Dragonfruit

In this kindhearted romantic fantasy from Lucier (Year of the Reaper), legend has it that seadragon eggs, or “dragonfruit,” contain the power to undo a person’s “greatest sorrow”—for a price. Hanalei knows the tales are true; as an eight-year-old royal page on Tamarind, she and Princess Oliana both imbibed poison that induced an unwakeable sleep. The queen managed to procure a dragonfruit meant to rouse Oliana, but Hanalei’s father stole it and absconded to Rakakala, where he instead healed Hanalei. Days later, he died, leaving Hanalei alone. Hanalei finally returns to Tamarind at 18 after escaping dragoners intent on exploiting her seadragon researcher expertise to hunt a pregnant female. Her former best friend and Oliana’s son, 19-year-old Prince Samahtitamahenele, welcomes Hanalei warmly despite his mother’s continued slumber, and presents her with a worrying scenario: Samahti requests that Hanalei help him obtain a dragonfruit for Oliana, but doing so could cause him to share her father’s fate. Lucier dallies in establishing the story’s stakes, stunting early tension and drive, but richly textured worldbuilding dazzles from start to finish, taking inspiration from Pacific Island mythology and riffing on well-loved elements from the YA fantasy canon. Most characters have brown skin. Ages 13–up. Agent: Suzie Townsend, New Leaf Literary. (Apr.)