Dragonfruit
by Makiia Lucier
Publication Date: April 9th 2024
Publisher: Clarion Books
Find This Book: Dragonfruit
Source: NetGalley eARC
Rating: 5/5
Hanalei of Tamarind is the cherished daughter of an old island family. But when her father steals a seadragon egg meant for an ailing princess, she is forced into a life of exile. In the years that follow, Hanalei finds solace in studying the majestic seadragons that roam the Nominomi Sea. Until, one day, an encounter with a female dragon offers her what she desires most. A chance to return home, and to right a terrible wrong.
Samahtitamahenele, Sam, is the last remaining prince of Tamarind. But he can never inherit the throne, for Tamarind is a matriarchal society. With his mother ill and his grandmother nearing the end of her reign. Sam is left with two options: marry, or find a cure for the sickness that has plagued his mother for ten long years. When a childhood companion returns from exile, she brings with her something he has not felt in a very long time - hope.
But Hanalei and Sam are not the only ones searching for the dragonfruit. And as they battle enemies both near and far, there is another danger they cannot escape… that of the dragonfruit itself.
Dragonfruit is a lush fantasy steeped in Pacific Island mythology. Once I picked it up, I could not put it down! Right out of the gate we are introduced to Hanalei and the beautiful yet dangerous sea dragons that inhabit her world. The magical elements were straightforward with obvious narrative conflict: it is written that the egg of a sea dragon, dragonfruit, holds within it the power to undo a person’s wish but every wish demands a price. Hanalei, the victim of a poisoning that landed her in an indefinite coma was saved by a sea dragon egg and saw the consequences first-hand. Several healthy people around her died in quick succession after the egg was used on her, including her father who stole and fed the egg to her.
If Sam sucessfully beats the cutthroat pirates and sucessfully steals the sea dragon egg for his ailing mother, he will die just like Hanalei’s father died to save Hanalei. Can Hanalei prevent Sam’s self-destruction?
One of my favorite aspects of Dragonfruit was the world-building. We see several different islands and catch glimpses of how life differs on each of them. The reader also gets insights into political allies and tensions across the Nominomi sea that really brought this book to life. The two main characters were also so well developed! I’d quickly pick up a companion novel containing Hanalei’s future adventures if Lucier ever decided to write more. This book was so well-crafted it’s a must-read for fantasy lovers! The dragons, magic, and quest were a perfect adventure, and it has a light dash of romance as well.