originally known as The Two Pearls of Wisdombook 1 in the Eon Duology
by Alison Goodman
ISBN: 0670062278
Synopsis from Goodreads:
Eon has been studying the ancient art of Dragon Magic for four years, hoping he'll be able to apprentice to one of the twelve energy dragons of good fortune. But he also has a dark secret. He is actually Eona, a sixteen-year-old girl who has been living a dangerous lie for the chance to become a Dragon-eye, the human link to an energy dragon's power. It is forbidden for females to practice the Dragon Magic and, if discovered, Eon faces a terrible death. After a dazzling sword ceremony, Eon's affinity with the twelve dragons catapults him into the treacherous world of the Imperial court, where he makes a powerful enemy, Lord Ido. As tension builds and Eon's desperate lie comes to light, readers won't be able to stop turning the pages...---
Eona: The Last Dragoneye
also known as The Necklace of the Godsbook 2 in the Eon Duology
by Alison Goodman
ISBN: 0670063118
Synopsis from Goodreads:
Eon has been revealed as Eona, the first female Dragoneye in hundreds of years. Along with fellow rebels Ryko and Lady Dela, she is on the run from High Lord Sethon's army. The renegades are on a quest for the black folio, stolen by the drug-riddled Dillon; they must also find Kygo, the young Pearl Emperor, who needs Eona's power and the black folio if he is to wrest back his throne from the selfstyled "Emperor" Sethon. Through it all, Eona must come to terms with her new Dragoneye identity and power-and learn to bear the anguish of the ten dragons whose Dragoneyes were murdered. As they focus their power through her, she becomes a dangerous conduit for their plans. . . .---
It is always hard to write a good review. Sometimes it only takes moments after you read a book but oftentimes, as in my case, it would need a lot of daydreaming and staring into nothingness to come up with words that would that would justify what you feel about a certain something. The thoughts that are penned here have come to me after dinner two months ago when I was staring on a cold dish of carbonara. The words came out of nowhere and scrambled to find some pen and paper and nothing could be found in my immediate vicinity. I was running around like a headless chicken for five minutes and words were coming in a rush.
Five minutes after I was able to write this short review. And I only posted it now. *sighs*
Any book that even remotely mentions or depicts anything about Asia would always capture my interest. And the duology Eon and Eona surely did captivate my attention ever since I saw them on a shelf at the bookstore. But at that time , I didn't have the resources to buy them. Therefore, I waited.
Months later, I had the opportunity to acquire those books. When I opened it to the first page, I was pulled immediately into the Celestial Empire of the Dragons. Reading the material was a joy. It painted a surprisingly clear picture of the imagery and the setting with all the palaces, dusty streets, the vendor in the corner and e everyday scenes that one may find when you watch those TV series featuring a story about ancient China (or Japan or Korea). It was researched well and the book enabled me to immerse myself in that world.
You may remember my review about another fascinating book inspired by Asia, Butterfly Swords by Jeannie Lin. I may have mentioned that I absolutely love heroines that kick butts and Eona certainly kicked butt. I also wanted to hit her so many times, enlisting Rilla's or maybe Lady Dela's help, because she was so infuriating (in a good way). I think I may have shouted more than once in my room telling the character in the book to open her eyes and just see the obvious. She was overthinking things and she did not immediately get it. Of course, it was just one of her flaws and even though it annoyed me to no end, Eona's flaws were what endeared her to me.
I will not go into lengths here with regards to male love interests - yes interests - since I'll be comparing them nonstop. Lord knows Prince Kygo and Lord Ido were two, very different men and both of them would've been suitable for Eona depending on which way she wanted to go. But yes, they were truly engaging characters and as the story progressed, I, too, was in a dilemma on who's the best.
What interested me here as a wholly new character was Lady Dela and how he/she was written. I have never heard nor read of such a character before be it in fiction books or in history books that I'm required to read. I never had the slightest inkling that a cross-dresser was accepted in the harem. Or is it completely fiction? I don't have the time to research it but I will.... *murmurs to herself* really? Was it possible?...
All in all, I loved Eon/Eona... the setting, the characters, the action scenes (man, I really regret that I was not enrolled in martial arts classes when I was a kid... it was all piano. Why mother?), the climax, resolution... everything.
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