I received this book through GoodRead's First Reads program in exchange for an honest review.

[book: Dragontamer's Daghters, Part 1: Pearl|15755116] is certainly an interesting book. [author: Kenton Kilgore|6443365] has created a world not all that unlike our own - one full of vast empires and indigenous peoples. It's full of strange traditions, of odd technology, all the while mimicking so much of the Old West that I wouldn't be surprised if the language spoken by the Dihneh is actually Navajo - it certainly bears more than a passing resemblance to it. In short, this is quite unlike any fantasy novel I've yet picked up. [author: Kenton Kilgore|6443365] has done rather a good job of bucking the typical fantasy trends.

Juanita lives with her nanny To-Ho-Ne and her two daughters Isabella and Alijandra in a small hogan out in the Indigenous people's territory. Her husband left a while ago to find a dragon to tame and sell, an activity that seems to be less than admired by many of the people in this empire. Why her husband is suddenly wanted dead or alive is unknown, but so far his quest has brought no success. After a terrible storm, Bella and Ali find a wounded dragon, but it is unlike any dragon native to their area. Together with the rest of the family they begin nursing it back to health, and while doing so, discover some rather strange abilities this dragon seems to have...

This is the first part of a two-book series, and as such, seems to be laying the groundwork for rather a lot that is to come. For the most part, the book is slow-moving. It gives you time to really absorb the world and begin to get used to it, to start to wonder without giving too much away. The writing style is similarly slow, and it took me a while to get into it. That having been said, by the end I was invested in the characters, however frustrating some were to me. In particular, I think [author: Kenton Kilgore|6443365] deserves rather a lot of praise for having written little girls extremely well. Both Isabella and Alijandra are extremely believable, as is their mother and To-Ho-Ne's reactions to them when they are less than good.

This book is interesting, and shows a lot of promise. While the pace could use improving, it becomes charming when delved into deeply enough. I could easily see myself getting absorbed by this book when I was younger, though I know some children might balk at the lack of traditional action. I liked the setting, the characters, and the extensive borrowing from cultures commonly not represented in such novels. I look forward to reading the second part soon. ( )