“Fiddle-de-dee’s not English.”

Throne of Jade by Naomi Novik
Del Rey (2006)
432 pages

The problem with trying to write these things for books in a series is the immediate need for me to put everything under a cut a declare everything below as a spoiler. Seriously. I because I don’t want people to be spoiled about what happens in the first book, Temeraire/His Majesty’s Dragon, and it leaves me wondering just how much I should mention about the next book to save everyone from grief.

In short: Laurence and Temeraire go to China!

For the long version, I’ll just spoiler-cut the whole thing, because spoilers are not cool.

Spoilers below!

The start of this book caught my attention immediately — I was surprised Laurence was being so emphatic over something to the point of (almost) disobeying his superiors. I guess he’s more sympathetic here, and I don’t feel so detached from him like I did at the start of the first book. Also, I wouldn’t mind seeing more of Jane Rowland.

Then it was about getting to China, with the Chinese delegates on board being inscrutable to our British crew. I was rather amused with the New Year dinner scene, and the food that seemed so strange to Laurence and the rest. The trip to China, however, seemed to take forever. It felt like one very long road trip, and I’m a tad ashamed to admit I was the child whining “Are we there yet?” every few minutes. There were points where I wasn’t sure where this boating expedition was going (China, of course. But when are we getting there?); there were things happening, sure, and we get to get suspicious of the Chinese and their exotic dishes but I think it dragged a bit too long for me. Though the character development during the journey pretty much made up for the long voyage — among other things we get to know Laurence and Temeraire and their crew better as the voyage continued and I was curious to see where Laurence and Riley’s relationship was heading. I also grew to like Granby very much. (He was so belligerent at the start of Temeraire/His Majesty’s Dragon, but I did think then Laurence was probably being a little too harsh.)

China was fascinating, especially the way the dragons are treated. And so many dragons, all doing different things! (Public transport was one of the things I had gaped at, seriously. So efficient and, well, hilarious. Doesn’t anyone ever fall off?) Flying over the landscape when the party first arrived was one of the things I remember most from this book. Despite complaining about the long trip, I’d say we spent just enough time in China — enough to get a view of the political and belief system and to learn what we have to learn, and for Temeraire to make the decision he has to make.

And the book has more funnier moments than the first one. I was probably laughing as hard as Laurence was at the thought of Temeraire and Maximus being sheepdogs (sheepdragons?).

Equal rights for dragons, why not?

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