THE PRINCESS WHO FLEW WITH DRAGONS

Princess Sofia flies off on her own adventures.

Six months after the close of The Girl With the Dragon Heart (2018), Princess Sofia of Drachenheim (a secondary character in Burgis’ previous books set in Drachenheim) is forced to attend the Diamond Exhibition in far off Villenne. The bad: leaving the safety and comfort of home, a two-day flight in a dragon-lofted carriage, and playing the polite princess upon arrival. The good: Sofia immediately offends the king and queen of Villene, leading to unexpected freedom to disguise herself as a university student, attend a lecture by her favorite philosopher, and explore the city. First-person narration makes Sofia’s privilege obvious, just as it does her journey of growth through self-reflection and friendship with goblin and kobold immigrants. When the ice giants of the north feel threatened by the weapons and intentions on display at the exhibition, it’s up to hot-tempered Sofia and friends to save the day, and Sofia finds her un–princess-y characteristics can be an asset. As in the other books in the series, Burgis deals with issues as serious as privilege, immigration, and identity in a manner that is both honest and free of didacticism. Characters are a range of skin tones, from pale to brown to green to white; Sofia herself has brown skin.

Anti-princess Sofia, her friends, and their adventures will amuse and delight readers.