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The Book Dragon

Claws and Contrivances by Stephanie Burgis

So much fun! So much melodrama. I absolutely loved the rom-com elements that made fun of Gothic heroines, and I so totally laughed out loud at the over-the-top Brontë-ness of it all. Rose's cousin had me in stitches with her antics. For a side character, she really was a lot of fun.


Rose herself is such a wonderfully determined and bossy FMC. I love how she comes up with one outrageous plan after another and actually manages to pull most of them off even though nothing turns out the way she plans it. Once again, there are lots of secrets and lies, but the author once again keeps the resolution as a result of the characters coming clean. The example is presented wonderfully and adds a classic element of moralistic tale, more reminiscent of George Elliot's works than any of the other Gothic and/or Regency authors.


The dragons added a lot of mayhem to the story and they are absolutely adorable. In contrast to the previous novel in this series, we get to meet multiple specimens and get to know each with their own personalities and magical abilities. It added an element of comic relief and fantasy that adds to the charm of the book.


Lastly, I absolutely loved Aubrey in this novel and really liked the ending. He was an amusing character in the previous volume, but getting to know him better and actually see him come out of his study-induced shell, was amazing. He's totally my favorite character in the series.



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