With dragons only a distant memory, the hatching of a forgotten egg brings a healer and an unwilling hero together to save her village from destruction. What They Say:
Master storyteller Jane Yolen (Owl Moon, Sword of the Rightful King) and celebrated fantasy artist Rebecca Guay (Swamp Thing, Magic: The Gathering) weave a textured and lyrical tale of adventure, homelands, and heroism the hard way.
Two hundred years ago, humans drove the dragons from the islands of May. Now, the last of the dragons rises to wreak havoc anew-with only a healer’s daughter and a kite-flying would-be hero standing in its way.
The Review:
Generations have passed since mankind fought dragons, and the stories have faded into legend. The myth springs back to life as one final dragon emerges from its egg, unnoticed at first by those who are dedicated to bringing in the harvest. Unnoticed, until the youngest daughter of a healer discovers Dragon’s Bane by the water’s edge and her father disappears, leaving only a burned herb sack behind. Next, animals disappeared, and then a small child. But it wasn’t until a fisherman actually saw the dragon that the town believed. What they needed was a hero – a dragon slayer.
The tale begins with a prologue, beautifully illustrated by Rebecca Guay in the style of an old tome, describing the history of dragons in the land. The elegant font, grey toned images, and blood red side art set the old fashioned tone of the story. Jane Yolen’s lyrical text blends well with the imagery in this section of the book. As we move into the body of the tale, which occurs 200 years after the last of the dragons had been defeated, the colors shift to a brighter palette. I found this helpful, as it showed a clear separation from the prologue of the story. We quickly see the hatching and growth cycle of the last remaining dragon. It is clear from the moment it emerges from its egg that this dragon is a dangerous predator, with fierce eyes and sharp claws. I adore dragons, and this dragon was painted with beautiful hues of red and orange. When it is shown in flight, you can see the power and strength of its wings.
As I happily expect from a Jane Yolen tale, the main character is a strong young woman. Tansy is the youngest of three daughters. She is a healer in training, working as her father’s assistant. Yolen describes her as a “trouble to her mother”, but her father views her as imaginative, curious, and clever. Tansy is a character I love throughout the story. She’s always questioning, and her interactions with the hero later in the story are honest and believable. The other two daughters, Rosemary and Sage, are not as well developed in the story because they are just minor players in the tale. Rosemary is a plain weaver, hardworking and calm. Sage is a golden beauty, who dreams of having her true love come across the water to marry her. All three daughters are illustrated distinctly and beautifully. My favorite panels include the ones where we see close ups of the expressions on their faces.
Tansy and her village realize that ridding the town of dragons requires a hero – a true dragon slayer. Three boys set out to find their hero, sailing across to the mainland to locate a likely candidate. It’s here that I had one of my big surprises. The boys encounter a strong woman, and I expected them to end up using her as their hero (or “Shero”, as she declares herself). Slightly over the top, and I think I would have been disappointed if it had been that obvious. Instead, they sail home with Lancot. He is a gorgeously strong but shallow man who has been “playing at being a hero” since he was fifteen. He is another wonderfully well drawn character, a physically heroic looking specimen. Is this the “true love from across the sea” Sage has been seeking?
The defeat of the dragon requires Tansy, Lancot, and the whole village to come together to use all of their strengths. It is clever, and allows teamwork, creative thinking, and courage to come into play. I found myself cheering for both Tansy and Lancot by the end.
This was one of my very first forays into the graphic novel format, as I usually read fantasy and science fiction chapter novels. As such, there were a few times I wished I could have had more information about the characters and their interactions, especially as the relationship between Tansy and Lancot begins to bloom. But the strength of the story and the beauty of the language and art made it a very satisfying read. While it is listed as an adult graphic novel, it is one that I will happily share with my children.
In Summary:
I’m a huge fan of Jane Yolen’s work. I own over a dozen of her picture books and elementary level novels, including a few that are autographed from a time I heard her speak. I went into reading The Last Dragon with very high expectations, and she didn’t disappoint me. Her lyrical prose and plot twists hit just the right note. The artist, Rebecca Guay, brought the tale vividly to life. This graphic novel is a work of art, like a fairy tale that can be enjoyed again and again.
The search for a hero, and the struggle against the dragon, were told with deft skill. There were several times when I thought I knew how the tale would unfold, only to be surprised by a convincing twist to the plot. The main female character, Tansy, was a strong and capable leader. Her sisters were not as well developed, but served as a foil for her and to help move forward several key plot points. Even the hero, Lancot, grows throughout the tale into a believable and honorable man.
As a newcomer to the graphic novel format, I was amazed by the beauty of the artwork and the amount of information they could convey to help me understand the tale. Jane Yolen has a magical touch with words, which is evident from the very first page. The lettering, borders, and illustrations were beautifully matched with the story. The artwork of the dragon was powerful, majestic, and fearsome. There were many times when I just stopped and flipped back through the pages to look at the artwork again. This is a beautiful mix of a classic legend framework with a more modern sensibility.
Grade: A
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