Most people were blissfully unaware that England was overrun by dragons. Only those born with preternatural hearing could hear and converse with dragonkind, and even those rarely came into their hearing before they were fifteen. It was not Elizabeth’s fault that she discovered the truth about dragons when she was only four years-old. It was also not Elizabeth’s fault that the old tatzelwurm, … tatzelwurm, Rumblkins, who lived in the woods near Longbourn House befriended her. Really, he would have attached himself to anyone who fed him dried cod and scratched behind his ears.
So clearly, it could not be her fault when Rumblkins led her to a nest of endangered fairy dragon eggs that the Pendragon Treaty compelled her to save. Unfortunately her father does not agree.
Thomas Bennet, dragon-lore expert, faithful member of the dragon-hearing society, the Blue Order, and Keeper of the local wyvern, Longbourn, has a dragon-sized problem on his hands. At eleven years-old, his second-oldest daughter is hopelessly fascinated with all things dragon-related. But his wife and other daughters lack the ability to hear dragons, so the world of the Blue Order must remain hidden from them.
Now faced with an abandoned clutch of fairy dragon eggs to care for, the careful balance he walks between the needs of his jealous estate dragon, Elizabeth’s incorrigible draw toward dragons and continued secrecy from the rest of the family hangs in jeopardy. If only Elizabeth would be a more conventional child!
But how can a girl who shuns traditional ladylike pursuits to play with dragons ever be conventional? Does dragon-hearing society have a place for such an oddity as her?
Jane Austen meets Anne McCaffrey’s Dragonriders of Pern. A must read for Pern fans.
Book 4 in the Jane Austen’s Dragons series.
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Reviewed: May 18, 2020
My Rating: 4.5* rounded up to 5*
Do you hear dragons?
Elizabeth Bennet does at a very young age. She is unique in her instinctive ability to relate to them. Mr. Bennet has nurtured her interest but only when it comes to helping him scribe his documents. She is too young to be recognized for abilities and females do not hold the same place as men in the Blue Order. He is also frustrated that he cannot contain her natural curiosity and obey his dictates. Trouble and dragons are drawn to her. And when she starts questioning dragon lore, well that is not to be borne!
“…was it conceivable that dragon lore might not be entirely correct?” (quote from the book)
This may be book four in the Jane Austen’s Dragons Books, but it can be considered a prequel to the first three in the series…a delightful and informative one! I loved seeing Elizabeth as a child and her respect and love of all things dragonic. I loved how her character is set…’obstinate, headstrong girl’ indeed!
It was such a joy being back in Jane Austen’s dragon world! Honestly, these books should be made into a Netflix series! Each book a new season. If they can do, Pride, Prejudice and Zombies, they can do this. I definitely think there would be a wide audience that would love it!
I loved this variation of “Pride and Prejudice”! This particular application and focus of Elizabeth’s intelligence and spirit is very much like with the young lady of Jane Austen’s imagination yet so very independent-minded like young career women of the modern era. And dragons! Maria Grace added dragons! So cool!!!
Yes it does say book 4 but really it should be book 1, there is so much information and history to begin the series and I found it so helpful as the title suggests. I just LOVE this series, do you know I have listened to the whole series over and over (Audible) and still I find it all fascinating. The narrator is a gem and he breaths life into all the characters whether they have skin, scales or feathers. This series is worthy of your book shelf and favorite list
THE BEGINNING OF DRAGON AND HUMAN RELATIONS WITH A FEMALE
I received this book for free and am giving my honest and voluntary review
This is book four in the Jane Austen’s Dragons series. I believe it should have been book one as it starts with Elizabeth as an eleven-year old and her introduction to dragons; albeit not the way it was supposed to go. This story introduces April and how she got her name.
This book is delightful as Elizabeth meets the dragons, without proper introduction, and is welcomed by the most unruly and grumpiest of them all. I like the way Elizabeth’s rapport with the dragons endears her to them and made her transition into a Junior Keeper easier.
Imagine Elizabeth Bennett, age 12, with dragons. She is seriously the most adorable! She is constantly befriending dragons without fear. And. They. Love. Her. Apparently, the first time this happened, she was only four. If you need an excuse to fall even more in love with Elizabeth Bennett, this book will do it for you. So good.
This is the first of the series that uses the characters from Pride and Prejudice without following the story or excessive quoting of Austen. And I loved it so much. Benjamin Fife’s narration was superb. I am continually amazed with the variety of voices he comes up with.
I received a free copy of the audiobook from StoryOrigin and have reviewed it willingly.
While this is book four in the Jane Austen’s Dragons series by Maria Grace, it’s the prequel to the series. In it, we meet twelve-year-old Elizabeth Bennet as she comes into her own as a dragon speaker. (Her mother and sister know nothing about dragons and cannot hear them.) Elizabeth, often while assisting her father with his work, meets and makes friends with dragons large and important and small and insignificant. She discovers that she has a natural propensity for helping dragons. Her father isn’t happy about her interactions, especially when Elizabeth is chosen to friend a Fairy Dragon, but Elizabeth is a willful young woman and continues to pursue her friendships.
This is a delightful book, a wonderful addition to this series. It can be read before, during, or after reading the other three books. I loved how real it made the dragons, and the possibility that such a secret society as the Blue Order might exist.
The writing is wonderful, for Maria Grace never lets her readers down. The narration is exceptional, Benjamin Fife brings the Regency world of human and dragon to life, and creates the best voices for all of the characters. His delivery is near perfection. I felt as if I was there, accompanying Elizabeth through her encounters and discussions.
If you are into Regency, Austen, or dragons, I can highly recommend this audio book.
I received this book from the narrator through Story Origins. I thank them and the author for sharing this book with me, but their generosity had no effect on this review. All opinions in this review reflect my true and honest reactions to reading/listening to this book.