Ahoy there me mateys!  This is a dragon book and the start of a new series that ended up being an uneven read even though I do want to read the next one when it comes out.

Pros:

- Dragons: Cause who doesn't love them?
- Indigenous main character: I really enjoyed Anequs and did sympathize with her plight regarding her world being colonized by the Anglish.
- Diversity: I enjoyed the ideas of a bi-sexual main character who comes from a culture that is okay with polyamory.  I enjoyed the neurodivergent friend.  I loved Anequs befriending a servant against the norm.
- Alternate History:  I like worldbuilding where our world is twisted.

Cons:

- Dragons:  How can they be a con?  Not much happens on the page with them.  If they were turned into fancy horses or dogs, a lot of the story would stay the same.
- Indigenous main character:  Anegus world seemed like an utopia with only a little bit of money.  It seemed like an overly idealized version of such a culture.
- Diversity:  Some of the friendships seemed contrived, and I am not always a fan of the friend group being made up of all misfits.  Makes it feel like the characters are checkboxes.
- Alternate History:  I felt that this alternate history was too much English and Nordic culture.  We did not get enough of Anequs' world.  I also feel like the message about colonization took away from the plot.  Too much moralizing and not action.
- Too Long:  This book was over 5oo pages.  A lot of the political philosophizing could have been removed as well as the chemical educational lectures.  This novel needed about 200 pages trimmed.  And more dragons!

Arrrr!