Tooth and Claw
This book was utterly delightful. It's a play on the classic Victorian novel. Think Jane Austen. Except that all of the characters are dragons, which makes it even more fun.
At the beginning of the book, an old patriarch dies, stirring up all manner of trouble. He has five surviving children, and while he tries to split up his estate fairly, the inevitable squabbles threaten to tear the family apart.
The book follows the five children, two of whom are married with kids of their own. The unmarried male is working in town, building a life for himself. The two unmarried female dragons are split up for the first time in their lives, each sent to live a different sibling until marriages can be arranged for them. Along the way, they (and we) learn about various injustices in their society.
It's pretty clear from the beginning how everything will end up. Happily ever afters for the good guys, just desserts for the bad guys, and dancing and merriment all around. But it's the joy of getting there, of watching young girls fall in love and young men stick to their principles. Waiting for arrogant pricks to get their comeuppance and patient do-gooders get their rewards.
Walton has a lot of fun mashing up the Victorian social mores with dragon lore. And right at the end there's a reveal that left me wanting, not a sequel exactly, but another book or three set in this world. But all in all, this book was just about perfect - fun and sweet and hinting at an inevitably changing world.
At the beginning of the book, an old patriarch dies, stirring up all manner of trouble. He has five surviving children, and while he tries to split up his estate fairly, the inevitable squabbles threaten to tear the family apart.
The book follows the five children, two of whom are married with kids of their own. The unmarried male is working in town, building a life for himself. The two unmarried female dragons are split up for the first time in their lives, each sent to live a different sibling until marriages can be arranged for them. Along the way, they (and we) learn about various injustices in their society.
It's pretty clear from the beginning how everything will end up. Happily ever afters for the good guys, just desserts for the bad guys, and dancing and merriment all around. But it's the joy of getting there, of watching young girls fall in love and young men stick to their principles. Waiting for arrogant pricks to get their comeuppance and patient do-gooders get their rewards.
Walton has a lot of fun mashing up the Victorian social mores with dragon lore. And right at the end there's a reveal that left me wanting, not a sequel exactly, but another book or three set in this world. But all in all, this book was just about perfect - fun and sweet and hinting at an inevitably changing world.
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