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The Dragon's Flower
In the wilds of the mountainous country of Akiyama, there stands a pagoda. When Shichiro, an exiled, honorless samurai stumbles across it one rainy morning, he expects to find it empty and abandoned. He was not expecting to find a lonely princess with near-mythical blue eyes dwelling in the top floors.
Hanako has dwelt alone for all her life, with only her two silent handmaidens and the countless dragon effigies on her walls to keep her company; her only knowledge of the outside world gained from the books and scrolls she reads. When the wandering ronin stumbles onto her haven, she gains her first friend, never knowing how deeply this chance meeting would affect her.
The threads of fate have tied these two together, and all the while turmoil boils in the midst of the Seven Countries of Azuma-no-Kuni. Rumors of alliances and armies sprout up, and whispers of the long-lost Imperial Line returning at last. Old prophecies ripen at last, and old myths prepare to show themselves once again in the hour of need. Amongst it all stand two new allies—an isolated princess and a near-friendless ronin, as the wheels of fate and destiny circle them and draw ever closer. Will peace at last return to the fractured realms, or will remnants of the once great Empire splinter beyond all redemption?
Hanako has dwelt alone for all her life, with only her two silent handmaidens and the countless dragon effigies on her walls to keep her company; her only knowledge of the outside world gained from the books and scrolls she reads. When the wandering ronin stumbles onto her haven, she gains her first friend, never knowing how deeply this chance meeting would affect her.
The threads of fate have tied these two together, and all the while turmoil boils in the midst of the Seven Countries of Azuma-no-Kuni. Rumors of alliances and armies sprout up, and whispers of the long-lost Imperial Line returning at last. Old prophecies ripen at last, and old myths prepare to show themselves once again in the hour of need. Amongst it all stand two new allies—an isolated princess and a near-friendless ronin, as the wheels of fate and destiny circle them and draw ever closer. Will peace at last return to the fractured realms, or will remnants of the once great Empire splinter beyond all redemption?
ebook
Published August 9, 2019
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About the author
Wyn Estelle Owens
8 books24 followersWyn Estelle Owens is the penname of a young woman who’s still figuring out what this whole ‘adult’ thing is all about. She lives in a big, old house in Maryland by a Hundred Acre Wood (dubbed Neldoreth) with her parents, three occasionally obnoxious brothers, her dog Jackie, and her personal plot bunny, Joker.
She is fond of reading, writing, drawing, speaking in dead or imaginary languages, playing videogames, quoting classic or obscure literature, being randomly dramatic, and generally making things out of yarn. Her dream is to write stories that inspire people to chase after the wonderful world of storytelling.
Her favorite all-time author is J.R.R. Tolkien, who first inspired her to pursuing novel writing when she read the Hobbit at the age of seven.
She is fond of reading, writing, drawing, speaking in dead or imaginary languages, playing videogames, quoting classic or obscure literature, being randomly dramatic, and generally making things out of yarn. Her dream is to write stories that inspire people to chase after the wonderful world of storytelling.
Her favorite all-time author is J.R.R. Tolkien, who first inspired her to pursuing novel writing when she read the Hobbit at the age of seven.
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Displaying 1 - 13 of 13 reviews
February 29, 2020
ISAO. *sobsssssss*
Full review on my blog:
https://iamcharlesbakerharris.wordpre...
Full review on my blog:
https://iamcharlesbakerharris.wordpre...
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July 26, 2021You can tell something for certain from this tale. The author loves a good story. And by absorbing good stories, she has crafted an exciting tale of her own in her debut novel, an Asian-inspired fantasy retelling of Rapunzel.
I am no expert on Asian culture authenticity, but I did enjoy the beautiful Japenese-esque world-building. Modern language occasionally appeared amid the ancient style of story-telling, but since the tale has an anime-ish flavor, this is not surprising.
I became quite fond of the heroic brothers, the gentle princess, the mysterious shinobi, and of course the powerful, beautiful, and benevolent Celestial Guardians.
Clearly, the author appreciates many of the same things that I do--Snarky, skilled heroes, sweet, friendship-based romance, tragic backstory, dire stakes, and villains getting the justice they so richly deserve.
I am no expert on Asian culture authenticity, but I did enjoy the beautiful Japenese-esque world-building. Modern language occasionally appeared amid the ancient style of story-telling, but since the tale has an anime-ish flavor, this is not surprising.
I became quite fond of the heroic brothers, the gentle princess, the mysterious shinobi, and of course the powerful, beautiful, and benevolent Celestial Guardians.
Clearly, the author appreciates many of the same things that I do--Snarky, skilled heroes, sweet, friendship-based romance, tragic backstory, dire stakes, and villains getting the justice they so richly deserve.
September 25, 2021
This book is fabulous. Five reasons you should read it:
1. You want a book that’s epic in scope, yet never loses sight of the personal level. In The Dragon’s Flower, Wyn deals with the life or death of nations and empires, not merely a single family or city or country. And she does it well; you can feel the scale of both the conflict and the stakes at almost all times. However, you’ll never feel as if the characters are lost in the grandeur of the plot, and the personalness of the narrative is arguably one of the things that makes the scope work so well.
2. You love intrigue and sneakery. Intrigue is the name of the game here, really; plots and plans abound on both sides of the conflict. (And the plotters and planners definitely know what they’re doing too. Trust me.) Also, there are literal ninja running around here. How much more sneaky can you get?
3. You’re looking for a story that both has strong, awesome families and adorable romances. It’s the best of both worlds! Shichiro, Isao, and Manami are a fabulous sibling trio. Some of them are kind of a mess, but they love each other, support each other, and protect each other, and it’s honestly the best. Also, Isao is married with kids, and he is a fabulous fantasy dad, and Shichiro is an excellent fantasy uncle. But if that’s not enough — the romances in this book are adorable. (I say romances, plural, because Isao and Aika, like Robin and Eric, are proof that your couples can be married and still be engaging and readable and did I mention adorable?) I love them so much I don’t even have words for it.
4. You loved Blood in the Snow (or Asian fantasy in general). I’m not trying to brag here, but if you’re reading my blog (especially if you’re one of my regulars), there’s a fair chance you also read my book. And if you did and you enjoyed it, I’m sure that you will love The Dragon’s Flower. Wyn did an amazing job with the Japanese-esque setting and with incorporating elements of Japanese (or, at least, Japanese-style) mythology, along with more Christian elements.
5. You never really got over the fact that Diana Wynn Jones is dead and Anne Elisabeth Stengl isn’t writing Goldstone Wood for the moment. You can tell Wyn is drawing on inspiration from both these excellent women when it comes to her writing style. While it’s still uniquely her own, it does feel kind of like what you might get if DWJ and Anne Elisabeth wrote a book together. (And I don’t say that often. Or, like, ever.) Also, for those who really, really, really miss Bard Eanrin: The Dragon’s Flower involves a Fox who is not a fox and who probably is Eanrin’s honorary Japanese cousin. Just sayin’.
Anyway: I love this book very much, and y'all should read it.
1. You want a book that’s epic in scope, yet never loses sight of the personal level. In The Dragon’s Flower, Wyn deals with the life or death of nations and empires, not merely a single family or city or country. And she does it well; you can feel the scale of both the conflict and the stakes at almost all times. However, you’ll never feel as if the characters are lost in the grandeur of the plot, and the personalness of the narrative is arguably one of the things that makes the scope work so well.
2. You love intrigue and sneakery. Intrigue is the name of the game here, really; plots and plans abound on both sides of the conflict. (And the plotters and planners definitely know what they’re doing too. Trust me.) Also, there are literal ninja running around here. How much more sneaky can you get?
3. You’re looking for a story that both has strong, awesome families and adorable romances. It’s the best of both worlds! Shichiro, Isao, and Manami are a fabulous sibling trio. Some of them are kind of a mess, but they love each other, support each other, and protect each other, and it’s honestly the best. Also, Isao is married with kids, and he is a fabulous fantasy dad, and Shichiro is an excellent fantasy uncle. But if that’s not enough — the romances in this book are adorable. (I say romances, plural, because Isao and Aika, like Robin and Eric, are proof that your couples can be married and still be engaging and readable and did I mention adorable?) I love them so much I don’t even have words for it.
4. You loved Blood in the Snow (or Asian fantasy in general). I’m not trying to brag here, but if you’re reading my blog (especially if you’re one of my regulars), there’s a fair chance you also read my book. And if you did and you enjoyed it, I’m sure that you will love The Dragon’s Flower. Wyn did an amazing job with the Japanese-esque setting and with incorporating elements of Japanese (or, at least, Japanese-style) mythology, along with more Christian elements.
5. You never really got over the fact that Diana Wynn Jones is dead and Anne Elisabeth Stengl isn’t writing Goldstone Wood for the moment. You can tell Wyn is drawing on inspiration from both these excellent women when it comes to her writing style. While it’s still uniquely her own, it does feel kind of like what you might get if DWJ and Anne Elisabeth wrote a book together. (And I don’t say that often. Or, like, ever.) Also, for those who really, really, really miss Bard Eanrin: The Dragon’s Flower involves a Fox who is not a fox and who probably is Eanrin’s honorary Japanese cousin. Just sayin’.
Anyway: I love this book very much, and y'all should read it.
August 6, 2019
Another Asian-inspired fantasy to be added to my collection of favorites!
For the first half of this book, I devoured it. Shichiro was my absolute favorite and because of certain events that unfold at the halfway point, it was harder for me to love the second half. However, that is not to say things were not very good. It was indeed still awesome! (My heart was just a little broken is all. Ha!)
You really get to see everything unfold as well as grow closer to these band of characters. Having the Celestials involved was another one of my favorite parts because they positively oozed the Asian culture and loved it so so so much. Each one was so colorfully unique that had me totally caught up in these pages.
Hanako’s self-journey from beginning to end was beautiful and encouraging. She definitely is not that same shy young woman as she was! Her value of friendship was something I found to be special and made me smile many times as she made a new friend.
The Dragon’s Flower is one I could see myself rereading again and would love to have on my bookshelf. It was fun, engaging, and involved one of my favorite cultures. The author truly did an incredible job of bringing this world to life with the polite mannerisms, the loyalty, and the personal fondness I have for samurais.
If you are looking for an excellent Asian-inspired fantasy, I recommend this one for sure!
*(I received an ARC of this book and was not required to write a positive review. All thoughts expressed are my own.)*
For the first half of this book, I devoured it. Shichiro was my absolute favorite and because of certain events that unfold at the halfway point, it was harder for me to love the second half. However, that is not to say things were not very good. It was indeed still awesome! (My heart was just a little broken is all. Ha!)
You really get to see everything unfold as well as grow closer to these band of characters. Having the Celestials involved was another one of my favorite parts because they positively oozed the Asian culture and loved it so so so much. Each one was so colorfully unique that had me totally caught up in these pages.
Hanako’s self-journey from beginning to end was beautiful and encouraging. She definitely is not that same shy young woman as she was! Her value of friendship was something I found to be special and made me smile many times as she made a new friend.
The Dragon’s Flower is one I could see myself rereading again and would love to have on my bookshelf. It was fun, engaging, and involved one of my favorite cultures. The author truly did an incredible job of bringing this world to life with the polite mannerisms, the loyalty, and the personal fondness I have for samurais.
If you are looking for an excellent Asian-inspired fantasy, I recommend this one for sure!
*(I received an ARC of this book and was not required to write a positive review. All thoughts expressed are my own.)*
December 24, 2019
This Asian-inspired retelling of Rapunzel was as beautiful as it was complex. And yet, the complexity was handled so well that it never felt convoluted or confusing. I don't think I've ever read a Rapunzel retelling before, and as I was in the midst of planning to write one of my own, this was intriguing to me. I loved the authentic feel of the Asian setting. The characters had compelling arcs, and the story itself was ultimately satisfying. And while I saw a few things coming because I knew it was a retelling and I expected certain beats to get hit... the author still managed to twist the plot around and surprise me.
November 24, 2024
I read this book! I did! Why does Goodreads think I hadn't??
August 9, 2019
The Dragon’s Flower is a Japanese-style fairy tale that takes the story of Rapunzel as its starting point and then charges off into a wonderful world of its own.
As a tiny child, Hanako grew very ill. To save her life, she was given over to the princess of Akiyama, who healed her and sent her to a remote pagoda to be raised in seclusion. Why should Akiyama’s princess—a woman not known for kindness—do such a thing? And why does Hanako have a dragon-shaped birthmark on her back?
Shichiro is a ronin, a warrior who was exiled from his home by the Shogun of Masaka. Lost in a rainstorm, he finds himself at the foot of a mysterious pagoda. Inside, he finds a kind blue-eyed girl. But what friendship could a ronin have with the Princess of Dragons?
Isao is the son of one shogun and the heir of another. Trained as a shinobi (ninja) from childhood, he and his comrade Ichiro hear about everything that happens in the Seven Lands. And there are whispers that the princess of Akiyama and the shogun of Masaka have allied to put a puppet ruler upon the imperial throne. But what can Isao do to stop them when he cannot trust himself to protect the people he holds most dear?
This is SUCH a fun book. The characters, the world, the magic, the humor… I could go on and on. It was a delight to read. Both Shichiro and Hanako encounter such hardship but with such courage and kindness. The secondary characters, from solemn Ichiro to little Daisuke, are fun too.
I love the fact that this book engages deeply with Japanese-like mythology but with a Christian twist. I love the way Wyn names the different types of swords and pieces of clothing and uses the proper honorifics for everyone (at least, based on my experience watching anime it seems to be accurate *cough cough*). Aaah! So good!
Caveats… hmm… The version of this that I was sent to review hadn’t been proofread yet, and it definitely needed to be proofread. But I’m guessing most of that will have been fixed by the time y’all see it.
There were a couple of plot things that bothered me. At one point in the narrative,
Readers who aren’t familiar with Japanese names might get a little lost at points. There are a lot of people and places that get mentioned. Personally I loved all the names, but not everyone is a crazy linguist. ;) A character list (and maybe a map? I like maps) would have been helpful, especially for the tertiary characters (all the shoguns… and small children… and ladies in waiting… and celestial spirits).
This story was a lot of fun and I definitely recommend it.
As a tiny child, Hanako grew very ill. To save her life, she was given over to the princess of Akiyama, who healed her and sent her to a remote pagoda to be raised in seclusion. Why should Akiyama’s princess—a woman not known for kindness—do such a thing? And why does Hanako have a dragon-shaped birthmark on her back?
Shichiro is a ronin, a warrior who was exiled from his home by the Shogun of Masaka. Lost in a rainstorm, he finds himself at the foot of a mysterious pagoda. Inside, he finds a kind blue-eyed girl. But what friendship could a ronin have with the Princess of Dragons?
Isao is the son of one shogun and the heir of another. Trained as a shinobi (ninja) from childhood, he and his comrade Ichiro hear about everything that happens in the Seven Lands. And there are whispers that the princess of Akiyama and the shogun of Masaka have allied to put a puppet ruler upon the imperial throne. But what can Isao do to stop them when he cannot trust himself to protect the people he holds most dear?
This is SUCH a fun book. The characters, the world, the magic, the humor… I could go on and on. It was a delight to read. Both Shichiro and Hanako encounter such hardship but with such courage and kindness. The secondary characters, from solemn Ichiro to little Daisuke, are fun too.
I love the fact that this book engages deeply with Japanese-like mythology but with a Christian twist. I love the way Wyn names the different types of swords and pieces of clothing and uses the proper honorifics for everyone (at least, based on my experience watching anime it seems to be accurate *cough cough*). Aaah! So good!
Caveats… hmm… The version of this that I was sent to review hadn’t been proofread yet, and it definitely needed to be proofread. But I’m guessing most of that will have been fixed by the time y’all see it.
There were a couple of plot things that bothered me. At one point in the narrative,
Readers who aren’t familiar with Japanese names might get a little lost at points. There are a lot of people and places that get mentioned. Personally I loved all the names, but not everyone is a crazy linguist. ;) A character list (and maybe a map? I like maps) would have been helpful, especially for the tertiary characters (all the shoguns… and small children… and ladies in waiting… and celestial spirits).
This story was a lot of fun and I definitely recommend it.
February 8, 2022
Loved it
I would recommend this book to those that like myth and folklore. If you are a fan of Asian stories this book is for you. I read this in two days I was captivated by the beautiful storytelling.
I would recommend this book to those that like myth and folklore. If you are a fan of Asian stories this book is for you. I read this in two days I was captivated by the beautiful storytelling.
September 9, 2021
A samurai fairytale complete with a reluctant hero and a princess in a tower. A disgraced samurai finds unlikely companionship in a lonely pagoda that holds a beautiful girl unaware of her own imprisonment. Schihiro and Hanako’s blossoming romance sparks an epic journey that will free Hanako from her oppressor and restore Schihiro’s honor while they strive to right the wrongs of the past. Schihiro’s brother and sister demonstrate their loyalty to family by risking everything to assist Schihiro and Hanako in their journey. Divine guardians assist them in their quest to restore balance in heaven and earth, emphasizing honor and integrity as the paths to true happiness. This complex tale is complete with surprise twists and well-developed politics in a fantasy world rich with history, folklore, battles, spies, and true love; this is not one to miss.
November 14, 2021
I love the Japanese elements in this Rapunzel retelling.
May 7, 2025
Great East meets West Fairytale Retelling of Rapunzel!
I really enjoyed this book because the characters and setting were so unique. Hanako, Isao, and Shujiro (sorry if I didn't get the spellings correct) were fantastic and had great personalities. Isao and Shujiro acted exactly like brothers by joking around with each other. I also liked how the overall plot somewhat followed the original Rapunzel tale, with a few twists to better fit the Asian setting. Lastly, I really liked the Christian-ish influence. There's a Heavenly Emperor who rules over the Celestials, who are similar but not to the animals of the Zodiac. These Celestials remind me of angels or even saints who help the characters out on behalf of the Heavenly Emperor, which seems a lot like God. So, I felt like there was some Allegory to it. Finally, the description of everything was so beautiful that I could easily picture the Asian inspired setting and clothes. The author even used Japanese terms. That was really neat and inspirational.
Overall, it was a clean fairytale retelling.
Now for what I didn't like, and what may not be your cup of tea.
1. Omniscient point of view. The narrative was not through one character's point of view, so it head hopped.
2. Mentions of past events without revealing them until too late in the narrative, mentions of past events without describing them, and just generally feeling like there were other books connected to this one and feeling lost at times.
3. Hanako having no idea about sex or babies. I mean, the girl has sex, doesn't realize it leads to babies, doesn't realize what sex is, and then acts like she didn't by being shy with physical touch with her own husband. I get that she is naiive but her wicked mother supposedly taught her all she needed to know about marriage, so....why? It just was weird and awkward.
4. So. many. names. Names and history of people that didn't add to the plot or help me follow the story, and random backgrounds that didn't seem relevant. This author clearly has a backstory for every.single.character. I didn't need it! Sorry, I don't care about Kenta or even that one princess whose family originally betrayed the Heavenly Emperor and wanted to redeem themselves or something. Give me more Shujiro! or Hanako! or something....ugh.
All of that being said, I really enjoyed this book, and if she wrote another in the same universe, I would happily read it.
I really enjoyed this book because the characters and setting were so unique. Hanako, Isao, and Shujiro (sorry if I didn't get the spellings correct) were fantastic and had great personalities. Isao and Shujiro acted exactly like brothers by joking around with each other. I also liked how the overall plot somewhat followed the original Rapunzel tale, with a few twists to better fit the Asian setting. Lastly, I really liked the Christian-ish influence. There's a Heavenly Emperor who rules over the Celestials, who are similar but not to the animals of the Zodiac. These Celestials remind me of angels or even saints who help the characters out on behalf of the Heavenly Emperor, which seems a lot like God. So, I felt like there was some Allegory to it. Finally, the description of everything was so beautiful that I could easily picture the Asian inspired setting and clothes. The author even used Japanese terms. That was really neat and inspirational.
Overall, it was a clean fairytale retelling.
Now for what I didn't like, and what may not be your cup of tea.
1. Omniscient point of view. The narrative was not through one character's point of view, so it head hopped.
2. Mentions of past events without revealing them until too late in the narrative, mentions of past events without describing them, and just generally feeling like there were other books connected to this one and feeling lost at times.
3. Hanako having no idea about sex or babies. I mean, the girl has sex, doesn't realize it leads to babies, doesn't realize what sex is, and then acts like she didn't by being shy with physical touch with her own husband. I get that she is naiive but her wicked mother supposedly taught her all she needed to know about marriage, so....why? It just was weird and awkward.
4. So. many. names. Names and history of people that didn't add to the plot or help me follow the story, and random backgrounds that didn't seem relevant. This author clearly has a backstory for every.single.character. I didn't need it! Sorry, I don't care about Kenta or even that one princess whose family originally betrayed the Heavenly Emperor and wanted to redeem themselves or something. Give me more Shujiro! or Hanako! or something....ugh.
All of that being said, I really enjoyed this book, and if she wrote another in the same universe, I would happily read it.
October 2, 2024
A sweet story with a lot of heart. Imagine Rapunzel, but there are ninjas. :)
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