I’m not sure if it’s because I really like the novel a lot, but I want to know about the past, present, and future. It made me want more, and want to dive deeper into its lore and cultures. While the novel focused more on the characters and their dragons, I thought that what we saw of the world was beautifully done. I thought the world building was intriguing. Through the happy moments, the action scenes, and even the sad times, I was having as much fun as if I were watching a blockbuster movie. The entire time I was reading, I was literally having fun. It was almost like a game of chess, where if you take out one characters action, nothing else can happen. But the story makes sure that they cross each other and fits them into this larger puzzle. Because of the Trials, we see the characters doing their own things and going about their business. One of my favorite parts had to be the story itself. I honestly liked every single character in this unique cast and wanted more. I found myself wanting to know more about everyone and hoping that we would get more stories out of them. Even the side characters play a large part with their depth and complexities. I found myself questioning every single person and wondering which of them would win the Trials and take the throne by the end.

Their voices mirrored their arc that takes you on this wild journey and you see their progression the further in you go. You could literally open the book at any page and within seconds know who’s point of view it is. They all varied with their emotions and actions and stand apart from each other. From the start, I was able to differentiate these distinctive characters. Cluess makes sure that every single one of her characters are completely different so that doesn’t happen. I’m no longer able to tell them apart and end up getting frustrated. From past experience, multiple points of views start bleeding into each other and the character’s personalities start blending.

When I first saw that House of Dragons was told from five different points of views, I became a little concerned. Suddenly the younger siblings are being chosen, and there’s nothing anyone can do to stop it. It’s the same every single time, until now. The winner becomes the new Emperor or Empress and they rule successfully until their passing, where the cycle restarts. Normally, when the Emperor of Etrusia passes away, the Great Dragon calls the eldest child from each of the five Houses to compete in the Trials with their respective dragon. In HOUSE OF DRAGONS, Jessica Cluess delivers a non-stop thrill ride that dives deep into politics and breathes life into action-packed scenes.

House of Dragons by Jessica Cluess