Book Review – McCaffrey, Anne. “Dragonsinger” (1977)

Quality 5.0 / 5.0
Gay Content 0.0 / 5.0

I adore this novel. It’s a short, easy read, and I read it whenever I feel sad, lonely, or somehow distressed.

It’s the tale of Menolly, who wants to be a Harper (like a bard) in a world where Harpers are all men. After the events of the first book in the series (“Dragonsong”), she finds herself at Harperhall. She must traverse the politics and her own naivete to find her place. Her nine Fire Lizards, which are like miniature dragons, complicate her adventure.

Menolly is a wonderfully engaging character, and the reader can easily relate to the trials and tribulations she endures. By the end, the reader is cheering for her!

The relatively brief novel benefits from precise and crisp prose. With a minimum of words, McCaffrey evokes vivid setting, character, and action. Perhaps because she is an old-school fantasy author, she does not succumb to the plague of over-writing so common in modern fantasy literature. A tone of hopefulness and adventure renders the book into an exciting and uplifting tale.

There is no gay content.