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A review by aphelia88
Handbook for Dragon Slayers by Merrie Haskell
4.0
(Edit: I just read some other reviews and this is a MG - Middle Grade? - book instead of YA, which explains the ages. I wasn't aware of this category before.)
This is a cute, light YA read. Matilda is a Princess after my own heart - all she wants to do is have the peace and quiet of a Scriptorium to write a book of her own, like the ones she loves to read. Born to a minor kingdom, her family is not wealthy and struggles to keep their lands a freehold.
Tilda was born with a lame foot that makes it difficult to walk; she needs to use crutches and is in constant pain. The villagers mock and fear her deformity, and call her cursed. As a result, she feels isolated from her people and is lonely. When her crush Parzifal is about to lose his position as apprentice to a renowned dragon slayer, Tilda, Parz and Tilda's only friend and handmaiden Judith set off on a hare-brained quest to slay a dragon of their own and redeem Parz's place.
What Tilda cannot bring herself to tell her friends is that she's really running away from home. They meet the Wild Hunt and earn the loyalty of some incredibly special horses (my favourite part!). Along the way, they learn a lot about friendship, loyalty, betrayal and responsibility.
They also slowly learn that dragons might not be as evil as they had been taught. Spoiler:.
The only issues I had were that Matilda is supposed to be 13, but the actions and stories are more suited to a 15 or 16 year old. Also, she is bright and intelligent and could have used her considerable wits more often
I would have loved to have read this book when I was younger 😊
This is a cute, light YA read. Matilda is a Princess after my own heart - all she wants to do is have the peace and quiet of a Scriptorium to write a book of her own, like the ones she loves to read. Born to a minor kingdom, her family is not wealthy and struggles to keep their lands a freehold.
Tilda was born with a lame foot that makes it difficult to walk; she needs to use crutches and is in constant pain. The villagers mock and fear her deformity, and call her cursed. As a result, she feels isolated from her people and is lonely. When her crush Parzifal is about to lose his position as apprentice to a renowned dragon slayer, Tilda, Parz and Tilda's only friend and handmaiden Judith set off on a hare-brained quest to slay a dragon of their own and redeem Parz's place.
What Tilda cannot bring herself to tell her friends is that she's really running away from home. They meet the Wild Hunt and earn the loyalty of some incredibly special horses (my favourite part!). Along the way, they learn a lot about friendship, loyalty, betrayal and responsibility.
They also slowly learn that dragons might not be as evil as they had been taught. Spoiler:
Spoiler
in a masterful stroke, Tilda shifts into a dragon and finds herself understanding them in a way no human ever had before. This finally gives her the subject for her book, and an empathy for othersThe only issues I had were that Matilda is supposed to be 13, but the actions and stories are more suited to a 15 or 16 year old. Also, she is bright and intelligent and could have used her considerable wits more often
Spoiler
most especially when she is being kidnapped by the laughably ineffective villain who would usurp her kingdom - why on earth didn't she push him over the side of the boat?I would have loved to have read this book when I was younger 😊