Monday 16 May 2016

BOOK REVIEW | 'Indigo's Dragon' by Sofi Croft (****)

Hello, readers! I'm sorry that I haven't posted in a while - this time of year is so hectic with coursework submissions, portfolio work and getting ready for some exciting things you will know about soon!

But first things first, today I have a book review of the wonderful Sofi Croft's Indigo's Dragon! I was lucky enough to meet Sofi Croft at Accent YA's book list launch at London Book Fair, and grab myself a signed copy of Indigo's Dragon! As soon as I read the blurb I knew that it was a book that I had to read asap. The book follows the adventures of a young boy called Indigo who lives in the Lake District, a magical place populated with strange and mythical creatures, and promises bucket loads of mystery, intrigue and magic.

I was kindly given Indigo's Dragon by Accent Press in exchange for an honest review :)

Interested in finding out more? Check out the blurb here...

Some families keep monstrous secrets... 

Fans of How to Train your Dragon, Harry Potter, and Percy Jackson. 

Indigo lives in the Lake District, and spends his time exploring the mountains he loves. An unexpected parcel arrives containing a first aid kit inside his grandfather’s satchel. Indigo’s curiosity is raised as he looks through his grandfather’s notebook to discover drawings of mythical creatures. 

Strange things begin to happen and Indigo finds himself treating an injured magpie-cat, curing a cockatrice of its death-darting gaze, and defending a dragon. Indigo realises he must uncover the secrets his family have kept hidden, and travels alone to the Polish mountains to search for his grandfather and the truth. 


Danger looms as events spiral out of control, and Indigo needs to make choices that change him, his world, and his future forever…

Doesn't that sound fantastic? I haven't read a book on the Middle Grade spectrum of YA for a very long time, and Indigo's Dragon was a delightful read to remind me of the books I used to read when I was younger.

I really enjoyed the way the story was told and the descriptions of the setting were so realistic and beautiful. The images were so vivid in my mind and I began to love the mysterious peaks of the Lake District and the mystical Polish mountains that Croft so beautifully described. This book introduced me to a world I am unfamiliar with, and the descriptions of this world were intricately detailed and well illustrated. 

The plot was very well thought-out and I loved every twist and turn - the mystery of Opi's satchel in the first couple of chapters of the book kept me intrigued throughout the whole story. There were no obvious plot holes and the story really worked as a whole - including all the twists and turns.

My favourite part of the book was undoubtedly the characters. I thought Indigo was such an interesting, brave, endlessly inquisitive protagonist and he definitely drove the action of the story. My other favourite character has to be Omi - who was so vivid in my mind (it was as if she was sitting next to me cackling with laughter!) and her relationship with Indigo was wonderful. 

The descriptions of the otherworldly creatures was also a strong point of the book and the way Croft described them, it seemed that they were just like normal animals, which was an interesting way to go about it, and it meant that I felt like I could visualise them better. They were so well portrayed that they were definitely characters in their own right!

The only reason why this is a 4* review is because the book was slightly out of my age range - I don't doubt that this would have been a 5* review if I was reviewing this book ten years ago! Fans of Harry Potter and Percy Jackson would love Indigo's Dragon, it is filled with beautiful, vivid characters and language that will transport you to a world you cannot even begin to imagine.

Check out Accent YA's list here: http://accentya.com

Check out Sofi Croft here: http://www.soficroft.com

Buy Indigo's Dragon here: https://www.amazon.co.uk/Indigos-Dragon-Sofi-Croft-ebook/dp/B00PG0JZWI/280-4279280-9477309?ie=UTF8&tag=geolinker-21

Until next time :)

No comments:

Post a Comment