Garden of the Purple Dragon by Carole Wilkinson

My rating: 4 of 5 stars
Pages: 349
Series : Sequel to Dragon Keeper

Ping was the Dragon Keeper to the old Imperial Dragon Danzi but she had helped him escape. She was made the last Dragon Keeper and sworn to keep the baby dragon Kai safe, but was caught by the Imperial soldiers. Now, her destiny was questioned. She knew that all the Keepers are male and this led to doubt her appointment. Will she surrender the purple dragon to the Emperor?

Warning: May contain spoiler!

My thoughts on this book:

This book has surprised me. As I was reading on the earlier part, it didn't strike me to be very much exciting to read, yet it has triggered my curiosity to keep on reading. Normally, a lack of action will bore me. But this book has kept me intrigued. So I kept on reading and towards the end it has engulfed me with awe. The twist turned out to be doubled and it I didn't see it coming. I thought that it will angle to a romance, hopeless romantic? Nah! but it proved me wrong. It was actually something that clouded Ping's judgement. Oh! a spoiler!

I liked the character of Hua (the rat) who was always with Ping in times of trouble. I braced myself for any magical revelation this rat may have, but no, there's none. I thought it might turn into a prince or something, but  the hope for any fairy tale-ish story has vanished. The necromancer had crept me out. Say no more about the stench of a rotten flesh! It was disgusting. But it was effective. I could picture him in my mind (yuck!). And what of Ping? I pity her. It seemed that her life was so sad because of her task as a keeper. She didn't have a normal life. Hey, who would if you have a dragon in tow!

The only thing that I find shallow is the five elements. What a very weak five elements. I reckon it was non essential. It might have a grand effect if it was really the five elements carefully written and thought about by the author.

But overall, I liked it. I was intrigued in how to take care of a baby dragon, their friendship, the betrayal, the kindness and loyalty. I can tell this story to my nephew and nieces. It will be a good story to tell!

View all my reviews