“Sometimes, the promise of a different story doesn’t quite go the way you planned.”
They always say not to judge a book based on its cover, but I think Dragon Along would have to be the exception to that rule. I mean, it’s just as cute, cozy, charming, fun and endearing as it is promised to be, and my heart was honestly bursting with joy the entire way through this unconventional dragon fantasy adventure.
If you come here expecting a rehash of the wild dragon bonding shenanigans that Upscaled delivered, then you better think again. See, Dragon Along shifts focus from the unruly Ailís to her quiet and bookish younger brother Camaráin, and his dragon hatching and bonding journey doesn’t quite go the way he had hoped it would. Instead, he’s pulled into a trip to his grandparents in the countryside, where hostile gnomes, secret societies, fae hunters, annoying tourists and incompetent inquisitors are waiting to make his life even harder than it already is. Poor boy, he just wanted to have a cuppa and some cake while bonding over books, was that too much to ask?
Now, as eventful as all that sounds, Dragon Along is actually quite a tame adventure compared to the delightful madness that we went through together with our oddball characters in Upscaled. I wouldn’t say that this story drags along, if you will, but I did sometimes find myself wondering why we were reading this unexpected adventure instead of continuing Ailís’ journey in the Draconic Highlands (which just sounded SO much more intriguing).
Don’t get me wrong, Camaráin is a very endearing protagonist, and I loved him for his precociousness and quietly bookish nature. That said, I think there is simply no denying that he pales a bit in comparison to his sister’s liveliness, and I think the same could be said for his stand-offish dragon compared to the loveable Pilib. To me, they almost felt like the side characters in their own story, and it was actually Cam’s Ma and my lovely ladies Áine and Una who absolutely stole the show for me in Dragon Along with their sharp wits and bold personalities.
Still, between the witty dialogue, gnomish chaos, fae shenanigans, and a trip to the banned books section in the library (just to name a few things), there truly wasn’t a dull moment in Dragon Along, and I effortlessly flew through the pages with a big smile on my face. In a way, I think this sequel is even more overtly funny (and punny) than its predecessor, which definitely makes up for the fact that the plot is a bit less thrilling. Some of the jokes, word choices, and satirical elements felt maybe a bit out of place in a middle grade story or were just a bit too corny for me, but I can’t deny that Lee is a deviously clever and funny man.
Ultimately, Dragon Along was maybe not the sequel I was expecting, but I think it is an absolute gem in its own right. And while it wraps up this duology in a wonderfully satisfying way, I really hope we get to return to the wondrous world of Nóra someday for more dragony delights. If you want a tongue-in-cheek fantasy adventure in the vein of T. Kingfisher’s middle grade books, but with a bit more Pratchett-esque satire mixed in, then I can’t recommend The Dragons of Nóra duology highly enough!
Thank you to the author for providing me with an eARC in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are my own. Dragon Along is scheduled for release on June 3rd, 2025.
