10/26/2023

Die Geschichtenwandler-Steinerne Drachen by Kristen Perrin

It was the plot, that made me want this book. Dragons are always a good idea for a story. So why not here, too? Well, it reminded me a lot of the famous gargoyles and there wasn't much left to bring them to life, but in the end, Enna's best friend Delia manages to do something new with it. The story about the dragons at the end of the book sounded rather tense and action-filled than the rest of the novel. Good, it's a bit too brutal, for my taste, but apparently, today’s kids want that.

Die Geschichtenwandler-Steinerne Drachen*

by Kristen Perrin
Die Geschichtenwandler Trilogy #2
Translation Fabienne Pfeiffer
Illustration Helge Vogt
Publisher Fischer Sauerländer on September 27, 2023
Genre Children 11+
Pages 370
Format Hardcover
Source Fischer Sauerländer
Goodreads
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Whoever awakens a dragon awakens the power of stories.

Enna has inherited the magic of green ink - and as the youngest member of the secret society of story shifters, she has already saved London from destruction once. Then she suddenly encounters a whole new kind of magic. At the market she watches a dragon rise from the steam of a pan - and is lured by a strange boy. And this isn't the only dragon to come to life. What is this mysterious dragon magic all about? Can Enna win the battle with the dragons? And can the story shifters help with their magic? (personal translation by ©Vi at Inkvotary)

Story

Enna sees dragons in London. But how is that possible? And when Enna discovers that Delia is now having magic of her own, she discovers that jealousy isn´t a nice feeling. And why is her grandmother always on a trip when she needs her? Enna is looking for answers. But will she find them, and if yes, will it be in time to save Londen.

Style

This time the writing style is simple and clear, and I like it. The book tells the story of dragons. Basically, how we imagine dragons to be. Only here, in London, do petrified dragons suddenly come to life. Enna has lost her magic, and the story-changer society has also become a very tired society. And yet there is a lot of humor, irony, and repartee between the lines. The story itself reads well this time and is well done. Well, in places I would have liked a little more oomph and less filler between the pages, but people can't have everything. And again, the book is printed in green. Both the map and the novel itself. Sometimes a bit tiring to read.

Characters

Enna has changed. Since she lost her magic and accidentally discovered a dragon in a market, she has to learn that this time it's not her who has the magic, but her friend Delia. And she shows her often enough that it is not Enna who is in control and therefore has the reins in her hand, but she. If Enna doesn't really fit, Delia holds a clear mirror in front of her face. And it's not pretty.

Conclusion

This story is much more rounded and exciting compared to Volume 1. Still very dark and at times very brutal. Nice, the action-packed pages make the story very entertaining, but the tone is rather monotonous and dull. And the events towards the end of the novel are quite brutal. But as always, just read it for yourself and form your own opinion.

Happy reading

*This book was kindly provided to me by Fischer Sauerländer in exchange for an honest and unbiased review. Thank you.

Deutsche Rezension

Stil

Der Schreibstil ist diesmal einfach und klar und gefällt mir. Das Buch erzählt die Geschichte von Drachen. Im Grunde so, wie wir uns Drachen vorstellen. Nur hier, in London, erwachen versteinerte Drachen urplötzlich zum Leben. Enna hat ihre Magie verloren und auch sonst ist die Geschichtenwandler Gesellschaft eine reichlich müde Society geworden. Und dennoch gibt es jede Menge Humor, Ironie und Schlagfertigkeit zwischen den Zeilen. Auch die Story selbst liest sich diesmal rund und gelungen. Gut, stellenweise hätte ich mir etwas mehr Schwung und weniger Füllmaterial zwischen den Seiten gewünscht, aber der Mensch kann nicht alles haben. Und erneut ist das Buch in Grün gedruckt. Sowohl die Karte als auch der Roman selbst. Manchmal etwas anstrengend beim Lesen.

Charaktere

Enna hat sich verändert. Seit sie ihre Magie verloren hat und per Zufall einen Drachen auf einem Markt entdeckt, muss sie lernen, dass diesmal nicht sie das Mädchen mit der Magie ist, sondern ihre Freundin Delia. Und die zeigt ihr oft genug, dass es jetzt nicht Enna ist, die die Kontrolle und somit die Zügel in der Hand hat, sondern sie. Passt Enna nicht wirklich, hält ihr Delia doch einen deutlichen Spiegel vor das Gesicht. Und der ist nicht schön.

Resultat

Diese Geschichte ist wesentlich runder und spannender im Vergleich zu Band 1. Trotzdem sehr dunkel und stellenweise auch sehr brutal. Schön, die actionreichen Seiten machen die Geschichte sehr unterhaltsam, aber der Tonfall ist eher monoton und trübe. Und die Ereignisse gegen Ende des Romans sind doch reichlich brutal. Aber wie immer gilt, einfach selbst lesen und eigenes Urteil bilden.

Kristen Perrin

Kristen Perrin is originally from Seattle, USA, where she spent several years working as a bookseller before immigrating to the UK to do a Masters and PhD. She is passionate about children's literature while also working on projects for different age groups, from picture books to young adult books - anything that could be funny, magical, or mysterious. She lives with her family in Surrey, southern England, where she enjoys browsing antique shops, stamping in the mud with her two children, and collecting too many plants.

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