The Awakening (The Dragon Heart Legacy #1) by Nora Roberts
- Publisher: St. Martin’s Press, November 24th 2020
- Genre: Fantasy, Romance
- Format: eARC
- Page Count: 448 pages
- My Rating: ⭐⭐⭐⭐ (4/5)
This is my first Nora Roberts book. I know. I couldn’t believe I have never read anything else by her either. And I really enjoyed this first book of her new fantasy series.
Roberts is a very seasoned writer, and it totally shows in her way of storytelling. I love the pacing of The Awakening. It is really consistent and nothing felt rushed or dragging. One minor issue I had was the paragraph breaking during conversations. On some occasions, I had trouble figuring out who was talking. But that did not interfere much with the wonderful story.
Just one more day before the rest of [Breen’s] life began.
The Awakening is a low fantasy with the Chosen One trope. Breen is an extremely relatable American woman in Philadelphia. She struggles to pay off student loans, works in a job she hated, and has never been anything but barely average. Or so her mother says. Upon discovering her mother’s attempt of hiding great things from her, she quits her job and spends a summer in Ireland, trying to locate her father who has disappeared from her life.
Though I love all the queer folks in Breen’s life, I find them falling a little on the “stereotypical gay men” side of the spectrum. But Marco and Sally are the best people. I love how they are always there for Breen, even before she has broken free of her mother and herself. On top of being rather stereotypical, most characters, queer or otherwise, are not distinctive enough to establish individuality in my mind. I hope the sequels will give them more personality.
For those wanting this book for the romance, it is not the main plot. And though it is clear whom Breen gets involved with, I find the actual relationship development a bit surprising and it did not work particularly well for me. I did not feel much attraction or emotional connection, but it is still very important to the series, and I hope to see it evolve.
What I love the most about The Awakening is the serenity of the narration, the calmness of the surroundings, and the peacefulness as Breen begins to hone more confidence than she has ever had. I also love the message of not letting anyone reprimand you, and all the wonderful words dedicated to acceptance, belonging, and becoming one’s true self.
The Awakening is an exciting read as we embark on Breen’s journey of finding herself. It ends on a cliffhanger, but not a note too nervous. I honestly laughed at the ending and cannot wait to read more about her adventure. [20 Jun 2020]
I received an e-ARC from St. Martin’s Press via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.
