Tooth and Claw

Tooth and Claw is a fantasy novel by Welsh-Canadian writer Jo Walton, published by Tor Books on November 1, 2003. It won the World Fantasy Award for Best Novel in 2004. Plot summary The book's plot is similar to that of a Victorian romance – specifically, Anthony Trollope's novel Framley Parsonage – with the obvious difference that the protagonists are not human beings but dragons. The novel begins with the death of Bon Agornin, the patriarch of a middle-to-high-class family of five direct descendants, including Penn, Haner, Selendra, Berend, and Avan Agornin, along with more extended family, who have gathered around both to mourn his passing and to collect their inheritance. Several main conflicts are introduced early on that span most of the book, starting with a dying confession Bon makes to Penn, who as a priest absolves him of his wrongdoing despite the issues it would raise for his church. Next, Daverak, a son-in-law of Bon, takes more than what was agreed upon in the distribution of Bon Agornin’s wealth, which is complicated by Penn having taken Bon’s confession and therefore being unable to share said wealth distribution agreement without also sharing his confession, as well as the fact that part of the distribution of wealth includes cannibalizing Bon’s remains for health and strength, which most of the rest of the family feels they need more. Haner and Selendra, very close sisters, are forced to live in different places due to financial and social complications, with Haner leaving to live with Daverak, and Selendra with Penn. Finally, a priest working with Penn by the name of Frelt approaches Selendra and asks to marry her, she refuses as she dislikes him, but nonetheless, his actions cause her scales to turn pink, indicating that she’s a bride soon to be married, which would cause numerous social complications, however, their servant makes a tea that turns her scales back to normal, though potentially at the cost of her never turning pink again.