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mariahistryingtoread's review against another edition
1.0
Beware spoiler-y review ahead.
I was surprised by how good The Dragon With the Chocolate Heart was after it caught my eye randomly at the library. I fully anticipated that level of quality to sustain. I was shocked by how massive a let down The Girl With the Dragon Heart ended up being.
The book operates in the same universe as TDWCH, but it focuses on a side character from the first - Aventurine’s best friend Silke. Silke is sent on a mission for the cutthroat princess from the previous book. If she succeeds she’ll have the home she always wanted. As is always the case in these kinds of stories, she quickly finds that there’s more to the mission than meets the eye.
Halfway through the book it was a 3 star read; a clear drop though not the worst dip I’ve seen. This was for 3 major reasons.
• Aventurine is inherently a more compelling character. The dragon learning how to human thing had a lot more versatility. Aventurine’s refusal to conform entirely made her stand out. She is still super rough around the edges, but that’s what makes her fun to follow. You’re never quite sure what direction she’ll take in social interactions. Silke is merely an archetype I've seen many a time before. It doesn't make her bad it just means she's immediately less interesting by default. I’m sure I’ve seen bits and pieces of Aventurine before as well, but the way that Stephanie Burgis wrote her is what made her special anyways.
• I was very into seeing how the palace intrigue mixed in with scary, unscrupulous fairies and political mischief would play out. Conversely I absolutely did not care about Silke’s attempts to find out what happened to her parents in the least. Thus I was checked out rather quickly as the book allows this to consume the entirety of the plot to the detriment of all other elements. Also I'm pretty sure it's not technically revisionist to add in a ‘might not really be dead’ parents plot but because I operated under the assumption for the entire first book that her parents were dead to me they are as good as. My brain already mentally categorized them as inconsequential so I struggled to care even before it started to overtake everything else.
• Silke's storyline is more emotionally based vs Aventurines’ and in this shift some flaws are revealed that were not apparent in the first book. Namely where Burgis will have Silke blatantly outline exactly what she is pursuing and why she is acting a certain way. I don't think a 13 year old would be so self aware and it leaves no room for me to analyze or piece motivation together on my own. It makes Silke read as more immature than she's supposed to because it’s so on the nose.
It only continues downhill from there.
The catalyst for the story is supposed to be Silke’s status as an expert spy. She’s quick on her feet, a smooth talker, and would be an unknown face in the castle. Except everything in the story just goes to prove Silke is an awful spy.
For example she blunders into a secret meeting in an attempt to try and 'save' Aventurine. We’re told she talks her way out of the situation, but the lie she gives is super poor for a spy of her purported skill and the fairies don’t even believe her which defeats the whole purpose. If she’s so charming then there should be no doubt as to the veracity of her tall tales. It’s made worse by the fact that after this mistake she’s let go from the job when it’s only been one day.
All this build up and hype over her skills for her to blow it immediately.
Also her sacrificing Aventurine would have been better because it would be a callback to when a different character declared Silke 'uses' people. It would show that she'd sunk to a point where she could no longer keep hold of the truth and loses herself in pursuit of stability thereby tying her arc altogether. Again, this all goes out the window because she has no time to do anything except attend a single dinner, and have one conversation before bungling the whole thing up.
The fairies are used horribly as antagonists. Fairy culture as a whole is underdeveloped. The magical system is ridiculously ill defined. The bargaining system is a great way of presenting tension and stakes but it's obviously only set up so that Silke's parents can still be alive. It's not an actual meaningful part of the story. The fairies super secret reason for showing up for the first time in decades was super obvious. So much so Silke literally did not even have to be there. Which is good since she didn’t gather any intel anyways.
Everyone in the castle assumed it was dragons before the fairies and then the fairies literally stepped off their carriage being like 'yeah what about those dragons'. It wasn’t that deep at all.
The revelation of the parents being alive is not only too convenient, it contradicts a major theme. I would have preferred if the parents actually had been lost forever due to a bad bargain because that better emphasizes the message that family is what you make of it not just blood. Silke spends most of the book thinking poorly of herself though she hides it behind a facade of apathy. She thinks no one would choose to be her family, they have to be stuck with her instead. So Marina and Horst and Aventurine actively choosing to take her in is a much better button on the arc. For similar reasons I didn’t like that she had an older brother.
If this had been the first book I would not have liked this series. That’s how disappointed I was. I almost don’t even want to continue. The first book really was so good my expectations were through the roof. If you’re determined to see the series through then go ahead. If you’re not a completionist, pretend the TDWCH is a standalone.
I was surprised by how good The Dragon With the Chocolate Heart was after it caught my eye randomly at the library. I fully anticipated that level of quality to sustain. I was shocked by how massive a let down The Girl With the Dragon Heart ended up being.
The book operates in the same universe as TDWCH, but it focuses on a side character from the first - Aventurine’s best friend Silke. Silke is sent on a mission for the cutthroat princess from the previous book. If she succeeds she’ll have the home she always wanted. As is always the case in these kinds of stories, she quickly finds that there’s more to the mission than meets the eye.
Halfway through the book it was a 3 star read; a clear drop though not the worst dip I’ve seen. This was for 3 major reasons.
• Aventurine is inherently a more compelling character. The dragon learning how to human thing had a lot more versatility. Aventurine’s refusal to conform entirely made her stand out. She is still super rough around the edges, but that’s what makes her fun to follow. You’re never quite sure what direction she’ll take in social interactions. Silke is merely an archetype I've seen many a time before. It doesn't make her bad it just means she's immediately less interesting by default. I’m sure I’ve seen bits and pieces of Aventurine before as well, but the way that Stephanie Burgis wrote her is what made her special anyways.
• I was very into seeing how the palace intrigue mixed in with scary, unscrupulous fairies and political mischief would play out. Conversely I absolutely did not care about Silke’s attempts to find out what happened to her parents in the least. Thus I was checked out rather quickly as the book allows this to consume the entirety of the plot to the detriment of all other elements. Also I'm pretty sure it's not technically revisionist to add in a ‘might not really be dead’ parents plot but because I operated under the assumption for the entire first book that her parents were dead to me they are as good as. My brain already mentally categorized them as inconsequential so I struggled to care even before it started to overtake everything else.
• Silke's storyline is more emotionally based vs Aventurines’ and in this shift some flaws are revealed that were not apparent in the first book. Namely where Burgis will have Silke blatantly outline exactly what she is pursuing and why she is acting a certain way. I don't think a 13 year old would be so self aware and it leaves no room for me to analyze or piece motivation together on my own. It makes Silke read as more immature than she's supposed to because it’s so on the nose.
It only continues downhill from there.
The catalyst for the story is supposed to be Silke’s status as an expert spy. She’s quick on her feet, a smooth talker, and would be an unknown face in the castle. Except everything in the story just goes to prove Silke is an awful spy.
For example she blunders into a secret meeting in an attempt to try and 'save' Aventurine. We’re told she talks her way out of the situation, but the lie she gives is super poor for a spy of her purported skill and the fairies don’t even believe her which defeats the whole purpose. If she’s so charming then there should be no doubt as to the veracity of her tall tales. It’s made worse by the fact that after this mistake she’s let go from the job when it’s only been one day.
All this build up and hype over her skills for her to blow it immediately.
Also her sacrificing Aventurine would have been better because it would be a callback to when a different character declared Silke 'uses' people. It would show that she'd sunk to a point where she could no longer keep hold of the truth and loses herself in pursuit of stability thereby tying her arc altogether. Again, this all goes out the window because she has no time to do anything except attend a single dinner, and have one conversation before bungling the whole thing up.
The fairies are used horribly as antagonists. Fairy culture as a whole is underdeveloped. The magical system is ridiculously ill defined. The bargaining system is a great way of presenting tension and stakes but it's obviously only set up so that Silke's parents can still be alive. It's not an actual meaningful part of the story. The fairies super secret reason for showing up for the first time in decades was super obvious. So much so Silke literally did not even have to be there. Which is good since she didn’t gather any intel anyways.
Everyone in the castle assumed it was dragons before the fairies and then the fairies literally stepped off their carriage being like 'yeah what about those dragons'. It wasn’t that deep at all.
The revelation of the parents being alive is not only too convenient, it contradicts a major theme. I would have preferred if the parents actually had been lost forever due to a bad bargain because that better emphasizes the message that family is what you make of it not just blood. Silke spends most of the book thinking poorly of herself though she hides it behind a facade of apathy. She thinks no one would choose to be her family, they have to be stuck with her instead. So Marina and Horst and Aventurine actively choosing to take her in is a much better button on the arc. For similar reasons I didn’t like that she had an older brother.
If this had been the first book I would not have liked this series. That’s how disappointed I was. I almost don’t even want to continue. The first book really was so good my expectations were through the roof. If you’re determined to see the series through then go ahead. If you’re not a completionist, pretend the TDWCH is a standalone.
katykelly's review against another edition
5.0
Sequel/companion piece that works by itself. Chocolate, dragons, fairies - a great adventure.
You could read this in isolation from Burgis's first, but it definitely works better with knowledge of the story, characters and universe of Aventurine, the dragon who became a human.
After the excitement of Aventurine's journey towards the chocolatier life, this next episode moves to Silke, her best friend with the 'gift of the gab', who lives with her brother and by her own wiles.
Silke is trying to keep her emotions from tying her down, to keeping herself free from attachment. Her past, long suppressed, comes back to the forefront of her mind, when the Crown Princess hears of her clever advertisements and sees her ability to talk her way out of trouble and recruits her for an assignment as a spy when the neighbouring fairy kingdom arrives for talks.
Aventurine takes a back seat in this story, it is Silke's time to come to the fore, which I thought was the right decision - Aventurine's story is now more a routine one, her crisis has passed and she has achieved all she wanted, now Silke and her troubled past can become our centre.
Silke becomes a more rounded character here, we learn of why she behaves as she does, and I enjoyed the plot that takes her from market and riverside to the royal palace. Spirited, brave and resourceful, she's a great role model.
Readers of around 9 and over will thoroughly enjoy this second outing into the world of The Chocolate Heart.
You could read this in isolation from Burgis's first, but it definitely works better with knowledge of the story, characters and universe of Aventurine, the dragon who became a human.
After the excitement of Aventurine's journey towards the chocolatier life, this next episode moves to Silke, her best friend with the 'gift of the gab', who lives with her brother and by her own wiles.
Silke is trying to keep her emotions from tying her down, to keeping herself free from attachment. Her past, long suppressed, comes back to the forefront of her mind, when the Crown Princess hears of her clever advertisements and sees her ability to talk her way out of trouble and recruits her for an assignment as a spy when the neighbouring fairy kingdom arrives for talks.
Aventurine takes a back seat in this story, it is Silke's time to come to the fore, which I thought was the right decision - Aventurine's story is now more a routine one, her crisis has passed and she has achieved all she wanted, now Silke and her troubled past can become our centre.
Silke becomes a more rounded character here, we learn of why she behaves as she does, and I enjoyed the plot that takes her from market and riverside to the royal palace. Spirited, brave and resourceful, she's a great role model.
Readers of around 9 and over will thoroughly enjoy this second outing into the world of The Chocolate Heart.
sunsess's review against another edition
3.0
After reading The Dragon with a Chocolate Heart I just had to read the second book, you know? So I quickly got on half priced books and skimmed for the cheapest buy. I waited and waited and waited... then eventually it showed up at my door! And even better, it was an ARC copy! I was so happy.
Overall, however, I wasn’t impressed. Silke wasn’t as brave or spunky as she was in the first one. She crumbled almost immediately under the pressure and never recovered in subsequent chapters. If I was the author, I would have had her break down in the middle of perhaps even towards the end of the book like Adventurine did in the first one. That way, the character remains true to her personality while still being flawed. The way it was written was just disappointing.
The addition of fairies also didn’t sit right with me. Not only were they all unlikable (a little fairiest if you ask me), but the way they were described along with the magical orbs just didn’t fit with the setting of the first book. The first book felt more... warm, and this book was cool colors and random electricy things.
I gave it 2 and a calf cows instead of three because the character and some plot/setting pieces seemed inconsistent with the first book, but a part of me loves the first book so much I couldn’t give this one two. I will probably end up reading the third book, but I’m not near as eager to do so.
Overall, however, I wasn’t impressed. Silke wasn’t as brave or spunky as she was in the first one. She crumbled almost immediately under the pressure and never recovered in subsequent chapters. If I was the author, I would have had her break down in the middle of perhaps even towards the end of the book like Adventurine did in the first one. That way, the character remains true to her personality while still being flawed. The way it was written was just disappointing.
The addition of fairies also didn’t sit right with me. Not only were they all unlikable (a little fairiest if you ask me), but the way they were described along with the magical orbs just didn’t fit with the setting of the first book. The first book felt more... warm, and this book was cool colors and random electricy things.
I gave it 2 and a calf cows instead of three because the character and some plot/setting pieces seemed inconsistent with the first book, but a part of me loves the first book so much I couldn’t give this one two. I will probably end up reading the third book, but I’m not near as eager to do so.
booklover160's review against another edition
4.0
Accurate rating 3.5 stars rounded up
I have to admit this now; I listened to the audiobook for the first one and thoroughly enjoyed it. I think I would have liked this one better if it was in audio format too. But I read it as a book, so I'll just write the review now.
I liked Silke enough in the first book, and now she gets her chance to shine. This is written in first person POV from Silke's view and that took a little bit to get used to after Aventurine's strong narration of the last book. But Silke shows her resourcefulness time and time again.
The elusive fairies declare a surprise visit to Drachenburg and so the crown princess enlists Silke's help to spy on them and figure out what they're really after. And Silke bits off way more than she can chew. All throughout this adventure, we also see Silke struggling to find her place. In her family of just her brother, in her job at the Chocolate Heart, and in the palace as a new lady-in-waiting. I liked her vulnerable side and how she questioned her choices and realized her consequences.
I found the plot of this one nice, but paced poorly. 80% of the book is exposition and build up to a climax and resolution that was way too quick and neatly tied up. That was the only flaw in this book, in my opinion.
Overall, a satisfying second book that will thrill fans of the first.
I have to admit this now; I listened to the audiobook for the first one and thoroughly enjoyed it. I think I would have liked this one better if it was in audio format too. But I read it as a book, so I'll just write the review now.
I liked Silke enough in the first book, and now she gets her chance to shine. This is written in first person POV from Silke's view and that took a little bit to get used to after Aventurine's strong narration of the last book. But Silke shows her resourcefulness time and time again.
The elusive fairies declare a surprise visit to Drachenburg and so the crown princess enlists Silke's help to spy on them and figure out what they're really after. And Silke bits off way more than she can chew. All throughout this adventure, we also see Silke struggling to find her place. In her family of just her brother, in her job at the Chocolate Heart, and in the palace as a new lady-in-waiting. I liked her vulnerable side and how she questioned her choices and realized her consequences.
I found the plot of this one nice, but paced poorly. 80% of the book is exposition and build up to a climax and resolution that was way too quick and neatly tied up. That was the only flaw in this book, in my opinion.
Overall, a satisfying second book that will thrill fans of the first.
coryanderson_'s review against another edition
adventurous
emotional
hopeful
lighthearted
mysterious
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.5
brandypainter's review against another edition
5.0
The Girl with the Dragon Heart by Stephanie Burgis is her brilliant follow-up to [b:The Dragon with a Chocolate Heart|26869762|The Dragon with a Chocolate Heart (Tales from the Chocolate Heart, #1)|Stephanie Burgis|https://images.gr-assets.com/books/1472822247s/26869762.jpg|46913191]. While this book could be read independently, I think it would be better read following the first book. If you haven't read it yet, you have two exciting and excellent books to look forward to! I, of course, may be biased as these books contain all my favorite things.
"But there's one other truth I know for sure: if you have the courage to tell your own story, you can remake the world."
If there is one thing Silke knows she is good at, it is spinning tales. She can make an exciting story out of pretty much anything, and if she happens to stretch or alter the truth to make it just a tad more interesting, what is the harm really? Silke is trying her hardest to bring customers into The Chocolate Heart after all, a chocolate establishment that deserves everyone's patronage. Silke works there as a waitress too as well as helping her brother in his market stall. Silke wants most to protect all of the people she cares for most. She is not losing anyone else. When her tales and antics capture the attention of the savvy Princess Katrin, Silke finds herself offered the adventure and position of a lifetime. However, spying on the newly arrived Fairy court who want to bargain with the royal family is not a simple task, especially when Silke's own priorities for spying on the fairies may interfere with the job the princess have given her. If there is one thing Silke is certain of, it is that you can not trust the Fairies.
Silke as a character was fascinating in The Dragon with a Chocolate Heart. In her own story, she becomes even more so. Silke is one of those people who goes full throttle toward what they want. Once she is convinced she is in the right, there is no stopping her. This makes her relationships with others difficult at times as the people she is closest too wish she would slow down and listen more. Her prickly personality (put in place as protection) makes it hard for people to get to know her, but once she considers you part of her inner circle, her loyalty is ride or die fierce. She grew a lot over the course of her story as she came to see the importance of listening to others, understanding all of the pertinent details of a situation before jumping in, and not rushing head long into a situation with no plan. Her intelligent mind and ability to tell stories are what save her and the people she loves most in the end. It was fun revisiting so many characters from the first novel too. It was interesting to see Aventurine from Silke's perspective. (That is an aspect of these novels that is really well done: how the girls see themselves vs how each sees the other and the uniqueness of their voices.) Both of the princesses have a large part in Silke's story. I find myself fascinated by both of them and would love to read stories about them as well.
Burgis expands the world she created in The Dragon with a Chocolate Heart. It feels like an actual, real place with history and depth. The story of the Fairies and how they operate is based on old fairy lore but is adapted to fit the story Burgis is telling. I found the way she combined the history of the Fairies and the Dragons to be unique and interesting. The Fairies are manipulative, cold, and ruthless, and their mannerisms fit perfectly in the world Burgis has created for her other creatures and characters.
The Girl with the Dragon Heart explores the theme of independence and community, the tension between the two, and how both are necessary for a complete life. I also loved the exploration of the importance of found/chosen family, but also loving and living with the family you are born into.
"But there's one other truth I know for sure: if you have the courage to tell your own story, you can remake the world."
If there is one thing Silke knows she is good at, it is spinning tales. She can make an exciting story out of pretty much anything, and if she happens to stretch or alter the truth to make it just a tad more interesting, what is the harm really? Silke is trying her hardest to bring customers into The Chocolate Heart after all, a chocolate establishment that deserves everyone's patronage. Silke works there as a waitress too as well as helping her brother in his market stall. Silke wants most to protect all of the people she cares for most. She is not losing anyone else. When her tales and antics capture the attention of the savvy Princess Katrin, Silke finds herself offered the adventure and position of a lifetime. However, spying on the newly arrived Fairy court who want to bargain with the royal family is not a simple task, especially when Silke's own priorities for spying on the fairies may interfere with the job the princess have given her. If there is one thing Silke is certain of, it is that you can not trust the Fairies.
Silke as a character was fascinating in The Dragon with a Chocolate Heart. In her own story, she becomes even more so. Silke is one of those people who goes full throttle toward what they want. Once she is convinced she is in the right, there is no stopping her. This makes her relationships with others difficult at times as the people she is closest too wish she would slow down and listen more. Her prickly personality (put in place as protection) makes it hard for people to get to know her, but once she considers you part of her inner circle, her loyalty is ride or die fierce. She grew a lot over the course of her story as she came to see the importance of listening to others, understanding all of the pertinent details of a situation before jumping in, and not rushing head long into a situation with no plan. Her intelligent mind and ability to tell stories are what save her and the people she loves most in the end. It was fun revisiting so many characters from the first novel too. It was interesting to see Aventurine from Silke's perspective. (That is an aspect of these novels that is really well done: how the girls see themselves vs how each sees the other and the uniqueness of their voices.) Both of the princesses have a large part in Silke's story. I find myself fascinated by both of them and would love to read stories about them as well.
Burgis expands the world she created in The Dragon with a Chocolate Heart. It feels like an actual, real place with history and depth. The story of the Fairies and how they operate is based on old fairy lore but is adapted to fit the story Burgis is telling. I found the way she combined the history of the Fairies and the Dragons to be unique and interesting. The Fairies are manipulative, cold, and ruthless, and their mannerisms fit perfectly in the world Burgis has created for her other creatures and characters.
The Girl with the Dragon Heart explores the theme of independence and community, the tension between the two, and how both are necessary for a complete life. I also loved the exploration of the importance of found/chosen family, but also loving and living with the family you are born into.
siavahda's review against another edition
5.0
The first book in this series, The Dragon with a Chocolate Heart, won me over with its premise - dragons! chocolate! found-families! - so that I pre-ordered it despite it being a Middle Grade book. That was not a mistake; Burgis writes the kind of MG that packs a punch for adults too, and DwaCH is now one of my all-time favourite books.
So you can imagine how excited I was when I learned there was going to be a sequel!
I admit, I wince a little when I look at how long it took me to finish this - I started reading it in Sept 2018 and didn't finish until June 2019! - but that is absolutely not the fault of the book, which I neglected shamefully. A combination of things slowed my reading down immensely, but it was all external stuff - work, winter holidays, that sort of thing.
Because Girl With a Dragon Heart is WONDERFUL!
Mild spoilers for book #1 below!
Silver-tongued Silke was introduced in DwaCH as a brilliantly flamboyant, wickedly clever, and incredibly loyal and determined young girl who helped Aventurine find her Life's Passion - and was instrumental in keeping the Chocolate Heart, the chocolatier's that is the main setting for the first book, afloat when all hope seemed lost. Girl with the Dragon Heart is her story, set not very long after the events of book one, and if there's slightly less chocolate involved this time around, it's still a fantastic read.
Silke and her older brother are refugees who live on the city's riverbank, along with many other poor and displaced people. Dieter, her brother, Does Not Approve of Silke galavanting about the city and being involved with the Chocolate Heart - chocolate, after all, is only for the rich, and getting above yourself only brings trouble. While Silke is frustrated and upset by Dieter's constant critique, an older reader (and I suspect a lot of younger ones too) can see immediately that he is simply trying to take care of her the best he can - I think he's actually fourteen years old, definitely not older than sixteen or so, and is Silke's only guardian, their parents having been taken by faeries years ago on the family's journey from 'up North' to their present home. Silke and Dieter aren't very good at communicating with each other, though, and by this time their relationship is pretty strained, to say the least. So when the crown princess offers Silke a temporary job as an undercover lady-in-waiting to her younger sister, the princess Sophia, Silke jumps at the chance: she's going to be the best secret agent ever, prove herself indispensable to the crown princess, and in so doing set herself and her brother up for life.
Of course, it's not quite that simple. Is it ever?
The faeries are coming for a state visit, from their underground kingdom to Silke's own city. This is much more than her chance to gain the security wealth and prestige could bring - it might be her only chance to ever find out what happened to her parents...and if there's any way to get them back.
Silke was a delight as a narrator; I'm so glad Burgis is writing this series in first-person! Poor Silke; she was born to be a diplomat, but everyone around her is determined to make her life harder! She's just brilliantly smart, and between her constant - schemes is a harsh word; her ideas never hurt anybody, but they're always big and grand and audacious, and while I can understand why the various older characters around her don't believe in her - she is only twelve or so, and Dieter, for example, is genuinely worried for her - Burgis perfectly conveys the frustration and hurt of being a child too brilliant for the grown-ups to keep up with. It's a finely balanced thing, though; Silke is too optimistic and determined to wallow in her own doubts and emotional scars, and instead just throws herself thrice as hard into whatever mission she's set for herself. I wouldn't blame her for being ground down by the life she's had, but she just blazes brighter to compensate. I hope her story gets into the hands of all the kids who could draw inspiration from her.
Because if bravery is acting despite being afraid - rather than not being afraid at all - then Silke is genuinely a heroine to look up to. Despite her terror of faeries, she doesn't hesitate to face them down. Where Aventurine always charges in breathing fire, Silke charms and tricks and deftly manipulates those around her - and with Aventurine being beside Silke for a good chunk of this book, their difference in approach is stark. It's lightly touched on by the text, but mostly just left for the reader to put together by themselves: the fact that of course Aventurine is afraid of nothing, and is bold and blunt and uncompromising because of it; she's a DRAGON. Maybe she'll eventually learn to be more careful in human form, but she's grown up knowing that dragons are at the very top of the food-chain, and anything with sense ought to be scared of her, not the other way around. Silke, on the other hand, isn't just human, but one who has grown up displaced, poor, parentless, and largely ostracized. (The way her dark skin was introduced in book one makes me think that the city's inhabitants are white, and while race is never overtly discussed, I can't imagine that's made her situation any easier either). Of course she's learned how to charm people and talk fast - those are the only tools she's ever had, her only defences against the big wide world. Of course she's more attuned to the tiny signals of facial expression, tone, and choice of words - she reads people so much better than Aventurine because she's always had to.
Those skills are exactly the ones she needs to deal with faeries, though. Even if Aventurine's fire does eventually come in handy!
Silke is unquestionably the one who saves the day in the end, but the themes of friendship and family - and the forms those things can take - run just as strong as they do in DwaCH, if not even stronger. Silke's adventures here are directly motivated by her love for her family - for her missing parents, and even the brother who doesn't like her even if he does (probably) love her - but what I found interesting was that, once again, Burgis presents found- or made-families as being of just as much value as blood-relations. Silke's relationship with Horst and Marina, the adults who own the Chocolate Heart and to whom Aventurine is apprenticed, is unquestionably familial, even if Silke herself doesn't realise it at first - despite her own automatically pulling strings to get the Chocolate Heart the favour of the royal family. Silke acts without hesitation to help the people she cares about whenever she can; it's something she doesn't even think about, and I have to admit that made me choke up a bit - especially since she doesn't expect the same treatment back. And although they don't get a lot of page-time, Marina and Horst stand out as the only adults who believe in Silke's abilities and general brilliance without question, even if Silke doesn't realise it at first - she's incredibly clever, but maybe has a little bit of a blind spot when it comes to people actually loving her like she loves them.
Ultimately, Girl with a Dragon Heart is another story of a young girl saving the day even when the grown-ups can't. I know I would love to be able to send this series back in time to my younger self - these are very definitely books that are desperately needed by a certain kind of kid, and heck, some adults too. If anything, as much as I enjoyed the chocolate magic of book one, Girl with a Dragon Heart might be even easier for MG readers to relate to. Most of us (alas!) can't turn into fire-breathing dragons like Aventurine; but I think there are a lot of readers who can and will see themselves in Silke and the obstacles she's faced, and the ways in which she overcomes them. Making this not just a wonderful and heart-warming story, but also a powerfully necessary - and inspiring - one.
I think it goes without saying that I can't wait to pounce on the next book, set to focus on Princess Sophia. Bring on The Princess who Flew with Dragons!
So you can imagine how excited I was when I learned there was going to be a sequel!
I admit, I wince a little when I look at how long it took me to finish this - I started reading it in Sept 2018 and didn't finish until June 2019! - but that is absolutely not the fault of the book, which I neglected shamefully. A combination of things slowed my reading down immensely, but it was all external stuff - work, winter holidays, that sort of thing.
Because Girl With a Dragon Heart is WONDERFUL!
Mild spoilers for book #1 below!
Silver-tongued Silke was introduced in DwaCH as a brilliantly flamboyant, wickedly clever, and incredibly loyal and determined young girl who helped Aventurine find her Life's Passion - and was instrumental in keeping the Chocolate Heart, the chocolatier's that is the main setting for the first book, afloat when all hope seemed lost. Girl with the Dragon Heart is her story, set not very long after the events of book one, and if there's slightly less chocolate involved this time around, it's still a fantastic read.
Silke and her older brother are refugees who live on the city's riverbank, along with many other poor and displaced people. Dieter, her brother, Does Not Approve of Silke galavanting about the city and being involved with the Chocolate Heart - chocolate, after all, is only for the rich, and getting above yourself only brings trouble. While Silke is frustrated and upset by Dieter's constant critique, an older reader (and I suspect a lot of younger ones too) can see immediately that he is simply trying to take care of her the best he can - I think he's actually fourteen years old, definitely not older than sixteen or so, and is Silke's only guardian, their parents having been taken by faeries years ago on the family's journey from 'up North' to their present home. Silke and Dieter aren't very good at communicating with each other, though, and by this time their relationship is pretty strained, to say the least. So when the crown princess offers Silke a temporary job as an undercover lady-in-waiting to her younger sister, the princess Sophia, Silke jumps at the chance: she's going to be the best secret agent ever, prove herself indispensable to the crown princess, and in so doing set herself and her brother up for life.
Of course, it's not quite that simple. Is it ever?
The faeries are coming for a state visit, from their underground kingdom to Silke's own city. This is much more than her chance to gain the security wealth and prestige could bring - it might be her only chance to ever find out what happened to her parents...and if there's any way to get them back.
Silke was a delight as a narrator; I'm so glad Burgis is writing this series in first-person! Poor Silke; she was born to be a diplomat, but everyone around her is determined to make her life harder! She's just brilliantly smart, and between her constant - schemes is a harsh word; her ideas never hurt anybody, but they're always big and grand and audacious, and while I can understand why the various older characters around her don't believe in her - she is only twelve or so, and Dieter, for example, is genuinely worried for her - Burgis perfectly conveys the frustration and hurt of being a child too brilliant for the grown-ups to keep up with. It's a finely balanced thing, though; Silke is too optimistic and determined to wallow in her own doubts and emotional scars, and instead just throws herself thrice as hard into whatever mission she's set for herself. I wouldn't blame her for being ground down by the life she's had, but she just blazes brighter to compensate. I hope her story gets into the hands of all the kids who could draw inspiration from her.
Because if bravery is acting despite being afraid - rather than not being afraid at all - then Silke is genuinely a heroine to look up to. Despite her terror of faeries, she doesn't hesitate to face them down. Where Aventurine always charges in breathing fire, Silke charms and tricks and deftly manipulates those around her - and with Aventurine being beside Silke for a good chunk of this book, their difference in approach is stark. It's lightly touched on by the text, but mostly just left for the reader to put together by themselves: the fact that of course Aventurine is afraid of nothing, and is bold and blunt and uncompromising because of it; she's a DRAGON. Maybe she'll eventually learn to be more careful in human form, but she's grown up knowing that dragons are at the very top of the food-chain, and anything with sense ought to be scared of her, not the other way around. Silke, on the other hand, isn't just human, but one who has grown up displaced, poor, parentless, and largely ostracized. (The way her dark skin was introduced in book one makes me think that the city's inhabitants are white, and while race is never overtly discussed, I can't imagine that's made her situation any easier either). Of course she's learned how to charm people and talk fast - those are the only tools she's ever had, her only defences against the big wide world. Of course she's more attuned to the tiny signals of facial expression, tone, and choice of words - she reads people so much better than Aventurine because she's always had to.
Those skills are exactly the ones she needs to deal with faeries, though. Even if Aventurine's fire does eventually come in handy!
Silke is unquestionably the one who saves the day in the end, but the themes of friendship and family - and the forms those things can take - run just as strong as they do in DwaCH, if not even stronger. Silke's adventures here are directly motivated by her love for her family - for her missing parents, and even the brother who doesn't like her even if he does (probably) love her - but what I found interesting was that, once again, Burgis presents found- or made-families as being of just as much value as blood-relations. Silke's relationship with Horst and Marina, the adults who own the Chocolate Heart and to whom Aventurine is apprenticed, is unquestionably familial, even if Silke herself doesn't realise it at first - despite her own automatically pulling strings to get the Chocolate Heart the favour of the royal family. Silke acts without hesitation to help the people she cares about whenever she can; it's something she doesn't even think about, and I have to admit that made me choke up a bit - especially since she doesn't expect the same treatment back. And although they don't get a lot of page-time, Marina and Horst stand out as the only adults who believe in Silke's abilities and general brilliance without question, even if Silke doesn't realise it at first - she's incredibly clever, but maybe has a little bit of a blind spot when it comes to people actually loving her like she loves them.
Ultimately, Girl with a Dragon Heart is another story of a young girl saving the day even when the grown-ups can't. I know I would love to be able to send this series back in time to my younger self - these are very definitely books that are desperately needed by a certain kind of kid, and heck, some adults too. If anything, as much as I enjoyed the chocolate magic of book one, Girl with a Dragon Heart might be even easier for MG readers to relate to. Most of us (alas!) can't turn into fire-breathing dragons like Aventurine; but I think there are a lot of readers who can and will see themselves in Silke and the obstacles she's faced, and the ways in which she overcomes them. Making this not just a wonderful and heart-warming story, but also a powerfully necessary - and inspiring - one.
I think it goes without saying that I can't wait to pounce on the next book, set to focus on Princess Sophia. Bring on The Princess who Flew with Dragons!