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Handbook for Dragon Slayers
Thirteen-year-old Princess Matilda, whose lame foot brings fear of the evil eye, has never given much thought to dragons, attending instead to her endless duties and wishing herself free of a princess's responsibilities.
When a greedy cousin steals Tilda's lands, the young princess goes on the run with two would-be dragon slayers. Before long she is facing down the Wild Hunt, befriending magical horses, and battling flame-spouting dragons. On the adventure of a lifetime, and caught between dreams of freedom and the people who need her, Tilda learns more about dragons—and herself—than she ever imagined.
Merrie Haskell, author of The Princess Curse, presents a magical tale of transformation, danger, and duty, starring a remarkable princess as stubborn as she is brave.
When a greedy cousin steals Tilda's lands, the young princess goes on the run with two would-be dragon slayers. Before long she is facing down the Wild Hunt, befriending magical horses, and battling flame-spouting dragons. On the adventure of a lifetime, and caught between dreams of freedom and the people who need her, Tilda learns more about dragons—and herself—than she ever imagined.
Merrie Haskell, author of The Princess Curse, presents a magical tale of transformation, danger, and duty, starring a remarkable princess as stubborn as she is brave.
336 pages, Hardcover
First published May 28, 2013
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2656 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 263 reviews
March 29, 2013
Previously: Saw the cover for this tonight at Written in the Mitten. Gorgeous (though now all I'll be able to think about when I see it was the discussions it caused on horse and dragon proportions and genetics (ish)...)
=D
And then: Just for my own records, my copy has 320 pages, not 240. 320 glorious pages.
This is 2 lovely, perfect books in a row now; I am decidedly in Merrie Haskell's corner.
Review:
A couple of days ago, I gushed about The Princess Curse, which is sort of loosely connected to Handbook for Dragon Slayers. Though it may not be a fairy tale retelling as The Princess Curse was, it has a lot in common with that charming middle grade book that took over my brain. They have similar worlds (separated by some centuries and location, yes, but with a generalized medieval Easter European setting), and there are also subtle little "easter eggs" that link the two books more fully. Both feel complete as stand-alones, but also work as companion pieces in the larger framework of Haskell's two (so far) apprentice stories. But what they share most strongly is their excellent, plucky, admirable main characters.
I talked a bit in my review of TPC about how Reveka was exactly what I wanted - and needed - in a female protagonist as a kid, and how she's the type I still immediately fall for now. Tilda, the main character of Handbook, is much the same. Haskell has a way with plucky, awesome characters, girls with strength and determination and spirit, and a passion to make them memorable. You can't help but root for and love Haskell's characters; they're fresh and vibrant and thoughtful. And most importantly to me, they're smart - not in an obnoxious, precocious way, but there is a subtle layer to both characters that tells the reader (ie mostly young girls) that these girls are smart and talented, and they use those smarts and talents to follow their passion, and that's what makes them awesome. At the risk of sounding boring and cliched myself, they're role models - but they're not boring and cliched. [See what I mean about how Haskell's books were exactly what I wanted/needed when I was a kid?]
On a similar note, Handbook's main character, Tilda, has a clubfoot. This is a painful-enough affliction on its own, but in medieval times when modern medicine and pain relief are hard to come by, if not non-existent, and you're a princess who's supposed to be seen as strong leader material? Needless to say, this is a huge plot point for Tilda, and I thought it was handled really well. Tilda suffers, but she isn't a whiny martyr; it does have an undeniable influence on who she is and how she reacts to the world around her - and how she expects the world around her to react to her, but in the end, she won't let it define her. I thought Haskell made a lot of smart choices in the handling of Tilda's disability, and the fact that there's no magical resolution was an excellent choice for me. Not only does it make her more relatable and sympathetic, and add a great deal of "interestingness" to her character, but to have a magical, fantastic story that doesn't wave a wand and do away with any "unsavory" bits is exactly what I would want, and what I think is needed. Having a clubfoot doesn't make Tilda less, and though she has this brief moment where she thinks (hopes, longs for, wonders if) maybe she could be magically cured, I think it was an excellent choice on Haskell's part not to.
There's a lot going on in this story...many, many plot points, and to some it may feel chaotic or confusing. I never found it too much to keep track of, and I think the points played well off of one another, but I can see why, to some, it may make it harder to follow, or make them feel like the story was rushed or scattered. But to me, it's a sprawling adventure story in that grand way that you only seem to get in kids books, and reading it brings back some of that irrepressible eagerness and energy that comes with being a kid. As a middle-grader, I would have been completely engrossed and would, without a doubt, have fallen in love with Haskell's world, her characters, and their adventures. As always, highly recommended for those who like middle grade, have middle graders, or want a fun historical fantasy/adventure with a strong, likable female lead.
October 26, 2022
“Ignorance does not make the wrong choice into the right one.”
Handbook for Dragon Slayers is going to be impossible for me to comment on without getting Merrie Haskell's other works involved. I would firstly like to point out that I have read and loved Haskell's The Princess Curse - I would probably not have read any of her other works had I not enjoyed this one so much. The sad thing about The Princess Curse is that it does not have a satisfactory conclusion; the main plot concludes well enough but we are left with nothing but hints of what might be in store for the main character and it's just screaming for a sequel. In the hope of getting more, I reached for Haskell's other books set in the same world: The Castle Behind Thorns and Handbook for Dragon Slayers.
I actually really enjoy standalone books that are set in the same world but don't necessarily need to be read together. These three works of Haskell are just like that - they are individual stories that can be read in any order and are completely free of each other. Yet they are set in the same world and there are a few parallels that you'll probably only notice if you read them back to back or, in my case, if you read the author's comments on this subject. One can tell both from the author's comments but also from the execution of her works that a lot of thought went into the world-building - I've found it to be an unusual mixture that works surprisingly well. It is heavily based on real history and real places, yet mythology from different cultures also come to life and seem to co-exist. For instance, actual philosophers and their works are referenced, as well as historic events and Christianity. Mythical beings, especially from the Greek side, make important appearances and it's because the author incorporates historic events that it actually falls neatly into place nicely.
Considering the world building, all three books initially feel like historic fiction rather than a fantasy. Nevertheless, dragons make an early appearance in Handbook for Dragon Slayers and they are common place creatures. The book becomes more fantastical as the story progresses and it just gives an all around well-balanced feeling in terms of world building.
Moving back to my comparisons of the three books, they are all MG fantasies and while they are set in the same world, they feel quite different from each other. The Princess Curse intricate and fairy-tale-like whereas The Castle Behind Thorns was a very quiet but atmospheric read. Both of them are retellings (one being a blend between The Twelve Dancing Princesses and Beauty & the Beast with elements of Hades & Persephone and the latter being a spin on Sleeping Beauty), Handbook for Dragon Slayers on the other hand is not a retelling that I know of besides having a few mythical creatures involved. And it is a much more straightforward and standard fantasy book: a Princess who doesn't really want to be one sets out on a quest with her lady's maid, a misfit knight in the making and some companionable animal sidekicks. Their adventures are quite what you expect them to be and the characters learn from their mistakes and return home to pick up their responsibilities with a new mindset. There's not much that can surprise you in this book, I'd like to think that world-building aside, this is about as classic and straightforward a children's fantasy as you can get. Although, I will mention that Princess Tilda has a foot disability which does make her stand out from heroines in similar stories.
That being said, I like classic fantasy and Handbook for Dragon Slayers does it well. It's not bursting with mystery or will have you turning pages to find out what happens next. It is simply a feel good quest story - it's the kind I would imagine Bilbo Baggins has in mind before he rushes off to have his own adventure. If you enjoyed either of Haskell's other books, you are likely to enjoy this. If you like straightforward feel-good adventure stories with likeable characters, it'll likely be a good pick too. Don't expect the unexpected and you'll have yourself a fine and well-balanced fantasy MG read.
February 4, 2013
This is a middle grade title about Tilda, a young princess who’s much more interested in writing her own book than she is in being a princess. Particularly given how little her people seem to like her. Born with a deformed leg that requires her to use a cane to get around, she often finds herself the target of whispers and gossip and general nastiness. So when the bad guy sets out to steal her lands and title, Tilda considers it no real loss.
I haven’t done a lot of middle grade reading–something I need to remedy–but Handbook follows the pattern I’ve seen of focusing more on internal conflicts and development than external plot. An “adult” novel would generally focus more on the central conflict between Tilda and the would-be usurper. Whereas this novel jumps around a bit more, plotwise, in order to show us how Tilda grows and changes. The story includes a pair of would-be dragon slayers, Elysian horses, the Wild Hunt, evil magic, and perhaps my favorite bit character, Curschin the dragon.
I appreciated the way Haskell addressed Tilda’s handicap, neither shying away from the pain and complications it presented, nor trying to give us a feel-good Message about overcoming disability. My wife has been dealing with chronic pain for many years, and often requires a cane to get around, so Tilda’s struggle felt familiar. But this wasn’t a book about a disabled character; it was a book about a character who happened to have a disability.
There were a few points where I stumbled. The book doesn’t exactly take place in our world, but there are references to Plato and Christmas, things that were just discordant enough to bump me out of the story. There were also one or two plot points that seemed a little too convenient or unexplained. The story about the girl who wants desperately to be a writer could easily become self-indulgent, but Haskell manages it well, focusing on the character’s love and excitement and never slipping into “Writers are awesome!” or inside jokes/commentary.
Overall, this was a quick and enjoyable read, with a range of good, strong characters both male and female.
Also, Haskell has a blog post at http://blog.merriehaskell.com/returni... where she talks about her decision to give Tilda a clubfoot.
I haven’t done a lot of middle grade reading–something I need to remedy–but Handbook follows the pattern I’ve seen of focusing more on internal conflicts and development than external plot. An “adult” novel would generally focus more on the central conflict between Tilda and the would-be usurper. Whereas this novel jumps around a bit more, plotwise, in order to show us how Tilda grows and changes. The story includes a pair of would-be dragon slayers, Elysian horses, the Wild Hunt, evil magic, and perhaps my favorite bit character, Curschin the dragon.
I appreciated the way Haskell addressed Tilda’s handicap, neither shying away from the pain and complications it presented, nor trying to give us a feel-good Message about overcoming disability. My wife has been dealing with chronic pain for many years, and often requires a cane to get around, so Tilda’s struggle felt familiar. But this wasn’t a book about a disabled character; it was a book about a character who happened to have a disability.
There were a few points where I stumbled. The book doesn’t exactly take place in our world, but there are references to Plato and Christmas, things that were just discordant enough to bump me out of the story. There were also one or two plot points that seemed a little too convenient or unexplained. The story about the girl who wants desperately to be a writer could easily become self-indulgent, but Haskell manages it well, focusing on the character’s love and excitement and never slipping into “Writers are awesome!” or inside jokes/commentary.
Overall, this was a quick and enjoyable read, with a range of good, strong characters both male and female.
Also, Haskell has a blog post at http://blog.merriehaskell.com/returni... where she talks about her decision to give Tilda a clubfoot.
March 11, 2017
This review and others can be found on my blog, Fine Print.
Merri Haskell’s standalone middle grade fantasy HANDBOOK FOR DRAGON SLAYERS is a sweet story about going on adventures that test your limits, appreciating the people who love you, and accepting yourself as you are. Oh, and dragon slaying. In a word: charming.
Princess Matilda, known as Tilda to her family and closest friends Judith and Parzival, is not all that a princess should be. She is shy and bookish, and worst of all? She’s clubfooted, a physical disability that her subjects see as a sign of ill favour. Fed up with the gawking, pointing, and being cast signs against the evil eye, Tilda abandons her role as their princess and runs off to slay dragons with her best friends…or maybe just write about it.
The setting of HANDBOOK FOR DRAGON SLAYERS is at first glance a fairly generic medieval European fantasy world, with references to holy wars, saints, and cloisters to add some atmosphere. But Haskell brings interest to this milieu with the addition of dragons that (allegedly)terrorize farmland and, perhaps more notably, her version of the Wild Hunt. Combine all that with some magical horses made from silver, copper, and gold, and this otherwise bland world has quite a bit of colour and fun to it.
As they venture towards the locations of various dragon sightings, the gang of course gets into a number of scrapes. Turns out that dragon slaying is a lot harder than a group of 13 and 14 year olds thought! Go figure. The journey/quest aspect of HANDBOOK FOR DRAGON SLAYERS feels fresh through Matilda’s eyes, as her concerns on the road are distinct from your typical fantasy heroine: Tilda’s clubfoot is quite painful, and it makes both riding and walking any considerable distance quite difficult. While Tilda’s suffering is palpable, she’s neither whiny nor a martyr; and yes, her disability is a big part of who she is and how she sees the world, but it’s not her. There’s more to Tilda than her clubfoot, and watching her come to that realization for herself was really satisfying.
Where this book really faltered for me was the overall plot, which felt quite unfocused and even chaotic at times. HANDBOOK FOR DRAGON SLAYERS is basically a series of episodes linked together to create a story, and unfortunately it wasn’t as cohesive as I would’ve liked. I think it would’ve been much stronger had Haskell cut one or two of these “episodes” so we could learn more about the rest of the group’s adventures. That said, younger readers might not care about that as much as I did. Personally I think that middle grade just isn’t for me — it feels very young to me, and the writing in most MG isn’t to my tastes. But for those of you who do enjoy MG or are looking for good disability representation, then this is a solid choice!
HANDBOOK FOR DRAGON SLAYERS is a fun story about a princess whose disability impacts her life, but it doesn’t define her. I’m excited to read more fantasy novels with good disability representation going forward, and hopefully I'll discover some underrated gems!
Merri Haskell’s standalone middle grade fantasy HANDBOOK FOR DRAGON SLAYERS is a sweet story about going on adventures that test your limits, appreciating the people who love you, and accepting yourself as you are. Oh, and dragon slaying. In a word: charming.
Princess Matilda, known as Tilda to her family and closest friends Judith and Parzival, is not all that a princess should be. She is shy and bookish, and worst of all? She’s clubfooted, a physical disability that her subjects see as a sign of ill favour. Fed up with the gawking, pointing, and being cast signs against the evil eye, Tilda abandons her role as their princess and runs off to slay dragons with her best friends…or maybe just write about it.
The setting of HANDBOOK FOR DRAGON SLAYERS is at first glance a fairly generic medieval European fantasy world, with references to holy wars, saints, and cloisters to add some atmosphere. But Haskell brings interest to this milieu with the addition of dragons that (allegedly)terrorize farmland and, perhaps more notably, her version of the Wild Hunt. Combine all that with some magical horses made from silver, copper, and gold, and this otherwise bland world has quite a bit of colour and fun to it.
As they venture towards the locations of various dragon sightings, the gang of course gets into a number of scrapes. Turns out that dragon slaying is a lot harder than a group of 13 and 14 year olds thought! Go figure. The journey/quest aspect of HANDBOOK FOR DRAGON SLAYERS feels fresh through Matilda’s eyes, as her concerns on the road are distinct from your typical fantasy heroine: Tilda’s clubfoot is quite painful, and it makes both riding and walking any considerable distance quite difficult. While Tilda’s suffering is palpable, she’s neither whiny nor a martyr; and yes, her disability is a big part of who she is and how she sees the world, but it’s not her. There’s more to Tilda than her clubfoot, and watching her come to that realization for herself was really satisfying.
Where this book really faltered for me was the overall plot, which felt quite unfocused and even chaotic at times. HANDBOOK FOR DRAGON SLAYERS is basically a series of episodes linked together to create a story, and unfortunately it wasn’t as cohesive as I would’ve liked. I think it would’ve been much stronger had Haskell cut one or two of these “episodes” so we could learn more about the rest of the group’s adventures. That said, younger readers might not care about that as much as I did. Personally I think that middle grade just isn’t for me — it feels very young to me, and the writing in most MG isn’t to my tastes. But for those of you who do enjoy MG or are looking for good disability representation, then this is a solid choice!
HANDBOOK FOR DRAGON SLAYERS is a fun story about a princess whose disability impacts her life, but it doesn’t define her. I’m excited to read more fantasy novels with good disability representation going forward, and hopefully I'll discover some underrated gems!
May 23, 2013
Originally posted here at Random Musings of a Bibliophile.
I was super excited to win a copy of Handbook for Dragon Slayers by Merrie Haskell in a Goodreads giveaway. I had reservations about Haskell's The Princess Curse (my thoughts), but I liked her writing so much I was eager to try another of her books. Handbook for Dragon Slayers is a great tale of adventure, friendship, and discovering who you are.
Tilda is not the typical heroine of a princess story, even a rebellious princess story. She is not longing for adventure, she wants to be left alone to write books. She has a foot deformity that causes her to limp and leaves her feeling self conscious all the time. She has built up walls to keep her emotions safe and her heart from being hurt. As a result she doesn't always understand the motivations and actions of the people closest to her. She is a sympathetic and likable character and I admire her ambitions, if not all of her choices. I do love how her choices lead her to see herself in new ways and therefore make better choices for her and her people.
As the title would suggest there are dragons in this story and some interesting twists involving them as well. There is nothing new or special about the treatment of dragons, it is simply perfect in its dragony ways. The Wild Hunt and the villain desperate to ensnare a wish from them gave a sinister creepy element to the plot that struck just the right tone. Trying to piece everything together and see what would happen next made for an engrossing read.
Friendship plays a big part in Tilda's journey, her learning how to be a friend and accept friendship. She has two wonderful, though often misguided, companions and both are important to her character's development and contribute in their own ways to the story. I thoroughly enjoyed Haskell's treatment of this theme and how she resolved one particular problem through the power of friendship and left romance out of it.
This is a wonderful read for anyone who loves stories of adventure, friendship, discovery, and dragons.
I read an ARC won from Harper Children's in a Goodreads giveaway. The Handbook for Dragon Slayers is on sale May 28.
I was super excited to win a copy of Handbook for Dragon Slayers by Merrie Haskell in a Goodreads giveaway. I had reservations about Haskell's The Princess Curse (my thoughts), but I liked her writing so much I was eager to try another of her books. Handbook for Dragon Slayers is a great tale of adventure, friendship, and discovering who you are.
Tilda is not the typical heroine of a princess story, even a rebellious princess story. She is not longing for adventure, she wants to be left alone to write books. She has a foot deformity that causes her to limp and leaves her feeling self conscious all the time. She has built up walls to keep her emotions safe and her heart from being hurt. As a result she doesn't always understand the motivations and actions of the people closest to her. She is a sympathetic and likable character and I admire her ambitions, if not all of her choices. I do love how her choices lead her to see herself in new ways and therefore make better choices for her and her people.
As the title would suggest there are dragons in this story and some interesting twists involving them as well. There is nothing new or special about the treatment of dragons, it is simply perfect in its dragony ways. The Wild Hunt and the villain desperate to ensnare a wish from them gave a sinister creepy element to the plot that struck just the right tone. Trying to piece everything together and see what would happen next made for an engrossing read.
Friendship plays a big part in Tilda's journey, her learning how to be a friend and accept friendship. She has two wonderful, though often misguided, companions and both are important to her character's development and contribute in their own ways to the story. I thoroughly enjoyed Haskell's treatment of this theme and how she resolved one particular problem through the power of friendship and left romance out of it.
This is a wonderful read for anyone who loves stories of adventure, friendship, discovery, and dragons.
I read an ARC won from Harper Children's in a Goodreads giveaway. The Handbook for Dragon Slayers is on sale May 28.
September 9, 2013
In contrast to the earlier The Princess Curse, which was a 12 Dancing Princesses retelling with a dash of Beauty and the Beast, Handbook for Dragon Slayers is not a retelling.
Handbook does pull in plenty of fairy tale elements, though – the princess, the nasty villain who wants to take over her lands, magic horses, dragons, the Wild Hunt (I’m a big fan of the Wild Hunt). What an adult reader will notice that a kid would probably miss is the depth of research that went into the book: a pfennig for your thoughts, for example, and the stories of saints killing dragons with the sheer power of their holiness, and tidbits like the mistress of the land owing servants one new dress at Christmas. We get a real sense of time and place here.
The plotting is nice and tight, with minor characters introduced early turning out to play more important roles than is immediately obvious. I mean, I didn’t see the bad guy coming at all, or at least I totally didn’t expect his plans to include, well, never mind, but it was nice to be surprised. I enjoyed the way Haskell catches the ends of all her loose threads and pulls them together.
The protagonist, Tilda, longs for peace and quiet to read and write, but is constantly interrupted to deal with her responsibilities as princess; worse, Tilda was born with a deformed foot, widely considered a sign of a divine curse, which makes it harder to discharge her obligations and in fact harder to want to. I mean, when the servants make the sign of the evil eye when you go by, it’s hard to care very much about their problems, right? These are the pressures that drive the story.
I took longer to connect with Tilda than I did with Reveka in The Princess Curse, and in fact never liked her as well (though I did like her just fine, so don’t get the wrong idea here). On the other hand, her handmaid, Judith, was a wonderful secondary character – and I appreciated the clever choice to make Judith rather than Tilda a kind of apprentice dragon slayer. The relationship between Tilda and Judith was, for me, the best part of the book. The male lead, Parz, is a perfectly decent foil for the two girls, but definitely secondary to the two female characters. There is only the faintest hint of romance in the story, which is after all MG rather than YA.
This story starts off slowly, which is normally not a problem for me and which I didn’t mind this time, either. I personally like a story to take its time setting the scene and drawing the world, but I know not everybody feels that way. Then, about sixty pages in, Tilde gets kidnapped and gets away and everything kicks up a notch. We get dragons, and the Wild Hunt, and the magic horses, which of course I enjoyed, because hey, magic horses! And more dragons. I loved the dragons, but I don’t want to give too much away about them, so I’m restraining myself here. I will just say that they don’t quite think like humans and that the difference is important.
Handbook does pull in plenty of fairy tale elements, though – the princess, the nasty villain who wants to take over her lands, magic horses, dragons, the Wild Hunt (I’m a big fan of the Wild Hunt). What an adult reader will notice that a kid would probably miss is the depth of research that went into the book: a pfennig for your thoughts, for example, and the stories of saints killing dragons with the sheer power of their holiness, and tidbits like the mistress of the land owing servants one new dress at Christmas. We get a real sense of time and place here.
The plotting is nice and tight, with minor characters introduced early turning out to play more important roles than is immediately obvious. I mean, I didn’t see the bad guy coming at all, or at least I totally didn’t expect his plans to include, well, never mind, but it was nice to be surprised. I enjoyed the way Haskell catches the ends of all her loose threads and pulls them together.
The protagonist, Tilda, longs for peace and quiet to read and write, but is constantly interrupted to deal with her responsibilities as princess; worse, Tilda was born with a deformed foot, widely considered a sign of a divine curse, which makes it harder to discharge her obligations and in fact harder to want to. I mean, when the servants make the sign of the evil eye when you go by, it’s hard to care very much about their problems, right? These are the pressures that drive the story.
I took longer to connect with Tilda than I did with Reveka in The Princess Curse, and in fact never liked her as well (though I did like her just fine, so don’t get the wrong idea here). On the other hand, her handmaid, Judith, was a wonderful secondary character – and I appreciated the clever choice to make Judith rather than Tilda a kind of apprentice dragon slayer. The relationship between Tilda and Judith was, for me, the best part of the book. The male lead, Parz, is a perfectly decent foil for the two girls, but definitely secondary to the two female characters. There is only the faintest hint of romance in the story, which is after all MG rather than YA.
This story starts off slowly, which is normally not a problem for me and which I didn’t mind this time, either. I personally like a story to take its time setting the scene and drawing the world, but I know not everybody feels that way. Then, about sixty pages in, Tilde gets kidnapped and gets away and everything kicks up a notch. We get dragons, and the Wild Hunt, and the magic horses, which of course I enjoyed, because hey, magic horses! And more dragons. I loved the dragons, but I don’t want to give too much away about them, so I’m restraining myself here. I will just say that they don’t quite think like humans and that the difference is important.
June 4, 2013
Okay, a few things about this book: if contemporary idiom in a medieval setting bothers you, you'll have problems. If you want either by-the-book avoidance of anachronisms despite the fantasy OR your more recently-typical "feisty" heroine, you'll have problems. If, on the other hand, you're fine with modern speech (as long as it's consistent) and you like the idea of a heroine who wants nothing more than to be in a cloister so she's able to work on her manuscripts uninterrupted by other duties, you'll probably have a lot of fun with this. Tilda felt to me rather like Karen Cushman's Meggy Swann, with a dash of Birdy thrown in, though not at all in a derivative way. She was utterly sympathetic, even when you knew she was making bad choices or dreaming very unrealistic dreams. Add to that the appearances of two *very* unlikely book-fellows- the Wild Hunt and Hildegard of Bingen - and I was happy enough to let some minor irritants go. The dragons and the way they were handled was just right for me too.
I thought this was more firmly children's than THE PRINCESS CURSE, but liked it just as much.
I thought this was more firmly children's than THE PRINCESS CURSE, but liked it just as much.
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July 16, 2017“What is striking to me is that Handbook is not a book written with a direct mission or statement about disability. Disability is simply part of the story; it is not the entire plot, nor is it the only source of hardship. In other words, disability is not simplified or reduced to a useful but inaccurate writing device. And it’s not sugarcoated. For example, it is mentioned that Tilda’s foot always aches. That acknowledgment of chronic pain is refreshing and is certainly true in my case. Sometimes we want to alleviate the pain but are too embarrassed, as Tilda was when she said she didn’t want to massage her leg in front of her crush. Even as a grown woman, reading that was validating. I imagine it would be more so for a young reader with experiences of chronic pain, for whom this might be the first representation in literature that they witness. Tilda shows that constantly dealing with pain can be a source of strength and wisdom — as opposed to weakness.”
Read contributor Aimee Louw's full review at Disability in Kidlit.
Read contributor Aimee Louw's full review at Disability in Kidlit.
October 31, 2024
Princess Tilda thinks that her townspeople hate her because they believe her deformed foot is unlucky or cursed. She hobbles around the castle on crutches, and the maids make a sign against the evil eye behind her back. Tilda wishes she could run away from her princess duties and be free to write her own book as a scribe. When her cousin tries to steal the family lands, Tilda is rescued by two dragon slayers and they start tracking down a dragon to kill. The only problem is... these dragon slayers have never actually killed a dragon.
I loved how this book starts out with a basic fairy tale land, and then the plot takes unexpected turns and the legends get more and more legendary! I just never knew where this story was going to go, and it was one surprise after another in every chapter. They meet the Wild Hunt, make bargains with magical creatures, fight off an evil sorcerer, and discover that dragons are much more complex than anyone in their world realizes.
Tilda has some wonderful character development as she begins to come to terms with her disability and recognize that she has her own unique kind of strength. She has this all-or-nothing thinking in the beginning, and she matures as she finds out that the world is full of nuance and balance. It's not all good or all bad; life is usually a mixture of good and bad in every situation.
The writing is really exciting and funny! I flew through reading this book because I was completely immersed in Tilda's magical world.
I loved how this book starts out with a basic fairy tale land, and then the plot takes unexpected turns and the legends get more and more legendary! I just never knew where this story was going to go, and it was one surprise after another in every chapter. They meet the Wild Hunt, make bargains with magical creatures, fight off an evil sorcerer, and discover that dragons are much more complex than anyone in their world realizes.
Tilda has some wonderful character development as she begins to come to terms with her disability and recognize that she has her own unique kind of strength. She has this all-or-nothing thinking in the beginning, and she matures as she finds out that the world is full of nuance and balance. It's not all good or all bad; life is usually a mixture of good and bad in every situation.
The writing is really exciting and funny! I flew through reading this book because I was completely immersed in Tilda's magical world.
April 2, 2022
If I had read this book when I was 13, I would’ve loved it. As it is, I have very bland feelings towards it. I liked it and it was fun, but it also felt like the characters should have been much older than they were. I also would’ve liked more in regards to dragons, but this is still a nice book that is an easy read.
December 31, 2013
Of course, sometimes dragons are not dragons at all - but human girls (or boys), trapped within scales and claws. If you can overcome your fear and show these trapped creatures kindness and love, you may just discover the truth inside them. ~ Historia Draconum
Mathilda of Alder Brook, princess and heir to the small free-holding, is talented at scribework and capable of running both a household and the free-holding. Accounts, settlements, contracts, etc. However, Mathilda is also club-footed/splay-footed. This birth defect has shaped her life. The pain and aches. The limitations on her activities and movement. And worst of all, many of her people believe that her lameness is proof of her being cursed. So, personally, Mathilda would like nothing better than to just leave all these ungrateful, cruel people and join a convent, there to spend her life copying manuscripts and perhaps even write a book of her own.
When Tilda's mother is taken prisoner and her cousin Ivo attempts to steal Alder Brook from her, Tilda ends up on the run with her lady-in-waiting/ would-be-dragon slayer Judith and their mutual friend, Parzifal of Hare Hedge, knight-in-training (who is failing the training part and was to have been sent home in disgrace prior to his joining the girls). So, they decide to kill some dragons to prove Parz is worthy of becoming a knight, so that Judith can have a chance for some adventure in her life before just going back to being a maid and since Tilda has no real interest in returning to reclaim her birthright, she is just going along with them, trying to work up her courage to tell her friends that she is going to enter a convent,
There are these magic horses that she frees and befriends, a subplot with the Wild Hunt, a brief homage to the Blue Beard fairytale and things wrap up quite well in the end. There is no magical cure for Tilda's lameness and no easy road to choosing to return to a world that has mistreated her. I genuinely liked the ending.
Now, where, oh where, is the sequel to The Princess Curse?
Oh, and I liked the cover!
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
June 27, 2017
Brief thoughts originally published 27 June 2017 at Falling Letters.
First book I read by Merrie Haskell, though I have already read another!
This book received a positive own voices review at Disability in Kid Lit, which led me to select it for the March topic of 2017 Diverse Reads. Aimee Louw writes far more eloquently about Tilda’s club foot than I could, so be sure to check out her post. I especially agree with her observation that the “dichotomy between the desire to improve or better oneself and the perceived need to overcompensate for the lower expectations placed on oneself because of disability was portrayed exceptionally well.”
One aspect of the book I didn’t expect to enjoy as much as I did was the setting. Handbook for Dragonslayers takes place in a more realistic medieval setting than I’ve encountered in most children’s literature. The presence of religion plays a significant role in that. I love that Tilda wanted to join a cloister so she could copy books. The concept of sin influences Tilda’s actions; she celebrates Christmas Day. Other details that added realism for me included Tilda’s duties as a princess and the design of the castle.
I found it a little heartbreaking that part of the reason Tilda wants to become a grand writer is to disprove the cruel things people believe about her. I don’t have the direct quote, but there was a line about how Tilda wanted to be free of people who thought they knew her (pg. 52). That’s a feeling I think many readers have experienced at one time or the other. It gives able-bodied readers like myself a better insight into what Tilda experiences.
Although not much else about the plot or characters stands out for me now, fans of the genre will likely enjoy Handbook for Dragon Slayers (as long as they don’t expect too much of the dragons!).
First book I read by Merrie Haskell, though I have already read another!
This book received a positive own voices review at Disability in Kid Lit, which led me to select it for the March topic of 2017 Diverse Reads. Aimee Louw writes far more eloquently about Tilda’s club foot than I could, so be sure to check out her post. I especially agree with her observation that the “dichotomy between the desire to improve or better oneself and the perceived need to overcompensate for the lower expectations placed on oneself because of disability was portrayed exceptionally well.”
One aspect of the book I didn’t expect to enjoy as much as I did was the setting. Handbook for Dragonslayers takes place in a more realistic medieval setting than I’ve encountered in most children’s literature. The presence of religion plays a significant role in that. I love that Tilda wanted to join a cloister so she could copy books. The concept of sin influences Tilda’s actions; she celebrates Christmas Day. Other details that added realism for me included Tilda’s duties as a princess and the design of the castle.
I found it a little heartbreaking that part of the reason Tilda wants to become a grand writer is to disprove the cruel things people believe about her. I don’t have the direct quote, but there was a line about how Tilda wanted to be free of people who thought they knew her (pg. 52). That’s a feeling I think many readers have experienced at one time or the other. It gives able-bodied readers like myself a better insight into what Tilda experiences.
Although not much else about the plot or characters stands out for me now, fans of the genre will likely enjoy Handbook for Dragon Slayers (as long as they don’t expect too much of the dragons!).
May 21, 2015
This was a fantastic fantasy novel that dealt with issues I have not previously encountered in the genre. Tilda is a princess who has been challenged since birth with a lame foot - something people in her town regard as a curse. Because of her injury, Tilda has been kept from many activities and many villagers mistreat or ignore her outright. While Tilda does face many challenges due to her foot, I loved that Handbook for Dragon Slayers is not too focused on her challenges. Instead, we get to see how Tilda manages to accomplish things anyway and rises above her difficulties. I loved the world building and characters in this novel, as well as the fact that the relationships focused on are largely friendships rather than romance. As a Catholic school librarian I was also thrilled to see a priest feature as a character, religion is mentioned positively (though not focused on too heavily), and Tilda is even considering becoming a nun so she can continue writing and copying books in a quieter environment. Excellent action scenes, complex characters and dragons too! This was just lovely and I cannot wait to introduce it to my students.
July 21, 2020
4.5 Stars
What an absolutely wonderful read, I am so happy! I had read The Princess Curse prior to this and loved it very much, and I was really excited to read this book and hoping to love it also; and I did! This book is such a enjoyable read and so easy to just devour quickly. Fun adventure while being different and creative, just as the twist she have her other book also. The characters are so endearing and lovable and I loved seeing Tilda's transformation and growth. I really hope that the future sees a second part of this book, I feel it would be fantastic. Excellent book, absolutely recommended for lovers of fantasy and dragons 💚
What an absolutely wonderful read, I am so happy! I had read The Princess Curse prior to this and loved it very much, and I was really excited to read this book and hoping to love it also; and I did! This book is such a enjoyable read and so easy to just devour quickly. Fun adventure while being different and creative, just as the twist she have her other book also. The characters are so endearing and lovable and I loved seeing Tilda's transformation and growth. I really hope that the future sees a second part of this book, I feel it would be fantastic. Excellent book, absolutely recommended for lovers of fantasy and dragons 💚
August 24, 2020
I always thought dragons were good, and this book shows the truth about them! I recommend this book to all fantasy lovers!!! Full of suspense and action, this is a Must Read for all ages.
January 27, 2021
3.5 stars. I love how the main character actually experiences physical pain openly in this book and how the limiting factors or perceived limits are explored more in depth.
July 16, 2014
I found this to be a pleasant surprise: a children's novel with a number of atypical choices, enough so that it felt nothing like a typical "turn the crank, produce another book according to formula" juvenile fiction story. I've railed about this in many other reviews, but the thinking in children's fiction for the last eighty years or so has been that the writer has to get the parents out of the way in order for the children to have adventures, as the parents would obviously protect the children from any danger if they were present. This is a device that almost every children's author uses, and usually the reason for the parents' absence (car crash, divorce, alien abduction) is tossed off at the beginning and rarely revisited. It's what "A Series of Unfortunate Events" was parodying. While Mathilda's father is absent in Handbook for Dragon Slayers, this book joins the ranks of the very, very few children's books (I'm looking at you, A Wrinkle in Time!) to actually incorporate the parent's absence into an integral part of the protagonist's character development.
Handbook for Dragon Slayers is set in 12th century Germany. Mathilda's father has left for a Crusade and never returned. As events play out in the novel, Mathilda finally comes to recognize her father's actions (which she is imitating) as selfish, and so learns something about herself and grows a bit, able not only to see herself in a positive light, but to consider the welfare of others. This is a big deal, because the dominant reality in Mathilda's life is that she was born with a hideous deformity of her right leg. Living in a Dark Ages Christian world where many superstitions are actually real (the Fae, magic, curses and the like), she is naturally shunned as her deformity is the manifestation of some inherent wickedness, or perhaps just the outcome of some evil of her parents. Her mother has done a yeoman's job of shielding Mathilda from most of this, but the girl is aware of it nonetheless, especially because the pain of her twisted body is never far from her. One of her favorite respites is to escape into books, particularly reading the lives of the saints as well as classic pagan Greek and Roman authors (which would have been the majority of any library in the 12th century, aside from the Bible itself). As she is close to useless for most active work, Mathilda is trained to do any sort of book work: balancing the ledgers and other accounting, as well as lots of scribe work, as all books are copied by hand (Gutenberg being two hundred years in the future). Haskell provides a lot of detail about books and scribing - in general she provides a wealth of detail about medieval life - in a refreshingly matter-of-fact way that avoids being didactic. As a teen, Mathilda is naturally self-centered, and she has her deformity that turns her even more inward. Between the saints, the pagans, her daily routine and the rest of her thought life, I was very entertained by her first-person perspective monologue, and that's even before the magical stuff.
Mathilda lives in a world where all the magic of folklore is real, so inevitably she encounters it in her travels. The stakes are raised several times, and frequently the plot developments surprised me with their unpredictability. I can't properly express how delighted I am with a children's book that can surprise me at this point. I highly recommend this one for that and all the other things that I've described.
Handbook for Dragon Slayers is set in 12th century Germany. Mathilda's father has left for a Crusade and never returned. As events play out in the novel, Mathilda finally comes to recognize her father's actions (which she is imitating) as selfish, and so learns something about herself and grows a bit, able not only to see herself in a positive light, but to consider the welfare of others. This is a big deal, because the dominant reality in Mathilda's life is that she was born with a hideous deformity of her right leg. Living in a Dark Ages Christian world where many superstitions are actually real (the Fae, magic, curses and the like), she is naturally shunned as her deformity is the manifestation of some inherent wickedness, or perhaps just the outcome of some evil of her parents. Her mother has done a yeoman's job of shielding Mathilda from most of this, but the girl is aware of it nonetheless, especially because the pain of her twisted body is never far from her. One of her favorite respites is to escape into books, particularly reading the lives of the saints as well as classic pagan Greek and Roman authors (which would have been the majority of any library in the 12th century, aside from the Bible itself). As she is close to useless for most active work, Mathilda is trained to do any sort of book work: balancing the ledgers and other accounting, as well as lots of scribe work, as all books are copied by hand (Gutenberg being two hundred years in the future). Haskell provides a lot of detail about books and scribing - in general she provides a wealth of detail about medieval life - in a refreshingly matter-of-fact way that avoids being didactic. As a teen, Mathilda is naturally self-centered, and she has her deformity that turns her even more inward. Between the saints, the pagans, her daily routine and the rest of her thought life, I was very entertained by her first-person perspective monologue, and that's even before the magical stuff.
Mathilda lives in a world where all the magic of folklore is real, so inevitably she encounters it in her travels. The stakes are raised several times, and frequently the plot developments surprised me with their unpredictability. I can't properly express how delighted I am with a children's book that can surprise me at this point. I highly recommend this one for that and all the other things that I've described.
October 19, 2015
Merrie Haskell’s The Princess Curse is one of my favourite MGs so when I managed to pick up her sophomore novel at ALA, I was beyond thrilled. Of course it languished in my reading pile for quite a long while until one of my cohort who had attended ALA with me told me how much she had loved it. And that was it. I knew I had to read the novel and I pounced on it as soon as I got home.
And I did love it. Oh I loved it in so many ways for so many reasons. First there was the world class world building. Then the characterizations and then, as is Haskell’s specialty, the twist in the perspective. Like in The Princess Curse the story is not told from the viewpoint of the character who would traditionally be the protagonist, in this case, the actual dragon slayer, but from the viewpoint of their scribe, the princess. Tilda, when we meet her, is not a very inspiring character. She has potential, of course, but due to her disability, a bad leg, she is almost drowned by insecurities. Even though she is the heir to a principality, responsible for the lives and livelihoods of so many people, she doesn’t want to take on the mantle of responsibility. For that reason, I wasn’t too sure I would jive with her initially but as the journey unfolded, she changed and her evolution as a person and a princess won me over.
There are many things going on in this novel and were it not handled with a fine hand, it would have felt overwhelming. However, Haskell manages to link each event and maintain a progression of the overarching plot despite the occasional segues. I love the horse characters as I do all animal characters and I love the dynamics between the three friends who are all very different people with different motivations and pasts and presented thusly. I especially loved how Tilda’s perception of dragons change and how her brief interlude wearing the skin of one is presented. Haskell portrays the non-human character really nicely.
The romance, what there is of it, is very light and totally suitable of a middle grade novel. It spices up the narrative but is very much a side plot that is hinted at but never delved into. For that reason, this book will be a success with younger readers and older ones who are weary of melodramatic he loves me and he loves me not stories.
In conclusion, this is a fantastic novel. Read it.
And I did love it. Oh I loved it in so many ways for so many reasons. First there was the world class world building. Then the characterizations and then, as is Haskell’s specialty, the twist in the perspective. Like in The Princess Curse the story is not told from the viewpoint of the character who would traditionally be the protagonist, in this case, the actual dragon slayer, but from the viewpoint of their scribe, the princess. Tilda, when we meet her, is not a very inspiring character. She has potential, of course, but due to her disability, a bad leg, she is almost drowned by insecurities. Even though she is the heir to a principality, responsible for the lives and livelihoods of so many people, she doesn’t want to take on the mantle of responsibility. For that reason, I wasn’t too sure I would jive with her initially but as the journey unfolded, she changed and her evolution as a person and a princess won me over.
There are many things going on in this novel and were it not handled with a fine hand, it would have felt overwhelming. However, Haskell manages to link each event and maintain a progression of the overarching plot despite the occasional segues. I love the horse characters as I do all animal characters and I love the dynamics between the three friends who are all very different people with different motivations and pasts and presented thusly. I especially loved how Tilda’s perception of dragons change and how her brief interlude wearing the skin of one is presented. Haskell portrays the non-human character really nicely.
The romance, what there is of it, is very light and totally suitable of a middle grade novel. It spices up the narrative but is very much a side plot that is hinted at but never delved into. For that reason, this book will be a success with younger readers and older ones who are weary of melodramatic he loves me and he loves me not stories.
In conclusion, this is a fantastic novel. Read it.
June 21, 2013
Honestly, the elements in this book could have been specifically ordered just for me: smart girls, adventure, ambition, magic, and dragons! (Fabulous dragons!) So it's no surprise that I really liked the first half of the book, and I absolutely fell in love with the second half, when the magical elements really kicked into gear.
Tilda, the heroine, is wonderful - smart, responsible, willful and determined, with a disability that informs her character but never, ever defines it. Better yet, she spends the book adventuring with two other great characters - one of whom, her handmaiden (and would-be dragon-slayer) Judith, I just adored. Although there are elements of romance hinted at in this book between Tilda and her other companion, the squire (and, again, would-be-dragonslayer) Parz, the strongest relationship arc in the novel is the platonic *sromance* between Tilda and Judith, two very different girls who've always loved each other like sisters but now - through the hardships and adventures they face - slowly come to *understand* each other, too.
(I love sromances! We need so many more of them, just like men and boys get bromances.)
And oh, the horses! The magical horses, from the Wild Hunt! They might be my favorite horses in fantasy fiction, which is saying a LOT.
In other words, I really, really enjoyed this novel. Wonderful, smart, fun MG fantasy adventure.
Tilda, the heroine, is wonderful - smart, responsible, willful and determined, with a disability that informs her character but never, ever defines it. Better yet, she spends the book adventuring with two other great characters - one of whom, her handmaiden (and would-be dragon-slayer) Judith, I just adored. Although there are elements of romance hinted at in this book between Tilda and her other companion, the squire (and, again, would-be-dragonslayer) Parz, the strongest relationship arc in the novel is the platonic *sromance* between Tilda and Judith, two very different girls who've always loved each other like sisters but now - through the hardships and adventures they face - slowly come to *understand* each other, too.
(I love sromances! We need so many more of them, just like men and boys get bromances.)
And oh, the horses! The magical horses, from the Wild Hunt! They might be my favorite horses in fantasy fiction, which is saying a LOT.
In other words, I really, really enjoyed this novel. Wonderful, smart, fun MG fantasy adventure.
December 6, 2013
When I was starting Handbook for Dragon Slayers, I wasn't sure whether I was going to like it or not. It's a middle grade novel, and I don't usually read middle grade. However, I was pleasantly surprised. The book turned out to be enjoyable.
The plot was fun. It kept me wondering how Tilda was going to get out of her current predicament and what she was going to get into next. It was also interesting to try to figure out how she was going to get Alder Brook back from her cousin Ivo.
I really admired Tilda. She reminded me of Emmeline Thistle from The Sweetest Spell by Suzanne Selfors. Both of the girls have a crippled foot, but they didn't let that stop them. Tilda rose up to do things she was told were impossible, such as riding a horse. I really liked this book. I intend to read more of Merrie Haskell's books when they are released.
The plot was fun. It kept me wondering how Tilda was going to get out of her current predicament and what she was going to get into next. It was also interesting to try to figure out how she was going to get Alder Brook back from her cousin Ivo.
I really admired Tilda. She reminded me of Emmeline Thistle from The Sweetest Spell by Suzanne Selfors. Both of the girls have a crippled foot, but they didn't let that stop them. Tilda rose up to do things she was told were impossible, such as riding a horse. I really liked this book. I intend to read more of Merrie Haskell's books when they are released.
October 13, 2013
This book is packaged like a straight fantasy children's novel, but don't be fooled - it's a fabulous tale of a princess, born with a club foot, who is not ready to assume her responsibilities. She goes on a quest with some friends to find more information on dragons, and learns a great deal about them - and herself. Intrigue, cursed hunters and their enchanted horses, a smarmy prince who likes black magic, and a great coming of age tale. The moral of finding balance between your responsibility and your desires, mixed with a 13 year old girl's desire to be loved makes this worth the time.
June 7, 2013
I really enjoyed following Tilda on her journey. I liked the emphasis on the multi-faceted relationships she has with both Judith and Parz. Some good messages hidden in a fun fantasy romp with dragons and magic.
June 13, 2013
pretty good. i hope she cotinues Reveka's story!
November 23, 2013
2.5 stars.
June 7, 2013
This is a sweet read about duty, friendship, love, and... dragons, of course! It's charming and funny, with depth and danger and a mash-up of folk tales.
August 3, 2016
One Sentence Review: Well deserving all the acclaim it has received, this is a beautifully wrought little fantasy tale that reminds us why we like the darn things in the first place.
July 21, 2015
Middle grade. 5-7/8. Princess. Dragons. Outsider. Accepting your role. Dreams realized. Growing up. Girl power. Friendship.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
October 28, 2024
It was interesting to see how this novel combined historical, fantasy and even religious inspiration into a unique story of its own where dragons and princesses exist, and saints can fight evil creatures by their sheer holiness.
The story featured a strong female princess heroine, dragons, evil lords who wanted to marry and/or kill her, and great friends and allies.
It was interesting to watch Matilda grow into herself, strengthen her friendships, turn and face her destiny, and, of course, question her previous views of dragons and learn that they’re intelligent, complex creatures and don’t all need to be killed. Also, I thought it was great how in the end .
There was lots of twists and turns, which I found confusing. The novel was also much more Christian than I expected, between the many stories of Saints who killed dragons by making the sign of the cross, or just by being so holy. And, while the Wild Hunt added some depth, it added a mythological tone to the story which I didn’t think fit with the otherwise Christian elements.
It definitely wasn’t perfect, but it was fun to read anyhow.
While reading it, this book reminded me of The Princess Curse. They both have the same fun narrative, mythological references, and intricate fantasy world (also, both involved older lords speaking about marriage with 13 year olds but doing nothing about it). Only afterwards did I realize they’re both written by Merrie Haskell. The Princess Curse did read as less Christian than this one. Either way, I enjoyed both of these enough that I plan to check out The Castle Behind Thorns and see if I enjoy it, too.
Similar:
Content:
Religion: Christian and mythological elements
They go to mass, Father Ripertus is Matilda’s confessor and one of her favorite people, she wants to be a nun. Saints ward evil, including dragons, with their sheer holiness, or by crossing themselves (mentioned many times). This doesn’t work for Matilda. Mentions of various Saint eves and Xmas. People thought the world was going to end 1000 years after the birth of Jesus (which passed). Mention of "the story of the prodigal son from the Gospels".
They speak of the Underworld, where heroes go to live after death. The Wild Hunt is also a big part of the story "the right arm of the Queen of the Underworld... They ride through the countryside and hunt souls, to conduct them to Hades."
Violence: nongraphic violence
Injuries, blood, kidnappings, being held at sword point, being kept prisoner and soon to be killed . Her father goes on a pilgrimage to take back the Holy Land, and dies. Matilda is crippled, and people make fun of her.
Romance: clean
People speak about marrying off Matilda at the age of 13. Matilda thinks about how handsome Parz is. Later,
Magic:
Dragons, magic, sorcerer who can cloud men and women’s minds and hold people prisoners, the Wild Hunt who can grant immortality, magical horses.
The story featured a strong female princess heroine, dragons, evil lords who wanted to marry and/or kill her, and great friends and allies.
It was interesting to watch Matilda grow into herself, strengthen her friendships, turn and face her destiny, and, of course, question her previous views of dragons and learn that they’re intelligent, complex creatures and don’t all need to be killed. Also, I thought it was great how in the end .
There was lots of twists and turns, which I found confusing. The novel was also much more Christian than I expected, between the many stories of Saints who killed dragons by making the sign of the cross, or just by being so holy. And, while the Wild Hunt added some depth, it added a mythological tone to the story which I didn’t think fit with the otherwise Christian elements.
It definitely wasn’t perfect, but it was fun to read anyhow.
While reading it, this book reminded me of The Princess Curse. They both have the same fun narrative, mythological references, and intricate fantasy world (also, both involved older lords speaking about marriage with 13 year olds but doing nothing about it). Only afterwards did I realize they’re both written by Merrie Haskell. The Princess Curse did read as less Christian than this one. Either way, I enjoyed both of these enough that I plan to check out The Castle Behind Thorns and see if I enjoy it, too.
Similar:
Content:
Religion: Christian and mythological elements
They go to mass, Father Ripertus is Matilda’s confessor and one of her favorite people, she wants to be a nun. Saints ward evil, including dragons, with their sheer holiness, or by crossing themselves (mentioned many times). This doesn’t work for Matilda. Mentions of various Saint eves and Xmas. People thought the world was going to end 1000 years after the birth of Jesus (which passed). Mention of "the story of the prodigal son from the Gospels".
They speak of the Underworld, where heroes go to live after death. The Wild Hunt is also a big part of the story "the right arm of the Queen of the Underworld... They ride through the countryside and hunt souls, to conduct them to Hades."
Violence: nongraphic violence
Injuries, blood, kidnappings, being held at sword point, being kept prisoner and soon to be killed . Her father goes on a pilgrimage to take back the Holy Land, and dies. Matilda is crippled, and people make fun of her.
Romance: clean
People speak about marrying off Matilda at the age of 13. Matilda thinks about how handsome Parz is. Later,
Magic:
Dragons, magic, sorcerer who can cloud men and women’s minds and hold people prisoners, the Wild Hunt who can grant immortality, magical horses.
July 8, 2024
Interestingly enough, I read this directly on the heels of The Princess Curse, but the same author, but I didn't actually realize they were both by the same author when I picked them up. (I have a really bad habit of not paying too much attention to authors unless I a) really liked a book and want to find more by that author or b) already love an author, and pick up the book because it's by them. Otherwise, I pick books on covers and blurbs and recommendations, but pay scant attention to the author's name, and I apologize to any authors reading this, because that's probably awful to hear.)
Anyway -
While I was reading it, though, I did find myself thinking, "wow, this is really similar to Princess Curse. There's random bits of actual history thrown in, and some of the ways it's written are really familiar, but it's not as good."
And therein lies the rub.
The writing aspects of Princess Curse was just better. It flowed better. It sounded better. It connected better. If I hadn't checked to confirm, I would've honestly believed that this book was the more amateur effort and that Princess Curse came later, after Haskell had perfected her craft a bit more - so I was shocked to find out this book actually came out 2 years after Princess Curse.
Which isn't to say this book was bad. It had a lot of good elements.
Tilda was an interesting character - a reluctant princess with a disability which affects her, but doesn't quite define her. (I say quite, because there is a lot wrapped up in it. Not just her inability to walk long distances and the way her mother kept her from doing things, like riding horses, but the fact that people thought having a bad foot meant she was cursed and they didn't want to be around her.)
I liked Judith a lot - Tilda's maid and friend, and secret apprentice dragon slayer.
Parz was also a good character - the squire who wants to be a dragon slayer, and who gets Judith to help him train.
After Tilda's mother gets injured and Parz get's kicked out of squiring, they end up going on an adventure to, well, slay dragons... but they soon discover that maybe it's not an occupation for a 13-year-old failed knight. And, also, maybe there's something more to these dragons than meets the eye.
And that'd be a great story. But then there's also the Wild Hunt, and magical horses (who are, frankly, awesome and some of the best parts of the story), and an evil guy in a tower with a sort of Bluebeard vibe, and then some weird dragon magic...
And while Princess Curse took a lot of pieces of different stories and wove it into a really strong, coherent narrative, this one was a little more all-over-the-place, and I never felt quite as connected to the world or the characters.
So, anyway, it's not a bad story, but any means, and maybe I would've liked it more if I hadn't read it directly on the heels of a better book by the same author.
Anyway -
While I was reading it, though, I did find myself thinking, "wow, this is really similar to Princess Curse. There's random bits of actual history thrown in, and some of the ways it's written are really familiar, but it's not as good."
And therein lies the rub.
The writing aspects of Princess Curse was just better. It flowed better. It sounded better. It connected better. If I hadn't checked to confirm, I would've honestly believed that this book was the more amateur effort and that Princess Curse came later, after Haskell had perfected her craft a bit more - so I was shocked to find out this book actually came out 2 years after Princess Curse.
Which isn't to say this book was bad. It had a lot of good elements.
Tilda was an interesting character - a reluctant princess with a disability which affects her, but doesn't quite define her. (I say quite, because there is a lot wrapped up in it. Not just her inability to walk long distances and the way her mother kept her from doing things, like riding horses, but the fact that people thought having a bad foot meant she was cursed and they didn't want to be around her.)
I liked Judith a lot - Tilda's maid and friend, and secret apprentice dragon slayer.
Parz was also a good character - the squire who wants to be a dragon slayer, and who gets Judith to help him train.
After Tilda's mother gets injured and Parz get's kicked out of squiring, they end up going on an adventure to, well, slay dragons... but they soon discover that maybe it's not an occupation for a 13-year-old failed knight. And, also, maybe there's something more to these dragons than meets the eye.
And that'd be a great story. But then there's also the Wild Hunt, and magical horses (who are, frankly, awesome and some of the best parts of the story), and an evil guy in a tower with a sort of Bluebeard vibe, and then some weird dragon magic...
And while Princess Curse took a lot of pieces of different stories and wove it into a really strong, coherent narrative, this one was a little more all-over-the-place, and I never felt quite as connected to the world or the characters.
So, anyway, it's not a bad story, but any means, and maybe I would've liked it more if I hadn't read it directly on the heels of a better book by the same author.
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