Synopsis:
It begins and ends, as things do, with a girl throwing a birthday party for a dragon. Or it would, if things were ever that simple.
Generations ago, the Inquisition of the Priory of the Thrice-Dead Prophet decided that dragons were a great evil and it was their duty to banish them from the land of Nóra. The dragons weren’t (they just grew tired of the bother and migrated north), and the Inquisition didn’t (they just pretended otherwise), but that’s beside the point.
Though evidence of dragons still existed, it remained within the realm of smugglers, ne’er-do-wells, and people with too much time and money on their hands…until a hatching egg finds its way into the hands of a young girl named Ailís.
Now, with the first newborn dragon seen in generations in her company, Ailís finds herself beset by merchants, brigands, Inquisitors, and a greedy governor, and all she wants to do is throw a birthday party for her dragon.
And you thought planning a party for your kids was tough.
Review:
This was an all-around fun read (and one I think will work for just about any age group.) It’s low-stakes and cozy with a bit of humor, and was just the escape I needed right now.
Our main character is Ailís, an 11-year-old girl with a lot of energy and a mischievous streak a mile wide. It is Ailís who finds the dragon egg and takes it home, and somehow manages to convince her mother to let her keep it. But keeping a dragon in a land run by the Inquisition isn’t easy.
The Inquisition sounds more intimidating than it actually is. They’re supposed to oversee the laws regarding “draconic items” and remove them from the area. But the Inquisition doesn’t employ the brightest of individuals, and much of the book’s humor is at the Inquisition’s expense. They’re the bumbling fool sort of “villains” (I use that term very loosely here, because they’re not very good at it, amusingly so.)
Ailís’ story leads her away from her home town as she decides to keep her newly hatched dragon and is determined against all odds to throw him a proper birthday party. Her family goes with her, and it’s the family dynamic in this book that really made the story shine. Ailís’ mother has her hands full with her kids, our main character most of all, but it’s clear from the beginning that she loves them and will do anything for them (even when they are the cause of her headaches.) Ailís’ younger brother is much more reserved and prefers books to people, but he doesn’t say no to being party to his sister’s mischief.
Upscaled is the first book in the series, and while Ailís’ story isn’t finished here, this book wraps up in a satisfying enough fashion that I think it can act as a standalone. It’s a fun one, so if you’re also looking for an escape right now, check it out.
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