What worked:
From the synopsis, readers know Alex will become a dragon, but it’s fun to watch her slowly come to that realization. It may be the most captivating part of the whole story. Some readers may relate to Alex’s lack of freedom, as her mom strictly controls her life. Alex secretly sneaks into the forest to release her frustration and anger, but she also visits a favorite spot where she cherishes memories of her father. She still grieves for him, but she’ll learn later that she doesn’t know the full story of his death. Strange dreams and meeting a Skarren-Har named Oliphos precede her revelations about dragons. Dr. Archibald P. Puppinsworth provides the book’s introduction and periodic comments throughout the book and warns readers that dragons are “going to destroy humanity”.
Oliphos is an interesting character, as he’s been alive for generations. He’s extremely polite and understanding, even while imposing on others. The story takes a turn when Alex arrives home to find an uninvited Oliphos cooking a meal in her kitchen. He guides Alex to the dragon school, but other instructors aren’t as patient and understanding as Oliphos. Rannock has a tough-love philosophy and doesn’t coddle the dragons. Alex struggles to transform into her dragon form, but Rannock still puts her into the Rompus where she faces other dragons in one-on-one training battles. Luckily, Alex has a good friend named Kaida who offers moral support.
An underlying conflict concerns a legendary dragon named Drak Midna. He’s the only dragon larger than Oliphos, but he hasn’t been seen in years. Many of the greatest world disasters, like the sinking of the Titanic, were at the hands of this dragon. Drak Midna wants to eliminate all humans on Earth, and he has many secret followers among the dragons. Early in the story, Alex is the only one able to hear the voice of a dragon skull warning that Drak Midna is close to finding the Phylactery, a box that will allow him to destroy humans. Hearing the voice tells readers two big things. Alex has a rare dragon power, and it's a hint that she’s more important than it seems.
What didn’t work as well:
The author teases readers throughout most of the story before Alex finally transforms. It will require much patience from readers, but it’s well worth it.
The final verdict:
Dragon lovers will surely enjoy this book, as it emphasizes Alex’s struggle to become one. The author saves several surprises and revelations for later in the plot that refresh its intensity and suspense. I highly recommend you give the book a shot!

This book has an amazing cover and amazing main character. It won my heart when I understood the dragons can shapeshift into humans. Also it's fun to recognize famous historical tragedies like Pompeii that was actually a dragon, ahah. The characters are compllellijg and Alex's growth in her journey is great.
High-stakes game for ruling.

As someone who loves dragons, I was excited to dive into Dragonborn, and for the most part, it delivered.

This is a middle grade fantasy with an imaginative world and just enough danger and mystery to keep things moving. The dragons were definitely the highlight for me. Magestic, powerful, and woven into the story in a way that felt fresh but still tapped into all the classic dragon lore I enjoy.

The characters are likable, especially the main protagonist, who strikes a good balance between vulnerability and bravery. There were a few pacing issues, and I found myself wanting a bit more emotional depth or surprise from the plot. Still, I think younger readers will be fully swept up in the adventure of the story.

Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for the ARC copy.

What's not to love about this book?

Alex is a dragon - and who among us hasn't wished for exactly that? Her closely monitored life with her mother is interrupted by a mysterious man, a man who wants to help her understand her true nature and take her to a place where she belongs, which makes this an ideal fantasy for kids, teens, and those of us as adults who are still seeking that place where we can become dragons.

Alex makes new friends - and enemies - learns the truth about her past, discovers new talents, and engages in wild dragon combat. Lots of fun, with a twisty ending that you won't see coming.

I'd recommend this book for readers who like dragons, for readers who enjoy exploring fantasy worlds, and for those who have that secret desire to take to the sky in flying lizard form.

Fun book with promises of more on the horizon. Keep your eye out for more from Struan Murray in the future!

Because of her over-protective, strict mother, Alex wants nothing more than to run into the nearby woods and scream! Which she does. And that’s when her entire life changes because she is a dragon! She is whisked away to a special island called Skralla where she meets lots of other kids like her. I loved the names of the different ages of kids from the Ashlings (youngsters) to the Emberlings like her. But Alex has trouble shifting into her dragon form. Her friends, teachers, and the bully all try to help her, but nothing works. But she does have a special power – she can hear the spirits of dead dragons. And that leads to trouble.

The settings are unique and well-written. You can “see” Alex’s room, the big house where they meet for meals, and more. The characters are unique and have real-to-them problems, especially Alex.

This is a story full of action, emotion, betrayal, secrets, and more. There are also giants, fairies, and, of course, dragons. For a YA, it is fast, intense, and full of adventures. If you like fantasy with great world building and characters, pick this one up.

Recommended.

Disclosure of Material: I received a final and/or advanced reader copy of this book with the hope that I will leave my unbiased opinion. I was not required to leave a review, positive or otherwise, and my opinions are just that… My Opinions. I am posting this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255: “Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising” Thanks to Netgalley and the publisher for providing a copy of this book.

Thank you, NetGalley and Penguin Young Readers Group, for providing me with a copy of Dragonborn by Struan Murray in exchange for my honest review. #Dragonborn #NetGalley

Let me start this by saying that I am an avid fantasy reader. The concept of this book intrigued me because it explores the idea of humans becoming dragons. The story is told from the perspective of Alex, the main character, a 12-year-old girl who has just discovered that she is a dragon. Alex has a unique and special gift, and she has yet to transform into a dragon on her own. Her focus should be on learning how to transform, etc, but she feels the need to make things right without knowing the true consequences of her actions. Alex is a typical teenager in that aspect. Overall, the story felt predictable, like I knew what was going to happen next. I might recommend this to a reader who might be interested in dragons, because this book felt like I learned a little bit about dragons. I hope that the second book focuses more on dragons, their powers, etc.

Dragonborn presents an imaginative and atmospheric fantasy world that may appeal to middle-grade readers who enjoy slower-paced, detail-rich storytelling. The writing is thoughtful, with a strong emphasis on worldbuilding and mystery.

While the pacing is more measured than action-driven, the story may resonate with readers who appreciate immersive settings and a gradual unfolding of plot. It offers a unique premise and a tone that leans more introspective than fast-paced, making it well-suited for a specific audience of younger readers.

Personally, I found it difficult to stay engaged. The premise was intriguing, but it took a long time for the direction of the story to become clear—almost three-quarters of the way through, including the more adventurous climax. For me, it just moved a little too slowly to maintain momentum, though I can see others enjoying its quiet, layered approach.

Dragonborn by @struan_c_murray

Wow wow wow!!! I inhaled this story like the biggest breath of fresh air. It was incredible! This is an action packed story of a girl named Alex who discovers…. She’s a freaking dragon! That’s right. She doesn’t ride dragons. She IS ONE! She goes to a special school in a secret land for kids who are dragons to learn how to be one. She meets some incredible friends (I love Kaida with my whole heart!) and faces her own fears as well as some awful betrayals. You’ll think you know who the villain is and then BAM you are absolutely wrong. Their secret little dragon island sounds incredibly beautiful and I could picture everything so vividly in my head. I loved their sleeping area, the dining hall!!!! (Hanging tables!), and so many other things. This book was such a fun time and also really emotional! I cried a few times. I had such a great time with it!

Thank you @netgalley @duttonbooks @penguinrandomhouse for the arc! #dragonborn
Pub date: 10/14/2025

I liked the concept of this book, which is that there was a great war between humans and dragons, and to end it, the dragons had to disguise themselves as humans, and live amongst them, and then forget they were ever dragons.

Now, doesn't that sound like a great book?

And, the main character, Alex, can hear the dead, dead dragons that is. Apparently this is a rare skill.

So, children that are dragon born are collected and taken to a magic relhm where they can learn how to transform into dragons. But Alex just can't transform. She can breath fire, soemtimes, but change, nope, she couldn't.

Now, I could get it if that kept not happening for part of the book, but it was worse than that.

And because of that, I felt as though the book was dragging on, as more and more people were revealed to not be as they seemed.

I wanted to finish it, because I wanted to know what was going to happen, but I felt began to not care, and lost track of who was who, until I finally came to the grand fanale, which hints that there will be more books in the series.

One reviewered called it Harry Potter, but with Dragons. I tend to agree.

If you like middle grade books about dragons that become people and then dragons, who all hang out together at a magical school, where they are trained to fight to prepare for the bad guy coming back to take over, then sure, give this a try.

Otherwise, I'm sure there are other good dragon books out there.

Thanks to Netgalley for making this book available for an honest reivew. This book is coming out October 15, 2025

I've established that occasionally I turn to the middle-grade world of literature when I'm in need of a literary palate cleanser. If you're going to cleanse your palate, dragons might as well be involved.

Struan Murray's "Dragonborn" kicks off a middle-grade fantasy series about a secret world of dragons living at the edges of our own world and the Slumberers, humans who've forgotten their true selves until something comes along and awakens that truth.

Twelve-year-old Alex Evans is at the heart of Dragonborn. She's about to wake up.

We're introduced to a young girl struggling to deal with her father's death and struggling even more with her overprotective mother who has unbreakable rules and tries to monitor Alex's every move. This has worked for a while, however, as Alex is growing up and her grief intensifying her emotions begin to boil over as she resists her mother's control.

"Dragonborn" is likely an ideal middle-grade novel with its vivid imagery and emphasis on younger beings learning how to grow into who they really are. Once Alex gets a glimpse into that reality, she's off to a new school on the island of Skralla - a safe place for dragons where she trains alongside other dragons who are wild, untamed, and not necessarily prepared yet to use their dragon ways. Of course, there's an evil foe on the horizon and it will be Alex's experiences along with the race to deal with that foe that will define much of this first in the series.

I enjoyed the visual imagery created by Murray. It was easy to imagine this story being turned into a film, though even the most basic examination of its storyline has undeniable hints of Potter and even a bit of Star Wars. This isn't necessarily a bad thing, I enjoy both of those things. I struggled, at times, to visualize the characters - especially Alex. I think the adult mind went directions that a middle-grade reader wouldn't go with this story, however, some of the language just felt a bit, well, adult.

Overall, however, I greatly enjoyed "Dragonborn" and its journey into the world of dragons and, perhaps most uniquely, becoming a dragon. A fine introduction to the series, it will be interesting to see where Murray goes from here.

4.5 This book has an amazing cover and amazing main character. It won my heart when I understood the dragons can shapeshift into humans. Also it's fun to recognize famous historical tragedies like Pompeii that was actually a dragon, ahah. The characters are compllellijg and Alex's growth in her journey is great.
High-stakes game for ruling.

Dragons are always a hit for me and this one is no different! It was a fun read and refreshing! The story was unique and it was very descriptive, you could see everything clearly.

Dragonborn

Dragons have been a subject of legend and fantasy for centuries. They have been both revered and hated, and described as benevolent and noble, or bloodthirsty and evil, in a vast myriad of ways. Do we really need another literary portrait of this mythical creature? Yes, we do-if it is as well-written and engaging as this one.

Preteen Alex Evans had a special relationship with her father. They enjoyed exploring the forest close to their house. She was devastated when he died. Her mother has her so overscheduled and regimented she barely has time to breathe, so one day on the way to school she went to the forest. She, then, discovered a whole new alternate universe full of dragons!

In this new place, dragons and humans are engaged in a fight for domination. These dragons shape-shift, change form at will from human to dragon and back again, gaining this ability in their childhood and teen years. These young dragons are raucous and love to race, chase, and battle.

This new take on dragons looks like a winner.

I really enjoyed this book, and am looking forward to reading more about the characters in this book. I liked how Alex was afraid to turn into a dragon, but then, when she really needed to, she was able to turn into a dragon, and it wasn't as scary or terrible as she had feared. The part about her mom not being who Alex thought she was, was interesting also.

Fun for very young readers, who won't mind that the adults are pretty much useless, if not downright vapid. The dragon parts were charming, once we got rid of the completely unbelievable mom.

I read a lot of MG and YA books. A good YA or MG story can be enjoyed by any age reader, but you can't fault the book if it is enjoyable to only young readers. That's the case of Dragonborn. I suspect kids would like it a lot, but as an adult reader it didn't work for me.

The adult characters in this book were generally, at best, secondary to the young characters and at worse useless (that thing in some MG/YA books where adult characters exist only to get in the way of the young main characters). The mother especially was so useless that she was completely unbelievable.

The author did a weird thing with his writing, skipping steps in action. For example:

"Weary, hungry, they flew off in search of food. They settled on a rooftop, sharing a bag of chips."

That kind of thing happened a couple times, forcing me to blink in surprise and reread to try to see where the missing action was.

On things I liked, I did really enjoy that the main character collected "treasure" before she even knew she was a dragon.

But to repeat myself, I think young readers would like this story a lot. Dragonborn is just one of those MG/YA books that doesn't also work for adult readers (or at least this adult reader).

I really enjoyed Dragonborn. It had just the right amount of twists and turns. I wish the main character was a little stronger, but maybe in an upcoming sequel she will I couldn’t put it down and finished it in a day! I love a good dragon book and this was definitely one. Look forward to the sequel.