I saw dragons and I was hooked on the concept, but I didn’t realise that along the way I would grow to love the characters, especially the poorly mistreated and flawed heroine, Aimee and her dragon Jess.
Aimee Wood is a freak.
Born a half-albino, she’s been an outcast her whole life. When her family die she’s left alone in a city of people who hate and fear her. Desperate for somewhere to belong, she decides to risk the climb out of Kierell, and into the jagged mountains encircling the city.
Any girl who survives the climb can train to become a Sky Rider.
The women of the Sky Riders are elite warriors, protectors of the city and each bonded for life to their own dragon. If Aimee can complete the arduous training, and steal a dragon hatchling, she can become one of them. But making the climb has not dispelled the prejudice against her, and she must fight for her place.
As Aimee learns the skills of a dragon rider, she becomes more determined to belong. But dark rumours are spreading among the Sky Riders–tales of half-forgotten creatures with eyes of fire. If Aimee wants to become a Sky Rider and protect her city, she must learn to accept herself or risk losing everything she’s fought for.
So, what’s the book about? Aimee is different, and by different, I don’t mean she’s “not like other girls” in the romantic comedy sense of the word. She’s not a little bit clumsy, nor does she like to dress in quirky outfits, and listen to music that isn’t necessarily popular amongst her peers. Aimee was born with a skin condition that makes her look different. To the rest of the people living in her town, she is treated as an outcast, as though her condition is a plague that will curse their houses.
When her aunt and uncle, who have been caring for her since the death of her parents when she was just a baby, pass away from a virus, she is left completely alone in the world. All she’s ever wanted is to fit in and she has done her best, but no one wants to know. And when the Carpenters’ Guild kicks her out of the only home she knows, she doesn’t know what to do.
Her whole life she has dreamed of being a Sky Rider, a dragon-riding warrior. If she has the strength to climb the mountain and pass the harsh training then she is sure she will be accepted, because she will have accomplished something few manage.
Alone, isolated and homeless she sets off on her own mission. Though it’s harsh and dangerous Aimee isn’t about to give up, without this, she will have nothing.
The climb itself is described so well, the grazes, her fear. I could feel my heart in my throat as it seemed at points she was going to fall, but knowing she is the central protagonist of the story I knew she had to make it.
The first few chapters of the book give us an incredible insight into what makes Aimee tick. We know that she’s attracted to girls, but her crush on the heartless Nyanna is without hope. Nyanna, like other people in Kierell, avoids Aimee as though the markings on her skin are contagious. We also know that she absorbs information and that she talks a lot with the people who spend time with her. We also know that despite what is thrown at her, in some cases literally, she doesn’t give up easily and that she values loyalty and friendship because they aren’t something she has much experience of.
In this, the first novel of the series we witness Aimee conquer unimaginable difficulties, we see her heart get broken, and watch as she pushes through the pain and hurt to get close to people who constantly push her away.
Aimee is strong-willed, she is stubborn and despite the fact she is rebuffed at every turn, she doesn’t want to see these same people who reject and mock her getting hurt if she can prevent it.
Nothing is ever easy, and despite the fact that Aimee has managed to pass every test that has been thrown at her, she is still made to feel like an outcast. The other girls in training, Nathine and Hayetta have an understanding of the Sky Rider history that she has never been given and because no one allows her to get close enough, it’s as though even here she is never going to fit in.
For brief moments it feels as though she has found somewhere to be herself, she has found her first lover Lyrria, who is also their trainer and guide. But when pressed about their relationship it appears that Aimee is far more invested while for Lyrria she’s an amusement, someone to pass the time, but definitely not someone she can introduce to her family or friends. She is a secret!
This has a strong mythological theme, and due to the fact that the Sky Riders are a female-led and populated warrior group, it has a very Amazonian feel to it.
I really enjoyed the story development, in fact, I started reading on Sunday evening and at nearly 3 am on Monday morning I forced myself to put the book down with less than 100 pages to go so that I could go to sleep. Thank goodness I was on holiday.
The world that Law has created with its deep and balanced history, the empty warriors, the creation of the nation in which they live and the rules they all follow, as well as the traditions that they all enjoy is very different to the one that we live in. However, this doesn’t make it impossible for me, as a reader, to empathise with the characters. I may not be climbing a mountain, be the girl people treat like a pariah or be completely and utterly alone in the world, but the way that Aimee was written made it possible for me to understand how Aimee was feeling.
Having searched on Law’s socials, I have discovered that there are two prologues, one of which has already been published and another due to be released with the second book in the series. I think that these books are worth investing time in. Well-written, strong and well-developed characters and a plot that really pulls you in.
Pros
- Well-written
- Female-led
- Strong character development-focused plot
Cons
- The sequel isn’t already written
