Dan Rice

I thought the premise for this book was interesting, which is what made me pick it up. Overall, it's an interesting read, but at times I wish the story had moved along a little quicker and a little more smoothly. I really liked Allison as a character, she was very true to how you'd expect a teenager to act, and at times react to things. Although I would have liked to see the dragons introduced a little sooner, once they were, I'd say the tension really starts to build. (After all, it's not as if everyone can say them). Overall, a fun read.… (más)

Teen drama, family struggles, and coming-of-age mix with dragons to form an intriguing read.

Allison can't believe that she actually won the photograph contest at her high school...much to the disappointment of the school's mean girl. Steaming from the girl's latest attack, Allison heads to a friend but is physically attacked from behind. After a couple weeks of coma, she wakes to find herself blind. The only way to regain her sight is to undergo a very new and not-yet-approved surgery. But her new eyes bring more back than just the ability to see again.

I read the title and blurb on this one and knew I had to get my hands on it. The surmise already is grabbing as the idea of dragons disguised as humans wander the modern world. Now, this is a young adult novel, and the author did stick to the usual run somewhat, too. There's Allison, a misfit who doesn't really except herself, her true blue friends, the mean girl, a concerned dad, and unknown evils. High school drama plays a role as well as high school romance. Then, there's the entire ordeal of learning to feel good in your own skin...which this novel really sinks into nicely. So, with all the dragon wonderfulness, this is a young adult novel.

Allison is easy to like. She's a bit snarky, doesn't always make the best decisions, and still, means well with her heart of gold. Sometimes, she reacts a bit fast and without enough thought, but she fits her age very well. She's the kind of girl, many teens would probably want as a friend, and with her troubles, it's not hard to root for her. She has a lot to learn, and this is done well. Even her friends and her go through some rough spots, but it's also a group to cheer on and like, even when they do make mistakes. Add the good relationship Allison has with her father and grandparents, and there are many warming aspects as well.

The dragons don't really start up until well into the novel...and that works, since Allison has to build up to that point first. The reader gets to know her and her situation well, and even this part is written well enough. It is a well-paced plot with many surprises along the way. The dragons, of course, are intriguing, and this does make for a very intriguing and grabbing plot. The author does a good job at weaving them in and letting the tension climb and hit. There are more than a few stumbling areas, though, where some logic and reactions don't quite sit as smoothly as they could. And a few spots did have me pausing to figure out if I'd understood something correctly or not. The characters did sometimes react a little off as well. But this just kept the book from be as amazing as it could have been. Even with these smaller issues, it's a fun read and easy to breeze through.

There are more than a few messages in this one. First, there's the coming-of-age end, which was well done. Allison's development and acceptance hits home. Even her care of those around her is inspiring as well as the family relations. Friendship is also golden as is dealing with peers. Some aspects were a bit tossed in with the feeling that a list was trying to be met, though, which weakened the tale more than giving it extra depth. But even, here, it wasn't enough to ruin the story, either.

All in all, this is a fun, exciting read for young adult fans. I did enjoy reading it.… (más)