Eon: Dragoneye Reborn by Alison Goodman

Rating:
Characters: 20/20
Plot: 20/20
Originality: 19/20
Writing: 19/20
Recomendation: 20/20
Overall: 98/100 or A+
Source: Library

Summary- Twelve-year old Eon has been in training for years. His intensive study of Dragon Magic, based on East Asian astrology, involves two kinds of skills: sword-work and magical aptitude. He and his master hope that he will be chosen as a Dragoneye–an apprentice to one of the twelve energy dragons of good fortune.

But Eon has a dangerous secret. He is actually Eona, a sixteen-year-old girl who has been masquerading as a boy for the chance to become a Dragoneye. Females are forbidden to use Dragon Magic; if anyone discovers she has been hiding in plain sight, her death is assured.

When Eon’s secret threatens to come to light, she and her allies are plunged into grave danger and a deadly struggle for the Imperial throne. Eon must find the strength and inner power to battle those who want to take her magic… and her life.

Review- I decided to start this series on a whim. The title, Eon, always drew my attention somewhat when I was browsing the teen section at the library, but other than that I was never particularily attracted to the book. The other day my mom was on her way to the library to check out some audio-books (she is awfully fond of them) and asked if there was anything I would like. Besides the books I had already planned on checking out, Eon popped into my mind. So I added it to the list, one of the better book choices I have ever made. 😉

Eon: Dragoneye Reborn was an extremely enjoyable read. The plot was completely enthralling and the East Asian astrology truly had me mystified at times. Alison Goodman is one of those YA authors that I had never heard of until reading one of her books. She definitely proved her skills while creating the world of Eon. Her commendable writing prowess can be even further enjoyed by reading a few of her other books.

The aspects that I particularily enjoyed while reading were the inclinations of women’s freedom and rights. Eon, or Eona I should say, was a determined and strong female who was forced to disguise herself as a guy if she wished to be succesful in the world. She even resorted to drugs in some cases to supress her femininity. While this worked, it also suppressed her abilities to call her dragon, the Mirror Dragon. The Mirror Dragon is the only female dargon of the twelve celestial dragons and is the most powerful. While females were forbidden to become Dragoneyes, the Mirror Dragon was lost. The Mirror Dragon is such named because it’s true name is the same as its Dragoneye.

When Eona was chosen by the Mirror Dragon she was unable to fully connect with it because she wouldn’t accept her true name, Eona, instead of Eon. The story continued to describe her continued suppression of her femininity and dragon. At the end of the book, a marvelous event occured. Eona accepted her true self. This was an act of great strength. She fully bonded with her dragon and became the true Mirror Dragoneye. I believe this is a message to women telling them not the be pushed down by social constraints and that their only true power lies in accepting their true selves.

As I mentioned earlier, Eon was a greatily enjoyable read. I am truly glad I had the whim to read it. I hope to pursue this series doggedly until its end and read some of Alison Goodman’s other work. 😉