3.75 stars
Dragon Cursed was such a fun, fast-paced YA fantasy that immediately throws you into the action and never really slows down. Between dragons, deadly trials, political intrigue, and a fascinating magic system, I found myself flying through the pages.
One of my favorite aspects was definitely the world-building. The magic system is unique and easy to follow while still leaving plenty of mysteries to uncover, and the dragon lore kept me invested throughout. I also loved how the story isn't just about dragons. Beneath the fantasy elements lies a clear commentary on power, corruption, and the dangers of systems built by people who are only interested in protecting their own authority. The way religion, politics, and fear are weaponized against the people felt surprisingly relevant and added a lot of depth to the story.
The world itself is incredibly cruel. The trials the characters are forced to endure are brutal, and there were several moments where I genuinely wondered how anyone was supposed to survive them. That constant sense of danger kept the stakes high and made the victories feel earned.
The plot is packed with reveals and twists that kept me engaged from beginning to end. While I managed to predict some of the bigger reveals—including the ending—but seeing how everything unfolded was still satisfying.
Lucan was probably the character I felt for the most. His past is undeniably tragic, and I appreciated how much it shaped the person he became. At the same time, parts of his backstory felt a little familiar to me. Some parts of his backstory I won't name because otherwise I'd spoil some pretty emotional scenes were very familiar, and I found myself predicting several of his reveals fairly early on. Even so, I still enjoyed his character and the emotional weight he brought to the story.
Dragon Cursed was such a fun, fast-paced YA fantasy that immediately throws you into the action and never really slows down. Between dragons, deadly trials, political intrigue, and a fascinating magic system, I found myself flying through the pages.
One of my favorite aspects was definitely the world-building. The magic system is unique and easy to follow while still leaving plenty of mysteries to uncover, and the dragon lore kept me invested throughout. I also loved how the story isn't just about dragons. Beneath the fantasy elements lies a clear commentary on power, corruption, and the dangers of systems built by people who are only interested in protecting their own authority. The way religion, politics, and fear are weaponized against the people felt surprisingly relevant and added a lot of depth to the story.
The world itself is incredibly cruel. The trials the characters are forced to endure are brutal, and there were several moments where I genuinely wondered how anyone was supposed to survive them. That constant sense of danger kept the stakes high and made the victories feel earned.
The plot is packed with reveals and twists that kept me engaged from beginning to end. While I managed to predict some of the bigger reveals—including the ending—but seeing how everything unfolded was still satisfying.
Lucan was probably the character I felt for the most. His past is undeniably tragic, and I appreciated how much it shaped the person he became. At the same time, parts of his backstory felt a little familiar to me. Some parts of his backstory I won't name because otherwise I'd spoil some pretty emotional scenes were very familiar, and I found myself predicting several of his reveals fairly early on. Even so, I still enjoyed his character and the emotional weight he brought to the story.