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4.15 AVERAGE
4.15 AVERAGE
adventurous
emotional
inspiring
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Complicated
Sometimes simple is good. A charming, talented young girl relents against her family's expectations of her, and begins to build the life of her dreams. Menolly fights against the sexist and unprogressive ideals of her isolated fishing villageand, she wins.
Dragonsong is a short read, and the first in a 3 book series following main character Menolly. The narrative sheds light on some previously undiscovered areas of the wider world of Pern. Old versus new is a main theme in the Pern novels, and this book is no exception, even if the plot has a lot smaller stakes than the previous installments.
As basic as the plot may be, it is executed well. Running away from home, making music and magical friends. It's simple, it's heartwarming, it's satisfying.
I'm sure I'd have more to pick at if I reread the book, but at the moment, an easy first read earns an easy first review.
Dragonsong is a short read, and the first in a 3 book series following main character Menolly. The narrative sheds light on some previously undiscovered areas of the wider world of Pern. Old versus new is a main theme in the Pern novels, and this book is no exception, even if the plot has a lot smaller stakes than the previous installments.
As basic as the plot may be, it is executed well. Running away from home, making music and magical friends. It's simple, it's heartwarming, it's satisfying.
I'm sure I'd have more to pick at if I reread the book, but at the moment, an easy first read earns an easy first review.
This was a good book, but not one I expect to reread frequently. I enjoyed Menolly and, to a lesser degree, Elgion. The setting of Pern, with its dragons and dangers and strange-yet-familiar landscape, is also cool, and the more local setting of the Sea Hold is drawn in such a way that it feels very real. I also appreciated the blend of fantasy and sci-fi elements in the setting at large, though this book reads more like straight-up fantasy.
All that said, I had a hard time getting through the first half or so of the book, due both to the storytelling style and the quiet cruelty (some deliberate, some not) that surrounds Menolly in these chapters. It makes sense in the context of the world, and it's necessary for the story . . . but it was still hard for me to read. Things picked up after a certain midpoint event, and after that I finished the second half in one night.
I'm still deciding whether to go on to the next book or not. I'd like to see the rest of Menolly's story, but I'm not sure how much time I want to spend in Pern. I'm glad I visited, and I can see why others love these books, but I don't think I'm going to be a frequent traveler there.
All that said, I had a hard time getting through the first half or so of the book, due both to the storytelling style and the quiet cruelty (some deliberate, some not) that surrounds Menolly in these chapters. It makes sense in the context of the world, and it's necessary for the story . . . but it was still hard for me to read. Things picked up after a certain midpoint event, and after that I finished the second half in one night.
I'm still deciding whether to go on to the next book or not. I'd like to see the rest of Menolly's story, but I'm not sure how much time I want to spend in Pern. I'm glad I visited, and I can see why others love these books, but I don't think I'm going to be a frequent traveler there.
I bought a used copy of this when I was.....15 or so? Tell me why it's sat on my shelf for so long only for me to binge read it in one evening. This was a very fun light read, looking forward to reading more of the world of Pern.
This is the best Pern book I've read yet.
That doesn't mean it's good. The plot is horribly simplistic. The characters are flat. I'd call it a good book for twelve-year-olds if it weren't for the aggressive sexuality of the rest of the series.
That doesn't mean it's good. The plot is horribly simplistic. The characters are flat. I'd call it a good book for twelve-year-olds if it weren't for the aggressive sexuality of the rest of the series.
Still lovely. A slight, domestic little peek into an enormous world, with a winning central heroine and charming details.
My father read the entire Pern series when I was a kid. I loved seeing the books with dragons on the covers and the word PERN somewhere in the title. He even named our dog, Jaxom. And yet, it took me 20 years to get around to reading ANY of the series!
And I'm sad that it did. I enjoyed Dragonsong immensely, but I think I could have loved it more if I could have sympathized with Menolly more. I have to say, the way her parents treat her made me upset for her as well as wonder if any teenage feelings of, "My parents hate me!" lingered at first. Even if it was a combination of both, by the end I truly disliked Yanus, no matter how good of a Holder he was.
The story is a beautiful one, and the beginning of a series that I'm sure will prove to be amazing. When Menolly runs away from home after being injured and forbidden to sing or play music, which her heart yearns to do, her adventure starts. When she finds the legendary fire lizards and helps them save their clutch, she doesn't have any idea that it'd do more than just give her friends.
I definitely recommend this to any fantasy reader!
And I'm sad that it did. I enjoyed Dragonsong immensely, but I think I could have loved it more if I could have sympathized with Menolly more. I have to say, the way her parents treat her made me upset for her as well as wonder if any teenage feelings of, "My parents hate me!" lingered at first. Even if it was a combination of both, by the end I truly disliked Yanus, no matter how good of a Holder he was.
The story is a beautiful one, and the beginning of a series that I'm sure will prove to be amazing. When Menolly runs away from home after being injured and forbidden to sing or play music, which her heart yearns to do, her adventure starts. When she finds the legendary fire lizards and helps them save their clutch, she doesn't have any idea that it'd do more than just give her friends.
I definitely recommend this to any fantasy reader!
