Classic. Vintage. Quaint and quirky and pretty like a crow’s horde. Those are the words which come to mind when I think of Patricia C. Wrede and Peter S. Beagle’s works. Their books aren’t even that old, but they are in a timeless style which defies the modern call for easy understanding, typical writing, and normality.
Both Wrede and Beagle are outside the ordinary in prose, story, and everything else. I can’t even put an age label in the title because they do not fit neatly in either middle grade or young adult. In fact, I would recommend these books to an eight year old or an eighteen year old! Simply timeless.
I’m Afraid You’ve Got Dragons
Dragons are common in the back-water kingdom of Bellemontagne, coming in sizes from mouselike vermin all the way up to the fabled Kings, which haven’t been seen in an age. Gaius Aurelius Constantine Heliogabalus Thrax (who would much rather people call him Robert) has recently inherited his deceased father’s job as a dragon exterminator, a career he detests with all his heart. Things turn from bad to worse when Robert is hired by the royal family to disinfect the entire castle, as Princess Cerise is determined to receive Crown Prince Reginald with the shabby château looking its best.
What happens next is not the fairy tale you may be expecting.
I’m Afraid You’ve Got Dragons is exactly what you want from a book with that sort of title, yet completely different from everything I was expecting. But when I saw that Beagle was the author of The Last Unicorn–which I’ve never read, but I love the movie–I snatched the book up.
If you’ve ever seen The Last Unicorn film, then even without the proclamation on the cover you’d know they were created by the same people. Peter S. Beagle’s writing is so unique and so charming. For a moment you think perhaps this will be a typical quaint fairy tale, but do not be deceived. Beagle flipped the tables completely on everything I was expecting. I loved every bit of I’m Afraid You’ve Got Dragons.
Another thing–this book tricked me. The writing style, the voice, the plot, all clued me in to the early 2000’s. But no, this book was published in 2024! That was perhaps the biggest plot twist of all to me.
Content Warnings:
Wizardry (evil) and violence and death (moderate).
Ratings:
Appropriate content: 4/5
Story construction: 4/5
Writing skill: 5/5
Ethics: 4/5
Other Information:
Christian: No, from what I have found he is Jewish
Point of view: Omniscient
Tense: Past tense
Romance: Yes
Series: No
Age recommendation: 9-99
Dealing With Dragons
Meet Princess Cimorene–a princess who refustes to be proper. She is everything a princess is not supposed to be: headstrong, tomboyish, smart…
And bored.
So bored that she runs away to live with a dragon. And not just any dragon, but Kazul–one of the most powerful and dangerous dragons arounds. Of course, Cimorene has a way of hooking up with dangerous characters, and soon she’s coping with a witch, a jinn, a death-dealing talking bird, a stone prince, and some very oily wizards.
If this princess ran away to find some excitement, it looks like she’s found plenty!
I love this series so much. It’s quirky, frank, and funny, subverting all expectations to create an enchanting story of a stubborn princess whose adventures lead to something much greater than she originally intended.
As an aside, the cover above is my favorite version, but there’s at least four or five different covers for this book.
Content Warnings:
Witchcraft and wizardry, portrayed as not always evil, and moderate violence.
Ratings:
Appropriate content: 5/5
Story construction: 4/5
Writing skill: 5/5
Ethics: 5/5
Other Information:
Christian: No
Point of view: Third person limited
Tense: Past tense
Romance: A little
Series: Yes
Age recommendation: 8-99
Happy reading!
–Astor
P.S. Feel free to comment with thoughts or questions. I’m happy to answer and seeing you interact with my post lets me know that you enjoyed it! Don’t forget to subscribe below!
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