stands up for them against the magistrate in the end? huh?I am still mildly interested in the sequel, depending on reviews, because some of the issues could be learned from and improved on. This is a debut. I also think it might have been a little too concerned with being exciting and setting up the cast/world/magic. I think there really could be depth here, if explored properly, and that it might have a better chance in a second book.
emi_coh's review against another edition
5.0
This book has some of the most genuinely charming characters I've ever come across!! Baby dragons and Yiddish folklore - what's not to love?
db_cooper's review
adventurous
hopeful
inspiring
mysterious
sad
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.0