Starred Review ALA Booklist (Sat Mar 01 00:00:00 CST 2014)

Starred Review When Owen's legendary dragon-slayer aunt is too injured to continue her vocation, she starts teaching him the ways of the family business. And when Owen meets Siobhan, their friendship becomes part of an epic saga, as Siobhan turns into Owen's bard and tells the tale of his adventures to help him change the future of dragon slaying forever. Johnston's masterful book is a refreshing blend of alternative history, high fantasy, and contemporary teen life. Johnston has done careful research for her intricate world building, and the result is strikingly original and believable. Elements from our world are delicately shaped to fit this alternative, such as the Romans taking dragon slayers from their hometowns and conscripting them into service for the state. Even less illustrious historical elements e songs of Gordon Lightfoot, for example e now dragon related. But for all the emphasis on her world, Johnston does not neglect the depth of her characters: Owen and Siobhan's friendship is a beautiful, solid thing, and the authenticity of their relationship goes a long way to making this strange world more familiar. Siobhan's narration, in particular, perfectly blends her dry humor with her musical talent. Johnston, like Siobhan, knows how to spin a tale.

Horn Book

In this original fantasy, eleventh-grade budding composer Siobhan McQuaid is asked to be bard to dragon-slayer-in-training teen Owen. Johnston has great fun reimagining history in a dragon-filled world. Modern references live comfortably next to those from Viking sagas, often to comic effect. And the final confrontation, due to Siobhan's wry, heroic narration, is nothing short of epic.

Publishers Weekly (Fri Oct 06 00:00:00 CDT 2023)

Debut novelist Johnston envisions an Earth nearly identical to our own, with one key difference: dragons, whose attraction to carbon emissions-whether from campfires or cars-makes them a persistent threat. Everything from pop music to industry, literature, and the historical record has been influenced. The Sahara desert has its roots in a botched dragon slaying after Rome conquered Carthage; centuries later, the logo for the Detroit Red Wings symbolizes the loss of an entire state: -the wheel, for the car that had brought Michigan up, and the wing, for the dragons that had brought it down.- After 16-year-old Siobhan McQuaid agrees to become the bard for dragon-slayer-in-training Owen Thorskard, who has moved with his famous dragon-slaying family to her small Ontario town, she winds up at the center of a grassroots effort to understand an odd spike in dragon numbers. Siobhan-s narration sings thanks to her dry wit, intelligence, and ability to see the inherent musicality of life, while also commenting on the unreliability of history (and storytelling) and the power of a community to rally to save itself. Ages 11-up. Agent: Josh Adams, Adams Literary. (Mar.)

School Library Journal (Tue Jul 01 00:00:00 CDT 2014)

Gr 7 Up-Siobhan is a typical teenager. Her hobbies include composing music, hanging out with friends, and driving her first car. Her biggest conflict is whether or not to tell her parents that she would rather pursue music than go to a university. All of that changes when she meets Owen Thorskard, currently failing algebra and potentially the nation's next great dragon slayer. Owen, nephew of famous Slayer Lottie Thorskard, goes to high school by day and trains to protect the rural town of Trondheim by night. The two teens become friends when it becomes painfully evident that Owen needs a math tutor. Little does Siobhan know that she's signing up for a lot more than tutoring. Soon she finds herself working as Owen's personal Bard. While he slays, she documents; together they work to show the country that dragon slayers are needed in more than just the big cities. Johnston seamlessly blends fantasy with realistic fiction; readers will have a hard time remembering that dragons aren't an everyday aspect of life. Suggest this title to reluctant readers as the fast-paced plot and witty dialogue will keep them turning pages until the tale's exciting conclusion. A great addition for any library with a strong fantasy following. Jennifer Furuyama, Pendleton Public Library, OR

Voice of Youth Advocates

In this contemporary fantasy, dragons live alongside humans, drawn to the carbon emissions and preying on anyone who happens to get in their way. Once considered a civic duty, dragon slaying became commercialized with the onset of industrialization, leaving poor rural communities vulnerable to attack. A legendary dragon slaying family, the Thorskards, aims to restore dragon-slaying traditions of yore, and their first step is hiring music prodigy Siobhan to become bard to their youngest slayer-in-training, Owen. The teens become close friends and soon find themselves bringing the community together to battle a mysterious surge of dragons in Trondheim.Despite the title, Siobhan is the true star of this novel, narrating the tale with off-beat humor and a believable teen voice. In a refreshing departure from the course many young adult novels take, Siobhan is more interested in developing her talents as a musician and bard, and in saving her community, than in romantic pursuits. She admires the virtues of her female friendstheir strength, intelligence, and independenceas much as she does Owen's. Johnston focuses on developing rich characters and a detailed alternate history, with mild dragon encounters sprinkled throughout. Readers who enjoy world-building will enjoy the attention Johnston gives to infusing history and contemporary life with dragons. Those expecting fast-paced adventure may find that this exposition, while often funny, moves too slowly.Lindy Gerdes.