Reviewed by Demetria Head for Readers' Favorite

Jenni Ogden’s Dancing With Dragons is a beautifully crafted tale set in the late 1970s on Western Australia’s Coral Coast, where teenagers Gaia and her brother Bron live a secluded life with their parents. Gaia is intensively trained by her mother, a former Principal Dancer of the American Ballet Theater, for a career in professional ballet. Her love for ballet is matched only by her passion for snorkeling over the coral reef. Her life is irrevocably changed when she discovers a rare pair of seadragons and witnesses their mesmerizing courtship dance, only to lose her entire family and her dreams of dancing that same night. Two years later, Gaia returns to her abandoned family property, determined to live off the land. For years, her only companions are the wild animals and an Aboriginal couple, Mary and Eddie, who work for a nearby racist farmer. Her solitude is broken one morning when Mary’s 11-year-old orphaned nephew, Jarrah, sees Gaia dancing on the beach, sparking an unlikely and healing friendship.

Jenni Ogden masterfully captures the emotional depth of Gaia’s journey from loss and isolation to healing and connection. The character development is rich and nuanced, particularly in Gaia’s transition from a traumatized teenager to a resilient young woman finding solace in nature and new relationships. The bond between Gaia and Jarrah is depicted with sensitivity and authenticity, showing how two scarred individuals can find strength and hope in each other. The setting of the Coral Coast, with its vivid descriptions of the reef and bush, adds a lyrical quality to the narrative, drawing readers into the natural beauty that surrounds Gaia’s healing process. Fans of literary fiction will appreciate the eloquent prose, intricate character arcs, and the exploration of themes such as loss, resilience, and the transformative power of friendship. Dancing With Dragons is a testament to the human spirit’s capacity to endure and flourish despite profound adversity, making it a deeply moving and inspiring read.