Kay Wyatt lives at the border where humans live and dragons reside, she breaks all the rules to maintain her friendship with a young dragon. Kay Wyatt is a normal teenager in high school that prefers to be outdoors and rock climb. Her whole world changes when one day she slips into the river after a climb and is saved from drowning by a dragon. Dragons resurfaced in the world after the bombs went off in World War II, but to keep the peace between humans and dragons, a treaty was made and a border was put in place. Humans stayed on one side and Dragons stayed on the other, never speaking or coming in contact. After this dragon saves Kay, he asks if she will practice his speech with him. Out of rebellion by both sides, she agrees and their friendship begins.
Click here to see the rest of this review...
Returning to her normal high school life she faces the normal aspects of life. Her best guy friend, Jon, has asked her to a dance as his date and her girl best friend, Tam, is pressuring her to say yes. Tam wants nothing more than for Kay to get a boyfriend and to have sex like her and her boyfriend. At home, Kay's mother works with the Federal Bureau of Border Protection and her father is the town's Sheriff. She keeps her meetings with the dragon, which continue, a secret from everyone.
Through talking with each other, Kay learns that the dragon calls himself Artegal, and after getting to know each other and meeting for many months, they decide to try flying together. They second time they fly a plane goes down on the dragon's side of the border and the pilot sees them. This sparks tension on the human side, but the pilot seems to tell know one about Kay and Artegal. After lying low for a couple weeks, they meet up again to fly but this time are interrupted by a new jet that chases them down until Artegal panics and races deep into dragon territory. Kay is returned to her side and everyone is on edge with the media going crazy over the military's actions but no one outside of the Bureau and the military know of the rider and no one knows who it is.
More jets are sent over the border and dragons now stand watch at the border. Then disaster strikes when the dragons set fire to a couple buildings, not meaning to hurt anyone, but Kay's father is killed in the fire. Bombs are dropped by the military and dragons attack many different cities along the border. The military finally finds out about Kay and tries to get her to become a spy and get details from Artegal. Instead she and Artegal fly again, chased by jets, and the whole world sees. This, unfortunately, ends with a jet going down after attacking and being attacked by dragons. the pilot and a dragon are killed.
The whole world is shaken and war has officially broken out, but Kay and Artegal come up with one final plan to create a peace that will start with the dragons. From a book that Artegal's mentor had, Kay learns that dragons and humans were once not only friends, but flew together constantly. From this same book she learns that there is a location north of Greenland that is called a haven for those who are sick of the war. In one bold move during a press conference to the world, Kay sacrifices herself and leaves everything on the back of Artegal. Artegal truly believes it will work and the two sides will be at peace. They arrive after a few days to the location of the haven and are greeted by a yellow dragon and its human rider.
Best part of story, including ending:
I like that the book is simple and gives there eager a fervent wish that all of the story were true.
Best scene in story:
I have two favorite scenes. The first is when Kay works with Artegal to become a virgin sacrifice and is brave beyond measure when she leaves everyone and everything she knows for a place that she and Artegal will be safe. My second favorite scene is the end scene when she and Artegal arrive at this haven and a dragon with a rider on its back, come to meet them.
Opinion about the main character:
I like that kay has an innocence about her that shines through but that innocence makes her brave in the face of a war.
