Sign in with Facebook
Loading...
65th out of 621 books
—
1,013 voters
Dragon's Keep (Wilde Island Chronicles #1)
by
Janet Lee Carey (Goodreads Author)
Far away on Wilde Island, Princess Rosalind is born with a dragon claw where her ring finger should be. To hide the secret, the Queen forces her to wear gloves at all times until a cure can be found,so Rosalind can fulfill the prophecy to restore the family to their rightful throne.But Rosalind’s flaw cannot be separated from her fate. When she is carried off by the dragon...more
Hardcover, 320 pages
Published
April 1st 2007
by Harcourt Children's Books
Friend Reviews
To see what your friends thought of this book,
please sign up.
Community Reviews
(showing
1-30
of
3,000)
Reviewed by Carrie Spellman for TeensReadToo.com
Rosalind's fate was written in the stars, read by Merlin, some 600 years before she was born. A direct descendant of the Pendragon line, her ancestor, Evaine, was the younger sister of King Arthur. Evaine married an outlaw and was banished to Wilde Island and erased from family history, setting Rosalind's destiny in motion. Three things are said of the twenty-first queen of Wilde Island; "She shall redeem the name Pendragon. End war with the wave o...more
Rosalind's fate was written in the stars, read by Merlin, some 600 years before she was born. A direct descendant of the Pendragon line, her ancestor, Evaine, was the younger sister of King Arthur. Evaine married an outlaw and was banished to Wilde Island and erased from family history, setting Rosalind's destiny in motion. Three things are said of the twenty-first queen of Wilde Island; "She shall redeem the name Pendragon. End war with the wave o...more
This was a lovely YA fairytale - the version I read in Australia was actually called Talon. Princess Rosalind, of Wilde Island, was the subject of a prophecy many generations before her birth. She would restore the glory of Wilde Island, and end a war. However, the Princess was born with a dragon's claw instead of a ring finger on one of her hands, and wears gloves at all times to hide this terrible flaw. However, when a dragon carries her off, the claw is the least of her worries.
Dragon's Keep...more
Dragon's Keep...more
May 29, 2012
Miss Clark
rated it
2 of 5 stars
Shelves:
adventure,
fairytale-fantasy-sci-fi-mythology
2.5 stars
Well, I liked the dragon aspects of the book, esp. as they were not the fun, endearing, yet noble and powerful creatures of most of the series that I like. These dragons are far more the wild monsters that appear in legends and the scary, if still majestic animals that everyone is out to kill. And they are not all wrong in that inclination to eliminate such a threat. Which made our heroine's time spent with these creatures and the relationship that she builds with them all the more vita...more
Well, I liked the dragon aspects of the book, esp. as they were not the fun, endearing, yet noble and powerful creatures of most of the series that I like. These dragons are far more the wild monsters that appear in legends and the scary, if still majestic animals that everyone is out to kill. And they are not all wrong in that inclination to eliminate such a threat. Which made our heroine's time spent with these creatures and the relationship that she builds with them all the more vita...more
I will be the first to say that I am not into the fantasy books, but this one was very enjoyable. I might even say that I will probably read a lot more fantasy because of it. Rosalind is a Pendragon Queen but there is only one problem: she has a dragon's claw where her left ring finger should be. No one but her mother the Queen knows, and incidentally anyone who sees it meets an untimely death. Rosalind is both ashamed and fascinated by her "deformity". It will impede her becoming a queen in the...more
When I was reading this I kept getting mixed feelings. I honestly didn't know why I kept reading it but I did and in the end I found myself really liking it. It's one of those stories that makes you think even after you've finished, wanting to continue on with the characters even though it seems like everything is resolved in the end.
I think why it has so many bad reviews is the writing. It's not well written sometimes. However, I really enjoyed the overall plot. It was a little weird at times...more
I think why it has so many bad reviews is the writing. It's not well written sometimes. However, I really enjoyed the overall plot. It was a little weird at times...more
Rosalind’s mother knows that her daughter has been born for great thing. Merlin himself fortold a prophecy whereby the twenty-first queen of Wilde Island, which is plagued by dragons, will do three great things. "She shall redeem the name Pendragon. End war with the wave of her hand. And restore the glory of Wilde Island." Rosalind is to be that queen, but -- there is one little hitch. She was born with a finger that looks exactly like a dragon's claw. They do everything they can to take care of...more
Dragon's Keep is a lovely little dragon fantasy set in an actual historical period--the English civil war between Queen Matilde and King Stephen. The setting is an island apparently off the coast of England and ruled by descendants of the Pendragons--the royal house of Arthur. The book can be divided into three parts. The first part takes place in the castle where Rosalind leads a pampered and priviledged life. The second is in the dragon's keep, where Rosie, renamed Briar by the dragon, cares f...more
So cheesy! I read this because it was unanimously chosen by the teens in my book group. It is about dragons and far far away places where they say things like “whilst” and “abide my time drinking mead”. The princess is cursed with a dragon claw b/c her mom is possibly crazy and a heroin addict (poppy potion!) and she has to reunite the kingdom. The main character is the dimmest girl on the planet and while sort of perky, pales in comparison to say, Coraline. I will be interested in what the grou...more
This is about princess Rosalind and her family rules Wilde Island. What is so unique about Rosalind is that her ring finger is all scally and has a talon. Her mother makes her hide it with golden gloves and no one else knows her secret except her mother. Merlins prophecy involves her because it speaks of the twenty-first Pendragon queen. She is suppose to be living up to the prophecy, but with her cursed finger, nothing seems as possible as she wants it to be. If you seemed interested in this (w...more
So I didn't enjoy this book nearly as much as I enjoyed Dragonswood. I know I read them out of order but at the time I didn't realize that Dragonswood was a sequel! Honestly though, they really are two different novels just sent in the same world. I loved Rose I thought that she was such a good character because she was good but she was flawed and not just physically. She was a little snarky but also generally goodhearted and kind. Rose was brought up to believe that her talon was her deformity...more
3.6
The main character- Rosalind- I loved hr so much. She was such a strong character and so easy to love. She was a princess and she had a rough time keeping her secret, but she cared deeply for other people.
The Dragons!!! Those mean old crazy ass dragons!
I love how the dragons can understand humans and speak to them. there is nothing more frightening than being eaten and being told about it by a dragon beforehand! :D It's awesome and I <3 it!
Kit!- <3 That girl... just... oh! I wanted he...more
The main character- Rosalind- I loved hr so much. She was such a strong character and so easy to love. She was a princess and she had a rough time keeping her secret, but she cared deeply for other people.
The Dragons!!! Those mean old crazy ass dragons!
I love how the dragons can understand humans and speak to them. there is nothing more frightening than being eaten and being told about it by a dragon beforehand! :D It's awesome and I <3 it!
Kit!- <3 That girl... just... oh! I wanted he...more
Since it's been a while (published 2007), I decided to reread this before I read Dragonswood. This book was just as wonderful the second time and the cover is still one of the best ever. Far superior to the one on Dragonswood. I don't like the current trend in cover design. They are all starting to look the same.
Although I love the phenomenon of books published by young authors, when I read this book, I am reminded of the fullness and depth of a story told by an accomplished and confident author...more
Although I love the phenomenon of books published by young authors, when I read this book, I am reminded of the fullness and depth of a story told by an accomplished and confident author...more
(Genre:Teen fiction/fantasy) Low 3 stars. This is a book that I listened to on CD. I liked the premise: Rose is a princess of the Pendragon line (exiled to Lone Island) and is supposedly the heir that will finally end war, according to Merlin's prophesy. Her mother, the queen, is obsessed with the prophesy and seeing Rose take her place as a great queen. She has decided who Rose should marry to get back on England's throne and is working towards that goal. But before she can help maneuver Rose i...more
I picked this up because the premise seemed cool -- a princess "cursed" with a dragon part -- and just as I suspected, the talon was a sort of metaphor for her sexuality and feminine mystery. It was kind of reminiscent of Nathaniel Hawthorne's "The Birthmark" in some respects.
But there I'd have to say that the coolness ends. The villain, "Sir Magnus," is a generically priestly advisor, who smacks of largely of a eunuch. He's fat, and wears gloves like a queen: once again, ambiguous gender is cou...more
But there I'd have to say that the coolness ends. The villain, "Sir Magnus," is a generically priestly advisor, who smacks of largely of a eunuch. He's fat, and wears gloves like a queen: once again, ambiguous gender is cou...more
I had originally picked it up "Dragon's Keep" because it has to do with dragons … and I LOVE dragons.
It’s set in the old days, with kings and castles and whatnot. The time period isn’t really my bag to begin with, but I thought I would give it a chance anyway.
I have to say that I was pleasantly surprised. Carey weaves a really interesting story. It seemed like a fairy tale. This book tells the tale of the princess Rosalind that was born with a dragon claw instead of her left ring finger. This is...more
It’s set in the old days, with kings and castles and whatnot. The time period isn’t really my bag to begin with, but I thought I would give it a chance anyway.
I have to say that I was pleasantly surprised. Carey weaves a really interesting story. It seemed like a fairy tale. This book tells the tale of the princess Rosalind that was born with a dragon claw instead of her left ring finger. This is...more
This was an excellent read. I just pulled it offthe library shelf because the cover looked interesting. Glad that I did. The main take-away for me from this book was Princess Rosalind's triumph. Her mother's one track mind to fulfill what she thought Rosalind's life should be was relentless. However, Rosalind comes into her own to decide what she wanted with an unexpected twist. If you had the choice, would you choose duty over your hearts desire? Given the time period in whch the story is writt...more
May 16, 2011
112 Maura
rated it
5 of 5 stars
·
review of another edition
Recommends it for:
Anyone who likes a good book.
This is a riveting book by Janet Lee Carey. It has adventure, stunning grammar that really puts the picture in your head, and it has Mystery. I love this book because it has a great story line about a young girl around 14-15 and her adventure with her terrible curse. She is trying to find out where it came from and how to cure it. Only her and her mother know about her dreaded secret that keeps beautiful hands from ever seeing the light of day. She is also fending for her life, her mothers life,...more
3.5 stars
This is one of those books where the payoff is good, but the journey is only so-so. I’m glad I read this book—I like the story very much and the author did a great job in capturing the feel of an Arthurian tragedy—but…the actual reading process was a little difficult for me.
I like fast-paced books, and this was not a fast-paced book at all. There is very little edge-of-your-seat action, with the plot instead unfurling slowly across Rosalind's life. For people who don’t mind a slower-pac...more
This is one of those books where the payoff is good, but the journey is only so-so. I’m glad I read this book—I like the story very much and the author did a great job in capturing the feel of an Arthurian tragedy—but…the actual reading process was a little difficult for me.
I like fast-paced books, and this was not a fast-paced book at all. There is very little edge-of-your-seat action, with the plot instead unfurling slowly across Rosalind's life. For people who don’t mind a slower-pac...more
Part of Adventures in Reading post on Bewitched Bookworms.
I read five books. In five days. This was one of them. =)
http://www.bewitchedbookworms.com/201...
Princess Rosalind would one day become the 21st queen of Wilde Island, a queen meant to end a war and bring honor back to her namesake. However, she was also born with a curse.
One of her fingers is a dragon's talon. Her life has been spent hiding her shame from everyone save her mother. A mother hell bent on healing her daughter so that she c...more
I read five books. In five days. This was one of them. =)
http://www.bewitchedbookworms.com/201...
Princess Rosalind would one day become the 21st queen of Wilde Island, a queen meant to end a war and bring honor back to her namesake. However, she was also born with a curse.
One of her fingers is a dragon's talon. Her life has been spent hiding her shame from everyone save her mother. A mother hell bent on healing her daughter so that she c...more
"Read" it says. Endured is more like it.
Often times, first impressions are wrong. My first impression of Dragon's Keep was that it was boring. But after I read it, I learned I was wrong; it was boring AND disgusting.
Boring, because the author had all these details in there that you think might be important, but aren't in the end. They're either vaguely followed up so you're not really sure, or just dismissed all together, and never mentioned again. Like that little girl that died in the beginnin...more
Often times, first impressions are wrong. My first impression of Dragon's Keep was that it was boring. But after I read it, I learned I was wrong; it was boring AND disgusting.
Boring, because the author had all these details in there that you think might be important, but aren't in the end. They're either vaguely followed up so you're not really sure, or just dismissed all together, and never mentioned again. Like that little girl that died in the beginnin...more
Rosalind, princess of Wilde Island, is almost perfectly beautiful. She has a lovely face and will have a beautiful shape when she is a woman. But she is not perfect. The ring finger of her left hand – the finger on which she should wear her wedding ring – is not a finger at all but a claw, a dragon’s claw. Nobody but Rosalind and her mother are aware of her deformity – she always wears golden gloves to hide it. If anyone finds out, she will no longer be a princess – will perhaps be thought of as...more
This was an amazing book that I recommend to fantasy/dragon lovers. It's about this Princess who was born with a 'Devil's Mark', or a Dragon Claw. Her and her mother have been hiding this secret since she was born and haven't told anyone, not even the King. Until one day when she has a dream about her dear friend, that died from a dragon attack, shows her a healing lake which can heal her Cursed Mark. So she tells her mother and she feels depressed when Rosalind tells her. She wonders why in cur...more
Banished to Wilde Island, a disgraced splinter of the English royal family rules in constant fear of bandits and man-eating dragons. Merlin foretold the prophecy that the twenty-first queen of Wilde Island would restore glory to the family name and Wilde Island, as well as end a war. Therefore, the twentieth queen is desperately ruthless in making her daughter Rosalind, the future twenty-first queen, as perfect as she can be.
But there is one major problem. Rosie had been born with a dragon’s cla...more
But there is one major problem. Rosie had been born with a dragon’s cla...more
I was dissapointed in this book. it looked really good and the beginning was great! but the farther into the book i got the more I got bored with it.
The dragons keep is about a young girl named rosalind who is princess of a island called wilde island that is at war with the dragons. she was born with a dragon claw and was forced to hide it from everyone by her mother. not even her father knows about her claw. when a dragon kidnappes her and takes her to the "dragons keep" she has to decide whet...more
The dragons keep is about a young girl named rosalind who is princess of a island called wilde island that is at war with the dragons. she was born with a dragon claw and was forced to hide it from everyone by her mother. not even her father knows about her claw. when a dragon kidnappes her and takes her to the "dragons keep" she has to decide whet...more
"Dragon's Keep" by Janet Lee Carey is an excellent choice to add to your bookshelves if you like tales of dragons, princesses and the seemingly impossible relationships between them. At first the people hate dragons and the dragons eat the people, but as you get further into the tale, the cause of this animosity is detailed from both sides which adds an unexpected lift to the story. Of course, there is also Merlin's prophecy to fulfill from 600 years earlier than the time period of the story. Th...more
This review has been hidden because it contains spoilers. To view it,
click here.
Meh. I'm a sucker for Arthurian spin-offs, and who doesn't like a Merlin prophecy about a once and future Queen, but this one is more than a wee bit predictable. With little character depth, lots of didactic relationships, and an obvious ending, there's not much special here. Princess Rose's main characteristics seem to be worry about people discovering her cursed body part (bet you can't guess which one), and angst over her loneliness. It picks up a bit when the promised dragons enter the story...more
This review was originally posted on my review blog : Falling Off The Shelf.
Princess Rosalind has lived her life in shame of the dragon claw she was born with. Every day she must don her golden gloves to hide her mark in order to be seen as the rightful heir to the throne of Wilde Island. Her mother, Queen Gweneth, is the only living soul who has seen the claw upon Rosie's finger, and she wishes to keep it that way. She will do anything in her power to keep the throne to Wilde Island safe, as we...more
Princess Rosalind has lived her life in shame of the dragon claw she was born with. Every day she must don her golden gloves to hide her mark in order to be seen as the rightful heir to the throne of Wilde Island. Her mother, Queen Gweneth, is the only living soul who has seen the claw upon Rosie's finger, and she wishes to keep it that way. She will do anything in her power to keep the throne to Wilde Island safe, as we...more
This review has been hidden because it contains spoilers. To view it,
click here.
Rosalind is descended from Evaine, the younger sister of King Arthur, who was banished to Wilde Island when she married an outlaw. Her name was erased from remembrance, but Merlin prophecied that the 21st Queen of her line would redeem the Pendragons, end a war and restore Wilde Island. Rosalind is believed to be the Queen who is prophecied, but she was cursed to be born with a dragon talon in place of her ring finger. Her Mother is trying desperately to find a cure so that Rose can be married o...more
| topics | posts | views | last activity | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Read, Write, Revi...: Dragon's Keep Short Story Contest | 1 | 3 | Sep 02, 2012 02:25pm | |
| Read, Write, Revi...: Dragon's Keep Reviews | 1 | 4 | Sep 02, 2012 02:17pm | |
| Read, Write, Revi...: Dragon's Keep | 1 | 3 | Sep 02, 2012 02:12pm |
~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
More about Janet Lee Carey...
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
Share This Book
14 trivia questions
1 quiz
More quizzes & trivia...
1 quiz
Jan 17, 2012 11:00am