Book Review: Dragons of Introvertia by James and Bit Barringer

When a friend recently recommended Dragons of Introvertia by James and Bit Barringer, I was intrigued, and when I saw that it is considered “optimistic fantasy” I immediately started listening to the audiobook. Overall, I was pleasantly surprised by the book, and I think we need more optimistic fantasy stories in the world.

My favorite aspect of the novel was the way Eza and Cammie, two teenagers from opposing kingdoms, found joy in their differences. The two frequently joked that they were rubbing off on one another, and I enjoyed the way they appreciated each other’s culture, even though they were not familiar or comfortable with it.

Similarly, I love the fact that Eza’s kingdom, Introvertia, focuses on active listening and empathy. The idea of a culture based on these key communication skills is enthralling, and it made me wonder what kind of place we would be living in if our world was a little more like that.

Additionally, I know the book is technically labeled as young adult, but it certainly reads more like middle grade, but regardless, I enjoyed it.

Finally, I listened to the audiobook, narrated by Chris Jackman, and I’m not exaggerating when I say I finished it in under two days. If I had not already known that this was the first book Jackman narrated, I certainly would never have guessed it. I appreciated the way he gave each character unique intonations. Oftentimes, I think the best audiobooks have narrators where you can hear that they are excited to be telling the story, and this book was a perfect example of that. It seemed like Jackman had fun narrating, which made me have fun listening.

As a whole, I would definitely recommend this novel, especially for anyone who enjoys middle grade fantasy. I think the audiobook specifically would be a great way to encourage reading within children who are in middle school.

Title: Dragons of Introvertia
Authors: James and Bit Barringer
Narrator: Chris Jackman
Genre: MG Fantasy
Pages: 340
Release Date: 12 June 2020
Rating: 4 Stars