2/04/2016

Talon by Julie Kagawa

This book is the first one that I´ve ever read by Julie Kagawa. When I saw the cover of the German edition, I was hooked right away – and hadn´t even read a single line about the content of the novel. Usually, I am not a fan of green, especially not of the bright green that was used for the cover, but in this case, combined with the yellow, orange and blue, it looks great. But I am not sure if I would´ve chosen it as “want to read” if I´d known who that cover motive shows … The Talon Saga is a well-written story about Ember Hill and her twin brother Dante – both dragons. Dragons that grew up in a place that was far away from any human civilization. A place where they had to learn how to move and live among humans without getting caught for what they are.

Talon*

by Julia Kagawa
The Talon Saga #1
Publisher Harlequin Teen on November 1, 2014
Genre Young People 13+
Pages 464
Format Hardcover
Source Publisher
Goodreads

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Long ago, dragons were hunted to near extinction by the Order of St. George, a legendary society of dragon slayers. Hiding in human form and growing their numbers in secret, the dragons of Talon have become strong and cunning, and they're positioned to take over the world with humans none the wiser. Ember and Dante Hill are the only sister and brother known to dragon kind. Trained to infiltrate society, Ember wants to live the teen experience and enjoy a summer of freedom before taking her destined place in Talon. But destiny is a matter of perspective, and a rogue dragon will soon challenge everything Ember has been taught. As Ember struggles to accept her future, she and her brother are hunted by the Order of St. George. Soldier Garret Xavier Sebastian has a mission to seek and destroy all dragons, and Talon's newest recruits in particular. But he cannot kill unless he is certain he has found his prey—and nothing is certain about Ember Hill. Faced with Ember's bravery, confidence and all-too-human desires, Garret begins to question everything that the Order has ingrained in him—and what he might be willing to give up to find the truth about dragons.

Story

The story starts with their journey to a small town in California, their place for the summer. One summer where they can do whatever they want, sleep long, no training and no one who will tell them what to do and when to do it – at least that´s what Ember thought. But when they arrive, they get told, that there are rules … again! Strict rules and after a little while Ember gets sick of all those rules. So she does what every nice and well-behaved young girl does: she revolts in her very own ways.

Style

Julie Kagawa shows Ember´s way of acting in a wonderful way. Her style is clear, the story is told by Ember from her point of view and you believe it from the first second that she isn´t human. ´Cause for that she has too many questions in her head. From the beginning, I had the awkward feeling that I wouldn´t get warm with Dante. And I was right. What he does, what he becomes I don´t agree with at all. So Ember and Dante start their summer life with their “new” relatives and have within no time to deal with a totally different plan of things. Things that no one thought to happen. 

Characters

Ember loves, like every dragon, everything that sparkles. If you wanna make her really happy, you give her a sparkling something – who needs lots of shoes anyways?! So it doesn´t take long when she and her new girlfriends go shopping, that she is fascinated by the window of a jewelry store. All those wonderful diamonds ….

But the world of humans has a lot more to offer. Her new teacher is an ice-cold and reckless bitch who doesn´t give a damn if she needs an entire day to learn her lesson. She tortures Ember like no one else, and when Ember finally gets to know that she´s chosen to become a Viper, she learns the real truth about her cruel teacher.

Ember is a wild girl, in every imaginable way. Oh don´t get me wrong, she does what she´s told to do. She trains very hard every day, she learns anything she has to learn about the humans and she is a good sister to her twin brother Dante. But when she´s free to live among real humans to study them up close and personal, she finally sees a chance to let herself go and have some real fun. Fun that includes two totally different young man – both of them makes her want them.

The dark one - Riley - wakes her inner dragon and wants to be her mate, the younger one – Garret - wakes up her human female body. Both of them are forbidden to her, and when she sees with her own eyes who Garret really is, she has to choose between her own kind and being a human.

Conclusion

Talon reminded me in some ways of Sophie Jordan´s Firelight Trilogy – somehow familiar but on the other hand totally different from it. Good, the story isn´t completely new, but well written and reading pleasure for sure. I can recommend it.

Happy reading










*I read the German edition by Heyne fliegt on October 5, 2015

Julie Kagawa

Julie Kagawa was born in Sacramento, CA. She moved to Hawaii at the age of nine. There she learned many things; how to bodyboard, that teachers scream when you put centipedes in their desks, and that writing stories in math class is a great way to kill time. Her teachers were glad to see her graduate. Julie now lives in Louisville, KY, with her husband and furkids. She is the international and NY bestselling author of The Iron Fey series.

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