Serena’s Review: “Dragonfruit”

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Book: “Dragonfruit” by Makiia Lucier

Publishing Info: Clarion Books, April 2024

Where Did I Get this Book: from the publisher!

Where Can You Get this Book: WorldCat.org | Amazon | IndieBound

Book Description: In the old tales, it is written that the egg of a seadragon, dragonfruit, holds within it the power to undo a person’s greatest sorrow. An unwanted marriage, a painful illness, and unpaid debt … gone. But as with all things that promise the moon and the stars and offer hope when hope has gone, the tale comes with a warning.

Every wish demands a price.

Hanalei of Tamarind is the cherished daughter of an old island family. But when her father steals a seadragon egg meant for an ailing princess, she is forced into a life of exile. In the years that follow, Hanalei finds solace in studying the majestic seadragons that roam the Nominomi Sea. Until, one day, an encounter with a female dragon offers her what she desires most. A chance to return home, and to right a terrible wrong.

Samahtitamahenele, Sam, is the last remaining prince of Tamarind. But he can never inherit the throne, for Tamarind is a matriarchal society. With his mother ill and his grandmother nearing the end of her reign. Sam is left with two to marry, or to find a cure for the sickness that has plagued his mother for ten long years. When a childhood companion returns from exile, she brings with her something he has not felt in a very long time – hope.

But Hanalei and Sam are not the only ones searching for the dragonfruit. And as they battle enemies both near and far, there is another danger they cannot escape…that of the dragonfruit itself.  

Review: I always am interested in a book about dragons! But while I’ve read a million and one (still love them though) stories about European-style dragons, I’ve read fewer based on Eastern cultures. And I was particularly intrigued that this story was drawing from Pacific Island mythology, of which I know very little. Plus, the colorful, vibrant cover is very distinct from the other YA fantasy stories out there! I always appreciate it when publishers buck trends in cover art and produced unique covers that actually fit the specific story within!

I really enjoyed this book! Right from the start, the story begins with a bang and never really slows down for the entirety of the story. The world-building, with its history of dragon hunters, dragons, and the magical and rare dragonfruit they produce is all neatly divvied out whenever there’s a break in the action. We quickly learn about our main character Hanalei and the way in which dragonfruit has shaped her life to this point. She was both saved by it, but also estranged from her home country and branded a traitor, losing family, friends, and home all in one swoop. However, as the story continues, we see that Hanalei’s past is not viewed the same by those around her, and when she finally makes her way back home, these old ties come back in surprising ways. I enjoyed the general arch of her character, especially the contradictory feelings she has towards dragons and dragonfruit. More than most others, she understands not only the magic of the dragonfruit, but also the costly price. Even more importantly, she sees what many do not, that this cost is not only born by the humans touched by a curse, but by the dragons themselves, hunted for their young.

This in particular stood out to me, the way in which the dragons were handled. They were very much presented as majestic, wild animals, with that coming all of the beauty and horror of nature. They are wonderous, yes, but they also hunt people, and the book doesn’t shy away from the human cost that exists in a world with natural predators as mighty as these dragons. There is also a strange balance of tone that this brings to the story. As far as as Hanalei and Sam’s story goes, this book can read as a very cozy YA fantasy, with their romance coming across as very sweet and innocent. But on the other hand, there is so much tragedy with the dragons. If you’re bothered by violence towards animals, this one might be a struggle. I do think it was important that the book put to the page some of these scenes, to properly highlight the challenging choices faced by our characters, but there’s also just a lot of it. I definitely shed tears more than once.

I will say that by the end I was left wanting a bit more, especially with regards to the morality of dragonfruit. I appreciated that the author simply laid out these scenes before the reader and trusted that they could come to the correct judgement about the horror of using dragonfruit for wishes, but I wish there had been a bit more acknowledgement of this situation spoken about on the page between the characters. By the end, the reader has a good understanding of things, and you feel that the characters do, too, but there still seemed to be at least one or two important conversations needed to make it feel well-rounded.

On the same note, some of the cozy vibes of this story (which I very much appreciated on the whole!) seemed to coincide with a few almost cartoonish depictions of the books’ villains. There were a few characters, especially in the beginning, who were of the sort where you simply love to hate them. And that is all well and good, but, again, by the end of the story, I was left wanting a bit more depth to all of these characters. I will say that one of these did end up having an interesting arc, though I also felt this was fairly predictable past a certain point.

Overall, however, I very much enjoyed this book! It was a fast read, and I completed it in two sittings. The main characters, especially, were incredibly relatable and I loved their heart-warming romance. I also really loved the dragons of this world, they were an integral part to the story and they did not let me down! If you’re looking for a breath of fresh air in the YA dragon books arena, definitely give this one a shot! Just have some tissues on hand!

Rating 8: Full of heart and tragedy, this is a YA dragon book for all those looking for a fresh entry into a tried-and-true subgenre!

Reader’s Advisory:

“Dragonfruit” can be found on these Goodreads lists: Obscure Books Worth Considering and YA Novels of 2024.