And as she fights to save the animal she loves from the consequences of its own miracle, she must learn to accept that in nature, as in life, not everything can be controlled. Faced with this rare phenomenon, Meg must now defend Jata’s hatchlings from the scientific, religious, and media forces that converge on the zoo to claim the miracle as their own.įinally forced to deal with the very people she has avoided for so long, Meg discovers that opening herself up comes with its own complications.
Jata has produced viable eggs-without ever having had a mate. Then one day, Meg makes an amazing discovery. Meg has always been better able to relate to reptiles than to people, from her estranged father to her live-in boyfriend to the veterinarian who is more concerned with his career than with the animals’ lives. A species that became endangered soon after being discovered, Komodos have a legacy of independence, something that Meg understands all too well. Jata brings the exotic to Meg’s Minnesotan life: an ancient, predatory history and stories of escaping to freedom. Meg Yancy knows she may be overly attached to Jata, the Komodo dragon that has been in her care since it arrived at the zoo from Indonesia. "Mejia beautifully tackles the subjects of animal captivity, endangered animals, human-animal connections, and even evolution." Global Animal A zookeeper fights to save the animal she loves, even as her own life crumbles around her. " is simply a beautiful writer…" Twin Cities Pioneer Press " The Dragon Keeper is an excellent novel with real, imperfect characters, and I have added it to our 5 Star Reads." 5 Minutes for Books Steve Reichling, Ph.D., Curator of Reptiles, Memphis Zoo This great work reads like a stolen peek into a zookeeper’s most personal diary." All the passion, turmoil, heartache, and conflict they experience, much of it kept internalized, are on every page of this book. "Mindy Mejia has given voice to the soul and mindset of the modern zookeeper. "In her debut novel, The Dragon Keeper, Mindy Mejia strikes just the right balance between interrogation of societal behavior and compelling entertainment…I was impressed by the way Mejia structured this novel to aid character development, enhance suspense and imbue gravitas…Mejia’s writing style is refreshingly down-to-earth and accessible while still conveying dignity and a sense of grandeur in passages…an entertaining story that will leave you with a broadened mind and a sense of hope." Booklover Book Reviews " layered, complicated, and challenging story…While painting a portrait of an imperfect but idealistic and dedicated woman, The Dragon Keeper also raises some difficult questions about the preservation of endangered species and our responsibilities for non-human animals." Our Hen House
That's what Mindy Mejia does in her debut novel, The Dragon Keeper, a sort of ecological love story in which zookeeper Meg Yancy guards and protects Jata, the Komodo dragon that has been in her care at a Minnesota zoo since it arrived from Indonesia…After a heartbreaking/terrifying scene (I dare you not to cry), we're given a perfect ending." Twin Cities Pioneer Press "Only a skilled writer could make readers care about a Komodo dragon.