Name: Screenwise
Author: Screenwise

Where to Read

Amazon

Barnes & Noble

Libby

Our reviews and ratings are 100% unbiased, but as an Amazon Associate, Screenwise earns an affiliate fee if you buy a book or game by clicking one of our links. We don't get any credit if you just Google it instead :)

Screenwise Verdict

This is YA fantasy with actual teeth. The dragon-riding academy setup might sound familiar, but Munda uses it to explore class revolution, inherited guilt, and the messy reality that overthrowing oppressors doesn't automatically create justice. Annie and Lee aren't just rivals for top spot—they're kids shaped by opposite sides of a brutal war, trying to figure out if they can build something better or if they're doomed to repeat the cycle.

The fantasy violence is present throughout (dragonfire, combat, torture mentions) but not gratuitously graphic. What's heavier is the emotional weight: both main characters lost their families in horrific ways, and the book doesn't shy away from survivor's guilt, moral ambiguity, and the question of whether you can ever really escape your past.

Some readers found the prose plain—it prioritizes plot and political intrigue over lyrical language—but others appreciated the clarity and pacing. If your teen loved Red Rising or is ready to graduate from lighter fantasy, this delivers complexity without being grimdark. Just know it's genuinely about revolution and its aftermath, not just dragons and kissing (though there's some of that too).

Age Fit

Best for ages 13+ who can handle fantasy violence, complex moral questions, and emotionally heavy themes about war, revolution, and trauma. The political depth and character complexity will appeal most to mature teens who want more than straightforward good-vs-evil fantasy.

WISE Breakdown

Wholesome

72

Explores complex themes of class revolution, loyalty, and chosen family versus birth family with emotional depth. Characters face moral dilemmas about revenge versus justice, and the romance develops naturally over years of friendship. The revolution backstory includes family executions (dragonfire for lowborn, murder by revolutionaries for aristocrats), which is heavy but handled as backstory rather than graphic present-day content. Models friendship, hard work, and questioning inherited beliefs, though the violence and trauma themes require maturity.

Imaginative

78

Dragon-riding fantasy with a fresh political angle—merging class revolution with a meritocratic dragonrider academy creates an original spin on familiar YA fantasy tropes. The worldbuilding includes tournament competition, orphanage bonds, and the tension between old regime survivors and new order. Comparisons to Game of Thrones and Fourth Wing suggest it borrows familiar elements but combines them in engaging ways. Some readers found the writing 'bare' and vocabulary limited, which slightly caps the imaginative ceiling.

Safe

68

Fantasy violence is present throughout—dragon attacks with fire, torture mentions, tournament combat, sparring—but Common Sense Media confirms no gory descriptions. The violence focuses on destruction, burning, pain, and death in battles and backstory (family executions on both sides of revolution). No sexual content, nudity, or profanity flagged. The emotional weight of trauma, survivor's guilt, and moral complexity around killing family members makes this psychologically intense for younger readers, though it's age-appropriate for the teen target audience.

Enriching

81

Tackles genuinely complex ethical questions: Is revolution justified when it replaces one oppressive system with another? Do you owe loyalty to blood family who committed atrocities, or to chosen family and new ideals? The class warfare backdrop (lowborn vs. aristocrats) and meritocracy examination offer political depth rare in YA fantasy. Character development is strong—Annie and Lee both grapple with their pasts and identities. Multiple reviews praise the political intrigue and character depth. Builds critical thinking about justice, loyalty, and systemic change while delivering entertainment through dragons and romance.

Parent Info

✓

Why It Might Be Great

Tackles real ethical complexity: revolution, justice vs. revenge, loyalty to blood family vs. chosen family and ideals—this isn't surface-level YA fluff
Dragon-riding meritocracy built on the ashes of aristocracy creates fresh political intrigue in a familiar fantasy setting
Annie and Lee are well-developed characters with genuine competing loyalties, not just romance props
Friendship-to-romance arc develops over seven years of shared history, making it feel earned rather than instalove
Praised as 'one of the best YA fantasy series' by readers who appreciate depth and political worldbuilding

⚠

What to Watch For

Fantasy violence throughout—dragonfire attacks, torture mentions, combat training—not gory but persistent and sometimes brutal
Backstory includes family executions on both sides of the revolution (lowborn burned by dragons, aristocrats murdered by rebels)
Heavy emotional themes: survivor's guilt, trauma, moral dilemmas about killing family members
Some readers found the prose style plain or bare—prioritizes plot over literary flourish, which may disappoint strong readers looking for rich language

Conversation Starters

"Annie's family was killed by the old regime, Lee's by the revolution. How do you think that shapes what they each believe is 'right'?"
"If you were Lee, could you fight against family members who survived—even if they represented everything you now oppose?"
"The new system is supposed to be fair (anyone can test to be a dragonrider), but is it actually just? What would a truly fair society look like?"
"Annie has to choose between protecting Lee and being the champion her city needs. What would you do if loyalty to a friend conflicted with what's best for everyone?"

Ask Anything

Get a personalized guide on any topic

Fireborne: The Aurelian Cycle, Book 1 Rosaria Munda