Dragon's keep

Review by Booklist Review

In stunning, lyrical prose, Carey tells the story of Rosalind, a twelfth-century princess destined for greatness by a prophecy from Merlin: the twenty-first queen of Wilde Island, which is plagued by dragons, will do three great things. Rosalind is to be that queen, but because she was born with a finger that looks exactly like a dragon's claw, she always wears gloves of gold. If exposed, her deformity will mark her as a witch and spell her doom, so anyone who finds out about it has died. Her life takes a strange turn during the summer Rosalind is 16; she is plucked from the ground by a dragon and flown to its keep high in the mountains on another island to serve as nursemaid to its four motherless pips. Carey smoothly blends many traditional fantasy tropes here, but her telling is fresh as well as thoroughly compelling. Fantasy fans wanting a slightly different take on dragons might enjoy books by N. M. Brown and Jason Hightman. --Diana Herald Copyright 2007 Booklist

From Booklist, Copyright (c) American Library Association. Used with permission.

---

Review by Publisher's Weekly Review

Carey (Wenny Has Wings) has written a romantic fantasy steeped in the Arthurian tradition of knights, dragons and lost kingdoms. After eloping with an outlaw, King Arthur's sister, Evaine, is banished to Wilde Island. Merlin, however, foresees a prophecy regarding the 21st queen in her future lineage: "She shall redeem the name Pendragon. End war with the wave of her hand. And restore the glory of Wilde Island." Centuries later, Queen Gweneth (the infertile queen number 20) devours an egg stolen from the dragon, Lord Faul, in an attempt to conceive. When she does give birth, her daughter, Rosalind, is born with the "devil's mark": her left hand bears a claw in place of one finger. Rosalind hides her hands underneath golden gloves and Queen Gweneth repeatedly commits murder to preserve the secret. The lonely princess doubts any man will ever marry her, but when she meets Kye-a young knight who vanquished a female dragon that has plagued Wilde Island-she falls in love. Soon after, Rosalind is captured by Lord Faul (her true father) and becomes nursemaid to his offspring, known as pips. When one of the pips drowns, Lord Faul's tears quench his "inner fire," killing him and ending Rosalind's capture. She returns to Wilde Island to claim her rightful place as queen, and though she is put on trial for being a witch, Rosalind's "curse" ultimately becomes her triumph. Fantasy lovers will readily empathize with this brave heroine who learns to be true to herself. Ages 12-up. (Apr.) (c) Copyright PWxyz, LLC. All rights reserved

(c) Copyright PWxyz, LLC. All rights reserved

---

Review by School Library Journal Review

Gr 6-10-Nonstop action may keep readers glued to this page-turner, but strong writing and character development are what will make it linger in their memories long after they've finished it. Princess Rosalind Pendragon is meant to fulfill a 600-year-old prophecy from Merlin that she will restore her family's good name and end a war. Rosalind was born with one dragon talon, which is a fearful secret known only to the teen and her mother. It is kept hidden by the golden gloves that Rosalind is never without, and over the years, the queen tries desperately to find a cure for the curse. When Rosalind reveals her claw to Lord Faul, a dragon that has been terrorizing the island, her destiny is set in motion. Taken by him to be nursemaid to his motherless children, she learns of her dragon blood and of her mother's treachery. Rosalind and the dragons are bound together in a complex relationship that, in the end, helps her fulfill the prophecy. Her heroic journey comes full circle, and she finds internal peace as well as peace for her people. While the story has roots in traditional fairy tales and legends, the author has crafted something new and magical, and unexpected plot twists will surprise readers throughout. Lord Faul and Rosalind, whose personality is a fantastic combination of Joan of Arc, Briar Rose, and Patricia Wrede's Princess Cimarron, develop so well as characters that readers will be touched by them. Devotees of fantasy adventure stories will certainly find treasure here.-Cheri Dobbs, Detroit Country Day Middle School, Beverly Hills, MI (c) Copyright 2010. Library Journals LLC, a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.

(c) Copyright Library Journals LLC, a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.

---

Review by Horn Book Review

Prophesied to restore the family name and ""end war with the wave of her hand,"" Princess Rosalind (a descendant of King Arthur's sister Evaine) hides a terrible secret: her left ring finger is a dragon talon. Fantasy fans will whip through this engrossing tale of first love, a mother's deception, and life with a dragon family. (c) Copyright 2010. The Horn Book, Inc., a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted. All rights reserved.

(c) Copyright The Horn Book, Inc., a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.

---

Review by Kirkus Book Review

In 1145, on Wilde Island, Rosalind counts the days by the saints and once a week has her mother the queen trim the dragon claw that is the third finger of her left hand. Told in the first person, Rosie's story unfolds slowly. Her mother has kept Rosie's claw hidden from the dragon-ravaged populace, always wearing golden gloves so her daughter's will not be questioned. The dragon comes to feed as dragons do, and is slaughtered by Lord Godrick and his son Kye. The dragon's mate, however, comes to rescue his eggs and takes Rosalind as servant to tend them. Rose learns from the dragons, believing that the key to her birthright is found in the children's chant, "Bright fire. Dragon's fire. Broken sword. One black talon ends the war!" Wonderfully imagined dragon lore and an elegant backstory connection to the Arthur Pendragon legend are woven with rich strands of mother/daughter, child/nursemaid, friend/companion resonance, and the dark-skinned, blue-eyed half-Muslim Kye is a worthy hero. The weakly melodramatic climax is the only flaw, and it's balanced by a sweet dnouement. (Fantasy. YA) Copyright ©Kirkus Reviews, used with permission.

Copyright (c) Kirkus Reviews, used with permission.

---

CHAPTER ONEThe Queens KnifeWILDE ISLAND AD 1145MOTHER PULLED OUT HER KNIFE. We were alone in her solar.Its time, she said. Give me your hand.I drew back. Its not yet Sunday eve.Were together, Rosalind, and the doors well locked.Tomorrow.Tonight. Then softening her voice she said, Come, Rosie, take off your gloves.Her blade flashed in the firelight and sent a russet glow across the room. She was ready for the ritual. I dreaded it.Take yours off first.Mother placed her knife on the table and bared her hands. Queen Gweneths fingers were finely tapered as candles, her skin milky as the moon. It was a shame for her to wear golden gloves, but shed donned them at my birth to protect me, and worn them ever since.Now you, Rosie.I bit my lip as she removed my right glove. Pretty hand that never saw the sun; the skin was soft and creamy not unlike her own. Mother kissed it. Then taking my other hand in hers, she peeled away the left glove. None but Mother and myself knew what hid underneath.My throat tightened as we looked at my fourth finger. The horny flesh. Blue-green and scaly as a lizards hide. Claw of the beast with a black curving talon at the end.I rubbed the scar at the base of my claw. A wound Id made myself the night of Nells witch burning. With her cunning craft Nell had lured folk into the woods and fed them to the dragon. Of this she was accused, and too she had a devils mark on her back. Id seen the mark myself before they burned herit was nothing compared to mine.With Cooks sharp knife Id stolen to my room to try to cut off my cursed part. The wound was deep and the blood had drenched my kirtle before Mother caught me.The queen was peering at my claw now, working her face to hold back a sickened sneer, but with all her trying, her lip still tightened. The sorrow of it, she whispered. That it should be your wedding finger.No man would marry me unless he was a leper.Rosie. Dont say such things.Then say it isnt true.Mother pulled out her silver vial, sipped the poppy potion, and closed her eyes. The fire crackled. When the lines around her eyes and mouth grew smooth she capped the bottle and set her jaw. Now.I hid my hand behind my back. It will hurt.Ill cut with care. Tugging my wrist close, she used her knife to peel the black talon as a fletcher sharpens an arrow.Curled bits of hard black nail fell to the floor. Sparks flew and a trail of smoke rose as she trimmed the nail. It was a wonder wed shaken our heads at. For what kind of talon hides a spark?Scrape. Scrape. I closed my eyes and smelled the odor of ground bone and, stranger still, a scent of rusted metal. The stench filled me with shame.I waited for her to finish, taking slow breaths to calm myself. Then I felt a sharp prick.Too close to the quick! I drew back and blinked away the tears.Done, said Mother, sweeping the broken bits of nail into her hand and tossing them in the fire.Gently now, she slid my golden gloves back on and put her cool hand on my c Excerpted from Dragon's Keep by Janet Lee Carey All rights reserved by the original copyright owners. Excerpts are provided for display purposes only and may not be reproduced, reprinted or distributed without the written permission of the publisher.

---