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4.15 AVERAGE
4.15 AVERAGE
The quintessential juvenile/young adult title. Everything that made me love it in Junior High is almost enough to make me cringe now. It was great when I was 12, but not so much any more. Three stars based largely on fond memories, though this is a step above the follow up novel, Dragonsinger.
Dragonsong, this book means a ton to me. The Harper Hall Trilogy is what got me into McCaffrey’s work.
I will not lie though going back years after I originally read this there are what some would call “issues” with the book. It’s very clear that it was written with an older mind set. There are tons of “she can’t do this, she is a girl” and “ I can’t do this I am a girl” and “girls are not allowed to do that” going on in this book. But while these phrases are used constantly our main girl Menolly constantly questions it and gets very annoyed by it. Menolly is a sweet girl, I love her dearly and through out the book I understand why I connected with her at such a young age. She has a talent that everyone wants to hide, they lie to keep it from her and when she finally has enough of it she leaves, probably not the smartest thing for a young girl to look up to but I did.
McCraffery doesn’t over-explain her world in this book but it does get a little repetitive, such as the fall of thread it was reexplained many time to the point of annoyance. But to make up for it I do love the little details she uses to explain the fire lizards and dragons. I do keep in mind it’s a short book so she doesn’t go super into detail about how they look but she puts a lot of detail into how they function and how the society functions as a whole, which is nice.
Overall it’s a great book for the time it was released and for the targeted audience, I feel had I not read this at the age of 12 I probably wouldn’t have such love for it like I do. Still it’s great writing I won’t deny that, and it’s still a special love for me.
I will not lie though going back years after I originally read this there are what some would call “issues” with the book. It’s very clear that it was written with an older mind set. There are tons of “she can’t do this, she is a girl” and “ I can’t do this I am a girl” and “girls are not allowed to do that” going on in this book. But while these phrases are used constantly our main girl Menolly constantly questions it and gets very annoyed by it. Menolly is a sweet girl, I love her dearly and through out the book I understand why I connected with her at such a young age. She has a talent that everyone wants to hide, they lie to keep it from her and when she finally has enough of it she leaves, probably not the smartest thing for a young girl to look up to but I did.
McCraffery doesn’t over-explain her world in this book but it does get a little repetitive, such as the fall of thread it was reexplained many time to the point of annoyance. But to make up for it I do love the little details she uses to explain the fire lizards and dragons. I do keep in mind it’s a short book so she doesn’t go super into detail about how they look but she puts a lot of detail into how they function and how the society functions as a whole, which is nice.
Overall it’s a great book for the time it was released and for the targeted audience, I feel had I not read this at the age of 12 I probably wouldn’t have such love for it like I do. Still it’s great writing I won’t deny that, and it’s still a special love for me.
My 10 y/o girl didn't like it, so we stopped.
One of my very favorites! Holds up through the years, too. Great book for people who love fantasy but think they don't like science fiction. It will change their minds!
Menolly is a gifted musician but because she is a girl, she can never be the harpist of her hold. She runs away and, taking refuge during a thread fall, encounters fire lizards. Gradually, she finds her place in Pern. Dragons...music...quest...it's a wonderful tale.
My husband and I listened to this audiobook. It's a 1001 Children's Book You Must Read.
My husband's rating: 🌟🌟🌟🌟
My rating: 🌟🌟🌟
My husband and I listened to this audiobook. It's a 1001 Children's Book You Must Read.
My husband's rating: 🌟🌟🌟🌟
My rating: 🌟🌟🌟
There isn't any conflict. Her parents were against her, but she ran away and everything is great and wonderful.
I enjoyed most of her Pern series a long time ago, but when I've tried to read more recent installments, they've been tough to stomach. This early trilogy, though, was always one of my favorites. I remember why as I reread the first book --- our heroine runs away to live in the wilds alone.