Dragonfly

Dragonfly Synopsis

When the uptight Fourth Crown Princess of the Blue Crescent Islands is sent to marry the 'uncouth' Ramil ac Burinholt, heir to the throne of Gerfal, they are both horrified. The princess is used to a life of discipline, ritual and splendour, Ramil to a life spent hunting and carousing. But the countries of both are under threat from the fearsome warlord Fergox Spearthrower and the only chance of peace is for them to form an alliance.

So when Ramil and Tashi - as he insists on calling the princess to her annoyance - are kidnapped, things look disastrous. But the kidnap is the start of an exhilarating journey involving circus troupes, bloody battles, unarmed combat, daring escape and breakneck chases. Along the way, Ramil and Tashi learn much about themselves and one another, and through the cast of characters they encounter - a circus strongman, dashing rebels, brave slaves and many ordinary people - they begin to see a way to bring the mighty Fergox Spearthrower low, and save their beautiful lands from devastation and war.

From the author on how this book came about:

‘Like many people who have lived a long time, I would be hard put to tell you what I did the day before yesterday – but the sunny afternoon in 1934 when I arrived at Dartington Hall is engraved on my mind and will be till I die. I was just eight years old.

I was angry because I had been forced to leave Vienna and confused because I did not speak English and embarrassed, standing among the uninhibited children. Yet in this strange school in which I spent the next seven years, I experienced the happiest and most fulfilling period of my life.

For longer than I can remember I wanted to write about this time, but it was not until I created a heroine, Tally, who was utterly different to me that I saw how to use this rich background of eccentrics as part of a story that was not just an autobiography.

The Dragonfly Pool is a made up story, touching my own life only lightly. My aim in the book, as with most people who write for children, was just to please and intrigue and entertain.’