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reydeam's review against another edition
3.0
I am a fan of Susanna Kearsley's storytelling abilities no matter the story. I aways come away from her books satisfied. Some books I enjoyed more than others, but all were enjoyed. What draws me in? The characters. Then it is the storyline, the intermingling of a historical past with the modern present. Named of the Dragon is no exception.
I definitely came away from Named of the Dragon thinking it was a good book. I liked the characters, especially Lyn and Gareth. I liked their relationship and how it unfolds. My problem with the book is that I just did not connect with the historical aspect. This time around, the blending of past and present struck out. I think it was the dreams, and how they entwined into the conscious day – it was murky and muddled even though suspenseful. It is not an element that works for me. And because I couldn't make the connection with Lyn's dreams, the historical aspects felt week. Bringing the historical past into the present life is usually something I love, it rings a bell for me, but not this time. Even so, there is enough story in the present time that I found myself invested in the characters—not all of them but enough.
The ending? I feel as if the story just wasn't complete, but yet, the relationship between Gareth and Lyn was satisfying. Ultimately, the writing style simply agrees with my reading style and preference.
Bottom line: I liked Named of the Dragon but didn't love it. It is not my favorite Kearsley story but it is also not my least favorite. It is a good an enjoyable story even with the issues I had.
~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~
My book thoughts were also posted on my blog, Polishing Mud Balls.
https://polishingmudballs.wordpress.com/2016/06/14/book-thoughts-named-of-the-dragon-by-susanna-kearsley/
I definitely came away from Named of the Dragon thinking it was a good book. I liked the characters, especially Lyn and Gareth. I liked their relationship and how it unfolds. My problem with the book is that I just did not connect with the historical aspect. This time around, the blending of past and present struck out. I think it was the dreams, and how they entwined into the conscious day – it was murky and muddled even though suspenseful. It is not an element that works for me. And because I couldn't make the connection with Lyn's dreams, the historical aspects felt week. Bringing the historical past into the present life is usually something I love, it rings a bell for me, but not this time. Even so, there is enough story in the present time that I found myself invested in the characters—not all of them but enough.
The ending? I feel as if the story just wasn't complete, but yet, the relationship between Gareth and Lyn was satisfying. Ultimately, the writing style simply agrees with my reading style and preference.
Bottom line: I liked Named of the Dragon but didn't love it. It is not my favorite Kearsley story but it is also not my least favorite. It is a good an enjoyable story even with the issues I had.
~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~
My book thoughts were also posted on my blog, Polishing Mud Balls.
https://polishingmudballs.wordpress.com/2016/06/14/book-thoughts-named-of-the-dragon-by-susanna-kearsley/
jmrprice's review against another edition
4.0
So many enjoyable characters - love how prior characters and story arcs are deftly woven throughout.
orinoco450's review against another edition
emotional
mysterious
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
kathydavie's review against another edition
5.0
A standalone fictional novel revolving around Lyn Ravenshaw, a literary agent mourning the loss of her baby five years ago. Takes place in Angle, Pembrokeshire in South Wales.
This ARC was sent to me by NetGalley and Sourcebooks Landmark for an honest review.
My Take
Named of the Dragon was beautifully done, although I didn't get a real sense of it being Christmas. Oh, the words were there, but I wasn't feelin' it. I suspect most of what I did feel was a blend of my own memories of Christmases in England, the cloudy sense of day, of old English houses with the fire chasing down the chill, the warren of passages, the kitchen clutter, and the village streets. The real purpose, however, yeah, that I felt.
It was mostly curiosity as to how things would turn out for Elen and Stevie, what the dream means for Lyn, how the King Arthur legends tied in…the real purpose of the story.
And then the results of those dreams…I never saw that one coming. I was all set for the fantastical, the paranormal, only to be pulled into the catholic.
It's fascinating to read a story and pick up on the background details like the red and the white dragon that I remember from Nicole Peeler's Jane True series and then G.A. Aiken's Cadwaladr from her Dragon Kin series. Kearsley reminds me that authors pick up inspiration from everywhere, and that history is a rich mine of materials.
I kept laughing inside as Lyn dragged out that tour of Pembroke Castle, lol. And I cannot blame Lyn one bit at all for torturing Gareth.
It's a slow, lazy read as the holidays slip from one day to the next, presenting opportunities to get to know people, to learn their fears and dreams, to explore the area, and to set the stage. When it comes, it's abrupt and will shake up your mind. For you will never have expected what comes.
The Story
Although it goes against her workaholic nature, literary agent Lyn Ravenshaw lets herself be whisked off to Wales for the Christmas holidays by her star client, flamboyant children's author Bridget Cooper. She suspects Bridget has ulterior motives, but the lure of South Wales with its castles and myths and the change of scene will bring relief from the nightmares that have plagued her since the death of her child.
But the dreams continue. With a twist, when an eccentric young widow thinks Lyn is her baby's protector.
Before she can escape her nightmares, she must uncover the secret of these new dreams, from a long ago time that may not be that far away…
The Characters
Lyn Ravenshaw is a literary agent for the Simon Holland Agency in London, haunted by the death of her baby, Justin. Her husband, Martin Blake, had been a novelist before he died. Patrick is her brother, and he and his wife live in Vancouver, Canada, where they both protest to their hearts' content.
Bridget Cooper is a self-absorbed writer with her best selling Lalandrah series. She claims she's not an author! James Swift is Bridget's current boyfriend and a brilliant writer — Lyn thinks he's "the closest thing to literary genius". Christopher is his younger brother who sells antiques in his shop in Bath.
Angle, Pembrokeshire…
…is where Lyn will be spending Christmas. Gareth Gwyn Morgan is a famous (and reclusive) playwright who wrote Red Dragon Rising who lives in what locals still call Auntie Frances' cottage. Chance is his dog; Sovereign is his horse.
Elen Vaughan, a free spirit without a spiteful word for anyone, is Uncle Ralph's tenant; she rents the other end of the trio of houses, East House. Tony was Elen's husband. Stevie is her little boy.
Uncle Ralph and Auntie Pam own Castle Farm; they're really old friends of the Swifts' mother, but the Swifts have all known them for years. They spend time with their daughter up in Yorkshire. Owen is a fellow farmer who looks after the animals when they're gone; James minds the house. Dilys is Owen's wife, a woman with very firm opinions.
Margaret is the blue-gowned woman in the dream.
London
Lewis is Lyn's assistant. Graham is one of Lyn's co-workers; he works in the film and television rights department. Julia Beckett is a brilliant illustrator. Ivor Whitcomb is the "Goliath of the London literary scene" and a major jerk. He's currently James' agent.
The Cover and Title
The cover is peaceful with its pale blue sky framed in clouds with Lyn's dark brown hair floating down the back of her cream fisherman's sweater as she sits on a rocky wall, facing away from us and looking over the fields to the sea, the ruined castle of Pembroke in the distance. There's a ragged black edge thinly creating a border on the top and sides that reinforce the feel of looking in.
The title is the fear, a dream of being Named of the Dragon, and the warnings it presents.
This ARC was sent to me by NetGalley and Sourcebooks Landmark for an honest review.
My Take
Named of the Dragon was beautifully done, although I didn't get a real sense of it being Christmas. Oh, the words were there, but I wasn't feelin' it. I suspect most of what I did feel was a blend of my own memories of Christmases in England, the cloudy sense of day, of old English houses with the fire chasing down the chill, the warren of passages, the kitchen clutter, and the village streets. The real purpose, however, yeah, that I felt.
It was mostly curiosity as to how things would turn out for Elen and Stevie, what the dream means for Lyn, how the King Arthur legends tied in…the real purpose of the story.
And then the results of those dreams…I never saw that one coming. I was all set for the fantastical, the paranormal, only to be pulled into the catholic.
"'God, no. Horrible things, scruples,' she said, with a shudder. 'They get in the way of my fun.'"I do like that Bridget can actually be concerned where it counts.
"And it only took four tries to make the penny come up tails."It's an interesting introduction to James Swift. I had been expecting a rakish man prone to flirting, eating, and drinking, but Kearsley doesn't follow through on this. He's actually much better, and very, lol, underhanded…in a good way. He will lead a lively dance.
Even more interesting is how Kearsley sets us up to believe that Bridget is the key, but in truth, she's the key who turns the lock that opens the door to the real purpose of the story: Lyn's future. Lyn has so much to get past. And Kearsley slips and slides it all in under cover of Bridget's desires, James' indifference, Christopher's and Gareth's competing interests, and Lyn as the pivot around which it all spins.Did'ja know there's a difference between writers and authors? Oh, aye…
"Authors are rarefied creatures … who write serious fiction.'
'And writers…'
'Write books people buy.'"
"Originality [is] not a team pursuit, and any story worth the telling grew in solitude."Oh, lordy, I did enjoy Christopher's comment over lunch at Owen and Dily's place about their son, and his…how many was that?…wife. And Dilys never picked up on it, although Owen had a snicker about it.
It's fascinating to read a story and pick up on the background details like the red and the white dragon that I remember from Nicole Peeler's Jane True series and then G.A. Aiken's Cadwaladr from her Dragon Kin series. Kearsley reminds me that authors pick up inspiration from everywhere, and that history is a rich mine of materials.
I kept laughing inside as Lyn dragged out that tour of Pembroke Castle, lol. And I cannot blame Lyn one bit at all for torturing Gareth.
It's a slow, lazy read as the holidays slip from one day to the next, presenting opportunities to get to know people, to learn their fears and dreams, to explore the area, and to set the stage. When it comes, it's abrupt and will shake up your mind. For you will never have expected what comes.
The Story
Although it goes against her workaholic nature, literary agent Lyn Ravenshaw lets herself be whisked off to Wales for the Christmas holidays by her star client, flamboyant children's author Bridget Cooper. She suspects Bridget has ulterior motives, but the lure of South Wales with its castles and myths and the change of scene will bring relief from the nightmares that have plagued her since the death of her child.
But the dreams continue. With a twist, when an eccentric young widow thinks Lyn is her baby's protector.
Before she can escape her nightmares, she must uncover the secret of these new dreams, from a long ago time that may not be that far away…
The Characters
Lyn Ravenshaw is a literary agent for the Simon Holland Agency in London, haunted by the death of her baby, Justin. Her husband, Martin Blake, had been a novelist before he died. Patrick is her brother, and he and his wife live in Vancouver, Canada, where they both protest to their hearts' content.
Bridget Cooper is a self-absorbed writer with her best selling Lalandrah series. She claims she's not an author! James Swift is Bridget's current boyfriend and a brilliant writer — Lyn thinks he's "the closest thing to literary genius". Christopher is his younger brother who sells antiques in his shop in Bath.
Angle, Pembrokeshire…
…is where Lyn will be spending Christmas. Gareth Gwyn Morgan is a famous (and reclusive) playwright who wrote Red Dragon Rising who lives in what locals still call Auntie Frances' cottage. Chance is his dog; Sovereign is his horse.
Elen Vaughan, a free spirit without a spiteful word for anyone, is Uncle Ralph's tenant; she rents the other end of the trio of houses, East House. Tony was Elen's husband. Stevie is her little boy.
Uncle Ralph and Auntie Pam own Castle Farm; they're really old friends of the Swifts' mother, but the Swifts have all known them for years. They spend time with their daughter up in Yorkshire. Owen is a fellow farmer who looks after the animals when they're gone; James minds the house. Dilys is Owen's wife, a woman with very firm opinions.
Margaret is the blue-gowned woman in the dream.
London
Lewis is Lyn's assistant. Graham is one of Lyn's co-workers; he works in the film and television rights department. Julia Beckett is a brilliant illustrator. Ivor Whitcomb is the "Goliath of the London literary scene" and a major jerk. He's currently James' agent.
The Cover and Title
The cover is peaceful with its pale blue sky framed in clouds with Lyn's dark brown hair floating down the back of her cream fisherman's sweater as she sits on a rocky wall, facing away from us and looking over the fields to the sea, the ruined castle of Pembroke in the distance. There's a ragged black edge thinly creating a border on the top and sides that reinforce the feel of looking in.
The title is the fear, a dream of being Named of the Dragon, and the warnings it presents.
illusie's review against another edition
3.0
I like Susanna Kearsley's books, but this one disappointed me. While I enjoyed it, not everything made sense and the plot had elements that were far-fetched. This took away from the enjoyment, hence the 3 stars.
laculbute's review against another edition
emotional
mysterious
relaxing
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? N/A
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
3.0
frostbitsky's review against another edition
hopeful
mysterious
sad
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? N/A
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
3.5
I'm a fan of Susanna Kearsley's novels and I'm slowly making my way through them. This is an older one, published in 1998.
I enjoyed it, yet did not love it like I love The Winter Sea and The Vanished Days. It was very light on the history and more focused on the present. The folklore was a metaphor and the mystery had a real world explanation, which I did not expect. Although it was odd and I was not too bothered by it, it was missing some magic.
I loved the part of the story where the young widows, Lyn and Elen, were bonding. Although I wouldn't recommend this novel to new mothersbecause Lyn lost her son when he was a few days old and then baby Stevie is almost kidnapped and sold on the back market. Trigger warning for new moms.
I found it amusing that the Welsh witch Rhiannon was mentioned and Elen's son is named Stevie. If you know, you know.
I liked all the castle hopping and now I want to visit St. Govern in Wales to count the steps.
Why I gave it a 3.5 out of 5 is that:
1) like I mentioned above some of the magic was missing and
2) the romance was not as strong as the other novels I read from her. I wasn't shipping Lyn and Gareth strongly.
3) the supporting characters were mediocre and bit one dimensional. Bridget was... there's no nice way to say a hussy.
Since this is an earlier novel I can see how Susanna's writing skill grows so I don't want to be too harsh. I did enjoy the story. I just didn't love it, and I didn't cry like I did when I read The Winter Sea.
3.5 out of 5 Dragons.
I enjoyed it, yet did not love it like I love The Winter Sea and The Vanished Days. It was very light on the history and more focused on the present. The folklore was a metaphor and the mystery had a real world explanation, which I did not expect. Although it was odd and I was not too bothered by it, it was missing some magic.
I loved the part of the story where the young widows, Lyn and Elen, were bonding. Although I wouldn't recommend this novel to new mothers
I found it amusing that the Welsh witch Rhiannon was mentioned and Elen's son is named Stevie. If you know, you know.
I liked all the castle hopping and now I want to visit St. Govern in Wales to count the steps.
Why I gave it a 3.5 out of 5 is that:
1) like I mentioned above some of the magic was missing and
2) the romance was not as strong as the other novels I read from her. I wasn't shipping Lyn and Gareth strongly.
3) the supporting characters were mediocre and bit one dimensional. Bridget was... there's no nice way to say a hussy.
Since this is an earlier novel I can see how Susanna's writing skill grows so I don't want to be too harsh. I did enjoy the story. I just didn't love it, and I didn't cry like I did when I read The Winter Sea.
3.5 out of 5 Dragons.
holl3640's review
emotional
mysterious
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
3.75
shareen17's review against another edition
3.0
After you've read a few books of Susanna Kearsley's, you know what you're getting: atmosphere, competent female lead, light suspense, very light romance, probably something supernatural (think time travel, prophetic dreams over vampires or werewolves or such) - all in a beautiful setting. This one is set in beautiful Wales. I always enjoy Kearsley's books, but would have liked a little more development of both the climax and the relationship (you can't even call it a romance, it's so barely there).
being_b's review against another edition
3.0
Lots of gorgeous writing about long rambling walks along the sea and moors-- and not much else.