Play Book Tag discussion

Tooth and Claw – Jo Walton
4****

What a fun romp of a story! It’s a typical regency (or Victorian) romance: the females cannot inherit and must marry well; there are rather rigid rules of etiquette and social classes should not mix; country houses and balls in town; young females are presented during the season; oldest sons inherit the title while younger sons need to go into the military or perhaps the clergy. BUT … all the characters are dragons.

I was captured from the first page and enthralled and entertained throughout. I really liked the “women” in this book. From the up-tight, class-conscious Exalt Benandi, to the clerk (former prostitute) Sebeth, to the faithful servant Amer, to Penn’s wife Felin, and the Algornin sisters: Berend, Selendra and Haner, they were all fully drawn and vivid.

Oh, how I wish this was a series, because I want to read more about the Algornin family, but apparently, it’s not.

(Updated on re-read: July 2025)



LINK to my review