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A review by clevermird
Dragonhaven by Robin McKinley
adventurous
funny
hopeful
lighthearted
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
3.0
This book is a bit of a first for Robin McKinley - namely, it's the first time she writes a male protagonist!
Jake Mendoza is an ordinary teenage boy growing up in anything but ordinary circumstances. He resides on the premises of Smokehill National Park, which is home to the United States' only remaining dragons! But despite how exciting this might sound, reality is a lot more mundane - dragons are rarely sighted these days and most of Jake's time is spent studying, helping out at the on-site zoo and wildlife rehab center, and playing video games. However, on his first solo camping trip into the park, something unheard of happens: he finds a murdered dragon and her babies, one of whom is still clinging to life. Almost without thinking, Jake takes in the newborn dragonlet suddenly finds himself trying to become the mother a critically endangered species, which is made even more complicated by the fact that trying to save a dragon's life is illegal.
It becomes pretty obvious pretty quickly that this basically a fantastical teen pregnancy story. Jake's experiences raising Lois the dragon mirror that of a raising a human baby quite closely and while perhaps a bit more could have been done with this parallel, it does tie into the theme and makes for a wholesome, surprisingly relaxing reading experience. The worldbuilding is simple, but fun and I like the attention paid to dragon biology and ecology while not feeling the need to answer every single question.
Less relaxing, however, is the narrative voice. While this isn't Ms. McKinley's first time writing in first person, Dragonhaven takes the casual, somewhat sassy tone of Sunshine and turns it all the way up, resulting in a reading experience that constantly reminds you that this is a story you are being told by Jake, in his own words. A valid artistic choice, but one that often wound up taking me out of the story just as much as it connected me to the characters, particularly in the beginning and near the end, where the level of tangents and asides and repeated jokes sometimes eclipses the acutal story. Additionally, while we get to know Jake and Lois pretty well, all the side characters are pretty one-note, especially the love interest, Martha, whose characterization can be almost entirely summed up as "she's nice and empathetic".
While Dragonhaven does overstay its welcome a bit, it's a fun, cozy story with a focus on family and zoology that feels fresh and neither over- nor under-developed, a perfect break in between heavier or more epic fantasy fare.
Jake Mendoza is an ordinary teenage boy growing up in anything but ordinary circumstances. He resides on the premises of Smokehill National Park, which is home to the United States' only remaining dragons! But despite how exciting this might sound, reality is a lot more mundane - dragons are rarely sighted these days and most of Jake's time is spent studying, helping out at the on-site zoo and wildlife rehab center, and playing video games. However, on his first solo camping trip into the park, something unheard of happens: he finds a murdered dragon and her babies, one of whom is still clinging to life. Almost without thinking, Jake takes in the newborn dragonlet suddenly finds himself trying to become the mother a critically endangered species, which is made even more complicated by the fact that trying to save a dragon's life is illegal.
It becomes pretty obvious pretty quickly that this basically a fantastical teen pregnancy story. Jake's experiences raising Lois the dragon mirror that of a raising a human baby quite closely and while perhaps a bit more could have been done with this parallel, it does tie into the theme and makes for a wholesome, surprisingly relaxing reading experience. The worldbuilding is simple, but fun and I like the attention paid to dragon biology and ecology while not feeling the need to answer every single question.
Less relaxing, however, is the narrative voice. While this isn't Ms. McKinley's first time writing in first person, Dragonhaven takes the casual, somewhat sassy tone of Sunshine and turns it all the way up, resulting in a reading experience that constantly reminds you that this is a story you are being told by Jake, in his own words. A valid artistic choice, but one that often wound up taking me out of the story just as much as it connected me to the characters, particularly in the beginning and near the end, where the level of tangents and asides and repeated jokes sometimes eclipses the acutal story. Additionally, while we get to know Jake and Lois pretty well, all the side characters are pretty one-note, especially the love interest, Martha, whose characterization can be almost entirely summed up as "she's nice and empathetic".
While Dragonhaven does overstay its welcome a bit, it's a fun, cozy story with a focus on family and zoology that feels fresh and neither over- nor under-developed, a perfect break in between heavier or more epic fantasy fare.
Content Warnings
Moderate: Animal death, Excrement, Death of parent
Minor: Death, Pregnancy, Fire/Fire injury