The story of Owen

This book is definitely unique. I've never read anything quite like it. The matter-of-fact blend of industrial history and dragons (who love to eat carbon and thus their population has blossomed with industrialization) is pretty cool.

I picked this up to potentially booktalk to 7th/8th graders and I'm just not sure... content-wise it's fine, no sex, some dragon violence, very Canadian language... but it's very sophisticated and I feel like a lot of kids that age might not quite pick up the alternate history world? BUT I mean, the kinds of nerds who would be interested to pick this up based on the summary would probably be game. Sorry for nerd stereotyping.

OH and I forgot to say, Owen's aunts are lesbian dragon slayers/swordsmiths and they're totally awesome.