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A review by paradoxically
Eon: Dragoneye Reborn by Alison Goodman
3.0
Eon: Dragoneye Reborn was a bit of a rough ride from start to finish. Eon is a girl masquerading as a boy. Sounds familiar. She's striving to become a Dragoneye, which is basically the human counterpart to one of the twelve dragons, who wield magic power and help the land with said power. Needless to say, all dragoneyes are male, and if she is found out, she and the ones she holds dearest would be killed. Eon struggles with dueling factions, hiding her gender, and the fact that she knows nothing about the world she is suddenly thrust into.
Eon is not a very likeable character. She makes huge mistakes, she cowers, she's desperate and clinging to whatever may keep her head afloat. It's immensely frustrating to see her circle the truth and then rocket away from it like it's a forest fire. At the same time it's understandable. While it feels real (her fears are completely valid), I ended up wanting to rip into something from my frustration. Even the flashes of something that isn't like a cowering dog are like little teases. She's so very human in her insecurities, in her fears--and it isn't the bright side of humanity. I wouldn't necessarily consider her strong. She grasps and claws for strength, and she does what she can to survive. In a way that is strength, but I think of it more as desperation.
She does grow towards the end of the book. The cynical part of me says it's less because of her own free will and more because she's backed into a corner, but there is improvement. She is, at the very least, a complex character, uncertain and fearful, but she does show promise for the future.
The plot was fairly gripping. It's the old story of a struggle for power, but it's interesting. Eon is at the center of it all, much to her despair, and you can see the events sweeping her along. Each side of the conflict is believable, and each has their own motivations for their actions. It feels real, which is more than you can ask for.
It was a solid book. I didn't truly enjoy reading it, but I have to admit that it was well written and, well, I didn't hate it, which probably counts for something too. 3 stars.
Eon is not a very likeable character. She makes huge mistakes, she cowers, she's desperate and clinging to whatever may keep her head afloat. It's immensely frustrating to see her circle the truth and then rocket away from it like it's a forest fire. At the same time it's understandable. While it feels real (her fears are completely valid), I ended up wanting to rip into something from my frustration. Even the flashes of something that isn't like a cowering dog are like little teases. She's so very human in her insecurities, in her fears--and it isn't the bright side of humanity. I wouldn't necessarily consider her strong. She grasps and claws for strength, and she does what she can to survive. In a way that is strength, but I think of it more as desperation.
She does grow towards the end of the book. The cynical part of me says it's less because of her own free will and more because she's backed into a corner, but there is improvement. She is, at the very least, a complex character, uncertain and fearful, but she does show promise for the future.
The plot was fairly gripping. It's the old story of a struggle for power, but it's interesting. Eon is at the center of it all, much to her despair, and you can see the events sweeping her along. Each side of the conflict is believable, and each has their own motivations for their actions. It feels real, which is more than you can ask for.
It was a solid book. I didn't truly enjoy reading it, but I have to admit that it was well written and, well, I didn't hate it, which probably counts for something too. 3 stars.