Walton takes the Victorian social novel to new levels by making dragons the main characters. Suddenly, all of the social conventions of the age are backed by biological necessities – the need to have gold for one’s hoard, the need to have a parent’s estate (that is, their body…) divided fairly so one can eat it to grow and survive, a tell-tale change in the body that shows to all if a female has been in close contact with a male. All of this, plus the fact that social faux pas can lead to being eaten instead of just shunned, raises the stakes considerably, and creates a wholly original and entertaining story!