Jess’s Reviews > Brighter than Scale, Swifter than Flame > Status Update

5h. I liked the progression of the story! It explored multicultural identities, loyalty that’s taught vs chosen loyalty, & vulnerability. I wish Yeva acknowledged more fully that it was wrong to kill all those dragons, especially since Sookhee is a dragon shapeshifter. But otherwise, I thought this was a good romantasy with detailed enough world building to be engaging, but not overly complicated for a novella

Ok so they finally got together! I like them together but I’m not overly convinced of their chemistry tbh. The dynamic itself has appeal, but idk how invested I am in the specific characters themselves. Also, I believe Sookhee is still hiding more secrets about the dragon remaining in Quanbao. I still think it’s secretly her when she falls ill monthly. Although she has at least admitted it’s existence for now

I have a theory that Sookhee is secretly a dragon… she’s sick monthly, almost cold-blooded, maybe the castle caves are for when she’s in her dragon form. They’re having cute bonding moments

Yeva was displaced as a child due to her “legacy.” She faced racial prejudice & felt disconnected from her culture/identity. Because of this, she doesn’t want to take off her armor/mask in her adulthood. She fought for “acceptance,” which seems more like exoticism. Her cousin is relaying an order for her to go to Quanbao. It’s dragon queen vs dragon slayer, although she was forced into the slaying aspect