The dragon of Ynys is a pleasant reading that is middlegrade enough for young readers but also manages to include more adult messages to try and reach a wider audience.
It also includes several typical fantasy topics -a dragon, a small village, knights...- but it also have queer characters and even an aromantic, asexual main character.

It's a cute story about accepting others in a fantasy scenario but I get the feeling that this is not going to be a memorable book. It's entertaining, it's short, but there's no much left. It should've been longer so we could have more time to explore both its world and its magic but ended up being like just a regular short story or a novella.

The Dragon of Ynys is a cute, short adventure story about the importance of acceptance and good representation. Good communication and conflict resolution are also a central feature, which is especially good in a book that caters to all ages, including children. There is central asexual, aromantic, trans, and lesbian representation, along with discussions about boundaries and differing life experiences. This is fun, quick read that anyone can enjoy.

(3.5 stars)

This was a fun and very short book that was really enjoyable to me. It just felt like this book brought me peace, and I really liked it.

There's a lot in this book about accepting others, welcoming others and leaving behind prejudice, and I really enjoyed that aspect. It was very meaningful.

I feel like this book could have been a bit longer so we would have a bit more time exploring the world and the magic, but it's not too big of a complain, and I did enjoy it a lot.

<I>Thanks to NetGalley for providing me with a copy in return for an honest review.</i>

While not a particularly bad book, this is not one that will hold up for older readers. It's a cute story and it is a wonderful book for kids, particularly ones interested in learning about LGBTQ+ people and those learning to develop good communication skills. However, for older teens and adults this book, pure and simple, reads like an after school special. The writing is too direct and overly simplistic much of the time as the characters all communicate incredibly openly and directly with everyone they meet, in a way that feels unnatural and unrealistic much of the time. Further, all of the characters have the exact same voice, so it is difficult to become invested in anyone in particular, making the perfectly okay story to be somewhat forgettable.

I would recommend this book all day long for readers ages 8-12, but not really for anyone past that.

This is such a cute and heartwarming story! The characters are interesting and the theme of the book seems to be about the importance of communication and accepting people for who they are. There are lesbian characters, trans characters, and even an aromantic asexual character. The representation is great and I particularly enjoyed the relationship between Holly and Juniper, and the friendship between Snap and Violet. I would definitely recommend this book for readers of all ages. Who doesn't love stories with dragons and adventures?!

The Dragon of Ynys was a surprising and a beautiful Children's book! The book focused alot of inclusivity, of trans people rights ,of aromantic and LGBTQ people.
It was really nice seeing such characters in a children's book. Kids need to know about everything so they can feel accepted and be accepting of each other!
That being said, the book had a lot of voice and little plot. The idea of dragons and different people trying to be accepted is nice but would have enjoyed it more if it had more plot development.
Would have loved more humour in the book but loved the idea And inclusivity

I received a copy of this book from Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.
This is a 3,5 review.
So, I didn’t know what I was getting into when I requested this on Netgalley, and it was a great surprise. The book follows Sir Violet as he searches for a missing person in his village and forms an unlikely friendship with the dragon Snap. Setting it apart, the book has plenty of characters (including Sir Violet) from different LGBTQ+ communities, as they discuss the importance of being yourself.

“Why?” the spider asked. “What message do you think is so important that everyone should hear it?”
“The message that being different from what is considered the norm does not mean you will lead an unhappy life.”

At the end of the day, this book by Minerva Cerridwen manages quite beautifully to get to the heart of it. It just works on many levels, the pacing has the feel of old fairy tales mixing just enough of learning with adventure; it reminded me of reading Chronicles of Narnia with a flashlight as a kid, ageless. A pleasant fresh fast read, perfect to set your mind at ease with the smugness and hopefulness of it all… The epilogue seemed a bit slow, and I would have been pleased to read without reaching it, but it does not change my good opinion of this.

"And when your story reaches people like yourself, it will let them know that they are not alone. It will remind them, even in dark moments, that they deserve love and people who love them for who they are. When their friends and family hear the story, they will be reassured that their loved one will be fine, and that differences are nothing to be afraid of."

As always, I thank those involved in making this book available for me. Sharing the point of view from others is very important to the growth of understanding and the growth of humanity. This is a fairy tale, but it is ultimately a story about people. I hope others will enjoy this too.

Violet the Knight of Ynys, turns to the Dragon when something is missing from the village.
Every time the friendly hoarder Dragon Snap returns what he took to Violet. So far already over ten years. Until one day Juniper, from the bakery, is missing. Violet accused the Dragon but something else is going on. Together with Junipers wife, they travel to places and even to the spider realm.

A gentle, playful, at times heart aching, lovely uplifting narrative with a beautiful message.
It’s about to be who you want to be and accept the others. It’s about creatures with open hearts and minds. We meet a very wise Dragon who loves and cares. Oh let’s not forget the cinnamon rolls.

Thank you Netgalley and Atthis Arts for access to this arc.


What might seem a generic story about a small village that has to deal with a dragon with hoarding issues soon turns into something more. By the time that the missing baker is found and returns home, a whole new system of communication – mainly started to share stories of inclusion and self affirmation – is begun. I won’t spoil it too much but remember that the spiders in the story are heavily involved with this.

Something that I was reminded of is not to judge too quickly just based on titles or descriptions. Mayors are now often women and even dragons can become lonely at times. Manners are always appropriate so don’t wait ten years to introduce yourself. Bearded men can have great taste in dresses. Men can proudly answer to the name Violet. Dragons are sensitive about having villagers show up even if said villagers are not carrying pitchforks and torches. And if you’re going to head out on a quest, leave a note so your loved ones won’t worry about where you are.

There are a lot of changes and new ideas for characters to acknowledge and assimilate and perhaps the pace of acceptance is a wee bit quick but it is a novella and meant to be read by all ages. I wish there had been more fantasy elements besides just a dragon and the spiders. Some of the dialog also felt too contemporary and … well, not fantasy story “period.” A few of the characters seemed to be little but their genderqueer identity. But the lessons of inclusivity and acceptance are front and center of this story and seeing representation of genderqueer people is important. B

This was a hug in book-form.

Delightful, slightly fantastical, fairytale-inspired and brimming with queer rep (a note: I love that the author not only revised the book based on a reviewers comment on the original containing things that were hurtful to trans readers, but also that she reflects upon why these rewrites were necessary and what caused the original material to make its way to the original book) this is such a lovely little book about acceptance, growing into one's true self and the support of those around you.

I've never met a dragon I didn't like and Snap went right onto my list of favourite dragons with his snappy wit and introspective smarts. Violet was so inherently relatable and human, and the side characters were just.. *chefs kiss*.

A hug in a book.

Thank you to the publisher and Netgalley for providing me an ARC in exchange for my honest review.

This review is going to be rather short because, well, the book is also rather short but I really wanted to feature it on the blog! This is a lovely children’s story full of heart and acceptance and I just loved it.

The Dragon of Ynys does it’s job perfectly, which is why I made the decision to give it five stars. The book is ownvoices and features an aro-ace protagonist, an out and proud lesbian couple, and two trans characters. It also shows how easy it is to ask someones pronouns on meeting them and acknowledges non-binary identities in the process, it was just wonderful to read! The book highlights the importance of representation and seeing yourself within stories, in fact this is a central theme of the story and it’s much needed.

Due to the length of the novel there’s not a lot of nuance, but time is spent giving each character a distinct voice. It isn’t deep and there isn’t a whole heap of world building but I don’t think that’s the point, it’s lovely to see a fantasy that’s perfect for children who want better representation in the books their picking up.

This is a wholesome and soft short story that’s filled to the brim with love and acceptance, and I just loved how easy it was to read.

Recommend: If you have children this could be perfect, but it works well as a short story for adults too!

First, I want to thank NetGalley and Atthis Arts for giving me free and early access to this title in exchange for an honest review.

I give this title 4.5 stars. It was a delightful, fun short story that is full of great, diverse characters and dollop of snark. The main reason I didn't give it 5 stars is becomes some things seemed to work out too well or just a bit too easily. Which, is not necessarily a bad thing, but I think I'm a bit too cynical about things to full enjoy that aspect of this story.

While there are some elements that on there own sound like troupes from a fairy tale or fantasy story, there is almost nothing in this story that follows the 'norms' or expectations that many readers may have when picking up a book that says it has a dragon and knight as two of the characters.

I definitely recommend this book to readers of all ages.

Thank you to the publisher and NetGalley for this eARC.

This review is a bit different from others I’ve done, as I requested this book because I thought it was a children’s book. I intended to read it and determine whether it would be of interest to my kids, with the intention of then reading it to them.

After reading it, it doesn’t quite strike me as a children’s book. It’s not the queer content. In fact, I like that a children’s book had queer content. I want to normalize that for my children.

Spoilers below:

I don’t think this is something my kids would like. It’s written as if for children. It’s wholesome. It’s not too complicated and the storyline is simpler than an adult novel. The author indicated this was on purpose; for the book to be accessible to all ages for a variety of reasons. However, the discussions in the book, the things that concern the characters are too adult, in my opinion, to interest kids. A dragon and a person talking about how they feel lonely, when that isn’t really relevant to the quest, is not going to interest my kids. Same with discussions of flirtations and whether they are wanted or not. My kids are too young to “get” it and they probably won’t care. They aren’t concerned with those kinds of things yet, because they are still too young to know about them. If you have a tween, this might be an excellent way to teach about different genders, sexuality and orientations and how to be polite and accepting. I don’t know. I don’t have tweens yet.

The dragon was amazing and my favourite character. He really felt alive but also not the typical dragon character. He was central to moving the story along and a delight to read.

Unfortunately, it was a bit preachy for my tastes. I’d love a world where everyone is kind and thoughtful, but that isn’t the world we live in. It is especially not the world we live in if you are not cisgendered and heterosexual. Yet all the characters are unfailingly polite and accepting of all the different characters. There’s no grit. Even when two of the main characters have a fight, a catalyst for the entire plot, they make up by each being more sorry and polite and perfect than each other. It doesn’t make sense.

The major plot point is that due to an argument with her wife, Juniper runs off to try and make the world kinder and more accepting. Except everyone they meet is just polite, accepting and eager to help spread the message of acceptance for whomever you want to be. A great message, but you’re preaching to the choir in the book. There doesn’t actually seem to be any conflict, because this world already seems to be like this.

Some of these issues may be that the story was originally written in the author’s native Dutch. There was obviously a lot of work and thought put into this story so that it wasn’t hurtful to anyone who may read it.

I was hoping for an action-adventure story for young readers that included a range of diverse characters. This is not that story. This is a story about sexuality, genders and orientations that included a bit of adventure.

The Dragon of Ynys by Minerva Ceridwen is a diverse fairytale following a very polite knight, Sir Violet, as he goes on an adventure with Snap the dragon, the local baker, and her wife.
This story was a very sweet bordering on too sweet story about acceptance and inclusivity. The stakes are never very high and everyone always has something respectful to say to each other. The plot itself was simple, but the main focus was on the characters and how they understood one another.
The one thing that confuses me was what age range this was intended for. It’s described as a fairytale for all ages, but the writing felt geared more towards middle grade or younger YA. It serves as an introduction to some less well publicized queer identities (trans women, aromantic), but the descriptions of these identities felt a little PSA. Granted, I’m not sure if that would be true if this was my first exposure to these identities.
Overall, I’d recommend The Dragon of Ynys to anyone looking for a sweet, low stakes fairytale or who wants to be educated on queer identities in a more organic way.

I'm giving this a 2.5/5 largely because of the writing style which feels like it's more for middle school children than anything. The constant repetition and blunt explanations of everything felt almost condescending - as though the author didn't trust the readers to make the right conclusion.

THAT BEING SAID: I did enjoy this! I read it in one sitting and once I restructured my reading level expectations, the ideas behind the book are quite fun. As someone who is asexual, having an aroace main character is really enjoyable. The diversity is the focus of the book but that's the point.

This book is definitely unique in the fact that while it isn't a story ABOUT being queer, the entirety of the plot revolves around being queer. I haven't quite come across this before.

Sometimes, all we need is to accept the message that “Being different from what is considered the norm does not mean you will lead an unhappy life.”
🧁
.
In The Dragon of Ynys, we discover this message through the story of a dragon, some beautifully imperfect humans and a few spiders.
🧁
.
Carefully woven for every age group, this book keeps you entertained right from the beginning, when the knight- Sir Violet is given the task to find out who has stolen the Mayor’s shiny golden chain. It leads him to a quiet cave where lives a dragon with a very spontaneous sense of humour and an eye for sparking objects. Did I mention there’s a baker allegedly kidnapped in the story?
🧁
.
Maybe it’s the sheer power of acceptance that radiates from these 87 pages, the warmth of it hugging you like dragon flame. Or maybe it’s 87 pages of hope of finding somebody just like us. “All of the characters- be it human, dragon, or spider- are simply trying to be the best they can be. Just like all of us.” The Dragon of Ynys is exactly how fairy tales should’ve been written- with queer characters and cinnamon rolls.
🧁
.
The re-publishing date of this book is tomorrow, so I hope you get yourself a copy. A huge thanks to @netgalley and Atthis Arts for providing me with an e-book of this one and @minerva_cerridwen for introducing me to some beautiful characters♥️♥️ I wish I can hug Snap the dragon and sleep.

Rep: aroace main character, trans sapphic side character, cis sapphic side character, trans minor character

CW: challenged transphobia, flirting with an aroace character, theft, spiders

This was a delightful short story! I found myself smiling for the majority of my time reading this. The story has a strong focus on friendship and showing kindness and understanding to others, and the world was one in which I’d be happy to live in myself.

My favourite thing about it hands down was the dragon. Snap is polite, a touch mischievous, gets very excited about shiny things, and more than anything else just wants a friend. Cerridwen can just @ me next time, okay?

It’s worth mentioning that the version I read was the version released in 2020, which has undergone edits and further sensitivity reads from its previous version. Having read about what the story used to be, I think that its current incarnation is much better. It’s still not perfect. Personally, I think that the characters that the narrative follows didn’t show much concern at all for the situation they left behind when they went on their quest. Then again, they were gone from the village for two days at most, and the nature of the story meant that I was never unsure of whether everything would work out or not.

I would’ve liked Violet’s aromanticism and asexuality to have been mentioned or referenced before someone tried to flirt with him, but I didn’t have any issues with the way it was handled after the fact.

All in all, this was a sweet fairytale-esque story that I’m sure I’ll be coming back to in future! I would recommend it.

This is a short, all-ages fairytale about an asexual, aromantic knight called Sir Violet whose job is to find and return items that the dragon nearby has taken from the little village of Ynys. But when one day the lesbian baker goes missing, what will Sir Violet do? He reminds me of Bilbo Baggins - after all, he goes on the whole adventure of this novel and all he wanted was some cinnamon rolls...

I felt a lot like Sir Violet reading this book. I knew from its blurb that it would be cute and adorable and easy to read, and full of fun medieval shenanigans, but I didn't expect that it would be full of so much heart.

Consider the story of a fairytale dragon: he's usually the only one of his kind, living a lonely existence up in the mountains. Others are scared of him and don't know how to interact with him.
The author makes the point that, in the real world, many LGBT+ people are treated like dragons and shunned from the village. But she makes it with nuance and vigour, centering queer voices in the story and giving them real depth. Characters pursue real friendships, navigate real (and complicated) relationships, and learn how to listen to each other's stories. And importantly, they don't just ride off into the sunset together at the end.

Here is one of my favourite quotes from the book:
"It was odd, really. They had all these tales about rare creatures like dragons ... yet he'd never heard a single one about a girl whose identity did not match the way her body was perceived by others."

Thank you to NetGalley and Atthis Arts for giving me an advanced copy of this book in exchange for an honest review! And thank you Minerva Cerridwen for re-writing this book and putting it back out into the world - the world needs many many more adorable stories just like this.

In today’s divisive society, uniqueness can become a point of shame rather than pride. The Dragon of Ynys is a perfect balm to soothe everyone and anyone who feels hurt by the lack of acceptance that is often so prevalent–it will make you smile, lift your spirits, and reaffirm your belief that there is good in the world, all in the span of roughly 100 pages. I seriously cannot adequately express how much I loved this book.

The plot is very straightforward: Sir Violet is a somewhat reluctant knight who is very happy with his place in the small village of Ynys, where his biggest challenge is constantly visiting the dragon, Snap, who lives nearby and has a penchant for stealing shiny items. But when Juniper, the baker, goes missing one day, Violet must team up with Snap, as well as Juniper’s wife, Holly, to hunt her down. And that quest launches an even bigger adventure, full of secret caves, spiders, and stories galore.

I cannot begin to express how much I loved this cute, quirky fairytale. The cast is wonderfully queer: Sir Violet is an aro-ace hero, more interested in staying home with a cup of tea than winning hearts; Juniper and Holly are a proud lesbian couple; two characters are trans; and in passing dialogue, the characters offer affirmation of genderfluid, nonbinary, and bi/pan identities. The queer rep is OwnVoices, too–the author notes at the end that she identifies as both aro-ace and genderqueer/genderfluid. And–get this!–more than once, when meeting new people in this book, characters actually ask each other for their pronouns. That is next-level inclusivity, and I am so here for it.

As someone who is also ace, I felt like Sir Violet was an excellent representation of asexuality (and especially ace introverts). It doesn’t consume his identity, and he generally just doesn’t bother thinking about romantic or sexual things at all unless someone else brings it up–more often, he is preoccupied with the idea that he doesn’t fit in because he isn’t really an adventurous type. In his opinion, the most important things in life are things like cinnamon rolls and good friends, not derring-do and winning hearts, and he feels bad that he and his friends don’t often see themselves reflected in the stories they hear. That running theme, about the importance of representation, was absolutely wonderful to read.

Of course, given how short the story is, there isn’t a ton of time to delve deep into things like worldbuilding and deep character complexities, but for something executed in such limited space, this just…works. As I mentioned earlier, it feels like a long fairytale, rather than a short book, and the level of nuance and respect for individuality in every character is truly well done. Snap is a sarcastic dragon with a heart of gold and commentary that made me laugh out loud, and Holly and Juniper truly are like an old married couple, mingling bickering with deep affection.

Honestly, I don’t have much else I think I need to say about this book. It is simple, sweet, wholesome, and much-needed, with lovable characters and an important message. Whether you are an adult looking for something that reminds you of childhood but is far more accepting, or trying to find a book for a child who wants better representation in their fantasy, this book is a perfect choice. It isn’t a long read, but it is an impactful one that I’m sure will stick with me for quite some time, and I wholeheartedly recommend it for readers of all ages.

Thank you to the publisher for providing me with an eARC of this book via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review!

Review publishing on the 15th of September

The story here is very cute, Our not-quite-a-knight Violet and the Dragon of Ynys go on an adventure with one other individual to find a missing person. I thought it was very sweet, and it certainly felt genuine. Even in the short amount of page we had the characters moved to different and diverse locations, giving the story an actual feel of travel. Towards the end, I also really liked the idea of the spider webs that is introduced (I always enjoy love for spiders in books).
I also appreciated the rep here as someone who considers herself on the ace spectrum. I do think this fell a little bit into the stereotype of the isolated and standoff-ish Ace/Aro individual though definitely not the extreme level of some tales. I have my days where I am those things, but I'm largely a friendly (if introverted) person. So seeing this repeated over and over in the very few stories with this rep, is a bit on the disappointing side. Yet, saying that, I know we aren't a monolith so I can't fault the book for that - I just want to make sure to mention it for those like myself looking for something different.
I can't speak to the trans-rep, but the notes do indicate that the book has been edited and touched up to make that rep stronger and better for the community at large. It came across as well meaning to my knowledge, but again - I'm not an expert at all.
All that to say, I did have a few other qualms.
So this started off really strong with a very cute fairy tale tone to it. It lost me quickly however because there felt like there was a bit of referencing to other stories in the same world. I dropped out of total immersion because I was wondering - is this another story, does this character tie in somewhere else? It felt very much like a novella or short story meant to give backstory to side characters in another larger tale.
I also had a hard time with the writing once I got tripped up so early. I've seen this shelved as Adult online in several spaces and I'd heartily argue that this reads very much like a middle grade novel. Especially after reading the author's note, in which she talked about writing this when younger, this reads just like that. I would give this to a middle school or young YA student to read (I do not recall where on NetGalley this sits, I think I got it from the general Fantasy section and not a specific age bracket).

So a cute story, with simple prose and plenty of representation. I'd recommend this to much younger readers, as I mentioned or even those just starting in fantasy at that age. It'd be a great little introduction with the well done travel elements.