Author: Stephanie Burgis
Rating: 2/5
When Aventurine seeks adventure outside of her family cave, she’s enticed by the smell of chocolate and transformed into a puny human girl.
Spoilers ahead.
Detailed Summary
Aventurine runs away from her family of dragons in the cave because she hates how her older sister is perfect, her older brother has a passion and she has nothing. She smells chocolate and drinks it when a food mage offers it to her. She turns into a twelve-year-old human and is picked up by Greta, this conniving woman. She escapes and meets Silke, a thirteen-year-old, who helps her out and then tries to sell clothes to Aventurine. Aventurine is hellbent on finding chocolate. The first two chocolate houses reject her desire to be an apprentice. The third one called The Chocolate Heart is run by Marina and Horst. Marina is known to have a bad temper but she hires Aventurine. Silke hypes up the Chocolate Heart by spreading pamphlets and things. The Royal family come to visit but a competing chocolate house owner orders an inspection of the kitchen so the Chocolate House suffers from a lack of customers. Aventurine thinks it’s her fault and she runs away and works as Greta’s maid. Silke rescues her and shows her to Marina who tells her to not give up. There’s news that dragons are coming to attack the city of Drachenburg. Aventurine realises they’re her family. Silke helps her get to the Royal family but they don’t believe her when she tells them not to attack. Silke helps her be diplomatic and Aventurine and the youngest sister named Princess Sofia goes with Aventurine to talk to the dragons. Aventurine convinces her family of her identity and the dragons broker a piece with the royals. Marina tells Aventurine how the chocolate the dragon-girl had concocted made her feel energetic. Aventurine is revealed to be something of a food-mage and is able to change from human to dragon and vice versa. The book ends with Aventurine spending her afternoons off with her family and the Chocolate Heart being a successful establishment.
Plot and Pacing
The Dragon with a Chocolate Heart is a whimsical middle-grade novel with an adorkable cast of characters and so full of chocolate that I swear to god my mouth was watering throughout. I think if I read this when I was younger (than I am now), I would have definitely given it at least a 3/5 but there wasn’t really much that made this book stand out. I did like that it was a roundabout way of saying that you should pursue your passions despite how unorthodox they may seem. I thought the events of the book were a little too convenient and I wish Aventurine’s self-doubt had been explored a little bit more rather than being wrapped up so quickly.
Also, a special nod to my favourite scene:
“No,” said Marina abruptly. “Actually, she’s right. Horst?” She looked at him. “I don’t know about you, but if this is the last hour of my life, I want to spend it doing what’s most important. Do you remember that question you keep on asking me?”
Horst stared at her. Then he straightened away from the wall with a wild jerk. “Now?” he said. “Now’s when you finally agree to marry me?”
Marina snorted. “Are you mad? Where would we find a judge at this time of day, without any notice?”
Ahhh, I’m calling it right now, those two are going to be married by the end of this series!
Characters
I thought Aventurine was pretty cool and her determination was admirable. However, my favourite characters were definitely Marina and Silke. I love Marina because she’s just sooo stubborn and she reminds me a little bit of Marilla from Anne of Green Gables (and no, it’s not just the name!). There’s this pragmatic, no-nonsense quality about both of them which I find simultaneously endearing and reassuring. I loved Silke from the start because she’s described as having short hair and wearing trousers and I have a soft spot for girls like that! I’m so hyped that the second book is going to be about her. I also like that she’s clever and nifty in terms of getting around the city and knowing the gossip.
Writing Style
I thought this was a cute read but nothing extraordinary which, my god, sounds really harsh. Would still recommend though, especially if you’ve got a box of chocolates to snack on as you’re reading!
Earnestly Eccentric 