Book Review for Penny White and The Temptation of Dragons by Chrys Cymri
Penny White and The Temptation of Dragons by Chrys Cymri is a fantasy novel that deals with humorous, yet difficult character development, as well as predicaments that all too accurately reflects reality.
The book begins when a young priest, Penny, oversees the death of a dragon named Dominic. Initially, she is shocked by the mere existence of the creature, but manages look after him until he dies. However, just as quickly, she is thrust into Lloegyr, a world filled with vampires, gryphons, and other magical beasts. She endeavors to be apart of both Earth and Lloegyr, as she continues her duties as both Bishop and priest. But when she discovers that Dominic had been poisoned the night he died, Penny struggles to accept that not everything is as wonderful as she thought.
The relationships between the characters already make Cymri’s novel an enjoyable read. The difficulties that Penny has with her younger brother James, as well as her associate Morey, brings a strong relatable element to her character. Penny shows that like everyone else, she does get exasperated with her day to day responsibilities, especially since being in Lloegyr is more exciting. Through these relationships, she also learns that just because another world may be exciting doesn’t necessarily mean she is free from the burdens from her own humanity. People die in both worlds, and it’s a reality that quickly sinks in once the truth of Dominic’s death surfaces. What’s more, as Penny explores the relations between characters such as Dominic and Miranda, and even Morey and Serena, Penny expresses the insecurities she’s built inside her. Still, what makes Penny so admirable is that she tries to deal with her issues in a mature manner, and endeavors to help others in whatever way she can.
Through Penny’s eyes, Cymri also manages to illustrate the similarities of the crimes in the novel to that in the real world. The extremist group in the book was used to illustrate negative attitudes towards mixed race marriages, something that even Penny highlights to similar attitudes towards mixed racial marriages. Perhaps even more eerie is the scene involving Dominic’s family struggling to accept Christianity reminded me of the wars in the name of religion, of a time where people could die if you thought differently. Even now, there are people who still refuse to accept that there are others who think differently from them.
These thoughts reminded me of a wishing well. You peer inside the well, drop a coin in, then make a wish. Beneath the waters, you see all these coins looking back up at you, reminding you of the many wishes made before. You can almost even see your dreams there too. However, as you look at the waters you also see your reflection, and know that you’re human. No matter what wish you make, you bring all your flaws with you in the end. I can practically see Penny standing at the edge of the well, just looking down. Even with all the fantastical beasts she’s seen, she’s backing away from that well, all the while taking the magic with her as she continues to grow as a person. She’s representative of people in general, and it’s the thing I loved most about reading this book.
But despite this, the novel does have its detractors. The settings in the book were a bit too brief for me. I would’ve liked the scenery to be described more as well, so we can truly see the differences between Earth and Lloegyr. The different reactions the characters have to the supernatural are also a bit too robotic for me. For example, if I found a dragon in the middle of the road, I really wouldn’t care if it was dying; most likely, I’d either run, or find a shotgun. There were a few grammatical errors throughout the beginning of the book, but as the story continues, these errors disappear.
Overall, I liked this book. The character dynamics showed how relatable the characters were, and through those relationships, I found myself falling in love with each one. The conflicts within the book also gave real world parallels, as well as how people can overcome them. However, due to the lack of detail, I would have to give this book a rating of a 3.6 out of 5 stars. Still, this is a wonderful story, and I’d recommend it to those who enjoy fantasy, and for people who don’t mind falling head first into the darkness of a well.
