Book Review: "Sign of the Dove" by Susan Fletcher

SPOIL-FREE SUMMARY

The sequel to “Dragon's Milk” follows Lyf, Kaeldra's younger sister. When Kaeldra saved her sister by giving her dragon's milk, she also gave her green eyes and the ability to communicate with birds. When the Queen's soldiers come and threaten Lyf's safety she must go stay with her big sister, her husband and their son. That is, until they get separated and Lyf finds some young draclings who need protecting.

CAST OF CHARACTERS

Lyf is only eleven years old, quite younger than the heroines of the other books. Subjectively speaking, I would have preferred it if she had been older. But objectively speaking, Fletcher does a good job developing her, just like she did to Kaeldra and Kara. From the beginning she has the desire to protect Owyn, which endears her to the reader, even if it becomes obvious she is much more selfish than her predecessors.

Spens is the son of a woman who helps rescue Kara and tend to her. He eventually leads her safely out of the swamp and spends the remainder of Lyf's journey with her. He is slightly shy but also brave.

Owyn is the red-haired son of Kaeldra and Jeorg. He is bold, persistent and stubborn. But he is also a loving and happy child. Lyf notes that he seems to have a special relationship with the draclings.

LOTS OF SIDE CHARACTERS

One thing to note is that besides Owyn, there are really no other main characters. There are plenty of side characters, like Jeorg, Kaeldra's husband. Nysian; Miryiam's husband; Alys the innkeeper and Yanil's wife. Not to mention Kymo the harpist and Yanil himself. Most characters act as guides for Lyf and don't stick around very long.

This perhaps is not very different from the previous book, where the girls mainly develop relationships with animals. Although Kaeldra had three draclings and Kara only had Skava the bird. It's quite a contrast to Lyf's thirteen draclings.

And while Kara had Corwyn, Rath and eventually Kazan as friends, Lyf has no real relationships.

THE DRACLINGS

There are thirteen draclings, which might hinder the closeness Lyf feels to them, as opposed to Kaeldra and her three draclings. But they prove to be amusing and charming, just as they have before. And they do help her grow.

An important part is when a dragon egg hatches and Lyf realizes it needs a dragon's milk to survive. Perhaps for the first time, getting the dracling to a mother becomes more important than reuniting with Kaeldra.

LYF'S DEVELOPMENT

Lyf starts out as as fearful and rather pampered, just wanting to return Owyn to to his mother. And even when the draclings enter the picture she just wants it all to be over. She doesn't care for them at first, eventually learning to love them against her will.

There are multiple moments of introspection. Once where she realizes she is expected to keep the draclings and head north with them. She only wants to be free of the burden, and instead be taken cared of. In her immaturity, she resents Kaeldra, knowing she is not brave like her older sister.

Another time, a character may have died to protect the draclings, and Lyf realizes she would not be risking her life for them if she had the choice.

Lastly, a conversation she has with Spens helps her realize she is changing. She says she admires how he is trying to help her when he doesn't have to, and he says she is doing the same thing for the draclings when she could give them up.

THE DEATH OF A SIDE CHARACTER

When one character vanishes, Lyf wonders if that character has drowned. Once again, she is on her own. This is rather important for her, as she is forced to grow and once again be the sole protector of both Owyn and the draclings.

But I didn't like that we actually don't witness the character's death. We could have easily seen her go under the water or be swept away. Instead it is merely mentioned near the end of the book. I understand she was just a side character, but I still felt it was a disservice not to see her moments before her death. Perhaps Fletcher felt it would have been too much for an already fragile Lyf to handle.

SIDE STORY

There is a side story that explains what happened to Kaeldra and Jeorg. It's important to the story but I just didn't care for the way it was done. It changes the story from happening in the present to suddenly being told by someone else. I just found it an awkward format. Perhaps Fletcher felt this way we would be reminded that Lyf was still the main character. But the interludes where almost never more than a page long, so it would be hard to forget that.

It presented a villain who betrays them, but he is never actually confronted. Since we learn he was the betrayer right off the bat, I expected Lyf to develop to the point where she would confront him. But he was pushed to the side, and instead it's the Queen's soldiers who are the real threat. But seeing how the book ended, I can see why the change was made. It's vaguely mentioned that he disappeared.

PACING

The pacing is decent. This is not an action packed story, as much of it involves Lyf traveling, hiding or running. So there are a few good chase scenes. There are more moments of suspense then direct action. One of the best scenes is one where Lyf has to sneak draclings out right under the enemies noses'.

FORESHADOWING

There is a small moment in the beginning where Owyn bangs on a metal cup. This later comes back in the climax. It was such a short moment, I wonder if it was on purpose.

Lyf kens with a bird at the beginning of the book (goes into it's mind and merges with it) then does so again more than halfway through the book. This comes back in the climax.

CLIMAX-VAGUE SPOILERS

Lyf intends to reunite with Kaeldra, tell her about the betrayer and be free from the draclings. But instead she ends up protecting the draclings and urging them to leave her. It's as if Lyf herself doesn't realize how much she has come to care for them until the end of the book. Her character development is complete, from selfish to selfless as she risks her life. I also appreciated she had one other character with her she had actually started to know, Spens.

EXPLICIT CONTENT-SPOILERS

Two of the draclings die, but we don't witness it. A side character dies, but we don't get to see this either.

CONCLUSION

Fletcher creates another original story with a likable heroine who develops from a scared, selfish child into a brave girl who sacrifices for others. With both bounty hunters and the Queen's soldiers on her tail, the story is well paced. Although I don't care for how the side story is presented, it's really a minor qualm. If the story is inferior to its predecessors, it's only slightly. I give “Sign of the Dove” four stars.