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allisonwonderlandreads's review
adventurous
mysterious
relaxing
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.0
A Dragonbird in the Fern begins with a vengeful sister reaching from beyond the grave to express her displeasure that her murderer has not been found. Protagonist Jiara seeks to solve the crime and put the spirit to rest as her sister's ghostly anger gets increasingly violent. During this struggle, she must take her sister's place in a political engagement or lose the important alliance with King Raffar. Swiftly married and shipped off to her new home, she is unable to communicate with anyone, including her husband, without a translator, and she struggles to adjust to her new environs. All the while, her investigation continues, intrigues are uncovered, and her sister only gets more impatient for results.
There is so much to enjoy in this ya fantasy. Most important to me is always the characters. This bunch is so lively! There's just enough detail to make you feel you know everyone without slowing it all down. Plus, there's an unheard-of for the genre angst-free love story at the heart, and the language barrier made for some adorable miming and grand gestures to demonstrate feelings where words fail.
Jiara, in particular, merits mention as a credit to this story. She has a lot of anxiety and ingrained shame about her struggles to read. This contributes to her challenges with learning a new language, while her instructor powers forward with rote memorization and pronunciation drills. I was touched by the author's note about bringing dyslexia visibility to this story, and as a language teacher, I especially appreciate the way Rueckert spotlights Jiara's stress and misery under these less-than-satisfying learning conditions.
In terms of world-building, this book has a light touch. There isn't too much politics to keep track of or place names to squirrel away in your memory banks. Magic has a bit more of a spiritual angle here-- it's not a sword and sorcery approach, and I think that also contributed to the elegant simplicity. I also loved that the book has queernorm societies. In terms of representation, you can expect happy mlm and wlw partners among the side characters and casual, positive mentions of non-binary and trans individuals. The cultures here also normalize adoption as a natural, loving way to grow families, which was nice to see.
This fantasy welcomed me in, and I had trouble putting it down because it made me feel so at ease. It's a story about peace and selflessness, and I think it shed many of the harmful tropes of the genre to tell a really lovely story. Thanks to Flux and NetGalley for the opportunity to read and review this book, out 8/3.
There is so much to enjoy in this ya fantasy. Most important to me is always the characters. This bunch is so lively! There's just enough detail to make you feel you know everyone without slowing it all down. Plus, there's an unheard-of for the genre angst-free love story at the heart, and the language barrier made for some adorable miming and grand gestures to demonstrate feelings where words fail.
Jiara, in particular, merits mention as a credit to this story. She has a lot of anxiety and ingrained shame about her struggles to read. This contributes to her challenges with learning a new language, while her instructor powers forward with rote memorization and pronunciation drills. I was touched by the author's note about bringing dyslexia visibility to this story, and as a language teacher, I especially appreciate the way Rueckert spotlights Jiara's stress and misery under these less-than-satisfying learning conditions.
In terms of world-building, this book has a light touch. There isn't too much politics to keep track of or place names to squirrel away in your memory banks. Magic has a bit more of a spiritual angle here-- it's not a sword and sorcery approach, and I think that also contributed to the elegant simplicity. I also loved that the book has queernorm societies. In terms of representation, you can expect happy mlm and wlw partners among the side characters and casual, positive mentions of non-binary and trans individuals. The cultures here also normalize adoption as a natural, loving way to grow families, which was nice to see.
This fantasy welcomed me in, and I had trouble putting it down because it made me feel so at ease. It's a story about peace and selflessness, and I think it shed many of the harmful tropes of the genre to tell a really lovely story. Thanks to Flux and NetGalley for the opportunity to read and review this book, out 8/3.
Content Warnings
Moderate: Blood, Death, Gaslighting, Murder, Pregnancy, and Violence
Minor: Sexual content
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