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Dragon Land
When six-year-old Lizzie Flint's father is killed in the trenches of the First World War, she knows life will never be the same again. Lizzie's mother becomes isolated and embittered, and Lizzie grows up taking care of her mother. After her mother passes away, Lizzie finally tastes freedom when she travels to Hong Kong to be a teacher. There she falls in love with Jonas O'Neill and they marry and move to Shanghai, where they have a son. But as the Japanese army advances towards China, the family finds itself separated by the turmoil of war. Can Lizzie win her own battles and reunite her family?
237 pages, Kindle Edition
First published April 2, 2014
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Displaying 1 - 8 of 8 reviews
November 25, 2014
Dragon Land
Maureen Reynolds
The reader of this satisfying novel first meets 6 year-old Lizzie Flint after her father is killed in the First World War. Lizzie and her grandmother, with whom Lizzie and her mother live, accept that he is dead, but her mother cannot. Her mother’s denial casts a shadow over Lizzie’s life from her childhood onwards.
Maureen Reynolds writes about deep-felt sorrow that drains Lizzie’s mother, but Dragon Land is not depressing. I enjoyed reading about the ups and downs, twists and turns in Lizzie’s life. For example when her Aunt visits them from overseas and arranges a holiday: “Mum let me sit by the window” of the train “ and I was engrossed by all the passing scenery. The sun was setting and long shadows began to appear as we swept past houses and fields until I finally got my first glimpse of the river.
“White Sands Hotel was just as the brochure had described, a white painted two-storey building set in a large gardent that overlooked the sea.”
Seen through a child’s eyes such descriptions are interesting, as well as Lizzie’s ambition to travel, and so she will one day. After her grandmother’s and mother’s death a host of new experiences and colourful people await her in Dragon Land.
Lizzie falls in love with Hong Kong and with author, Jonas O’Neil who she marries and lives with in Shanghai. However, tragedy awaits when the Japanese army advances. Almost on the edge of my seat, hoping everything would turn out well for Lizzie, I read on to the satisfying conclusion.
Maureen Reynolds
The reader of this satisfying novel first meets 6 year-old Lizzie Flint after her father is killed in the First World War. Lizzie and her grandmother, with whom Lizzie and her mother live, accept that he is dead, but her mother cannot. Her mother’s denial casts a shadow over Lizzie’s life from her childhood onwards.
Maureen Reynolds writes about deep-felt sorrow that drains Lizzie’s mother, but Dragon Land is not depressing. I enjoyed reading about the ups and downs, twists and turns in Lizzie’s life. For example when her Aunt visits them from overseas and arranges a holiday: “Mum let me sit by the window” of the train “ and I was engrossed by all the passing scenery. The sun was setting and long shadows began to appear as we swept past houses and fields until I finally got my first glimpse of the river.
“White Sands Hotel was just as the brochure had described, a white painted two-storey building set in a large gardent that overlooked the sea.”
Seen through a child’s eyes such descriptions are interesting, as well as Lizzie’s ambition to travel, and so she will one day. After her grandmother’s and mother’s death a host of new experiences and colourful people await her in Dragon Land.
Lizzie falls in love with Hong Kong and with author, Jonas O’Neil who she marries and lives with in Shanghai. However, tragedy awaits when the Japanese army advances. Almost on the edge of my seat, hoping everything would turn out well for Lizzie, I read on to the satisfying conclusion.
October 8, 2014
Took a while to get into this book but I enjoyed it by the end and was very invested in the characters.
July 23, 2020
It took a while to get into the book but I’m glad I stuck with it. A lovely read.
August 25, 2021
Marvellous
My wife is already reading it.
Extremely interesting, with moving and emotional writings.
Top stuff.
So much more than I expected.
My wife is already reading it.
Extremely interesting, with moving and emotional writings.
Top stuff.
So much more than I expected.
June 26, 2014
plodding story and amateurish writing, with a weak plotline and poorly developed characters.
August 26, 2014
awful! badly written and a chore to read. The concept of the book is really interesting and could have been fantastic if written by someone else
July 2, 2016
Slow start , but gradually got better.
Currently Reading
June 10, 2014A very easy read to sit in the garden with on a sunny day worth reading
Displaying 1 - 8 of 8 reviews