Review--Dragon Cursed by Elise Kova

 

The moment you see a dragon is usually your last…

Since the dragons emerged–along with the scourge that ravaged our lands and people–there’s only one human city that remains standing: Vingard.

But the hellfire from above is nothing compared to the threat from within. For there is no worse fate than being dragon cursed. Slowly and excruciatingly, you’ll be transformed into a mindless beast who destroys everything–and everyone–you love.

Any of us could be tainted. Any of us could be lying. Any of us could be caught and killed by the authorities.

And I’m terrified that I might be next.

There’s only one other person who might suspect my secret. He’s like my shadow, following me wherever I go. Part protector, part tormentor, fully annoying. Sometimes I think I am just one of the million unfathomable secrets he keeps hidden.

Because Lucan definitely knows something.

And if I’m dragon cursed, death might be the only mercy I get.

Dragon Cursed is the first book I've read by Elise Kova, but clearly won't be my last! As a lover of dragons, I was eager to dive into a new fantasy mythos and seeing Kova's take on them. This was an intriguing start to a new series, but I will admit there were bouts of confusion from time to time. Mainly with the explanation of this new world and magical system. Usually it came to terms that were frequently used but were hard to place at times. I kept checking for a glossary thinking this would clear things up, but alas none was to be found.

Isola believes she is dragon cursed, which is basically a fate worse than death. She was attacked by a dragon six years ago, but survived. In this world, dragons are the enemy and must be killed upon sight whenever possible. Isola's father has been training her to participate in the Tribunal which is a competition of survival among other teenagers her age. To survive means to win and find a place in society. 

In the Tribunal she teams up with her best friend, Saipha, as there are no rules against it. Together they hope they can both come out alive on the other side. Joining their team is also Lucan, the man of mystery! He is the Vicar Darius' (the big honcho in charge) adopted son and lapdog/lackey, you could say. Isola holds a grudge against him for ratting her out one time when she went to visit her mother, which is not something she is usually allowed to do. So there's tension between them as he's been "watching" her ever since. But he too wants to survive the Tribunal and with other teams forming among them, it's better to be strong in numbers.

This was an interesting story for sure, I just wish maybe a glossary could've been included. I read this one in bouts over a few days, so trying to remember what these "magical" like terms were became a struggle after the second time around. They aren't usual terms either, so when they get tossed about regularly, I just wish I had a bit more context as to what it was again to help my brain form the bigger picture. But alas, no such glossary existed, so I had to do my best with my frail memory! Lol.

The romance was expected. There's so much tension between Isola and Lucan, some of it was bound to turn into the romantic kind. It did take time to build, which I appreciated. There were trust issues to work through, troubled pasts to be understood, past events to be looked at through another's eye. A lot needs to be said, but then there wasn't much time for deep explorations of their feelings.

There was a great deal of secrets to be had in this book as well. Isola harbors one or two as do some of the other characters. It made for a certain kind of tension and suspense throughout the story. By the ending, we're left wondering what the next course will be. There's an air of mystery to it, but at the same time, things are somewhat settled for the moment. It's not a big cliffhanger per se, at least not the type to drive you insane! Lol.

Dragon Cursed was an intriguing fantasy for sure with good dragon lore built into the story. Some of the other more magical aspects I felt like needed a little more detail to them to help make them easier to recall as one reads over a prolong period of time. But all in all, this was a fun story that kept me entertained and gasping at the right moments. While I may have struggled in some of the world-building aspects, the characters are what kept me going and the mysterious storyline as well. Definitely looking forward to seeing where this series will go!

Overall Rating 3.5/5 stars