For the island kids

Girl I was on the seadragons sides since the beginning. Always listen to women. Sam ready to go to war for Hana 10 minutes upon uniting? I love them. Also...FETU!!!

4.5 stars

read on my blog

rep: Pacific Island mythology inspiration and -coded characters
cw: blood, gore

**I received an ARC from the publisher through Netgalley (thank you, Clarion Books!). These are my honest opinions, and in no way was I compensated for this review.**

In the old tales, it is written that the egg of a seadragon, dragonfruit, holds within it the power to undo a person’s greatest sorrow. An unwanted marriage, a sworn enemy, a painful illness . . . gone. But as with all things that promise the moon and the stars and offer hope when hope has gone, the tale comes with a warning. Every wish demands a price.

For years, Hanalei has lived a life in exile after her father stole a dragonfruit—the egg of a seadragon said to grant anyone’s wish—to save her life. Now, she spends her life studying seadragons until one day she sees her opportunity to return home to Tamarind. Meanwhile, Samahtitamahenele is the last remaining prince of Tamarind in a matriarchal line. He’s being pressured to marry but instead focuses on finding a cure for his mother, who’s been in a coma and whom the dragonfruit Hanalei’s father stole was meant for. With Hanalei’s return to the island, the two set off on a quest to search for a dragonfruit.

I’ve been a huge fan of Makiia Lucier’s since I read Year of the Reaper and immediately ran to read her backlist. Her writing is just so gorgeous and full of yearning, and this book was no exception. Both Hanalei and Sam have been living lives not meant for them—her in exile and him as the default heir. Hanalei’s yearning to return home despite her guilt for what her father did is so strong, while Sam’s longing to see his mother returned is an underlying part of his character.

There’s also the added layer of them being close childhood friends and then abruptly having to cut off contact. The tension between them now…Lucier always knows how to write a romance that cuts you to the bone. I can’t wait to reread this book!

The worldbuilding of this book was also very engaging! It takes inspiration from different Pacific Islander mythology, which was new for me to read personally. The plot is centered around the eponymous dragonfruit, which are what seadragon eggs are called. These eggs are rare, especially because seadragons are infamously hostile and hard to kill, and are said to hold the power to undo a person’s sorrow. Any person who steals a dragonfruit pays a price though; in Hanalei’s father’s case, with his own life.

There’s also the concept of markings, which are like tattoos of animals. However, these appear without warning once during early adulthood and move around different locations on the body. In some people’s case, like Sam’s, they can rise off the skin and take the form of a living animal. Markings are friends and guardians; Fetu, Sam’s marking, is fiercely protective of him but also gets irritated if you ask too much of him.

I also liked the side characters and how they all play into the plot. They’re all so fully developed; each character has their own agenda, although they may or may not come into fruition.

I truly can’t recommend Dragonfruit and all of Lucier’s works enough. My love for this book is hard to put into words, so please just know that I adored it. It was one of my top ten reads of 2023 (when I first read this ARC), and I already have plans to reread it soon!

original review:

oooh the longing in this…chef’s kiss, man