DRAGONBORN: THE TWILIGHT CHILD
Dragonborn Series , Vol. 2BY STRUAN MURRAY | PUBLICATION: OCT 20, 2026
DUTTON BOOKS FOR YOUNG READERS | GENRE: MIDDLE GRADE FANTASY
RATING: ★★★★★
"The book trusts young readers with difficult truths and rewards them with something far more meaningful than comfort."
____________________________________________________________________
Soar back into the world of dragons in the thrilling, fiery sequel to Dragonborn.
“Their fate rests in the hands of the Twilight Child.”
Having discovered her true identity as dragon, Alex Evans must embark on a dangerous quest to stop Drak Midna and his war against humanity.
When tragedy strikes the island of Skralla, Alex and her friends journey north to the heart of Scotland, where dark plots are in motion, and humans and dragons fight side-by-side against a rising storm of ancient demons.
Sinister forces are growing stronger every day, and as friendships fall apart and enemies old and new strike from the shadows, Alex must master her own fearsome power, and unravel a mystery that might just be the key to victory: the legend of the Twilight Child.
“Their fate rests in the hands of the Twilight Child.”
Having discovered her true identity as dragon, Alex Evans must embark on a dangerous quest to stop Drak Midna and his war against humanity.
When tragedy strikes the island of Skralla, Alex and her friends journey north to the heart of Scotland, where dark plots are in motion, and humans and dragons fight side-by-side against a rising storm of ancient demons.
Sinister forces are growing stronger every day, and as friendships fall apart and enemies old and new strike from the shadows, Alex must master her own fearsome power, and unravel a mystery that might just be the key to victory: the legend of the Twilight Child.
____________________________________________________________________
Before reading The Twilight Child, I made the decision to read the first book in the series. Looking back, I am glad I trusted that instinct.
Dragonborn lays the foundation. It introduces the characters, the world, the looming threat, and the stakes. More importantly, it creates the emotional investment needed for everything that follows. By the time I opened The Twilight Child, these characters already felt familiar, and that familiarity transformed every triumph and heartbreak into something deeply personal.
To call this book a continuation of the series feels like an understatement.Dragonborn lays the foundation. It introduces the characters, the world, the looming threat, and the stakes. More importantly, it creates the emotional investment needed for everything that follows. By the time I opened The Twilight Child, these characters already felt familiar, and that familiarity transformed every triumph and heartbreak into something deeply personal.
Struan Murray takes everything established in the first book and builds upon it with remarkable confidence. The world grows larger, the mysteries deepen, and the challenges become more daunting, but the story never loses sight of its heart. The characters remain the reason readers keep turning the pages. Their adventures, misadventures, victories, and failures all contribute to a journey that feels meaningful beyond the fantasy itself.
The mystery at the center of the story is beautifully handled, with twists that feel surprising yet carefully earned. Each revelation adds another layer to an already rich narrative, rewarding readers who have invested themselves in this world.
What impressed me most, however, was Murray's respect for his audience.The mystery at the center of the story is beautifully handled, with twists that feel surprising yet carefully earned. Each revelation adds another layer to an already rich narrative, rewarding readers who have invested themselves in this world.
He does not dilute pain, simplify difficult truths, or talk down to young readers. The challenges his characters face are emotionally, physically, and ethically demanding, yet he writes with the conviction that children are capable of wrestling with hard questions. The result is a story that hurts, but never harms --one that challenges, but never abandons hope.
The themes woven throughout the novel are substantial: friendship, betrayal, found family, abuse, prejudice, and the devastating consequences of cultural eradication. These are not easy topics, yet Murray approaches them with honesty and care. He trusts readers to sit with discomfort, to question, and to reflect.
As an adult reader, I found myself doing exactly that.
I've always believed that middle-grade books hold a mirror to our adult selves. They ask us to consider where we stand now. Are our convictions firmer, even on uncertain ground? Do we still follow our moral compass when the path becomes difficult? Or do we choose comfort instead?
At its core, The Twilight Child asks a deceptively simple question:
When kindness becomes difficult, do we still choose it?The themes woven throughout the novel are substantial: friendship, betrayal, found family, abuse, prejudice, and the devastating consequences of cultural eradication. These are not easy topics, yet Murray approaches them with honesty and care. He trusts readers to sit with discomfort, to question, and to reflect.
As an adult reader, I found myself doing exactly that.
I've always believed that middle-grade books hold a mirror to our adult selves. They ask us to consider where we stand now. Are our convictions firmer, even on uncertain ground? Do we still follow our moral compass when the path becomes difficult? Or do we choose comfort instead?
At its core, The Twilight Child asks a deceptively simple question:
The answer is explored again and again through its characters, especially through acts of sacrifice, forgiveness, and courage. Here, love is not presented as a feeling alone. It is shown through actions, choices, and the willingness to place others before oneself.
Despite its heartbreak, this remains a deeply hopeful book. It acknowledges grief, anger, and loss, but never allows them to have the final word. Instead, it argues that kindness remains worth choosing, even when it costs us something.
That may be the book's greatest strength.
In a story filled with dragons, ancient powers, and epic conflicts, the most powerful lesson is surprisingly human: hurt and anger can consume us, but compassion can set us free.
This book broke my heart more than once. The last middle-grade story to affect me this deeply was Impossible Creatures by Katherine Rundell. Like that series, The Twilight Child trusts young readers with difficult truths and rewards them with something far more meaningful than comfort.
It offers hope.Despite its heartbreak, this remains a deeply hopeful book. It acknowledges grief, anger, and loss, but never allows them to have the final word. Instead, it argues that kindness remains worth choosing, even when it costs us something.
That may be the book's greatest strength.
In a story filled with dragons, ancient powers, and epic conflicts, the most powerful lesson is surprisingly human: hurt and anger can consume us, but compassion can set us free.
This book broke my heart more than once. The last middle-grade story to affect me this deeply was Impossible Creatures by Katherine Rundell. Like that series, The Twilight Child trusts young readers with difficult truths and rewards them with something far more meaningful than comfort.
And sometimes, that's the bravest thing a story can do.
TWITTER | INSTAGRAM | PINTEREST | TUMBLR | BLOGLOVIN | GOODREADS
About the Author:
Struan Murray is Scottish and grew up in Edinburgh, the youngest of a large, rowdy family of redheads. His debut novel, Orphans of the Tide, won the prestigious Branford Boase Award, and was included in the Guardian's 'Best children's books of 2020'. When he's not writing, Struan is a lecturer at the University of Oxford.
*Penguin Random House provided the ARC
in exchange for this unbiased review.
This is a free ad.
in exchange for this unbiased review.
This is a free ad.
Posts
0 Comments:
Post a Comment