Review: Upscaled by Joseph John Lee

Blurb:

From the author of the emotionally devastating epic fantasy series The Spellbinders and the Gunslingers comes...well, the complete opposite of that.

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It begins and ends, as things do, with a girl throwing a birthday party for a dragon. Or it would, if things were ever that simple.

Generations ago, the Inquisition of the Priory of the Thrice-Dead Prophet decided that dragons were a great evil and it was their duty to banish them from the land of Nóra. The dragons weren't (they just grew tired of the bother and migrated north), and the Inquisition didn't (they just pretended otherwise), but that's beside the point.

Though evidence of dragons still existed, it remained within the realm of smugglers, ne'er-do-wells, and people with too much time and money on their hands...until a hatching egg finds its way into the hands of a young girl named Ailís.

Now, with the first newborn dragon seen in generations in her company, Ailís finds herself beset by merchants, brigands, Inquisitors, and a greedy governor, and all she wants to do is throw a birthday party for her dragon.

And you thought planning a party foryourkids was tough.

Review:

Who can pass that one-line blurb? I think I clicked on the ARC sign-up link 0.01s after reading the pitch. I knew what I was getting into, and I got exactly what I wanted, and more! So much more.

What I liked:

Cozy fantasy has become a popular genre, and rightly so. The world is so… let’s not go there. Instead, let’s visit this lovely, sweet fantasy world where you can find the sweet comfort of a childhood without responsibilities and let your imagination run wild. All this is a long way of saying, I felt like a child reading this book. I was reminded of the fascination and warmth I got by escaping to these fantasy worlds when I was a kid. I’m 30 now, but this book made me smile and grin and dream like I were 11 again. 

And that warm fuzzy feeling stays with you throughout the narrative. Even in the scenes where things seemingly get serious, you experience through the eyes of an uncaring 11-year-old, whose only motivation is to ‘throw her dragon a birthday party!’ How I long for such simplicity. Ailís is a sweet YA protagonist, mischievous but loveable, kind and naïve yet crafty when needed. Throughout the story, the stakes do raise high, and you can feel their weight falling on Ailís despite her not full understanding the situation. Children might not understand complex conflicts, they might not even have the same level of empathy as some adults, and the author has nailed this limited, still-growing perspective of Ailís. I strongly believe it’s this child-like voice and POV that made me let my guard down and experience this story as I would have as a child. 

The story itself isn’t all too complex. While the politics and history of Nóra have some nuances to them, they’re lost to Ailís’ POV, keeping the narrative simple and straightforward. The evasion of serious repercussions sometimes feels too convenient but eventually makes sense given the comedic and light-hearted tone of the book. I didn’t feel bogged down by any details, nor did I feel at the edge of my seat; instead, I was snuggled up in my couch or lying down in bed slowly exploring this new fantasy world. 

Lastly, I want to talk about the writing. Terry Pratchett’s influence on this book is crystal clear. The goofy humour with the occasional meta-joke set the perfect tone for this comfort read. The story parts built Nóra with the deftness of a world-builder and the fascination of a child. [SPOILER] The finale, where our characters enter the Draconic Highlands was peak imagination for me. It’s nothing special if you’re wondering, but the wonderment of visiting such a fantastical place came alive with Lee’s writing. 

What I didn’t like:

As much as I enjoyed the low stakes and comedy, there were some moments that didn’t land for me. Primarily the antagonists’ arcs. I really appreciated the meta-humor, but didn’t particularly like how their narratives unfolded. I think the reason for this reaction was that we see their stories through their POVs. While their scenes had comedic value, I felt their stories interfere with my comfort read of Ailís’ story. 

The only other complaint—if you can call it that—is Pilib. I loved Pilib, and wish there was more of him in the story. I was anticipating more antics involving the baby dragon.

Conclusion:

Upscaled is as cozy as it gets. Low stakes but high rewards, this is the perfect read for a lazy weekend, a destress in the middle of a busy week, or plain and simple escapism. 

TL;DR:

WHAT I LIKED: Cozy read, rekindled my child-like fascination for fantasy

WHAT I DIDN’T LIKE: antagonists’ arcs