The more I read Cornelia Funke (whom I first discovered via The Princess Knight, a picture book chosen for girl1) the more I recognize her as a very solid, inventive YA and children's writer.

While I did not exactly enjoy The Dragonrider it wasn't because of lack of solid, sympathetic characters, or an enjoyably evil villain, or l whimsical details set into readable prose.

Nope, not because of that.

I'm too old. Sigh.

I KNOW that if I read this book about 20 years ago, I would have loved it. I would have loved the brave and kind dragon, firedrake, on his quest to find a home for his people. I would have thrilled that the evil sidekick of the bad dragon gradually learned to be good due to the kindness of our heroes.

I would have loved all the details like brownie spit making stones stick to ravens and djinni living in old cars covered with a thousand eyes.

But while these are enjoyable to me on one level, on another level they seem...well...juvenile and uncomplicated and too straightforward.

Which is not necessarily a bad thing for YA fiction, mind you. However, if you compare it with, for example, Clive Barker's Abarat series, it lacks certain layers of story and characterization that would make it enjoyable for adults to read as well. (Abarat has deliciously evil and horrible characters with motives beyond just "Because I want to be bad!").

Anyway, I would recommend this book for anyone under 15, but not necessarily for adults who enjoy YA fiction.