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Dragonswood (Wilde Island Chronicles #2)

by Janet Lee Carey (Goodreads Author)

3.81 of 5 stars 3.81 · rating details · 2,733 ratings · 440 reviews

On Wilde Island, there is no peace between dragons, fairies, and humans.

Wilde Island is in an uproar over the recent death of its king. As the uneasy pact between dragons, fairies, and humans begins to fray, the royal witch hunter with a hidden agenda begins a vengeful quest to burn girls suspected of witchcraft before a new king is crowned.

Strong-willed Tess, a blacksmith...more

Hardcover, 407 pages

Published January 5th 2012 by Dial

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Dec 11, 2011 Tatiana rated it 3 of 5 stars

Recommended to Tatiana by: Kirkus

Shelves: 2011, fantasy, historical, ya, ala-ya-2013

Dragonswood is a solid teen fantasy that lacks just a little bit of that special something that makes you want to treasure and read a book over and over again.

The story is set in 12th century Wilde Island (England?) The narrator, 17-year old Tess, is a daughter of an abusive blacksmith. Tess dreams of being free of her father and living alone somewhere alone and supporting herself. But those are not the right times for such dreams. Single women are open for abuse and accusations of witchery. Fo...more

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Aug 24, 2012 Suz rated it 5 of 5 stars Recommends it for: fellow book bloggers, friends, and family with similar interests

Shelves: books-read-2012

Dragonswood is a dark alluring powerfully epic high fantasy filled with wonderfully delicious hidden secrets, intrigue, and enchanting mystical realms that will leave readers breathless. From the start, it is deeply compelling and masterfully written, filled with wonderfully developed characters and dangerous action-packed trials facing them. Carey exudes stunning world building skills and introduces a unique spin on fulfilled prophecies. It is a lively mystical tale unlike any other that has c...more Dragonswood is a dark alluring powerfully epic high fantasy filled with wonderfully delicious hidden secrets, intrigue, and enchanting mystical realms that will leave readers breathless. From the start, it is deeply compelling and masterfully written, filled with wonderfully developed characters and dangerous action-packed trials facing them. Carey exudes stunning world building skills and introduces a unique spin on fulfilled prophecies. It is a lively mystical tale unlike any other that has come before it. Vastly fascinating and cleverly suspenseful, with the perfect harmonious blend of paranormal and fantasy.

Tess, the heroine, finds herself at a cross roads with fate and faces the question of how to shoulder the destiny that lies ahead of her and how to survive the outcome that may befall. The world surrounding Tess visions becomes desperate, as they keep showing a mysterious man wielding a sword. This raises many questions as to who he is and what part he has to play in this epic battle. Carey's characters are brightly vivid with a twinge of darkness and beautifully developed, while still possessing hidden flaws of their own. Tess, for example, is a strong and loyal heroine and friend, yet even she will falter a bit in the way of betraying her friends to a degree. It paints the perfect portrait of not being perfect, yet still possessing likable and desirable characteristics that readers will find appealing.

The romance between Tess and Garth is wildly daring and is exquisitely heart pounding, fueled by a strong magnetic attraction that builds and builds, pulling towards destiny and each other. It is handled in such a truly magical and splendid way, that readers will fall hopelessly in love with these two. It's just so natural and pleasing. Dragonswood is an action-packed, highly intense story that will leave readers clamoring for more of the fantasy and the developing mythos as unpredicted twists and turns become more and more evident in the journey. It is such a riveting fantastical story that will surely hook readers. Fans of Scott Tracey's Witch Eyes , Amber Argyle's Witch Song , or even the intriguing writing style of Tamora Pierce will be sure to enjoy this novel.

Readers will definitely not want to miss out on this high epic tale of fantasy, filled with talking dragons who's status as lords are vastly important to the mythos and magical realms in which they live in or precarious little faeries they'll be introduced to along the journey. It is sure to remind them, that it's not necessarily the destination that makes the story worth telling, but the journey along the way.(less)

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Oct 19, 2012 Kristine rated it 5 of 5 stars

Shelves: all-time-favorites, beautiful-dress-covers

Enchanting...Bewitching..Captivating.

The beautiful cover definitely and undeniably matches the story. It has that certain pull that compels and draws readers into the heart of Dragonswood. Fey folks, mighty dragons and humans all together in one magical tale.

" In the enchanted woodland wild,
The Prince shall wed a Fairy child.
Dragon, Human and Fairy,
Their union will be bound by three.

And when these lovers intertwine,
Three races in one child combine.
Dragon, Fey and Humankind,
Bound in one bloodline...more

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May 28, 2012 Zuleeza rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: high-fantasy

This review is also available on my blog, Qwerty

Well, this review had to be short otherwise I run a risk of not finishing my assignment (Boo meeee!!!)

I wish I'd take shorter time to finish this book because it is truly a very charming book. It is that kind of story I would tell my nieces and nephews (as I'm still riding solo ::forever alone::) as bedtime stories. I never thought I'd long for this but yeah, I wish there was more romance because the love story was very sweet, I felt like I want to...more

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Jan 06, 2013 Aspen rated it 4 of 5 stars

Fearsome dragons
A fairy palace
A lost prince
An epic romance

Fearsome dragons (Check)
A fairy palace (Check)
A lost prince (Check though really obvious)
An epic romance...not so much

In the action department Janet Lee Carley hasn't left me disappointed so far after also reading the prequel Dragon's Keep . I think her storytelling style for action and adventure is exciting and unique and I must say I really enjoyed that aspect of the book.

My only problem...the romance was less than epic, in fact it was...more

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Mar 19, 2013 TheBookSmugglers rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: notable-reads-of-2012, romantic-fantasy, young-adult, best-of-2012

Originally reviewed on The Book Smugglers

For all seventeen years of her young life, Tess has been certain of just a few things: that her father is a brute that takes out his rage on his wife and daughter with his fists, that she would rather grow old alone or run away to the confines of the forbidden Dragonswood rather than be married off to any man, and that she must never ever reveal her secret ability to see the future in fire. Beyond the beatings, fear and hate Tess has for her father, the b...more Originally reviewed on The Book Smugglers

For all seventeen years of her young life, Tess has been certain of just a few things: that her father is a brute that takes out his rage on his wife and daughter with his fists, that she would rather grow old alone or run away to the confines of the forbidden Dragonswood rather than be married off to any man, and that she must never ever reveal her secret ability to see the future in fire. Beyond the beatings, fear and hate Tess has for her father, the blacksmith, her family has also been torn by tragedy - her six baby sisters and brother have all died, consumed by inexplicable illness. Then, when the beautiful and fierce Lady Adela rides into Tess's small village on a crusade to expose, torture, and punish witches, Tess's small, unhappy life will be plunged into greater darkness. Tess is accused of being a witch, guilty of killing her family and hexing others, as well as consorting in the Dragonswood with Satan. Though Tess vehemently opposes these charges, she is taken away for terrifying questioning. Under Lady Adela's cruel torture, Tess betrays the names of her two best friends, Poppy and Meg, confessing that the three of them had gone into the forbidden Dragonswood.

Escaping her own trial by wit and luck, Tess and her friends must now flee their village, before the witch hunter can find them. Under the guise of lepers, the three girls leave their homes and search for help. Then, the women stumble across Garth, a woodward charged with guarding the Dragonswood for the King - and a man that Tess has seen with her firesight. Garth offers sanctuary, but Tess finds it hard to trust in his aid. She knows that Garth is hiding something - what she doesn't know, however, is that his secret, and her own secrets, will change the course of destiny for the entirety of the Wilde Island Kingdom - human, fay, and dragon alike.

Well...wow. Dragonswood is an amazingly potent novel, with rich imagery, vivid characters, and a refreshing tendency against the obvious. This is a book that could so easily have been a formulaic regurgitation of any number of pale romantic YA fey/fantasy novels on the market - but instead we get a careful, atmospheric novel that has its own happy ever after, but that comes at a price. In many ways Dragonswood is reminiscent of one of my favorite fantasy authors, Juliet Marillier. The Wilde Island kingdom - a subset of Britain (I'm assuming?) - feels very much like the isolated and magical Sevenwaters, where the fey are meddling, fickle with their favor, and utterly dangerous with their own plans and machinations. Like Sevenwaters, Wilde Island has its own potent prophecy that will change everything, though the cost of that prophecy, and the truth of its form, is deceptive. It is this prophecy that is the impetus for the story (though our protagonists hardly realize it); it is this outlawed tale that changes the destined paths of our heroes in Dragonswood.

And truly, what would a tale called Dragonswood be without those eponymous beasts? Fear not, dear readers - here be dragons. And they are wonderful. There is an intricate balance of power between the dragons, the fey, and the humans in this kingdom, and I love how the royal line (the Pendragons, naturally) is descended from dragons and takes on their appearance with scales on some part of their bodies.[2. Though, I'll admit that I wasn't aware that this actually was book 2 in a series until after reading Dragonswood - and then I found out that book 1 deals with this dragon-human heritage and that backstory. Needless to say, I've purchased that book, Dragon's Keep, and I'll be diving in very soon.] For all that these iconic creatures are very traditional in their appearance and portrayal in this novel, Ms. Carey's imaginative story and gorgeous writing make these mythologies feel fresh and exciting. In addition to featuring these different characters, there's also a loose bond to the Arthurian legend, as Merlin, the Pendragon clan, and they fey of lake and wood, all are woven into this book.

As for the characters, I both love and am skeptical regarding protagonist Tess. Something that bothers me intensely in many historical novels is the imposition of very contemporary and learned attitudes. In Tess's case, she begins the novel with the mindset of someone born a millennia later - she's fiercely independent, will bow to no man, and yearns to make her own money and way in the world. While of course this is admirable and doubtless there may have been women with these same ambitions in the twelfth century, Tess's singular defiance of convention feels false. This criticism said, as a heroine I did love that Tess is not infallible - from the opening chapters, she betrays her friends! But her actions are human and understandable, and I loved the genuine passion behind her actions, even when she makes her missteps. As for Garth, he's also somewhat contemporary and forward thinking for his time, but to a much lesser degree than Tess, and I had no trouble believing in him as a character. Like Tess, Garth is not a perfect person and guilty of any number of understandable faults - his attention to beguiling beauty, his judgmental behavior when he learns of Tess's betrayal. I love that these two characters are flawed, but ultimately with their hearts in the right place, and I love the way their stories intertwine.

What else can I say about Dragonswood? It is a beautiful, historical fantasy novel that delivers happiness without being saccharine, and introduces a haunting world where myths and legends cling desperately to their slipping power. I loved this book, and it is a shoo-in for my Notable Reads of the year - even possibly a top 10 pick. (less)

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Dec 13, 2011 Nancy (Tumbling Books) rated it 5 of 5 stars

I just want to start off by saying that I can find nothing that I did not like in this book, it was that good. The characters, plot, and the way it was written were all amazing.

First of all, I'm not used to reading books that aren't set in modern times, so this was a new thing for me. It went really far back (to the middle ages) and Janet Lee Carey made sure to take the reader there. The amount of detail and knowledge of the time period that she had was evident while reading Dragonswood. I was i...more I just want to start off by saying that I can find nothing that I did not like in this book, it was that good. The characters, plot, and the way it was written were all amazing.

First of all, I'm not used to reading books that aren't set in modern times, so this was a new thing for me. It went really far back (to the middle ages) and Janet Lee Carey made sure to take the reader there. The amount of detail and knowledge of the time period that she had was evident while reading Dragonswood. I was impressed by how accurate it seemed (I don't know much about this time period). From the cures to the customs, it was all very exciting!

I loved, loved, loved the dragons and faeries. I thought that it was great that they were both brought together in one book, usually it's one or the other. The way the humans, fairies, and dragons were brought together was unique and the history that the three shared was fascinating. It felt like I was reading a fairy tale book.

The story flowed beautifully, it kept you guessing and I'm happy to say that a few of the things that I guessed were correct! (Mainly about who Garth really was...) I don't usually like when the main character has friends with her (Meg and Poppy), because they tend to distract from the protagonist... but I found that they worked very well with where the story was going. I even ended up liking them! OMG! I loved Tess, as well, she was a great heroine. Even though she had faced so much abuse and cruelty, she became self-reliant and confident in herself.

Garth and Tess.... amazing. They were so cute! I loved them! I loved Garth's personality and how mysterious he was, he sounded so sexy (lol). I wished they had more conversations just so that I could enjoy him more, but that's just me being selfish, their relationship was very well developed and believable.

This book was great and I highly recommend it, especially for those of you whom have not read much about dragons and fairies, it really opens your eyes to a whole different type of book (something other than werewolves and vampires).(less)

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May 27, 2012 Amelia, the pragmatic idealist rated it 3 of 5 stars

Shelves: penguin, own, ya-kids-teen, all-kinds-of-fantasy, 2012, annoying-protagonist, mc-girl

More like 3.5 stars.

I want to start by commenting on how weird it is that I find 3-star, slightly-critical reviews easier to write than 5-star ones. I read this 5-star book last week and I still am not entirely sure what to say.

So like many other novels, Dragonswood ended up being different than what I expected. It's not that there's anything particularly wrong with the novel; it's more that I just didn't find it very enjoyable. For one thing, Dragonswood is very oddly paced and plotted. What is...more
More like 3.5 stars.

I want to start by commenting on how weird it is that I find 3-star, slightly-critical reviews easier to write than 5-star ones. I read this 5-star book last week and I still am not entirely sure what to say.

So like many other novels, Dragonswood ended up being different than what I expected. It's not that there's anything particularly wrong with the novel; it's more that I just didn't find it very enjoyable. For one thing, Dragonswood is very oddly paced and plotted. What is this novel about? A girl accused of witchcraft running from her persecutors? A mysterious wood made up of dragons, fairies and witches that is now endangered? An imposter seizing control of the island? A half-fey child trying to usurp power from the royal family? WHAT, exactly?! All of these elements came together in a very sloppy sort of way, in my opinion. The plot changed directions so many times and it wasn't until about halfway through the novel that one unified plot came together. Judging by the other reviews, I'm one of the only reader who has noticed this. But Dragonswood, for this main reason, was a very disjointed and odd read.

As far as characters go, everyone was fairly ordinary. I'm getting annoyed, though, at every single female character in a medieval setting being a caricature of a modern, 'enlightened' woman. If I read one more novel about a girl bitching about marriage and being a man's 'property,' I'm gonna lose it. THAT IS NOT AN ACCURATE REPRESENTATION OF HISTORY! Were there medieval trailblazer women who went against the norm? Sure, but it's like the handful of them have all been cast over and over and over again as protagonists in these novels! Take a hint from Juliet Marillier, who knows how to tow the line right down the middle: her heroines want more out of life and strive to be more than simpleton housewives, yet they're not against love and marriage if the right guy comes along. So when they do meet Wonderful Love Interest, they don't sound like a bunch of hypocrites. But poor Tess spends about 1/3 of the novel bitching about men, then all of the sudden decides she's in love. It was rather sudden. And kind of silly, given her numerous protestations. On the subject of Tess, also, I didn't really connect with her. I think the author was of the idea that making Tess (view spoiler) would somehow make her a more sympathetic character...it didn't. Because by the third chapter, she's completely removed from that situation and never faces it again, so in the long-run, it seemed like a rather pointless move. Tess is also one of the most jaded characters I've seen in a while in YA lit, and while I'm actually intrigued by jaded and cynical characters (for obvious reasons, hur dur dur), in this situation, I felt like the author was shooting for 'jaded' and ended up with 'annoying.'
But even saying that, I still felt bad for Tess and I cared enough about her story to see this through to the end. And if Tess annoyed me at times, the supporting cast of characters was near infuriating. Tess' two friends Meg and Poppy end up on the run as well after Tess is forced - under torture - to out them as 'witches.' Okay, I'm sure this was the author's intention, but it absolutely infuriated me how much Tess was blamed and scapegoated for what happened. I almost gave up on the whole thing after (view spoiler)
So why am I giving this novel 3 stars? Well, because with all its faults, Dragonswood still did at least half of what I expect books to do: it entertained me, and I was thoroughly interested in what was going to happen next. Even if I was never 100% on board with the rather sloppy plot or 100% rooting for the characters, I was entertained. Also, I liked Janet Lee Carey's writing style and I like her historical fantasy setting of Wilde Island, which supposedly borders England.
Dragonswood is a decent read, and while I do recommend it, I'm not in any hurry to schedule a re-read. (less)

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Nov 29, 2011 Michelle rated it 3 of 5 stars

Shelves: fantasy, dragons, teen

Dragonswood is basically a medieval fantasy. There are witch burnings right along with fairies and dragons. The Dragonswood is a sanctuary for all magical creatures. It was set up during the time of Queen Rosalinda (see Dragon's Keep). The old king has died and the heir is away fighting the crusades. The peace between humans and magical creatures is fraying. The main character Tess is drawn to Dragonswood even though going inside of the boundaries is forbidden. She keeps a dangerous secret; she...more

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Mar 21, 2013 Riv rated it 4 of 5 stars

Interestingly, this is a sequel to a book that I picked up a while ago but didn't really get into. Dragonswood, though, was phenomenal. It had excellent world-building, one of the best romances I've read in a while, and weaved itself into "normal" medieval times. The writing was quite good, too.

If you want some tips on how to write amazing, healthy, romance, read this.

The only draw-back was that I guessed at one of the key plot points about 100 pages in, and wasn't shocked at the "big reveal."

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Apr 08, 2013 Heather rated it 3 of 5 stars

This review has been hidden because it contains spoilers. To view it, click here.

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Mar 29, 2013 Whitley Birks rated it 3 of 5 stars

Shelves: 2013, almost-good, female-hero, historical-fiction, ya-fantasy, worldbuilding-fail

Dragonswood is a strange little novel that starts out well enough, then splinters off into various fragments of stories. As it keeps going, it suffers under its own weight as it tries to reconcile the many different plot threads running through it. Any one of these different threads would make for a decent novel alone, but when they’re all crammed together, none of them have enough weight to actually be interesting.

THE GOOD
Roughly the first half of this book is decent, if meandering. The focus r...more Dragonswood is a strange little novel that starts out well enough, then splinters off into various fragments of stories. As it keeps going, it suffers under its own weight as it tries to reconcile the many different plot threads running through it. Any one of these different threads would make for a decent novel alone, but when they’re all crammed together, none of them have enough weight to actually be interesting.

THE GOOD
Roughly the first half of this book is decent, if meandering. The focus remains on Tess and her desire to help out her friends, since all of them are on the run and accused of being witches. Tess is responsible for the whole mess, so she feels responsible for putting it to rights. That’s perfectly fine and cohesive. There’s not much that actually happens, but there’s plenty of things that have the potential to develop, so I was willing to be patient and see how it turned out.

Tess herself, in the first half, is a good character. She’s resourceful and determined, and she’s properly paranoid for a girl on the run from a maniacal witch hunter. I liked her friends as well; they made a good little team of friends.

THE BAD
The second half of the novel, oh dear. Where to begin. As soon as Tess leaves to find the fairies, everything pulls apart. For the last half, we’re introduced to so many different plot elements that it’s hard to tell which ones are supposed to be important. Turns out, none of them are. We follow one plot for a while, get distracted by a different plot and follow that instead, then another, then another. Tess gets jerked here and there, changing her motivations and goals in an instant. Huge ideas are introduced, then simply used as a vehicle to take her to the next temporary plot. It’s extremely hard to follow, and some of the ideas don’t even make sense. Bad guys aren’t given enough weight to be properly threatening, and the closest thing we have to a climax is one person giving a speech that ends up fixing everything. Um…riveting?

The world-building here felt very lackluster as well. Like the plot, it’s very much split into halves, with the first half being in the ‘normal’ world of 12th century Ireland (ish) and the second half being a world of dragons and fairies. Except these two worlds exist at the same time, on the same island, openly. Everyone knows fairies are real, but their existence doesn’t change anything from the generic old-time-y historical feel. It’s just “12th century. Oh, and also dragons, because I guess why not?”

Tess in the second half of the novel grated on me. She abandoned her tough and paranoid persona of the first half and devolved into just a typical YA romance lead.

It’s very easy to tell who in this novel is good or bad. Simply look for anyone with modern-day morals and sensibilities. Tess is very much a second-wave feminist, which would be find if only she didn’t live in the 12th century. There’s ways to have a character believe that she shouldn’t be property without having her also sound like a modern teenager stuck in the past. When the love interest shows up, he shares all her ideals with her, to the letter and without so much as flinching. There’s even a line about bear-baiting, shoved in just so that Tess can say she doesn’t like it, because heaven forbid she be a product of her environment in any possible way.

THE UGLY
I was very unhappy with the amount of domestic abuse displayed in this novel. It wasn’t treated with any amount of grace, and it was only brought up when Tess wanted to harp on how much she expected the Male Lead to hit her, so she could be shocked when he didn’t. If domestic abuse exists solely so that one character can be praised for not hitting a woman, then it shouldn’t be included at all.

Same goes for torture. There are some graphic depictions of torture at the start of the novel, but they have no lasting consequences or impact on the character. Even though she repeatedly references her damaged thumbs (from thumbscrews), she’s able to use her hands just the same as ever, and she only experiences emotional trauma when faced with the person who tortured her. Why even include it all?(less)

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Mar 05, 2013 Sarah rated it 2 of 5 stars · review of another edition

I had a hard time enjoying Dragonswood. The writing was meh--large swathes of prose were static and unvarying (Meaning sentence structure progressed like this. And then there was another sentence like this. It was followed by another sentence like this) and the major plot points were pretty visible. I was disappointed to anticipate each twist or reveal, though it was interesting to look at what characters other than the main one said as they were keeping secrets from the main character. Out narr...more

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Mar 03, 2013 Suhasini rated it 3 of 5 stars

This book had a promising start with an intricate world filled with complex characters: Tess the blacksmith's daughter who was on a journey to self-discovery, Garth the mysterious huntsman, the mystical forests of Dragonswood, and the turbulent politics of the time. In terms of its setting, this book actually reminded me of Eragon with its world of dragons, fey, and humans living together and an impending war between the races. However, I felt that Eragon was definitely the better novel not only...more

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Feb 20, 2013 Georgia rated it 4 of 5 stars

Certainly a pleasant surprise for me!

Carey did a wonderful job creating a new history of magic featuring dragons and fey in a world where they're homes are being destroyed by the humans that have spread across the world. The history is detailed and the descriptions are vivid, from describing the dragons to the basic life of the poor in the villages.

The main character, Tess, is a girl who grows up with an abusive father, but is a strong willed individual. What is nice is that she is not perfect....more

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Dec 16, 2012 Tara rated it 3 of 5 stars

Shelves: ya, fantasy

I would really love to give this book more stars, if just for the fact that Carey created here a really beautiful world. It's a medieval English setting, but on a beautifully mysterious Wilde Island near the British Isles. The elements of fantasy are woven together nicely and there are original touches (such as the dragon scale patches on the royal family's descendants, and the authors interpretation of the Fey.) However, I found the main characters, Tess and Garth, strangely stilted and awkward...more

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Dec 02, 2012 Shelf Talkers Anonymous rated it 4 of 5 stars

I wasn't totally sold on this book when I started reading it. But I kept going, because the promises made at the beginning by the author were so intriguing (fairy princesses, dragons, missing treasure...). And it was worth the extra time it took me to get through the beginning. Janet Lee Carey is certainly a budding author and I'm excited to see where she goes next.

Dragonswood is the story of Tess, the blacksmiths daughter. She is abused by her father, who drinks away all their money, and doesn'...more I wasn't totally sold on this book when I started reading it. But I kept going, because the promises made at the beginning by the author were so intriguing (fairy princesses, dragons, missing treasure...). And it was worth the extra time it took me to get through the beginning. Janet Lee Carey is certainly a budding author and I'm excited to see where she goes next.

Dragonswood is the story of Tess, the blacksmiths daughter. She is abused by her father, who drinks away all their money, and doesn't know what her place in life is going to be. Her father wants to marry her away for money, but Tess wants more. She wants to be free, to love, to live, and to marry. She also has a secret: she has a touch of fairy magic, and to tell anyone this would be a death sentence, for her land is terribly afraid of witches. But things go horribly wrong when Tess is labeled a witch anyway. Escaping into the forbidden forest sanctuary of Dragonswood, Tess begins the biggest adventure of her life.

The first thing I liked about this book was the world building. Set in Arthurian times, the book takes place on an island somewhere near England. The island has become a haven for all things magical--namely the fey and the dragons. These creatures all live in the Dragonswood sanctuary, which is protected by the Pendragon family which rules the island. Utilizing Arthurian legend, as well as some myths of her own creation, Janet gives her world a solid feeling, even if it is only grounded in fairy tales.

The second thing I liked was that she followed through on all her promises. As she is building the world, Janet drops hints about legends and myths believed by those in her world, and like any good fairy tale story, though myths and legends prove to be more than words. She built these bits of foreshadowing into the story really well, and then paid out before the end, but without the book feeling as though you could guess every turn and twist.

The third thing I liked was Tess' character. I wasn't sure I liked her at first, which is sort of Janet's intention. Tess has had a hard life and her heart has grown a little cold and closed off because of that. As the story progresses you get to watch her emerge from her fortress and grow into a strong and independent woman. By the end I was invested in her story and her journey, and I thoroughly enjoyed traveling with her.

A great read for any fairy tale or mythology fan. The combination of real-world society with fairy tales and Arthurian mythology made for an exciting read.(less)

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Oct 08, 2012 Laura rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: medieval-fantasy, celtic-fantasy, faeries, dragons

In Dragonswood , a young girl named Tess lives with an abusive father and, after being accused of witchcraft, must flee her hometown with her two friends, Poppy and Meg. Despite this, however, Tess is a bit of an outsider. Poppy is unnaturally alluring, and Meg is married to a nice, loving man. However, she feels a strong pull towards a forbidden forest known as "Dragonswood" and to a woodsman that they meet who calls himself Garth. However, both Garth and the Dragonswood harbour secrets that,...more

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Sep 30, 2012 Emma rated it 2 of 5 stars

Shelves: books-that-disappointed-me, fantasy-world, here-be-dragons, hello-my-villain-lacks-character-de

You know when a book has all the things that would theoretically make it the best book ever, but then it just...flops? yeah, that was this book for me. I love dragons, medieval tales, the fae folk, witches, and female main characters too! Yet a book with all these things disappointed me so horribly that it near brought me to tears once I realized it was supposed to be a companion novel to one of my childhood favorites "Dragonskeep." So what made it bad?

1. The characters were inconsistent.

2. The...more

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Sep 28, 2012 Kat rated it 2 of 5 stars

Shelves: yay-for-faerie, young-adult, fantasy, almighty-covers-of-awesomeness, awful-time-sucks

Wow, not a good month for me. Another book that started so well, held so much promise, but ultimately chose to cast it all aside in favour of developing a dull-as-dishwater romance between two bland and blah-worthy characters.

This seems to be a trend. Whet our appetite with talk of witches, dragons, fae folk, lost treasure and a tyrannical ruler, then dismiss it all to 'build' a relationship that never once feels real. The difference between this and the others books of a similar ilk, is that a...more Wow, not a good month for me. Another book that started so well, held so much promise, but ultimately chose to cast it all aside in favour of developing a dull-as-dishwater romance between two bland and blah-worthy characters.

This seems to be a trend. Whet our appetite with talk of witches, dragons, fae folk, lost treasure and a tyrannical ruler, then dismiss it all to 'build' a relationship that never once feels real. The difference between this and the others books of a similar ilk, is that at least this one was better written...in places. In general the writing, characters and plot were very inconsistent.

Writing wise, due to the period in which the story was taking place, and the first person narrative, the author seemed to be trying to write in the style of the times, imagining perhaps how a young woman born poor in Arthurian Scotland (I assume, it's never actually mentioned and I know nothing of Arthurian legend, because it is dull, and overdone, and boring) would have spoken. Unfortunately she did this sporadically and usually seemed to think throwing in words like 'anon' and 'betwixt' would suffice. It didn't, it just felt. The dialogue also more often than not felt stiff and unnatural.

Now on to the characters. They were all rather bland and I can honestly say I didn't really gel with any of them. The lead in particular tested my patience. Her story is one of suffering and tragedy. If it had been a true story then it would have been awful. But it wasn't. The problem I had was that the character never let you forget her troubled upbringing and it got to the point where it seemed like she was just fishing for sympathy, from other characters, and the reader, especially when the love interest was introduced. It was as if the author was trying to build this strong but damaged girl who had been through the worst, but was able to carry on, despite the difficulties she had faced. A real trooper. To me it just came across as false. The type of girl who craved attention, no matter how she got it, no matter what form it took, mainly pity. I just couldn't feel sorry for her. Maybe I'm just a cold hearted bitch, but there it is. I found her constant reminders irritating and repetitive, and her attempt at humility and humbleness left me cold, as if it were an act. Like she was reluctant to share her dark pasts, but really wanted nothing more then to tell all so the handsome man would be nice to her, would want to reach out to her and protect her. Those people in real life irritate me enough, I don't want to spend my leisure time reading about them too!!!! The inconsistencies come from her need to be free, free of her oppressive father, to find her own way in world one minute, then being more than happy to allow others to dictate her life for her. I could almost imagine perhaps why this was, why she wanted to please by following others' wishes, but I don't think this book is complex enough for theories to actually be true, that perhaps she was so desperate for love and acceptance that she would do anything to get it.

Then we have the plot. It started off fine, even engaging, but a few chapters in we hit a wall. Nothing moves forward. We get a stagnant narrative where nothing really happens and the plot rests on the development of the main relationship which is no-where near strong enough to carry the story. In fact it was pretty darn boring. Then halfway through, the story takes a dramatic turn. Not quality wise. The shift is sudden and rather rushed, as if the author wasn't really interested the how's, why's, etc, but rather just wanted to get to the 'fun' bits where she got the play dress up and princess with her characters. Again, another trend in YA at the moment. Plots being forgotten in favour of attending parties in pretty dresses. Snore. If I wanted that I would read any of the other insipid contemporary romance novels that at least have the decency to not lie about what they are. This wasn't fantasy, it was paranormal romance and the two are VERY different. And don't get me started on the ended, which was wrapped up in about three chapters!!!!

So yeah, once again I was promised something more, but ended up with something much less. There may have been good ideas in here somewhere, flashes of decent writing and the beginnings of some interesting characters, but they were buried under what I assume the author believes every YA reader wants. Romance, which would have been bearable, had the romance in this book been less predictable and of a higher standard.(less)

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Aug 30, 2012 Katie rated it 5 of 5 stars

Shelves: 2012

I truly loved this book. Despite the very dark beginning, the story evolved into something beautiful. There is something about this author's writing style that I find really alluring. Its not flashy or over the top, its just really good, solid, writing. I think I'm definitely going to have to check out some of her earlier books.

Note: I know this is kind of irrelevant, but I really hated the cover art for this book. It looks awkward and strange, but that might be excusable if it actually seemed...more

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Aug 28, 2012 Lia rated it 1 of 5 stars

Shelves: fantasy

Where to start? With the abusive father who regularly leaves his wife and daughter covered in welts and bruises and breaks his daughter's arm? Or with the witch-hunter who turns on anyone someone wants to get even with and tortures them in well-described passages? This is the ground from which the book starts. And while our main character, who is the girl with the abusive father ... while she is being tortured and her thumbs are being wrenched off, she tells the names of her friends who were in...more

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Aug 10, 2012 Myla Abujan rated it 3 of 5 stars

I liked this book well enough. The story plot was enjoyable enough and the writing style was pretty good. Being a historical fantasy novel,it had your typical fairies, dragons, and magic (oh my!). The characters were also pretty okay. Well except for Lady Adela who was still a murderer even if she was kidnapped and tortured. Killing dozens of women doesn't make you that good of a person in my book. But I digress. Anyway, as I said before I liked the characters. Especially Tess and Garth. I wante...more

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Jul 16, 2012 Barbara rated it 3 of 5 stars

Shelves: animals, abusive-relationships, families, fantasy, friendship, ncbla2013, romance, reading, writing

This review has been hidden because it contains spoilers. To view it, click here.

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Jul 01, 2012 Brandi rated it 4 of 5 stars

In the enchanted woodland wild,
The Prince shall wed a Fairy child.
Dragon, Human, and Fairy,
Their union will be bound by three.

Seventeen-year-old Tess has lived a life of secrecy, fighting to survive a hard life as a blacksmith's daughter while hiding her secret power: seeing the future in flames.

So when she is accused of being a witch, her escape from death comes as a mixed blessing. Together with her two friends, she flees into a new life - never guessing that there is more to herself (and the...more

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Jun 29, 2012 Corinne rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: young-adult

Tess has power. She knows it and it terrifies her - because not only does she not truly understand it, it's enough to have her branded a witch. In a land that has to be shared between humans, dragons and fairies, being different is enough to get you in serious trouble. Soon, she has to flee and her journey to find safety leads her into a political hotbed where myths and legends have more than a grain of truth and no one you meet is exactly what they seem.

A fantastic blend of historical fiction,...more

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Jun 28, 2012 Kat Heckenbach rated it 5 of 5 stars

I've read several of the other reviews on here, including the three-stars. Several of them speak of the pace "slowing down" too much in the middle. I have to say--I'm SO tired of books having to feel like ohmygoddangerdanger from cover to cover. Intensity is great, it really is. But what happened to story? What happened to having time to actually enjoy a setting? Why does "pace" have to be "fast" all the time?

I loved the world-building. I loved the dragons. I loved the voice of the writing. (<-Let...more

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Jun 19, 2012 M.V. Freeman rated it 5 of 5 stars

Shelves: historical, fantasy, books-that-inspired-me

This book grabbed me from the first page:

Tess is a blacksmith's daughter and all she's known is his rages and abuse. Her mother loves her but fails to protect. When she is falsely accused of being a witch and incriminates her friends under torture, Tess flees. She warns her friends but her betrayal has changed all of their lives and they are forced to run with her.

They find protection in Dragonswood the sanctuary set aside for Fey and Dragon. A place she's always been drawn to. A Woodsman, Gart...more

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Jun 13, 2012 Nikki McCarver rated it 4 of 5 stars

Tess is an abused and troubled young woman that has sworn never to marry because of her father's treatment of her and her mother. He is extremely abusive and has even broken her arm in his attempt to punish her. Tess often escapes into Dragonswood to be alone and heal, even though it is forbidden. Luckily for her she has two very good friends to help ease her loneliness. But one day a visitor comes into town on a one of her renowned witch hunts. Tess's father, still heavy with grief over the los...more Tess is an abused and troubled young woman that has sworn never to marry because of her father's treatment of her and her mother. He is extremely abusive and has even broken her arm in his attempt to punish her. Tess often escapes into Dragonswood to be alone and heal, even though it is forbidden. Luckily for her she has two very good friends to help ease her loneliness. But one day a visitor comes into town on a one of her renowned witch hunts. Tess's father, still heavy with grief over the lose of yet another child curses the mid-wife as a witch. The midwife in turn redirects the curse to his daughter Tess. Then Tess's adventure begins.

She is taken prisoner and tortured. Lady Adela tries to get her to confess to her crimes but Tess has done nothing wrong. She begins torturing her in earnest and Tess confesses to climbing the wall into Dragonswood with her two friends and names them. She has just sentenced her friends to share her fate. She cannot allow this to happen. She struggles for a way to warn them before they do the water test and comes up blank. She is tossed into the water and manages to struggle free from one of her bindings. Luckily after a little dragon intervention, Tess survives and escapes with her two best friends. But even though they have their lives, the have lost everything else and neither trusts Tess to keep them from harm. Amazingly enough, this is still just the beginning.

We later learn deep secrets about Tess and one of her best friends. They are whisked away to the magical fairy lands and back to the royal castle. Tess's adventure comes full circle and she is left with a horrible choice to make. Can she push her feelings aside to save the man she loves? This was an interesting story and definitely an unusual take on the Pendragons. I enjoyed the twist but my favorite characters were the dragons. The very unusual in this book, but vastly entertaining. I wish they had been a bigger part of the story as a whole. All in all it was a very good read!!

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Jun 08, 2012 Kate rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: fantasy

Summary: This is a companion book of sorts to Dragon's Keep. Although it is set a few generations after the original, you can read Dragonswood without having read Dragon's Keep (although there will be spoilers for the first book). In 1192, seventeen-year-old Tess lives in a small village on Wilde Island. With a father who beats her regularly, her life is bad enough already, but things get even worse when a witch hunter rides into town. Tess and her two friends discover that they were previously...more Summary: This is a companion book of sorts to Dragon's Keep. Although it is set a few generations after the original, you can read Dragonswood without having read Dragon's Keep (although there will be spoilers for the first book). In 1192, seventeen-year-old Tess lives in a small village on Wilde Island. With a father who beats her regularly, her life is bad enough already, but things get even worse when a witch hunter rides into town. Tess and her two friends discover that they were previously spotted entering Dragonswood, a refuge for dragons and fairies that is forbidden to humans. Accused of witchcraft, the trio find themselves on the run. Inexplicably, Tess finds herself being called to the heart of Dragonswood. Soon enough, her own quest for safety brings her into a web of political and magical intrigue that will determine the future of the kingdom.

Review: Dragonswood opens with miscarriages, domestic abuse, witch hunts, and torture, making it clear from the start that Lee Carey will pull no punches, and that this is a pretty dark fantasy. In fact, there were times when mentions of dragons and fairies almost felt out of place in such a gritty, realistic setting, but the world of Wilde Island is pretty well developed overall.

This was definitely a gripping read; however, the novel seemed disjointed. The author juggles such diverse concepts such as dragons, fairy life, human political schemes, villains with tragic pasts, dragon-like human children, women's rights, family issues, romance, and not to mention Tess' own wants and needs. These are all interesting concepts, but it all felt like just too much for this book. In fact, the novel seemed to go in so many directions that I had trouble writing a summary.

Although Dragonswood had some plot twists I didn't predict, there was one so blindingly obvious from early on that it was frustrating to me that Tess takes the bulk of the novel to figure out the truth. Those who have read Dragon's Keep will definitely guess the twist quickly, but I imagine the average reader who didn't read the first book will still catch on fast. There are times when it is enjoyable to know something that the main character does not. However, this was not one of them.

Tess starts out the book so downtrodden that you can't help but cheer her on to come into her own. That she does, but there were many times I wanted to root for her more and feel pity for her less. Yes, it's possible to do both at the same time, yet it is hard not to cringe when a character takes repeated physical or emotional mistreatment from others. I did enjoy the progression of the romance subplot as Tess slowly realizes that all men are not as cruel and ruthless as her blacksmith father.

In short: Dragonswood is an exciting fantasy read, but I still prefer the less-jumbled prequel, Dragon's Keep. I still look forward to future books in the series.

Rating: 3.5 out of 5 stars.

Something similar: For more adventures with dragons and royalty, try an old favorite of mine: The Two Princesses of Bamarre Gail Carson Levine. The Perilous Gard by Elizabeth Marie Pope is another novel involving fairies and a historical setting.
Cover & Title: Dragonswood, of course, is a key part of the novel. The cover is pretty enough, but one does get tired of generic covers featuring semi-conscious girls in prom dresses.

Where I got the book: Shelves of the local library.(less)

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About Janet Lee Carey

~Things are never what they seem. Find the lost inside the dream ~
Janet Lee Carey is the award-winning author of eight Children's and YA novels. Her YA fantasy is critically acclaimed: "Verdict: This is quite simply fantasy at its best–original, beautiful, amazing, and deeply moving.” School Library Journal starred review. Janet links each new book with a charitable organization empowering reader...more

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Quotes from Dragonswood

“Even if he was a thief, he was my thief. I could not push him away anymore.” — 18 people liked it

“In the enchanted woodland wild,
The Prince shall wed a Fairy child.
Dragon, Human, and Fairy,
Their union will be bound by three.

And when these lovers intertwine,
Three races in one child combine.
Dragon, Fey, and Humankind,
Bound in one bloodline.” — 13 people liked it

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Dragonswood (Wilde Island Chronicles #2)

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