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Dancing with Dragons
GOLD: 2024 INDEPENDENT PUBLISHER BOOK AWARDS (IPPYS), BEST FICTION, AUSTRALIA/NEW ZEALAND-AOTEAROA/PACIFIC RIM
SILVER: 2024 READER'S FAVORITE BOOK AWARD FOR LITERARY FICTION
GOLD: 2025 NAUTILUS BOOK AWARDS FOR YA 13yrs to 19+READERS
SEMI-FINALIST 2024 THE BOOKLIFE PRIZE
BEDSIDE READING Winter 2025 BEST COVER AWARD, GENERAL FICTION
ZIBBY AWARDS (i) BEST BOOK FOR BEST FRIEND & (ii) BEST BOOK FOR ANIMAL LOVER
FINALIST: 2025 NEXT GENERATION INDIE BOOK AWARDS, BEST OVERALL DESIGN FOR PRINT BOOKS.
From Jenni Ogden, author of multiple-award-winning 'A Drop in the Ocean', comes another evocative story of friendship, coral reefs, and marine conservation for book-club readers.
It is the late 1970s and teenagers Gaia and her brother Bron live with their parents on their isolated property on Western Australia’s Coral Coast. Intensively trained for a career as a professional ballet dancer by her mother, once a Principal Dancer in the American Ballet Theatre, Gaia also loves snorkeling over the coral reef that borders their small market garden. Then comes a day that changes her life she discovers a rare pair of dramatically colored seadragons, their courtship dance over the coral spellbinding, and that night she loses her entire family and her dancing dream. Two years later she returns to the abandoned property, determined to live off the land. For years her only friends are the wild animals of the bush and reef, and Mary and Eddie, an Aboriginal couple who work for the racist farmer on the neighboring property — until one morning Jarrah, Mary’s 11-year-old orphaned nephew, is entranced when he sees Gaia dancing on the beach. As an unlikely friendship between these two lonely and scarred people deepens, they discover that when you lose everything the only way to survive is to open your heart.
SILVER: 2024 READER'S FAVORITE BOOK AWARD FOR LITERARY FICTION
GOLD: 2025 NAUTILUS BOOK AWARDS FOR YA 13yrs to 19+READERS
SEMI-FINALIST 2024 THE BOOKLIFE PRIZE
BEDSIDE READING Winter 2025 BEST COVER AWARD, GENERAL FICTION
ZIBBY AWARDS (i) BEST BOOK FOR BEST FRIEND & (ii) BEST BOOK FOR ANIMAL LOVER
FINALIST: 2025 NEXT GENERATION INDIE BOOK AWARDS, BEST OVERALL DESIGN FOR PRINT BOOKS.
From Jenni Ogden, author of multiple-award-winning 'A Drop in the Ocean', comes another evocative story of friendship, coral reefs, and marine conservation for book-club readers.
It is the late 1970s and teenagers Gaia and her brother Bron live with their parents on their isolated property on Western Australia’s Coral Coast. Intensively trained for a career as a professional ballet dancer by her mother, once a Principal Dancer in the American Ballet Theatre, Gaia also loves snorkeling over the coral reef that borders their small market garden. Then comes a day that changes her life she discovers a rare pair of dramatically colored seadragons, their courtship dance over the coral spellbinding, and that night she loses her entire family and her dancing dream. Two years later she returns to the abandoned property, determined to live off the land. For years her only friends are the wild animals of the bush and reef, and Mary and Eddie, an Aboriginal couple who work for the racist farmer on the neighboring property — until one morning Jarrah, Mary’s 11-year-old orphaned nephew, is entranced when he sees Gaia dancing on the beach. As an unlikely friendship between these two lonely and scarred people deepens, they discover that when you lose everything the only way to survive is to open your heart.
Kindle Edition
First published July 16, 2024
26 people are currently reading
1780 people want to read
About the author
Jenni Ogden
6 books320 followersReading and writing fiction is my passion, along with walking, swimming, reading and sleeping on beaches. Husband John and I live off-grid on spectacular Great Barrier Island, 100 kms off the coast of New Zealand, a perfect place to write, and we often spend time in Australia, preferably close to a coral reef. My latest novel, 'Dancing with Dragons' the winner of the 2024 GOLD Independent Publisher Book Awards for Fiction, Australia/New Zealand-Aotearoa/Pacific Rim, was published in July, 2024.. 'Call My Name' , a great read for bookclubs, set mainly in Queensland, Australia, is the story of two women, bound together by contrasting personalities, friendship, love and home—until motherhood rips them apart. My debut novel, 'A Drop in the Ocean', won multiple awards and has sold over 85,000 copies. 'The Moon is Missing', is a domestic suspense/family drama set partly in New Orleans during Hurricane Katrina. Before I wrote fiction, I was a clinical neuropsychologist, which I also loved (but we move through different stages in our lives; the important thing is always to have a passion) and became well-known for my books featuring my amazing patients’ moving stories: 'Fractured Minds: A Case-Study Approach to Clinical Neuropsychology', and 'Trouble In Mind: Stories from a Neuropsychologist’s Casebook'. (The same sort of tales that the late and great Oliver Sacks was known for.)
I'd love to send you my very occasional e-newsletter so I can share my off-grid tales and favorite books with you! To sign up, go to https://tinyurl.com/2u736m6c. On the way you’ll come across my author page (www.jenniogdenauthor.com). And do follow me on Goodreads, and indeed, friend and follow me wherever you hang out!
I'd love to send you my very occasional e-newsletter so I can share my off-grid tales and favorite books with you! To sign up, go to https://tinyurl.com/2u736m6c. On the way you’ll come across my author page (www.jenniogdenauthor.com). And do follow me on Goodreads, and indeed, friend and follow me wherever you hang out!
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 98 reviews
July 19, 2024
EXCERPT: His throat pulsing so hard he could hardly breathe through his snorkel, he led Gaia through the glowing sea, past the big brain coral, around the hard coral bommie where the pink and blue and green parrot fish chomped noisily at the algae stuck to it, past the clumps of orange anemones where the clown fish darted out, trying to frighten him off, over the heart-shaped white sandy oasis decorated by a single blue starfish, just like the very first one he'd seen before he could even float, and over a garden of seagrass. A turtle swam past and Jarrah didn't veer from his path. In two seconds more he saw the patch of browny-red seaweeds waving him over. Please let them still be there.
His eyes aching with looking he saw the bright yellow circle first, vibrating like a live thing, the sea-dragon's haughty head with its long nose sticking out of it. He twisted his head back towards Gaia, his hand fluttering the sign to stop in the water, then his finger pointing down. She was beside him, hanging in the dapples where the sun kissed the sea, her hair floating against his cheek, her hand finding his and gripping it so hard it made him want to cry and laugh and sing. And then there were two, circling and bowing and dancing together, their seaweedy fronds weaving intime to the music that was playing in his head.
ABOUT 'DANCING WITH DRAGONS': It is the late 1970s and teenagers Gaia and her brother Bron live with their parents on their isolated property on Western Australia’s Coral Coast. Intensively trained for a career as a professional ballet dancer by her mother, once a Principal Dancer in the American Ballet Theatre, Gaia also loves snorkeling over the coral reef that borders their small market garden. Then comes a day that changes her life forever: she discovers a rare pair of dramatically colored seadragons, their courtship dance over the coral spellbinding, and that night she loses her entire family and her dancing dream. Two years later she returns to the abandoned property, determined to live off the land. For years her only friends are the wild animals of the bush and reef, and Mary and Eddie, an Aboriginal couple who work for the racist farmer on the neighboring property — until one morning Jarrah, Mary’s 11-year-old orphaned nephew, is entranced when he sees Gaia dancing on the beach. As an unlikely friendship between these two lonely and scarred people deepens, they discover that when you lose everything the only way to survive is to open your heart.
MY THOUGHTS: Beautiful, lyrical and evocative writing with a heartfelt ecological message.
Set in the late 1970s, Dancing with Dragons extols the healing power of both friendship and nature in conjunction with a story of overcoming personal tragedy and fighting a big development corporation to save an ecological treasure. There is an astounding emotional depth to Ogden's writing that kept me enthralled and entranced.
Gaia's journey from a traumatised teenager through to confident young woman who gives back to society is not an easy one, but her determination to help a young aboriginal boy with a physical deformity achieve his full potential and his love for her is a saving grace for both of them.
This is not the first book I have read set on Western Australia's beautiful Coral Coast, but it is the one that has given me the best sense and descriptions of the area and the amazing marine and wildlife. Before reading Dancing with Dragons, I had never heard of seadragons. After watching videos of them, I want to see them in their natural habitat and am now more determined than ever to spend some time in this area.
Ogden vividly and lyrically described the natural beauty and the ecological dangers it faces. She writes of Gaia's traumas with a raw brutality that is tempered by the beauty of dance, the setting and the friends Gaia makes along the way.
Dancing with Dragons is a rewarding story of grief, friendship, resilience and hope.
⭐⭐⭐⭐.5
#DancingwithDragonsJenniOgden #NetGalley
THE AUTHOR: Reading and writing fiction is my passion, along with walking, swimming, reading and sleeping on beaches. Husband John and I live off-grid on spectacular Great Barrier Island, 100 kms off the coast of New Zealand, a perfect place to write, and we often spend time in Australia, preferably close to a coral reef.
DISCLOSURE: Thank you to Sea Dragon Press via NetGalley for providing a digital ARC of Dancing with Dragons by Jenni Ogden for review. All opinions expressed in this review are entirely my own personal opinions.
https://sandysbookaday.wordpress.com/...
His eyes aching with looking he saw the bright yellow circle first, vibrating like a live thing, the sea-dragon's haughty head with its long nose sticking out of it. He twisted his head back towards Gaia, his hand fluttering the sign to stop in the water, then his finger pointing down. She was beside him, hanging in the dapples where the sun kissed the sea, her hair floating against his cheek, her hand finding his and gripping it so hard it made him want to cry and laugh and sing. And then there were two, circling and bowing and dancing together, their seaweedy fronds weaving intime to the music that was playing in his head.
ABOUT 'DANCING WITH DRAGONS': It is the late 1970s and teenagers Gaia and her brother Bron live with their parents on their isolated property on Western Australia’s Coral Coast. Intensively trained for a career as a professional ballet dancer by her mother, once a Principal Dancer in the American Ballet Theatre, Gaia also loves snorkeling over the coral reef that borders their small market garden. Then comes a day that changes her life forever: she discovers a rare pair of dramatically colored seadragons, their courtship dance over the coral spellbinding, and that night she loses her entire family and her dancing dream. Two years later she returns to the abandoned property, determined to live off the land. For years her only friends are the wild animals of the bush and reef, and Mary and Eddie, an Aboriginal couple who work for the racist farmer on the neighboring property — until one morning Jarrah, Mary’s 11-year-old orphaned nephew, is entranced when he sees Gaia dancing on the beach. As an unlikely friendship between these two lonely and scarred people deepens, they discover that when you lose everything the only way to survive is to open your heart.
MY THOUGHTS: Beautiful, lyrical and evocative writing with a heartfelt ecological message.
Set in the late 1970s, Dancing with Dragons extols the healing power of both friendship and nature in conjunction with a story of overcoming personal tragedy and fighting a big development corporation to save an ecological treasure. There is an astounding emotional depth to Ogden's writing that kept me enthralled and entranced.
Gaia's journey from a traumatised teenager through to confident young woman who gives back to society is not an easy one, but her determination to help a young aboriginal boy with a physical deformity achieve his full potential and his love for her is a saving grace for both of them.
This is not the first book I have read set on Western Australia's beautiful Coral Coast, but it is the one that has given me the best sense and descriptions of the area and the amazing marine and wildlife. Before reading Dancing with Dragons, I had never heard of seadragons. After watching videos of them, I want to see them in their natural habitat and am now more determined than ever to spend some time in this area.
Ogden vividly and lyrically described the natural beauty and the ecological dangers it faces. She writes of Gaia's traumas with a raw brutality that is tempered by the beauty of dance, the setting and the friends Gaia makes along the way.
Dancing with Dragons is a rewarding story of grief, friendship, resilience and hope.
⭐⭐⭐⭐.5
#DancingwithDragonsJenniOgden #NetGalley
THE AUTHOR: Reading and writing fiction is my passion, along with walking, swimming, reading and sleeping on beaches. Husband John and I live off-grid on spectacular Great Barrier Island, 100 kms off the coast of New Zealand, a perfect place to write, and we often spend time in Australia, preferably close to a coral reef.
DISCLOSURE: Thank you to Sea Dragon Press via NetGalley for providing a digital ARC of Dancing with Dragons by Jenni Ogden for review. All opinions expressed in this review are entirely my own personal opinions.
https://sandysbookaday.wordpress.com/...
June 3, 2024
I read an eARC of this book so thank you to the author, publisher and NetGalley.
This was a beautiful book, a story of survival, of finding your passion and building connections with people around you and nature.
This books follows Gaia as she returns to her family home that has been destroyed in a fire. She lost both her parents and suffered severe burns herself leaving her with serious scarring. She moves into the barn and sells fruit to survive, practicing ballet on the beach and snorkelling with the super rare sea dragons that live only in Australia. Gaia hides from people as much as she can due to their horrified reactions to her scarring, her main company coming from her aboriginal neighbours. Her life is changed when their eleven year old nephew comes to visit and they become friends.
Gaia rebuilds her life, forming new friendships but deals with the prejudice and violence of others. She is forced to take action when the greed of others threatens the survival of the endangered sea dragons. Leading her on a mission to protect the reef. I love a conservation/environmental story so this was an instant win. I enjoyed seeing Gaia work with her new found family to battle against the callousness and greed of people who would destroy the land, ocean and its inhabitants.
I had some issues with some of the dialogue. There were a few points that I found a little uncomfortable or clunky. However this didn’t detract too much from what was a wonderful story. I would also check trigger warnings for this one as there is abusive behaviour in a number of ways.
This was a beautiful book, a story of survival, of finding your passion and building connections with people around you and nature.
This books follows Gaia as she returns to her family home that has been destroyed in a fire. She lost both her parents and suffered severe burns herself leaving her with serious scarring. She moves into the barn and sells fruit to survive, practicing ballet on the beach and snorkelling with the super rare sea dragons that live only in Australia. Gaia hides from people as much as she can due to their horrified reactions to her scarring, her main company coming from her aboriginal neighbours. Her life is changed when their eleven year old nephew comes to visit and they become friends.
Gaia rebuilds her life, forming new friendships but deals with the prejudice and violence of others. She is forced to take action when the greed of others threatens the survival of the endangered sea dragons. Leading her on a mission to protect the reef. I love a conservation/environmental story so this was an instant win. I enjoyed seeing Gaia work with her new found family to battle against the callousness and greed of people who would destroy the land, ocean and its inhabitants.
I had some issues with some of the dialogue. There were a few points that I found a little uncomfortable or clunky. However this didn’t detract too much from what was a wonderful story. I would also check trigger warnings for this one as there is abusive behaviour in a number of ways.
June 25, 2024
3.5/4
Dancing With Dragons has a nice story with an environmental edge to it.
Gaia and her family live off-grid on the Coral Coast of Western Australia. Her father runs a market garden business and her mother is a retired ballet dancer - which is what she wants for both Gaia and brother Bron. Gaia loves the dancing but she also loves the creatures of the coast being particularly fascinated with a pair of rare weedy seadragons who have taken up residence where she snorkels.
However tragedy strikes and Gaia is left to deal with the consequences alone. With help from Aboriginal neighbours Mary and Eddie she rebuilds her life and makes friends with Jarrah, Mary's 11 year old relative. But is further heartache round the corner and where is her brother? Can Gaia make a good life for herself while following her passions?
This is a nice story, a little predictable at times but it definitely draws the plight of the aboriginal population along with the environmental factors that endanger the corals and coasts to the fore. It does also deal with quite a lot of difficult personal issues - sexual and physical abuse, recovery from burns and alcohol abuse.
Thankyou to Netgalley and Sea Dragon Press for the advance review copy.
Dancing With Dragons has a nice story with an environmental edge to it.
Gaia and her family live off-grid on the Coral Coast of Western Australia. Her father runs a market garden business and her mother is a retired ballet dancer - which is what she wants for both Gaia and brother Bron. Gaia loves the dancing but she also loves the creatures of the coast being particularly fascinated with a pair of rare weedy seadragons who have taken up residence where she snorkels.
However tragedy strikes and Gaia is left to deal with the consequences alone. With help from Aboriginal neighbours Mary and Eddie she rebuilds her life and makes friends with Jarrah, Mary's 11 year old relative. But is further heartache round the corner and where is her brother? Can Gaia make a good life for herself while following her passions?
This is a nice story, a little predictable at times but it definitely draws the plight of the aboriginal population along with the environmental factors that endanger the corals and coasts to the fore. It does also deal with quite a lot of difficult personal issues - sexual and physical abuse, recovery from burns and alcohol abuse.
Thankyou to Netgalley and Sea Dragon Press for the advance review copy.
March 15, 2024
This is the story of Gaia and her brother Bron who have been brought up in a small farm by the sea in Western Australia. Their mother is a former ballet dancer and she teaches her children to dance from a young age.
Gaia loves nature and sea creatures and is enthralled one day when she sees a pair of sea dragons performing their matting dance.
I really enjoyed this book it has many interesting characters and charming descriptions of the wildlife in this area.
Thank you to NetGalley and Sea Dragon Press for my e-copy in exchange for an honest review.
Gaia loves nature and sea creatures and is enthralled one day when she sees a pair of sea dragons performing their matting dance.
I really enjoyed this book it has many interesting characters and charming descriptions of the wildlife in this area.
Thank you to NetGalley and Sea Dragon Press for my e-copy in exchange for an honest review.
February 23, 2024
Thank you to NetGalley and Sea Dragon Press for providing this book, with my honest review below.
Dancing with Dragons was a beautiful story, exploring many themes from young tragedy to the challenging plights of those who look different or grew up differently from the ‘majority’ of society. Heartbreaking at times and absolutely beautifully written, I encourage anyone wanting a more meaningful read to pick this up - it will take focus but be well worth it.
Dancing with Dragons was a beautiful story, exploring many themes from young tragedy to the challenging plights of those who look different or grew up differently from the ‘majority’ of society. Heartbreaking at times and absolutely beautifully written, I encourage anyone wanting a more meaningful read to pick this up - it will take focus but be well worth it.
June 10, 2024
What a beautiful story! Margot was a well-known ballet dancer, and she trained her 2 children to be ballet dancers - Gaia and her older brother Bron short for Oberon. They love to watch the dance of the Seadragons around mating time. Sadly, there's a tragic fire that take the lives of their parents, and Bron, with some scars on his legs. But the fire causes Gaia deep third-degree burns and disfiguring scars. This story is about how Gaia learns to deal with her problems and ordeals, makes new friends, and perhaps even finds love. Will Gaia ever get to be the Ballerina that her mother was? It's a touching tale and highly recommend it, with memorable characters, and a wonderful story.
June 11, 2024
Beautifully written , this is the kind of story that stays with you long after you have finished. Some tough topics handled but with underlying hope and courage. There is something magical about the back drop of Australia’s coral reef and the amazing creatures that inhabit it. This has been captured by the Author, particularly well. First time I have read this Author, but will definitely put more of her novels on my reading list.
Thank you to the Author, publisher and NetGalley for the opportunity to read, review and give my honest opinion of an ARC.
Thank you to the Author, publisher and NetGalley for the opportunity to read, review and give my honest opinion of an ARC.
March 8, 2024
Another sweeping southern hemisphere tale from Jenni Ogden. Spanning years in the life of Gaia who along with her brother Bron lives on the Coral Coast of Australia. where their mother a former principal in the American Ballet theatre schools them intensively in the art of the dance. One fateful night, their lives forever change which sets Gaia on an entirely different and difficult path.
Alone on her isolated property for some years her only friends are Mary and Eddie, an Aboriginal couple who work on the neighboring property and the beautifully coloured Seadragons she befriends while snorkeling.
One fateful day, Jarrah, Mary’s 11-year-old orphaned nephew sees Gaia dancing on the beach is both captivated and enchanted. A friendship between two lonely souls blossoms.
A story of dance, struggle and ultimately survival.
Alone on her isolated property for some years her only friends are Mary and Eddie, an Aboriginal couple who work on the neighboring property and the beautifully coloured Seadragons she befriends while snorkeling.
One fateful day, Jarrah, Mary’s 11-year-old orphaned nephew sees Gaia dancing on the beach is both captivated and enchanted. A friendship between two lonely souls blossoms.
A story of dance, struggle and ultimately survival.
May 2, 2024
A well written story, encompassing a young girls struggles, trying to deal with loss, family secrets, abuse, as well as finding faith in people again.
Finding hope and healing through her environment, coming to peace with what life has dealt her. Using nature to heal. A beautifully written story, making one feel like they are too, floating on the ocean, watching the reef inhabitants, or listening to nature. Also covering along through the story, how indigenous people are at one with nature. A young indigenous boy "coming home". Well worth reading, as the author takes you on an adventure, using our WA coast, and its unique inhabitants, to create this sometimes sad, but also happy, story.
Finding hope and healing through her environment, coming to peace with what life has dealt her. Using nature to heal. A beautifully written story, making one feel like they are too, floating on the ocean, watching the reef inhabitants, or listening to nature. Also covering along through the story, how indigenous people are at one with nature. A young indigenous boy "coming home". Well worth reading, as the author takes you on an adventure, using our WA coast, and its unique inhabitants, to create this sometimes sad, but also happy, story.
July 19, 2024
Stunning!
Starkly beautiful story set on the Western Australian coastline, four hours drive north of Perth.
It’s 1977 and Gaia and her brother Bron are having dance lessons with their mother in the studio.
Gaia’s mother Margot had been a famous ballet dancer with the American Ballet Theatre company in New York. She’d married an Australian and they’d settled back here at Goshawk Gardens.
Gaia and Bron had been trained by their mother in dance from a young age. Their mother’s long term vision was that eventually Gaia and Bron would go back to the States to take up dancing careers.
Theirs was an idyllic life spent off grid, on a pristine bay, growing enough food for themselves and to sell. Their nearest neighbours were on an adjoining plot of land.
Gaia had been out snorkelling when she’d spotted two sea dragons involved in their courtship dance. It was stunning. Gaia was overcome by the beauty of it.
That all faded when tragedy struck, Gaia was badly burned, her parents dead and her brother Bron disappeared
Then came the hard part. At sixteen Gaia returns from Perth to survive on their land, living in the old barn.
Her journey will encompass struggling to be with people, fighting to save the reef from developers, and fighting to save herself.
Ogden has crafted a beautiful novel, poetic in voice, and anguished in the injustices.
I adore the cover, bright yet serene, almost mystical.
A Sea Dragon Press ARC via NetGalley.
Many thanks to the author and publisher.
Starkly beautiful story set on the Western Australian coastline, four hours drive north of Perth.
It’s 1977 and Gaia and her brother Bron are having dance lessons with their mother in the studio.
Gaia’s mother Margot had been a famous ballet dancer with the American Ballet Theatre company in New York. She’d married an Australian and they’d settled back here at Goshawk Gardens.
Gaia and Bron had been trained by their mother in dance from a young age. Their mother’s long term vision was that eventually Gaia and Bron would go back to the States to take up dancing careers.
Theirs was an idyllic life spent off grid, on a pristine bay, growing enough food for themselves and to sell. Their nearest neighbours were on an adjoining plot of land.
Gaia had been out snorkelling when she’d spotted two sea dragons involved in their courtship dance. It was stunning. Gaia was overcome by the beauty of it.
That all faded when tragedy struck, Gaia was badly burned, her parents dead and her brother Bron disappeared
Then came the hard part. At sixteen Gaia returns from Perth to survive on their land, living in the old barn.
Her journey will encompass struggling to be with people, fighting to save the reef from developers, and fighting to save herself.
Ogden has crafted a beautiful novel, poetic in voice, and anguished in the injustices.
I adore the cover, bright yet serene, almost mystical.
A Sea Dragon Press ARC via NetGalley.
Many thanks to the author and publisher.
March 21, 2024
Dancing with Dragons by Jenni Ogden captures the magic of the coral reefs of Australia and the emotional journey of a young woman overcoming a trauma. Gaia undergoes years of recovery and uses her training as a ballet dancer as therapy. She is able to persevere with the help of neighbors, an unlikely friendship with a young boy, and Rita Roo, a baby kangaroo.
I recommend this novel for readers who loved Where the Crawdads Sing. Gaia is alone in the world, secluded along the Australian coast, and overcomes loneliness, trauma, and many obstacles along her journey to finding who she is. It’s a beautiful novel about friendship, love, and courage.
Thank you Sea Dragon Press and Netgalley for an advanced reader copy. All opinions are my own.
I recommend this novel for readers who loved Where the Crawdads Sing. Gaia is alone in the world, secluded along the Australian coast, and overcomes loneliness, trauma, and many obstacles along her journey to finding who she is. It’s a beautiful novel about friendship, love, and courage.
Thank you Sea Dragon Press and Netgalley for an advanced reader copy. All opinions are my own.
March 28, 2024
I loved Dancing with Dragons. This was the first book I've read by Jenni Ogden, and I will be reading more of her books. From the title I thought the book would be about fantasy and dragons, but when I saw the sea dragon on the cover I was all in. I have always had an affinity for seahorses and sea dragons. I scuba dive and snorkel and have observed many Caribbean seahorses, but never an Australian sea dragon. The descriptive prose made the shore and the sea dragons come to life for me. I loved the intersecting themes of conservation, family, personal loss, and romance. I thought the character development, especially of Gaia and Jarrah, was well done. I feel that any romance was incidental and was not a main theme. I loved the book and give it 5 stars.
April 7, 2024
Beautifully written book! This book will enchant you from the first page to the last. The story is set on the coast of Australia. The writer captures the beauty of the coast and ocean with such vitality. The story begins with a tragedy but evolves to emboldening growth, bravery and forgiveness. The characters are written with such complexity. As well as the education of the coral reef and the beautiful weedy sea dragons. This a must read that comes out July 16th. Thank you to Net Galley for this advance read!
April 5, 2024
Gorgeous cover and a beautiful story. The writing style is ideal for a YA audience. This relatively short book packs a lot of weight. It covers bigotry, violence, family drama, and disability…all wrapped up in a setting you can practically see, hear, smell and taste. Without becoming wordy or slowing the plot, the author has made the reef setting so vivid and lush that it becomes another main character. Despite the seriousness of the subject matter, this is a lovely story of hope and joy.
May 3, 2024
An extremely compelling and powerful story of a young woman and her family in Australia. Her love for the sea and the seadragons never wavered, even when tragedy strikes. This story kept my attention and made me reflect on the importance of my own life’s journey. It was a book that I will soon not forget.
April 22, 2024
I recently read Dancing with Dragons by Jenni Ogden and it is one I would definitely recommend!
Set in the 1970s in rural Western Australia, this coming of age story juxtaposes the mesmerizing beauty of ballet with the ethereal beauty of the sea dragons who live in the coral reef. The story begins with Gaia and her brother Bron, who are homeschooled and study the art of ballet under the tutelage of their mother, a former professional dancer, followed by experiential learning about their environment by snorkeling in the reef. Everything changes with a catastrophic fire leaves Gaia with serious burns covering much of her body, no home and an orphan. Gaia is determined to get back to her land as soon as she has recovered and is old enough to return on her own. Despite being self-conscious about her scars, Gaia eventually begins to dance again and her love of the land she grew up in continues to grow as she tries to make it on her own.
I loved watching this story unfold, and learning more about Australian culture and natural physical beauty, especially the wildlife. As a former dancer myself, I of course enjoyed the dance elements of the story, and seeing it from this particular time and place in history. I also really appreciated the way that the author slowly unpacked some of the more mysterious or unexpected background information, as it felt realistic that as Gaia grew up more pieces of the story would become known to her. As a reader you are learning along with Gaia about the secrets of the past. The author started with a disclaimer about the Indigenous peoples of Australia and their connection to the land, and I thought that was so important and relevant, but I also loved that the author included some of the negative stereotypes and racism that these Indigenous people faced and still face today.
There were many moments throughout the story that reminded me of Where the Crawdads Sing, so if you liked that one, I would definitely recommend checking this one out. Dancing with Dragons is being published in July so add this one to your TBR! Thanks to @netgalley and the author for giving me the chance to read and review this breathtaking story!
Set in the 1970s in rural Western Australia, this coming of age story juxtaposes the mesmerizing beauty of ballet with the ethereal beauty of the sea dragons who live in the coral reef. The story begins with Gaia and her brother Bron, who are homeschooled and study the art of ballet under the tutelage of their mother, a former professional dancer, followed by experiential learning about their environment by snorkeling in the reef. Everything changes with a catastrophic fire leaves Gaia with serious burns covering much of her body, no home and an orphan. Gaia is determined to get back to her land as soon as she has recovered and is old enough to return on her own. Despite being self-conscious about her scars, Gaia eventually begins to dance again and her love of the land she grew up in continues to grow as she tries to make it on her own.
I loved watching this story unfold, and learning more about Australian culture and natural physical beauty, especially the wildlife. As a former dancer myself, I of course enjoyed the dance elements of the story, and seeing it from this particular time and place in history. I also really appreciated the way that the author slowly unpacked some of the more mysterious or unexpected background information, as it felt realistic that as Gaia grew up more pieces of the story would become known to her. As a reader you are learning along with Gaia about the secrets of the past. The author started with a disclaimer about the Indigenous peoples of Australia and their connection to the land, and I thought that was so important and relevant, but I also loved that the author included some of the negative stereotypes and racism that these Indigenous people faced and still face today.
There were many moments throughout the story that reminded me of Where the Crawdads Sing, so if you liked that one, I would definitely recommend checking this one out. Dancing with Dragons is being published in July so add this one to your TBR! Thanks to @netgalley and the author for giving me the chance to read and review this breathtaking story!
March 7, 2024
This book takes place in 1970, in the western Australian Coral coast. It is mostly about a teen girl Gaia who was taught ballet, by her mom, a professional ballet dancer. Her dad, a farmer, taught her to love the land and sea and respect for the environment. Gaia, loves snorkeling and one day she sees the dance of a pair of delicate sea dragons. She loves them. The same day a tragedy strikes and her life which changes everything.
She leaves and returns 2 years later to live off the land. She forms a friend ship with the aboriginal couple who are caretakers of the farmer next door who is a racist. She is dancing on the beach and meets their nephew Jarrah who is 11 yrs and disabled. They are two lonely people who form a lifetime bond.
The book has many issues including, forgiveness, friendship, tragedy, and love. But, the challenge is to face the world when you look and are brought up different than those who are deemed , normal.
I totally enjoyed this book it is written so well and easy to follow right thru to the end. Give it a read!
She leaves and returns 2 years later to live off the land. She forms a friend ship with the aboriginal couple who are caretakers of the farmer next door who is a racist. She is dancing on the beach and meets their nephew Jarrah who is 11 yrs and disabled. They are two lonely people who form a lifetime bond.
The book has many issues including, forgiveness, friendship, tragedy, and love. But, the challenge is to face the world when you look and are brought up different than those who are deemed , normal.
I totally enjoyed this book it is written so well and easy to follow right thru to the end. Give it a read!
April 23, 2024
I truly appreciate when I come across a story that is just a simple, yet deep, story of life. Oh, I love me some thrillers or stories with heartbreaking angst. However, when I just need to recharge, I need a story like this one about people just trying to make it through life, honoring their true selves, while trying to inflict as little damage on the world and others as they do. This was truly beautiful. And I learned about Seadragons and reef life which is not usually something I would be drawn to. I'd say this one is a resounding success all around.
August 25, 2024
I love a book in which the setting plays a central role in the story and Dancing with Dragons is one such book. It is set on Western Australia's Coral Coast on a farm.
Gaia and her brother Bron live with their parents on a small farm with a market garden that is located on the coast until a tragedy strikes and Gaia returns to the farm alone.
This is the story of the life she shapes for herself with the help of an indigenous couple. The wildlife of the area is very much a part of the story as well as the sea life and in particular a pair of weedy seadragons.
It is a book, which I couldn't put down even though there were a few bits that niggled at me.
This book should appeal to those who are concerned about the environment.
Gaia and her brother Bron live with their parents on a small farm with a market garden that is located on the coast until a tragedy strikes and Gaia returns to the farm alone.
This is the story of the life she shapes for herself with the help of an indigenous couple. The wildlife of the area is very much a part of the story as well as the sea life and in particular a pair of weedy seadragons.
It is a book, which I couldn't put down even though there were a few bits that niggled at me.
This book should appeal to those who are concerned about the environment.
April 27, 2024
Thank you NetGalley and Sea Dragon Press for this ARC in exchange for my honest review.
The premise for this book was intriguing, and the ocean and wilderness imagery described is breathtaking. It’s very descriptive and the author did a beautiful job with it.
However, the story itself was disappointing. The writing was clunky; a lot of the main storyline happened in the first part of the book, and the pace slowed down a lot after that. I found that we didn’t get to see a lot of depth in the characters, so as a result I struggled to connect with them.
I thought that I would love this one, but was unfortunately left wanting a lot more.
The premise for this book was intriguing, and the ocean and wilderness imagery described is breathtaking. It’s very descriptive and the author did a beautiful job with it.
However, the story itself was disappointing. The writing was clunky; a lot of the main storyline happened in the first part of the book, and the pace slowed down a lot after that. I found that we didn’t get to see a lot of depth in the characters, so as a result I struggled to connect with them.
I thought that I would love this one, but was unfortunately left wanting a lot more.
May 1, 2024
Dancing with Dragons is set in Australia, opening with a sister and brother who live off-grid with their parents in a lush, beautiful , untouched oceanside setting called Goshawk Gardens. The two teens, Gaia and Bron, aspire to perform in a ballet company someday, and practice daily under the supervision of their mother. Each day after practice, they scramble for the beach where they snorkel in the shallow waters, marveling at the warm warm, the coral reefs, colorful fish, and especially a pair of sea dragons, whose mating ritual is beautiful to watch.
The entire family is respectful of their environment and protective of all the creatures with whom they co-exist.
A fire of suspicious cause destroys their home, and almost, their family. As Gaia recovers, she returns to Goshawk Gardens and lives in the barn alone, assisted by the Aboriginal caretakers of a nearby property, Mary and Eddie. Their nephew, Jarrah, who visits from an orphanage, watches Gaia dance alone on the beach, and wishes for that freedom of expression, since his activity is limited by a club foot. Gaia teaches Jarrah to snorkel and marvel at underwater life, and teaches him to dance, and teaches dancing to the children at his orphanage as well.
Gaia’s idyllic, but lonely life, is disrupted by a series of distractions - a handsome Irishman, Seamus, who also dances, a drunken neighbor, Dave, who threatens Gaia’s safety, and developers who want to buy Gaia’s land and build a vacation settlement that Gaia knows will threaten the ecosystem.
The author beautifully described the southern Australian coastline, and the reader can visualize the peaceful blue waves lapping the shore, and the carefree teens snorkeling and marveling at the colorful underwater life. The reader also senses the need to preserve such natural beauty. The character development is done well; as a reader, I could visualize the delicate beauty, but also the inner strength of Gaia, and the persistence of the Aboriginal boy, Jarrah, as he broke through racial and personal barriers by becoming Gaia’s friend. Dave Mason, the alcoholic neighbor, sweet Mary and Eddie trying to make a life despite racial discrimination, and carefree Seamus, were all descriptively brought to life.
Of course from the title, the sea dragons, and saving them, and their environment is the key point of the book. We only have one world. It’s full of natural beauty - delicate creatures, beautiful plants, oceans, forests, and all of us are interdependent species. Destroying one thing destroys so much more. The author did a beautiful job of pointing out the need to protect our oceans, and forests and wildlife in order to save us all. And she did so by telling a very readable story of joy, loss, fear, determination, acceptance, and love.
As disclosure, I was sent an ARC of Jenni Ogden’s Dancing with Dragons by Netgalley. . I enjoyed the read. It made me think more seriously about preserving the environment. The opinions and review are my unbiased thoughts. I would definitely recommend this book.
The entire family is respectful of their environment and protective of all the creatures with whom they co-exist.
A fire of suspicious cause destroys their home, and almost, their family. As Gaia recovers, she returns to Goshawk Gardens and lives in the barn alone, assisted by the Aboriginal caretakers of a nearby property, Mary and Eddie. Their nephew, Jarrah, who visits from an orphanage, watches Gaia dance alone on the beach, and wishes for that freedom of expression, since his activity is limited by a club foot. Gaia teaches Jarrah to snorkel and marvel at underwater life, and teaches him to dance, and teaches dancing to the children at his orphanage as well.
Gaia’s idyllic, but lonely life, is disrupted by a series of distractions - a handsome Irishman, Seamus, who also dances, a drunken neighbor, Dave, who threatens Gaia’s safety, and developers who want to buy Gaia’s land and build a vacation settlement that Gaia knows will threaten the ecosystem.
The author beautifully described the southern Australian coastline, and the reader can visualize the peaceful blue waves lapping the shore, and the carefree teens snorkeling and marveling at the colorful underwater life. The reader also senses the need to preserve such natural beauty. The character development is done well; as a reader, I could visualize the delicate beauty, but also the inner strength of Gaia, and the persistence of the Aboriginal boy, Jarrah, as he broke through racial and personal barriers by becoming Gaia’s friend. Dave Mason, the alcoholic neighbor, sweet Mary and Eddie trying to make a life despite racial discrimination, and carefree Seamus, were all descriptively brought to life.
Of course from the title, the sea dragons, and saving them, and their environment is the key point of the book. We only have one world. It’s full of natural beauty - delicate creatures, beautiful plants, oceans, forests, and all of us are interdependent species. Destroying one thing destroys so much more. The author did a beautiful job of pointing out the need to protect our oceans, and forests and wildlife in order to save us all. And she did so by telling a very readable story of joy, loss, fear, determination, acceptance, and love.
As disclosure, I was sent an ARC of Jenni Ogden’s Dancing with Dragons by Netgalley. . I enjoyed the read. It made me think more seriously about preserving the environment. The opinions and review are my unbiased thoughts. I would definitely recommend this book.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
June 10, 2024
This was a very strong book from a debut author that drew me from the first page with intriguing title and an original concept. With a distinct allegorical presence, I was drawn into Gaia's story and felt both the wonder of her life with her family and then the pain and isolation of her time growing up as she reconnected with the land and the original people who lived on jt. With a strong inclusion of the Aboriginal world view and experience through Jurrah and his extended family, this made me ask different questions then i had expected while further developing the story's scope. If you want to read a story that will have you wondering how much one lone girl can experience, and delight in the power of her will to live and rejoice in nature while fighting to protect herself and that world, then this is a book you do not want to miss. This is a story of resilience, love, acceptance of self and others, and the intense identification of Place that grows from tryly being one with Nature. This was different then what I had expected, but it was a strong Coming of Age Story that will speak to readers who enjoyed Where the Crawdads Sing. One of the strengths of this story is that is will speak to both male and female readers of any age and it will highlight the wonderfully rich interconnectedness of everyone not just with those people them but with nature and the Spirit of the Earth itself.
Thank you New Galley and Sea Dragon Press for the Advanced Copy I read
Thank you New Galley and Sea Dragon Press for the Advanced Copy I read
February 29, 2024
I was sold by the cover and the blurb, unfortunately the novel itself was nowhere near as good as the description suggested. The writing itself was clunky, overly simplified, and a little poorly edited in places (tail is often written as tale for example) with the dialogue suffering the brunt of it - I appreciate Gaia grew up off grid, but I’ve never heard a human speak like the characters within this novel do.
It isn’t just Gaia, the other characters (particularly the Irish and Aboriginal characters) all speak as though they’ve never interacted with another human before. With the Irish characters casually slipping into Gaelic (but just for a word or two) and the Aboriginal characters, particularly Mary, speaking in a poorly written accent that feels more than a little bit insensitive.
The plot was okay, there was a lot and nothing going on at the same time. Mostly it was the main character navigating through the trauma of her past (only, she was too distracted with the present to really address anything that happened four years ago during the fire), the brother is conveniently written out only to resurface a few pages before the end, and the villain just goes off to conveniently die in the desert.
Perhaps I’m not the target audience for this book, but I feel as though Dancing with Dragons needs running by another editor and a sensitivity reader before it is published.
It isn’t just Gaia, the other characters (particularly the Irish and Aboriginal characters) all speak as though they’ve never interacted with another human before. With the Irish characters casually slipping into Gaelic (but just for a word or two) and the Aboriginal characters, particularly Mary, speaking in a poorly written accent that feels more than a little bit insensitive.
The plot was okay, there was a lot and nothing going on at the same time. Mostly it was the main character navigating through the trauma of her past (only, she was too distracted with the present to really address anything that happened four years ago during the fire), the brother is conveniently written out only to resurface a few pages before the end, and the villain just goes off to conveniently die in the desert.
Perhaps I’m not the target audience for this book, but I feel as though Dancing with Dragons needs running by another editor and a sensitivity reader before it is published.
April 2, 2024
⭐4.5
'𝙏𝙝𝙚 𝙨𝙚𝙖𝙙𝙧𝙖𝙜𝙤𝙣 𝙬𝙖𝙨 𝙝𝙚𝙧 𝙨𝙥𝙞𝙧𝙞𝙩 𝙖𝙣𝙞𝙢𝙖𝙡, 𝙝𝙚𝙧 𝙩𝙧𝙪𝙩𝙝, 𝙝𝙚𝙧 𝙝𝙖𝙥𝙥𝙞𝙣𝙚𝙨𝙨''
For the first, approximately, 40% of this book I thought this was just a book with a sad start but just a nice story. Nothing special just a nice story, but, I am very pleased to say, how wrong I was.
Gaia was in a house fire when she was fourteen, which killed her parents, herself and brother, Bron, we're able to escape but Gaia suffered horrific burns. She moves back to the family land and builds a life for herself.
She befriends the Aboriginal neighbours eleven year old nephew and teaches him how to dance and snorkel to see the beautiful reef and all the sea life, including the seadragons who dance before mating.
The story covers some hard topics such as disability, racism and abandonment but is done in a beautiful way.
I will definitely be thinking about this story for a while and definitely recommend.
Thank you NetGalley and Sea Dragon Press for the ARC of this book.
'𝙏𝙝𝙚 𝙨𝙚𝙖𝙙𝙧𝙖𝙜𝙤𝙣 𝙬𝙖𝙨 𝙝𝙚𝙧 𝙨𝙥𝙞𝙧𝙞𝙩 𝙖𝙣𝙞𝙢𝙖𝙡, 𝙝𝙚𝙧 𝙩𝙧𝙪𝙩𝙝, 𝙝𝙚𝙧 𝙝𝙖𝙥𝙥𝙞𝙣𝙚𝙨𝙨''
For the first, approximately, 40% of this book I thought this was just a book with a sad start but just a nice story. Nothing special just a nice story, but, I am very pleased to say, how wrong I was.
Gaia was in a house fire when she was fourteen, which killed her parents, herself and brother, Bron, we're able to escape but Gaia suffered horrific burns. She moves back to the family land and builds a life for herself.
She befriends the Aboriginal neighbours eleven year old nephew and teaches him how to dance and snorkel to see the beautiful reef and all the sea life, including the seadragons who dance before mating.
The story covers some hard topics such as disability, racism and abandonment but is done in a beautiful way.
I will definitely be thinking about this story for a while and definitely recommend.
Thank you NetGalley and Sea Dragon Press for the ARC of this book.
March 6, 2024
I found Dancing with Dragons filled with both hope and tragedy. It's an exploration of resilience and an enjoyable book. Well done.
July 11, 2024
1977. Gaia Christie - aspiring dancer, keen snorkeller, child of a ballerina and a market gardener - is just 14 when she loses her family and home in a devastating fire. Two years later, after rehab and grafts she returns to the property in remote Western Australia, determined to start again with whatever remains. She finds the old barn-cum-ballet-studio still intact, and with the help of her Aboriginal neighbours, Mary and Eddie, set about carving a life for herself.
Despire her burn scars, she dances on the beach and swims across the reefs, searching for weedy sea dragons; small moments that conenct her to her life Before.
At first reclusive, Gaia's world becomes warmer and richer as she befriends Mary and Eddie's nephew Jarrah and then his friends - Seamus, Maisie, and others - and begins to open herself up to the wider world and new experiences. And through it all, she dances, and searches for sea dragons.
The one dark spot in Gaia's idyllic life is her other neighbour, Dave Mason. Drunk and lecherous, Dave is no good, and disaster strikes when he tries to pressure Gaia into selling her land to developers.
This was a captivating read. Filled with gorgeous descriptions of the West Australian reefs and an idyllic life off grid, this is a slow-moving coming of age story for Gaia with a cinematic feel. Some readers may find the writing style and speech patterns of some characters offputting, but to me it worked.
Content warning: the book does contain depictions of trauma, abuse, sexual assault, racism, death. One animal dies near the end.
~ Many thanks to NetGalley for a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review ~
Despire her burn scars, she dances on the beach and swims across the reefs, searching for weedy sea dragons; small moments that conenct her to her life Before.
At first reclusive, Gaia's world becomes warmer and richer as she befriends Mary and Eddie's nephew Jarrah and then his friends - Seamus, Maisie, and others - and begins to open herself up to the wider world and new experiences. And through it all, she dances, and searches for sea dragons.
The one dark spot in Gaia's idyllic life is her other neighbour, Dave Mason. Drunk and lecherous, Dave is no good, and disaster strikes when he tries to pressure Gaia into selling her land to developers.
This was a captivating read. Filled with gorgeous descriptions of the West Australian reefs and an idyllic life off grid, this is a slow-moving coming of age story for Gaia with a cinematic feel. Some readers may find the writing style and speech patterns of some characters offputting, but to me it worked.
Content warning: the book does contain depictions of trauma, abuse, sexual assault, racism, death. One animal dies near the end.
~ Many thanks to NetGalley for a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review ~
August 16, 2024
I read an eARC of this book so thank you to the author, publisher and NetGalley.
This book had a wonderful sense of place- I felt transported. I would recommend Dancing With Dragons to anyone from, traveling to, or interested in learning more about Western Australia’s Coral Coast. This book handled some difficult topics, with a particular emphasis on ecological issues and conservation. I loved the interconnected theme of emotional healing, particularly through connecting to nature. As someone with a passion for marine life, this is a great addition to my library.
This book had a wonderful sense of place- I felt transported. I would recommend Dancing With Dragons to anyone from, traveling to, or interested in learning more about Western Australia’s Coral Coast. This book handled some difficult topics, with a particular emphasis on ecological issues and conservation. I loved the interconnected theme of emotional healing, particularly through connecting to nature. As someone with a passion for marine life, this is a great addition to my library.
April 23, 2024
Thank you to Sea Dragon Press, Jenni Ogden and Netgalley for sharing a advance copy of this beautiful book.
4/5 ✨
I enjoyed reading this book (with probably one of the best covers ever), although it took me a while to complete it because of the way it starts. Gaia's resilience in the story after enduring so many struggles makes me think about the wonderful sea dragons she loves, those delicate and fragile creatures surviving and thriving in hostile environment for all these years. I also love the friendship she shares with people like Jarrah, Eddie, Mary and Seamus. Initially, I was little turned off with Jarrah's fascination of Gaia from a distance at the beginning, but the love they both have for each other is truly one of a kind. This book also explores topics like racism, family drama, disability. Even though the prose isn't spectacular by any means, I really loved reading the parts where Gaia and her friends were exploring the coral reefs. It felt like I was right there, next to Gaia and Jarrah, snorkeling, getting captivated by the sight of those beautiful sea dragons and other sea life. This book also reminded me of "When the Crawdads Sing", which is one of my favorite reads. I can't wait to check out the author's other works. I also noticed a historical inaccuracy with the release of the certain movie in this book which I'm not sure whether it's there because it's an ARC.
4/5 ✨
I enjoyed reading this book (with probably one of the best covers ever), although it took me a while to complete it because of the way it starts. Gaia's resilience in the story after enduring so many struggles makes me think about the wonderful sea dragons she loves, those delicate and fragile creatures surviving and thriving in hostile environment for all these years. I also love the friendship she shares with people like Jarrah, Eddie, Mary and Seamus. Initially, I was little turned off with Jarrah's fascination of Gaia from a distance at the beginning, but the love they both have for each other is truly one of a kind. This book also explores topics like racism, family drama, disability. Even though the prose isn't spectacular by any means, I really loved reading the parts where Gaia and her friends were exploring the coral reefs. It felt like I was right there, next to Gaia and Jarrah, snorkeling, getting captivated by the sight of those beautiful sea dragons and other sea life. This book also reminded me of "When the Crawdads Sing", which is one of my favorite reads. I can't wait to check out the author's other works. I also noticed a historical inaccuracy with the release of the certain movie in this book which I'm not sure whether it's there because it's an ARC.
March 9, 2024
This was a very interesting book to read and I'm grateful for the opportunity to read it through NetGalley. I have read one of Jenni's books before and really enjoyed it.
I enjoyed the story of. Gaia and her family, although the circumstances were quite harrowing at times. Gaia was such a strong resilient girl with lots going for her, not to mention her dancing prowess, and the loss of her family at such a tender age was very sad. She does well to return to her home, despite most it being burnt to the ground. Her subsequent relationship with neighbours Eddie and Mary and their nephew Jarrah was lovely to follow as was her love affair with Seamus. I could imagine the setting very well and the coral and fish sightings were a delight.
A gentle story in lots of ways but also a hard one at times, as Gaia had to overcome so much, so early on. I did find the ending a surprise!
I enjoyed the story of. Gaia and her family, although the circumstances were quite harrowing at times. Gaia was such a strong resilient girl with lots going for her, not to mention her dancing prowess, and the loss of her family at such a tender age was very sad. She does well to return to her home, despite most it being burnt to the ground. Her subsequent relationship with neighbours Eddie and Mary and their nephew Jarrah was lovely to follow as was her love affair with Seamus. I could imagine the setting very well and the coral and fish sightings were a delight.
A gentle story in lots of ways but also a hard one at times, as Gaia had to overcome so much, so early on. I did find the ending a surprise!
March 11, 2024
Thank you to Netgalley for the ARC copy of this book!
The imagery in this book while describing the ocean life was breathtaking. It made me feel like I was there experiencing the wonders of the ocean with these characters. I would have liked to see more growth with the characters throughout the book. I thought some aspects of the character relationships were a bit rushed. Sometimes the sentence structure was choppy feeling, but the descriptions of the wildlife/ocean life were beautifully drawn out. Those were my favorite parts. The book had a slower beginning pace, but definitely picked up more just before the halfway mark. Overall, I really liked the setting of the book, the beautiful imagery, and the plot, but wish there was more time spent on character relationships/development.
*3.5 rating
The imagery in this book while describing the ocean life was breathtaking. It made me feel like I was there experiencing the wonders of the ocean with these characters. I would have liked to see more growth with the characters throughout the book. I thought some aspects of the character relationships were a bit rushed. Sometimes the sentence structure was choppy feeling, but the descriptions of the wildlife/ocean life were beautifully drawn out. Those were my favorite parts. The book had a slower beginning pace, but definitely picked up more just before the halfway mark. Overall, I really liked the setting of the book, the beautiful imagery, and the plot, but wish there was more time spent on character relationships/development.
*3.5 rating
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