A review by carlyoc
Eon: Dragoneye Reborn by Alison Goodman

adventurous dark emotional medium-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? A mix
  • Strong character development? Yes
  • Loveable characters? Yes
  • Diverse cast of characters? Yes
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.5

In a setting inspired by ancient East Asia, a young girl named Eona has been living as a boy named Eon, training to be a candidate to be chosen as the next dragoneye. 

Dragoneyes are the human partners of the twelve dragons that protect the realm, each representing a zodiac sign. Every year, the dragon and dragoneye whose zodiac is active, become Ascendent, growing in power and taking on leadership of the group. That year, they also take on a new apprentice chosen by the dragon, who will train over the next 12 years to be the dragoneye when their zodiac sign is active again. 

Eon is hoping to be chosen by the Rat dragon this year, but instead is selected by the Mirror dragon (representing the dragon zodiac sign I guess because dragon dragon sounds silly). The mirror dragon has been missing for hundreds of years, so no one knows what it means that a new apprentice has been chosen after all this time, especially with no previous Mirror dragoneye to train her. 

This story features vibrant and epic world-building, trans representation, and some very basic character growth as Eon/Eona unlearns the internalized misogyny she learned from growing up in a society that sees women as weak and inferior. 
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